Daumendreher

Hook Grip: Technique, Pain & Tips

Hook grip hurts at the beginning — that’s normal. Proper technique in 4 steps, what helps with the pain, and when you really need it.

Why is the thickness of the hook grip tape important?

Hook grip tape protects your thumb. But the thickness you choose determines how much you feel of the bar, how long your thumb holds up, and whether you remain pain-free during intensive training p...

Psychology in strength training: How small rituals sharpen your focus

You are standing in front of the barbell. 95 percent of your maximum weight is lying on the ground, and you know exactly what that means: This lift will demand everything from you. Your hands are d...

Why kinesiology tape ruins your hook grip

I see it every week at the gym: an athlete wraps blue kinesiology tape around their thumb, grips the barbell in a hook grip – and by the third clean at the latest, the tape rolls off like a party s...

Why the hook grip works

Everyone who regularly trains with heavy weights knows that frustrating moment: Your legs are ready to push the weight off the floor with all their might, your back is stable, but your grip fails. ...

Hill Sprints as the ultimate interval training

Imagine being able to improve your sprint speed, build explosive leg power, and take your cardiovascular fitness to the next level in just 30-40 minutes per week. Sounds too good to be true? Welcom...

What is the best way to get through the team WOD?

You enter the box, your eyes wander to the whiteboard and it says in big letters: WOD in Team of 2. A mix of anticipation and slight nervousness is immediately noticeable. Team workouts can always ...

Sled Push: Technique, Muscles, and Hyrox Preparation

The weight sled, also known as a power sled, competition sled, or prowler, has become an indispensable training tool in recent years: whether in high-intensity Hyrox competitions, American football...

Ice bathing: Just a trend or a useful recovery tool

From Rich Froning to LeBron James to the top athletes at the CrossFit Games – ice baths or cold plunges have become an indispensable part of modern recovery protocols. What was once considered a Sp...

Why protein quality is more important than quantity

Anyone involved in muscle building and nutrition knows the principle: protein is essential for getting big. But is the protein from a steak really the same as that from lentils or tofu? The surpris...

What are the benefits of drinking coffee before working out?

You wake up in the morning, prepare yourself mentally for your workout, and reach for your Italian portafilter machine first thing. You are not alone in this. For many athletes, coffee before exerc...

How long does a roll of hook grip tape last?

For many CrossFitters and weightlifters, hook grip tape is just as essential to training as chalk or lifting shoes. It protects the thumbs, improves grip, and makes heavy lifts possible in the firs...

Strength standards table for men and women (kg)

Anyone who trains regularly in a CrossFit box or a weightlifting club lives in a world outside the average. Here, what seems almost superhuman outside is normal: cleaning 100 kg, squatting 150 kg, ...

What are the benefits of using Fat Grips for increasing your grip strength?

Know this feeling? You’re performing heavy deadlifts, it feels really good, and your legs and back could handle even more weight, but your hands are slowly opening up and your grip is failing. For ...

The right training volume: Why less is sometimes more

In CrossFit training, the motto is often: "Go hard or go home" or "No pain, no gain," and most people know the feeling: You are exhausted, your body aches, and yet you stand in the box again, ready...

Increase your explosive power through plyometric training

Whether it's a snatch, a clean & jerk, or an explosive box jump—these exercises aren't just about being strong; they're about being able to call upon that strength quickly at the right moment. ...

Front Squat vs. Back Squat: What is the difference?

Squats are arguably the king of all strength training exercises. Hardly any other movement engages so many muscles simultaneously or has such a great carryover to everyday life, sports, and perform...

Performing thrusters correctly: technique, muscles & variations

If there is one exercise in CrossFit that is as feared as it is loved, it is the thruster. Hardly any other movement pushes you to your limits as quickly, which is exactly why it has earned its fir...

Overhead press for strong shoulders and more progress in CrossFit

Overhead pressing is one of the absolute fundamental exercises in strength training. Hardly any other movement strengthens the shoulders as directly and effectively. At the same time, you are train...

Learning Toes to Bar: Technique, Muscles and Progression

Toes to Bar are one of the signature exercises in CrossFit and are firmly anchored in many workouts. At first glance, the execution often looks like child's play: athletes hang seemingly effortless...

Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups: Learning Strict, Kipping, and Butterfly

Strict pull-ups are one of the classic basic exercises in strength training and are considered a true benchmark for upper body strength. Anyone who has even the slightest interest in training has c...

Barbell rows and other exercises for the back

Along with squats, deadlifts, bench presses, and pull-ups, rowing is one of the fundamental exercises in strength training. It is by no means as popular as the bench press, but it plays a vital rol...

How to perform the Jefferson Curl correctly — technique, muscles, risks

Jefferson curls are among the less commonly seen but extremely effective exercises in strength and mobility training. Unlike most classic strength exercises, the spine is deliberately rounded verte...

What can the butterfly pull-up do that the kipping pull-up cannot?

The butterfly pull-up is considered the most efficient way in CrossFit to complete high-repetition pull-ups. You have likely watched more experienced athletes seemingly effortlessly stringing repet...

From pull-up to muscle-up and everything you need to know about it

The muscle-up is a challenging and impressive exercise often encountered in CrossFit or calisthenics. It combines the pull-up and the dip into one complex movement that requires strength, technique...

Hip Thrust: Muscles, Technique, and Variations Explained

A strong, capable body is built on a solid foundation, and that includes the posterior chain. This chain comprises, among other things, the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back, playing a central rol...

The Hero WOD White

Among the many Hero WODs in CrossFit, there are some that stand out in particular – whether due to their brutal volume, their history, or both. White is definitely one of them. Not just because it ...

Rope Climbs in CrossFit: Technique, J-Hook, and Zombie Variation

Rope climbs are among the exercises that cause many athletes a headache. While experienced athletes glide up the rope seemingly effortlessly, others struggle with slipping feet, lack of technique, ...

Wall Balls in CrossFit and HYROX: Height, Weight & Technique

You either love them or you curse them. Almost no one has a neutral opinion on Wall Balls. The combination of a deep squat and a powerful throw with a medicine ball is no small feat. What looks sim...

Range of Motion: Meaning, range of movement, and benefits

Strength training is often all about training plans, weights, repetitions, and sets. However, one crucial factor is frequently overlooked: the range of motion (ROM) – the extent to which you perfor...

Bulgarian Split Squats: single-leg squats & execution

Anyone trying Bulgarian split squats for the first time will quickly notice: this exercise looks harmless, but it packs a punch. After just a few repetitions, the thighs burn, balance becomes shaky...

Making muscle building more efficient: How to use eccentric strength training effectively

When we move weights in the gym, do push-ups, or hammer out squats in the CrossFit box, we rarely think about what is actually happening in the body. A repetition is just a repetition, right? Not q...

Chin-Up vs. Pull-Up: The difference in pull-ups explained

Not all pull-ups are created equal. While the classic pull-up with a wide overhand grip is often considered the gold standard, the chin-up with an underhand grip is frequently dismissed as its litt...

How to train your grip strength effectively

Whether you're lifting heavy in the gym, doing pull-ups, or lugging heavy shopping bags home in your daily life, your grip strength plays a vital role. It helps determine how long you can hold a lo...

How are pistol squats performed correctly and how can you learn them?

Strong, controlled, and elegant, pistol squats are among the most demanding bodyweight exercises for the legs. Performing them with good form combines leg strength, core tension, balance, and flexi...

Daumendreher goes competition

The story continues. After several CrossFit boxes started offering the tape for sale on-site, it’s now time to hit the competition floor. Daumendreher Tape is now an official part of the goodie bag...

The best hook grip tape for CrossFit

A good hook grip tape is more than just a piece of tape. It fulfills an important function in weightlifting and CrossFit – namely, protecting the thumb during the hook grip without compromising you...

Daumendreher Tape is establishing itself in the Swiss CrossFit scene

What began as an idea for a better hook grip tape specifically for CrossFit and weightlifting is spreading further and further, becoming increasingly established in the Swiss CrossFit scene. The ta...

Why a salt deficiency can lead to calf cramps after a workout

Salt is more than just a kitchen spice that makes cooked dishes tastier. It is a silent high-performer in your body. While sports nutrition often involves heated debates about proteins, carbohydrat...

How to properly tape your thumbs for weightlifting

Anyone who regularly does CrossFit or weightlifting knows the feeling: the barbell is firmly in your hand, the weight pulls down, and your thumb gets pinched between the bar and your fingers. We ar...

Learning the Overhead Squat: Technique, Muscles, and Mobility

The overhead squat is called "Überkopfkniebeuge" in German. Quite clunky and not very sexy. That’s why we’ll stick with "overhead squat." It’s not called the "king of squats" for nothing. The barbe...

Home strength training: A serious alternative to the gym or just a compromise?

Not everyone manages to get to a gym or CrossFit box for regular workouts. Be it due to lack of time, lack of opportunities, or because one doesn't feel comfortable with others watching during a wo...

How to use back-off sets in your training

You have a clear goal in mind: you want to get stronger. More weight on the bar, more visible muscles, tangible progress. You push yourself to your limits. Set by set, week by week. But at some poi...

Learning pull-ups as a beginner: preparatory exercises and training plan

Pull-ups are among the most honest exercises in training: no hiding behind equipment, no tricks – either you pull yourself up or you don't. Anyone starting as a beginner knows the feeling of failin...

Compound exercises in strength training are the foundation for strength and more muscle.

Regardless of whether you are just starting out with strength training or have been at it for a while – sooner or later you will stumble across the term compound exercises. And rightly so: because ...

How to correctly combine endurance and strength training

Those who want to get or stay physically fit often pursue two central goals: more strength and better endurance. Therefore, it makes sense to combine both. Be it through classic running sessions al...

What is the bench press? Muscles, technique, and variations

Bench pressing, along with the squat and deadlift, is one of the "Big Three" of strength training — and is the most measured chest exercise in the world. Nevertheless, many beginners see real progr...

Why jogging should be part of your training and how to get started as a beginner

Jogging is one of the simplest yet most effective training methods. Anyone can start immediately. You don't need a gym membership, expensive equipment, or much specialized prior knowledge. Just lac...

Why Open Gym is the key to more success in your CrossFit workout

If you have been doing CrossFit for a while, you are probably familiar with the following situation: 5 p.m., warm-up, maxing out back squats, preparing for the WOD, the WOD timer gives the start si...

Why jump rope is an integral part of CrossFit

Anyone who trains regularly in a CrossFit box or has ever completed a trial workout knows the typical sound of a jump rope snapping against the floor in a steady rhythm, followed by the familiar st...