Dr. Peterson would know: Hes written a bunch of them.

We dug into the research and tapped the experts to get to the real deal.

Turns out, its not quite as simple assome headlineswill have you thinking.

woman deadlifting

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To find out what grip exercises canand cantdo for your body, keep on reading.

So what is it about grip strength thats so important for longevity?

But ready for the twist?

barbell deadlift

Look closely at that word predictor, because its an important one.

Andthatis the metric thats truly important, Dr. Peterson says.

Basically, people who work out tend to be stronger all over than people who dont, he says.

Alicia performing a kettlebell bentover row

So theres nothing really special about grip that tips your chances at better aging.

But this doesnt mean that grip strengthisntimportant on its own either.

And it has carryover to a whole lot of other exercisesincluding ones that challenge much bigger muscles.

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Take that first one: Your lower body and back might have the ability to lifthundredsof pounds.

But if you cant hold on to that weight with your hands?

Then sorry, but you wont be able to get it done.

Alicia performing a kettlebell Romanian deadlift on one side

And its notonlyimportant for maxing out your strength either.

Heres how to put it all together.

Grip strength comes naturally from a balanced strength routine, Dr. Reiner says.

dead hang exercise

Here are some grip-strength exercises to try.

Maintaining alignment in the hips and shoulders is really important, Dr. Reiner says.

you could think of this move as walking perfectly while holding heavy weights, Dr. Reiner says.

pullup exercise

March With Dumbbell Hold

This moveworks your abs and hip flexorswhile also testing your grip strength.

This will help activate as many muscle groups as possible.

Wrist Curl (Rotation)

This move works your forearm muscles.

farmer carry exercise

As you do reps, see to it your wrist is the only thing moving.

high knee march

Stand with your feet shoulderwidth apart. Hold a light weight plate in front of your body arms extended in front of you…

Hold a tennis ball in your hand with your fingers and thumb wrapped around it.  Squeeze the ball as hard as you can for…

Hold a light dumbbell in an overhand grip with fingers facing down. Support your forearm on a bench or step and let your…