when your ability to lift is restricted by your grip?

My upper body is certainly not at this point, but my legs can lift far more than my hands can handle....will my grip improve as I work at lifts?

For example....for my lunges I can hold only 35lbs each hand and by the time I've done 10 lunges each side the dumbbell is ready to drop from my hand.

Should I move up to 40lbs and do less reps (whatever my hands can hold), find another method of doing lunges (like maybe at the squat cage), or wait until my grip improves?

What is it that improves my ability to grip?

Your grip strength is related to forearm strength, and you could have the same issue I do which is a bit of carpal tunnel.  I can't hold heavy dumbbells for long either.  I do my lunges with a barbell just to forego the stress on my wrists and hands.  I find it to be a lot more comfortable that way too.

Hi on my way, you can get straps or start doing barbell work as bpanke suggests. the straps are a bit tough to get a handle on at first but you wrap them around your hands and the barbell and they help you hold the weight for deadlifts and any other pull exercise. my grip is terrible too...you could also start trying overhead lunges where you hold the dumbells over your head--super tough! good luck!

I have found using a mixed grip on deadlifts helps. There are differing opinions on weight gloves, I personally use them when my deads get up over 150lbs or else I tear up my hands.

As for lunges, I find using dumbbells over 20lbs very cluncky and prefer to do them with a barbell instead (squat style across my shoulders)

I've been wanting to look into getting gloves since my deads are starting to get to the point where my hands are hurting...talk about manly callouses! But when I first started lifting, my grip strength was a limiting factor.  It still is a bit, actually, but it has vastly improved.  I thought about getting straps but as your stregth overall increases, your grip strength should improve as a sidenote.

katie have you tried a mixed grip on the deads? One hand under grip and one hand over? It helps a lot

thanks for all the info

I think I'll look into some exercises specifically for improving forearm strength and using the cage to get those barbells up on my shoulders instead of the dumbbells for some lunges (I tried once without cage, managed to get 60 up on my shoulders then had to ask for help to get them off -- THAT was embarassing -- I am pretty sure the guy who helped me felt like a hero, days like that I'd like a lifting partner, hubby won't come anymore).

Shyed away from deadlifts because I had an IT band injury and read that it may be the deads that caused it -- either that was the case or the fact that I may have had poor form while doing them...either way, nervous to go at them again because my passion is running and I started weights so that I am a strong runner that runs with minimal injury -- oh, and to get the pipes of my dreams (or the pipes of the woman at my gym that I am always admiring jealously -- who says muscles aren't attractive).

spiro-I haven't tried that but I think I might.  Like I said, grip strength has improved with overall strength but when I go from deads to lunges I have a difficult time holding onto the dumbbells for lunges!

Try wrapping towels around dumbbell handles to make the grips thicker, this will improve forearm strength.  And of course wrist wraps - most lifters get to a point where their leg strength surpasses their grip strength and their last and only option is wraps.

I have this same issue.  My grip has improved by incorporating exercises for my wrists and forearms, as well as keeping a soft stressball on my desk to squeeze throughout the day as I think of it (be sure to do both hands).  The staggered grip for deadlifts works very well -- I have not tried the straps yet, but think I am going to get a pair to see if they also provide some help.  As the lifts for the lower body get heavier, this continues to be an issue.

I have not done lunges with a barbell -- I usually use dumbells, but I will try that as well -- it sounds like it might actually be more stable.  I like split squats that way, and can't imagine the lunges will be much different.