Patent ID: 8496565

Claim:
A method of increasing grip strength, comprising: providing a weighted block having first and second side gripping surfaces; gripping with one hand the weighted block such that the fingers and the thumb of the hand are disposed on the first and second side gripping surfaces, respectively, the fingers and the thumb extending substantially straight along the first and second side surfaces, respectively; and holding the weighted block such that an arm connected to the hand is extended substantially straight along a side of a user and the fingers and thumb are disposed substantially parallel to the side of the user, wherein the weighted block has a width of about 1.75 inches to 3 inches, wherein the weighted block further comprises a top surface extending between and connecting the first and second side gripping surfaces, a bottom surface disposed opposite the top surface, said bottom surface extending between and connecting the first and second side gripping surfaces, two end surfaces extending between and connecting the top and bottom surfaces and extending between and connecting the two side gripping surfaces, and one or more weighted plates disposed in an interior of the weighted block adjacent the bottom surface, wherein the weighted block is held such that at least a portion of a palm of the user's hand overlies the top surface, and wherein at least one of the surfaces of the outer casing is openable or removable to allow access to the interior to allow for incremental adjustment of the total mass of the weighted block.