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Severe Negative
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Severe negatives are performed by forcing a gripper shut with two hands, then attempting to hold it shut with one. The primary purpose is to expose tissues of the hand to the force of stronger grippers, building the toughness needed to generate high levels of closing force. For maximum benefit, focus on crushing the gripper shut during the negative, not just preventing it from opening.
Use a choker collar during negatives to protect the knuckles.
Severe negatives can be very hard on the hands and should be broken into slowly. In order to minimize training risk, consider using a choker collar to prevent the gripper from opening further than needed. Chalk will be valuable in minimizing slippage of the gripper during the negative and reducing the risk of skin tears.
