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Comment by resolutionx | Hacker News Reader

Sorry if this comes across the wrong way, but have you tried building your grip/forearm strength up? It's an easy muscle group to activate.

However I'm not sure many muscles are good at being tensed for extended periods. I've always just shifted around the way I hold the book every few minutes.

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+1. Building a little bit of hand/arm strength also isn't a bad idea for a computer profession, to help reduce the risk of RSI.

Are you trying to support the book completely with your hands? I do a lot of reading while laying down with the book on my stomach or sitting with the book on a table or propped up on my knees. The only time I'm holding the book in the air is when I'm walking or cycling.

I used to suffer from various small pains, even a Quake2 induced pain in the dorsal side of the hand, and they stopped when I started to use a bike and lift weights.

I actually have tried this. I own the iron mind grippers and can successfully close the second one 3-4 reps. But ultimately I have pain that comes back when I start to hold a book, especially a large one.

If you can only do 3-4 reps you need to go to the level below that one. You also need to build forearm strength, which you can do with a dumbbell and forearm curls. Your goal is endurance, so many reps at a lower weight. Bicep curls wouldn't be a bad idea, either.

Good point! Sometimes the most obvious things just need to be pointed out for me to be like, eureka!

Do you use the grippers?

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