The Gripzilla Dynamo is a wrist roller / forearm strengthener than doesn’t require weights.
I use this to strengthen my forearms and grip by twisting my wrists back and forth against resistance.
At about the length of a sheet of paper, it doesn’t take up a lot of space, yet it gives my forearms a sick pump.
Let’s check it out!
Unboxing
The Dynamo came in a small box inside a travel bag.
I don’t see myself using the travel bag but it’s nice that they included it.
It comes ready to use out of the box which is nice since most products I review require assembly.
The handle is 11.5″ long so it takes up less space than a dumbbell.
And its diameter is 1.25″.
Specs
- Length: 11.5″
- Handle diameter: 1.25″ (32mm)
- Knurling: Mild
- Resistance: Tension knobs
What Is The Gripzilla Dynamo?
The Dynamo is a dual handle wrist roller made by Gripzilla that gives me resistance during wrist flexion and extension.
What’s unique about it, is that it doesn’t need to be hooked up to any weights for resistance.
It has built-in tension knobs that allow me to control the resistance level when I rotate the handles.
Top Benefits of the Gripzilla Dynamo
Trains Forearms Effectively
Surprisingly, the forearm pump with the Dynamo is real!
I wasn’t expecting much out of a wrist strengthening tool that doesn’t use weights but this provides a good amount of resistance.
To use, I turn my wrists up and down in opposite directions against resistance to get my forearm flexors and extensor muscles working at the same time.
No Weights Required
Unlike most wrist rollers, I don’t need to hang any weights from the Dynamo.
I just set turn the knobs to the desired tension and start flexing and extending my wrists against resistance.
Best Features of The Gripzilla Dynamo
Adjustment Knobs
Adjusting the tension on the Dynamo is easy.
I turn each handle to the right for more tension, turn the opposite way to decrease tension.
Only thing about this mechanism, is that I have to guesstimate that the tension matches on each side.
So it’d be good if there was a way to quantify the tension but it’s not a deal breaker.
Knurling
The knurling is mild but it’s enough to give my hands enough grip so that they don’t slip.
Construction
The Dynamo is solid.
It’s mostly metal with some hard plastic parts (the knob heads are plastic) so it’s built to be durable.
Who’s The Gripzilla Dynamo For?
I’d say strong forearms and grip strength are essential to everyone.
If you’re a weightlifter or athlete, it’ll help you to hang on to heavier weight, climb, grip, and anything you do with your hands.
And if you’re an 80 year old granny, you’ll be able to do your daily activities (like opening up jars) with ease.
I’ve had a finger injury before and I couldn’t make a fist so it affected every pull workout (pull ups, rows, shrugs, etc).
So I’d say grip and forearm strength are important in everything we do in and out of the gym.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Size: Small enough that it doesn’t take up much space in my garage gym, portable
- Variable resistance: I can easily increase/decrease the resistance by twisting knobs
- No shoulder fatigue: Don’t fatigue my shoulders. Handheld wrist rollers tire out your shoulders taking away from the focus of the forearms.
- Grip: Knurled handles provide enough grip to prevent my hands from slipping even at high resistance
- Assembly: Ready to use out of the box
- No weights needed: Knobs provide enough resistance where I can feel it effectively working my forearms
- Build: Made out of metal so it’s durable
Cons
- No way to track: It’d be nice if it had add numbers so both sides are set to the same tension and I can track tension accurately.
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Dynamo Alternatives
Gripzilla Tornado
The Gripzilla Tornado is Gripzilla’s more advanced, 3-dimensional forearm and grip strengthener.
Main difference between the Tornado and the Dynamo, is that I can move my wrists in all directions with the Tornado.
With the Dynamo I can only flex and extend my wrists.
Rogue Wrist Roller
The Rogue wrist roller can be rack mounted or can be handheld.
It has a strap with a carabiner that can be attached to a dumbbell, kettlebell, or loading pin.
If you choose to add the rack mount, it adds $45 to the price of the unit.
The Strong Arm
The Strong Arm is a plate loaded wrist and forearm strengthening device.
It works with Olympic sized weight plates, can be used single or double handled, and allows for exercises with full range of motion of my wrists.
I like this one a lot because I can track the weight I use but it also takes up more space than the Dynamo.
My Experience Using The Dynamo
I really like the simplicity of the Dynamo.
There’s no weight plates to load so I can jump on it right away.
When I’m ready to go up in resistance, I just turn the knobs equally (although I wish it had numbers to be more accurate).
And I find it very effective at working my forearm flexors and extensors.
Conclusion: Should You Buy The Gripzilla Dynamo?
If you’re looking for a simplistic way to train your forearms and strengthen your grip, the Dynamo is a good choice.
It’s easy to adjust, has nice knurling to keep my hands from slipping, and gets my forearm muscles working.
Best of all, I don’t need to attach any weight to it so I can jump right into it.
Click Here to Check Out The Dynamo
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