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A solid grip is not only beneficial for sports and household chores but also for a longer and healthier life, according to experts. Strong hands are associated with increased physical activity, which is linked to longevity. However, hand or grip strength is often overlooked and neglected. This is a concern because hand strength is crucial for daily tasks as we age, such as opening jars or preventing falls. Experts suggest that our dependence on smartphones and touch screens may contribute to the overall weakness in our hands. To counteract this, it is important to not only exercise the small hand muscles but also the muscles in our forearms, upper arms, shoulders, and core as they work together as a functional unit.

To evaluate your current hand strength, experts recommend holding something heavy and rotating it, as well as testing your ability to support your weight with your hands and wrists in a pushup position. If these tasks are challenging, grip training may be beneficial. Here are some exercises to increase hand strength:

1. Add functional exercises to your current workout: Incorporate exercises that engage multiple muscles, such as the farmer’s carry, where you walk while holding a heavy object in each hand. Other exercises include dead hangs and bear walks.

2. Adjust your existing exercises: Modify exercises you already do to strengthen your hands. For example, replace the handle of a rowing machine with a towel or rope, or ditch weight lifting gloves while using machines like the lat pulldown.

3. Try an occasional grip-specific exercise: Squeeze a tennis ball for five seconds, do isometric exercises, or perform the towel wring exercise or wrist curls with light dumbbells.

Experts recommend incorporating grip training into your routine once a week, unless prescribed otherwise by a physical therapist. These exercises are particularly beneficial for those recovering from injuries or training for sports like golf or tennis.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.