In a world where hand health is often overlooked, Dr. Terry Zachary is leading a movement to change that. As a sports chiropractor, entrepreneur, and the creator of Handmaster Plus, he has dedicated his career to improving grip strength, muscle balance, and injury prevention. From professional athletes to musicians and office workers, his innovative approach is transforming how people maintain hand health. In this exclusive interview with Beverly Hills Magazine, Dr. Zachary shares his journey, insights on hand and forearm strength, and why balanced muscle training is essential for performance, rehabilitation, and long-term well-being.
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Beverly Hills Magazine: Hello everyone and welcome to the World’s Most Famous Podcast. I am Jacqueline Madison, your host. On today’s episode, we welcome Dr. Terry Zachary. He is a renowned sports chiropractor, entrepreneur, and the creator of Handmaster Plus.
With a passion for optimizing hand strength, muscle balance, and injury prevention, Dr. Terry Zachary has worked with athletes, musicians, and professionals worldwide to enhance performance and longevity. In this insightful conversation, he will be sharing the science behind proper grip training, the dangers of muscle imbalance, and how his innovative approach is revolutionizing hand health. Get ready to rethink the way you train and care for the most essential tools—your hands.
Let’s welcome Dr. Terry Zachary to the show. Hello Dr. Terry Zachary!
Dr. Terry Zachary: Hello, Jacqueline! Good afternoon.
Beverly Hills Magazine: How are you today?
Dr. Terry Zachary: I am doing really well. How about you?
Beverly Hills Magazine: Doing great, thank you. It is such an honor to have you here today. You have such a unique story.
Dr. Terry Zachary: Thank you, Jacqueline. Whichever way you want to go with the story, I guarantee we can talk endlessly. It is such a fascinating topic, and I love the name of your podcast.
Beverly Hills Magazine: Thank you! Our hands are so important, yet they are often overlooked when it comes to training. Why don’t we start with your journey? What led you to specialize in hand health and grip training?
Dr. Terry Zachary: My journey started with my love for sports. Growing up in Canada, I was almost required by law to play hockey first! I played multiple sports, but hockey was my passion. As I progressed, I realized that grip strength was always emphasized. Whether in hockey, tennis, golf, or other sports, athletes were given grip trainers or encouraged to squeeze racquetballs to strengthen their hands.
Beverly Hills Magazine: That makes sense. Almost every sport involves some form of grip strength—tennis, racquetball, golf, hockey, and even weightlifting.
Dr. Terry Zachary: Exactly! Grip is our connection to our sport, to our tools, and even in daily activities. However, the way we train our grip has been flawed for years. The problem is that repetitive gripping creates muscle imbalance over time.
Beverly Hills Magazine: Is muscle imbalance harmful, or can it be corrected?
Dr. Terry Zachary: That is a great question. In the short term, muscle imbalance may not seem like a big issue, which is why it is often overlooked. Athletes and professionals feel stronger because their grip strength improves. However, over time, this imbalance leads to injury and reduced performance. The hand has nine muscles that close it, but it also has nine muscles that open it. If we only train the closing muscles, we create an imbalance that can lead to injuries in the fingers, thumb, wrist, forearm, elbow, and even carpal tunnel syndrome.
Beverly Hills Magazine: That is fascinating! How did your experience working with professional athletes shape your approach to hand health and imbalance correction?
Dr. Terry Zachary: As a sports chiropractor, I treated countless athletes dealing with grip-related injuries. Later, I took three years off from practice to pursue professional golf on mini-tours. During that time, I noticed how common repetitive grip injuries were in golf. I had been treating these imbalances in my practice, but I realized that most athletes did not have an easy, effective way to prevent them.
One night at 3 a.m., I had an epiphany—what if I could create a simple tool that trains both the opening and closing muscles of the hand? That is how Handmaster Plus was born. I made some rough prototypes, gave them to players, and saw immediate results. From there, it expanded beyond sports to musicians, office workers, and anyone using their hands repetitively.
Beverly Hills Magazine: That is incredible! Many people have those 3 a.m. inspirations, but few act on them. Tell us more about Handmaster Plus and how it differs from traditional grip strengthening tools.
Dr. Terry Zachary: Traditional grip tools focus only on squeezing. That is the problem. They strengthen the closing muscles but ignore the opening muscles, creating imbalance. Handmaster Plus is different because it trains both opening and closing muscles simultaneously.
Let me show you the product. It is a simple polyurethane ball with an elastic cord running through it. Users place their fingers and thumb into the cords. When they squeeze, they strengthen the closing muscles, and when they open their hand, they strengthen the opposing muscles. This ensures full muscle balance and optimal hand function.
Beverly Hills Magazine: That is genius! How does it help with conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow?
Dr. Terry Zachary: Great question. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the structures in the wrist become compressed due to repetitive gripping. Handmaster Plus keeps the carpal tunnel open and balanced, reducing strain. Similarly, tennis elbow is often caused by muscle imbalance in the forearm. By strengthening both sides of the hand and forearm, we reduce stress on the tendons, preventing injury and promoting recovery.
Beverly Hills Magazine: That is so important, especially in today’s world, where people are constantly typing, texting, and using handheld devices.
Dr. Terry Zachary: Absolutely. It is not just athletes who need this—everyone from musicians to office workers can benefit. Hand health is often overlooked, but it affects so many aspects of life. This is a simple and easy product to use. You can get it on our website or just order it on Amazon.
Beverly Hills Magazine: Thank you for sharing your knowledge and insights, Dr. Terry Zachary. Hand health is clearly a game-changer, and Handmaster Plus is revolutionizing how we train and care for our hands.
Dr. Terry Zachary: Thank you, Jacqueline! It has been a pleasure.
Beverly Hills Magazine: Until next time, take care and keep your hands strong and healthy!
Dr. Terry Zachary’s passion for hand health is more than just a career—it’s a mission to educate and empower individuals to take control of their physical well-being. His groundbreaking work with Handmaster Plus is helping people of all professions and lifestyles prevent injuries, enhance performance, and build long-term strength. As he continues to innovate and advocate for holistic muscle balance, Dr. Zachary is redefining the importance of grip training in modern health and wellness. Stay tuned for what’s next from this visionary leader in the industry.