Mini Study Results: MTI Finds No Perfect Grip Test for Tactical Athletes

BLUF (Bottom Line Up Front)

Four MTI Lab Rats completed a week-long assessment comparing five popular grip strength and endurance tests to evaluate their relevance for tactical performance. The goal: identify which tests best reflect real-world demands for military, law enforcement (LE), and fire/rescue athletes — and whether maximum grip strength correlates with endurance-based performance.

No single test emerged as the “best.” The grip dynamometer — a common tool for assessing max grip strength — did not consistently predict performance on endurance-based tests. Instead, grip endurance and task-specific control appear far more important in tactical scenarios.

• For military athletes, tasks often involve load carriage (e.g., ammo, weapons), making the Dead Hang from a pull-up bar the most relevant and practical test.

• For LE and first responders, grip often involves holding irregular or tactile objects (e.g., gear, people, clothing), making the Towel Hang the most applicable and transferable assessment.

MTI will now begin developing grip standards based on these findings and is seeking volunteer beta testers from its user base and local first responder/military communities.

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Key Outcomes

• Notes:
  Sam stopped the Trap Bar Hold early due to shoulder irritation.
  Emmett did not perform the Dead Hang because of shoulder pain unrelated to grip. His Towel Hang result was limited solely by grip fatigue.

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Background

Grip strength is essential across tactical professions. But which qualities of grip matter most — and how should they be tested?

• Military: Frequently carry weapons, ammo, and gear; grip demands center on endurance and positional strength

• Firefighters & LE: Grip people, tools, or clothing — often with gloves — requiring finger strength, tactile sensitivity, and reactive control

This mini-study explored five grip assessments to determine their tactical relevance and whether grip strength and endurance are meaningfully correlated.

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Study Design

Participants

Four MTI Lab Rats:

• Sam

• Jackson

• Seung

• Emmett

Testing Structure

Each athlete completed five different grip tests across five non-consecutive days:

1. Max Dead Hang – Overhand bar hang until failure

2. Grip Dynamometer – Max effort on each hand (L+R average)

3. Trap Bar Hold (185 lbs) – Static hold for time

4. Gi Grip Assessment – Hang from gi sleeves, perform a row every 10 seconds until failure

5. Towel Hang – Dead hang using a towel draped over a pull-up bar

Schedule:

• Thursday: Dead Hang

• Friday: Grip Dynamometer

• Monday: Trap Bar Hold

• Tuesday: Gi Grip

• Wednesday: Towel Hang

This was not a training study — no grip progressions or interventions were implemented. The goal was purely to compare test outcomes.

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Results & Observations

Three Distinct Grip Categories Emerged:

1. Forearm/Postural Endurance — Dead Hang, Trap Bar Hold

2. Maximal Force Output — Grip Dynamometer

3. Finger-Specific Control & Endurance — Gi Grip, Towel Hang

Key Patterns:

• Max grip strength ≠ endurance. Athletes with high dynamometer scores did not always perform well on longer-duration holds. Jackson, who had the lowest grip dyno score, excelled in every endurance-based test.

• Dynamometer scores correlated better with barbell strength than with tactical performance. Sam, Seung, and Emmett — the strongest in traditional lifts — topped grip max.

• Overhead comfort influenced Dead Hang scores. Sam and Jackson, both accustomed to pull-up volume, performed best. Emmett did not complete this test due to shoulder history.

• Towel and Gi tests challenged everyone. These tests uniquely stressed finger strength and friction-based control, which may be more relevant for LE/firefighters.

• Test limitations appeared task-specific. Emmett’s shoulder limited his Dead Hang, but his Towel Hang was grip-limited — not pain-related.

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Discussion

This study supports what tactical athletes intuitively know: grip matters, but how it matters depends on the job.

Dynamometers Have Limited Tactical Value
While easy to administer, grip dynamometers do not reflect the real-world grip demands of tactical work. They capture peak force but miss the more important quality for many job-related tasks: endurance under load or tension.

Test Relevance by Population

• For military personnel, the Dead Hang from a pull-up bar is the most applicable and practical assessment. It reflects endurance in the overhead position, supports weapon/equipment carriage, and is scalable across different fitness levels.

• For law enforcement and first responders, the Towel Hang is the most mission-direct test. It replicates gripping irregular surfaces (clothing, gear, bodies), simulates glove use, and taxes finger and friction-based endurance in a highly transferable way.

Grip is Multifactorial
True grip capacity includes:

• Max force (e.g., crushing grip)

• Time-under-tension endurance

• Fine control (especially under stress or movement)

This study reinforces that no single test can assess all three.

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Limitations

• Small sample size (n=4)

• Shoulder limitations (Emmett’s Dead Hang, Sam’s Trap Bar Hold)

• No repeated trials to control for variability

• No training or adaptation — purely raw capacity testing

• Gi and Towel Hangs may suffer from grip surface inconsistency or unfamiliarity

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Next Steps

MTI will now begin developing mission-specific grip assessment standards, with the Dead Hang as the primary test for Military Athletes and the Towel Hang as the leading test for Law Enforcement and Firefighters.

To support this effort, we are seeking volunteer beta testers from both our national MTI user base and local police, fire, and military communities. These volunteers will help us refine our testing protocols and validate standards across job-specific populations.

As part of this process, MTI will also begin developing a standardized scoring system for the Dead Hang. Beta testers will be asked to submit their raw Dead Hang times along with their bodyweight at the time of testing. Using this data, we will test a bodyweight-adjusted equation to determine what qualifies as a “good,” “average,” or “poor” Dead Hang score: Score = (Time x 10%BW) / 100. This will allow us to establish scalable, mission-relevant benchmarks for tactical athletes of varying sizes and roles.