26 January 2008 - Grip Workout

Easy Stress Ball Warm-Up (L/R)

-3 X 50

Grippers

RH

-Filed HG150 X 15 Explosive TNS

-CoC #2 X 10 MMS

-HG300N X 5 MMS

-CoC #2.5 X 5 OC (~5-8 sec)

-Choked CoC #3 X 3 FR (~1/4" out)

-CoC #4 X 5 Set Attempts (past parallel)

-CoC #3 X 10 FR Negs (~5-8 sec)

-CoC #2.5 X 5 MMS

-CoC #2 X 3 MMS

-Filed HG150 X 10 Explosive TNS

LH

-Filed HG150 X 15 Explosive TNS
-CoC #2 X 10 MMS
-HG300N X 3 MMS
-CoC #2.5 X 3 FR Negs (~5-8 sec)
-Choked CoC #3 X 3 FR (~1/2"out)
-CoC #4 X 5 Set Attempts (to parallel)
-CoC #3 X 8 FR Negs (~5-8 sec)
-CoC #2.5 X 5 FR
-CoC #2 X 2 MMS, 1 FR
-Filed HG150 X 8 Explosive TNS

Filed HG150 R&P Crushes (L/R)

-2 X 8-10

Easy Stress Ball R&P Crushes (L/R)

-1 X 50

Phone Books

-2 X 1400p DC Yellow Pages

NOTES: This was just a quick little gripper workout. I've been trying to switch it up nearly every workout to get maximum gains with the grippers. This time I tried another Brookfield gem, "explosive crushes". He says to hang the gripper from a string, but I didn't have time to mock anything up, so I just held the gripper loosely in my hand like a TNS, and exploded on it. I'll tell you this...they hit the hand hard. I squeezed those reps like I was trying to break the handles off the gripper. It was a great pump, and the movement fatigued me really quickly. The rest is pretty standard stuff...the phone books are fun, and I think they're a good way to end a workout - it's amazing how hard an average sized phone book can be when you're already smoked from the grippers.

21 January 2008 - Gripper Workout

Easy Stress Ball Warm-Up (L/R)
3 X 50

Grippers
RH
Filed HG150 X 10 TNS
CoC #2 X 5 MMS
HG300N X 2 OC (~10 sec)
CoC #2.5 X 1 OC (~10 sec)
Choked CoC #3 X 1
CoC #3 X 1 FR OC (~1/16 - 1/8" out)
CoC #4 X 5 Set Attempts (past parallel)
CoC #2.5 X 5 MMS
CoC #2 X 5 MMS Filed HG150 X 12 MMS
LH
Filed HG150 X 10 TNS
CoC #2 X 5 MMS
HG300N X 1 OC (~10 sec)
CoC #2.5 X 2 FR OC (~10 sec)
Choked CoC #3 X 3 Attempts (~3/8" out)
CoC #3 X 3 FR Negs (~8-10 sec)
CoC #4 X 5 Set Attempts (trying to get it parallel)
CoC #2.5 X 3 FR OC (~10 sec)
CoC #2 X 5 MMS
Filed HG150 X 12 MMS

Filed HG150 R&P Crushes (L/R)
3 X 8-10

Easy Stress Ball R&P Crushes (L/R)
3 X 25

Extensors (L/R)
Easy Band X 50
Med Band X 50
Hard Band X 50

NOTES: I was putting on a little gripper clinic for my brother-in-laws Dave and Bobby and decided to hit my hard CoC #3 for a max effort attempt in the choker. This thing is beastly with a spread over 3"; it's been my goal gripper since the day I owned it. I recently got it in a giant washer (over the spring) to choke it down to just over parallel. I felt strong so I had Bobby grab his camera, just in case. I gave it hell and..."CLICK!" I almost did a back-flip I was so excited. Unfortunately, I was shaking a bit so the numbers are not visible in the pic. I'm going to keep giving it hell, and once I get a better pic or some video I'll post it up.

16 January 2008 - Grip Workout

Easy Stress Ball Warm-Up (L/R)

-3 X 50

Grippers

RH

-Filed HG150 X 15 TNS

-CoC #2 X 10 MMS

-HG300N X 1 OC (~10 sec.)

-CoC #2.5 X 3 OC (~15 sec.)

-CoC #4 X 5 Set Attempts (trying to get it past parallel)

-CoC #3 X 10 FR Negs. (~10-12 sec.)

-CoC #2 X 1 MMS

-Filed HG150 X 5 MMS (just wider than parallel)

LH

-Filed HG150 X 15 TNS
-CoC #2 X 10 MMS
-HG300N X 1 MMS
-CoC #2.5 X 4 FR Negs (~10 sec.)
-CoC #4 X 5 Set Attempts (trying to get it parallel)
-CoC #3 X 10 FR Negs. (~8 sec.)
-CoC #2 X MISS
-Filed HG150 X 4 MMS

2" Pony Clamp (L/R)

-3 X 15

Filed HG150 R&P Crushes (L/R)

-1 X 10

Easy Stress Ball R&P Crushes (L/R)

-1 X 50

Towel Twisters

-2 X 90 sec. (max effort, normal grip)

-2 X 90 sec. (max effort, inverted grip)

Rapid Hand O/C

-2 X 60 sec. (max effort)

Extensors

-Easy Band X 30

-Med Band X 30

-Hard Band X 30

NOTES: The grippers felt good today. I changed it up yet again, so I could incorporate some OC's with my new CoC #2.5. They felt great and generated a serious pump in my hand and forearm. I think they're going to be a staple in my gripper diet from now on. I decided to hit the pony clamp today for some pinch work. I liked it. I still can't crush the clamp all the way down 100% of the time, so it's still motivating. R&P stuff is R&P stuff. Gotta get the hand strong there or I'll be stuck closing 2.5's for the rest of my life. The Towel Twisters are a Brookfield scheme, but the inverted grip is all me. If you grab the towel so your thumbs are facing away from each other (almost like a giant DU bend) and start pulling on that thing you'll soon find it destroys your R&P fingers! OK...this is for the skeptics: the rapid hand opening/closing is a great way to mix up the workouts. It's also a Brookfield gem from "The Grip Master's Manual". He does it for 90 sec. max effort. I could only muster 60 sec. of max effort. Yeah. If you really do it right, it's amazing. The pump was so out of control I didn't think I was going to be able to do the extensor work. Alas, I gave it hell and got the reps in. Damn! That new CoC #2.5 is a MONEY little gripper. That is going to be a great training tool for me in the quest for the CoC #3.

Here's a sloppy Crucifix with an 8lb. sledge and an 8lb. maul. My brother-in-law Bobby took the pic at his house a few days after Christmas.

29 December 2007 - Eaton Vids/Write-Up

Eaton, Geo (my brother-in-law), and I all met up at Barbells of Binghamton to score some grip toys and play around. Ram, the owner of the store, was kind enough to let us film a few lifts in the store; huge props to him...if you're in the area and need anything fitness, check him out! OK - so that's my selfless promotion for my buddy's store.

First of all, Eaton's a FREAK...he's got forearms and wrists that look like ham hocks! He's great at a lot of things, you all know them so I don't think I need to spell them out here, but he's also a great teacher/motivator! I've just recovered from a wrist injury and haven't trained hard in well over a month, but there I was doing what needed to be done. HAHA! He's good people and I look forward to training with him again!

Eaton just missed my hard #3, and I just missed his easy #3 (~1/4"). That did it for me on the grippers. I bitched on the 20 lb. sledge in the store, it was a monster and I was scared of it - plain and simple. It was the first time I tried to lift 5 dimes, and I got the lift pretty easily.



Geo had never pinched before and was able to pull 5 dimes with the pipe through them like it was nothing. I think Jedd has a contender for the freakiest thumb in the porn industry...I mean, grip community. FYI - Eaton was able to pinch and CLEAN 5 dimes...yeah. Freak.



After we filmed a few lifts in the store we went to the parking lot to see what else Eaton had in his bag of tricks. I was not surprised, but I was thoroughly impressed. Eaton pulls out 3 nice York 25's for a pinch lift. NO CHANCE for me, Geo gave them a pull with no luck, so Eaton pulled 'em up with his left and his right...no problem. Great clean lifts.



Then he pinched 2 25's for a plate wrist curl, which I also could not duplicate. Close, but no cigar.



That's not all this guy had in store of us...he goes back to the truck only to come out with a 70 lb. KB, which he promptly tossed up for a bottoms-up press...many bottoms-up presses. Thankfully, I nailed that lift.



We also curled that bubba by the horns pretty easily. I finally got the stones to try the 20 lb. sledge for a front lever, it came down real nice, but when I goosed it on the way up it went off the left and I couldn't keep it going. Next time. Seriously.

Eaton brought his daughter Kelly along...who also impressed everyone, nearly crushing (~1/8") a CoC #1 on cold hands with NO chalk. Amazing.

John gave us a gripper setting clinic, and was really encouraging. The next time we meet, I'll smash that #3, and that sledge.

Great times, and great thanks for John for coming out to meet with us!

Grip Workout - 11 January 2008

Easy Stress Ball Warm-Up (L/R)
-3 X 50

Grippers
RH
-Filed HG150 X 15 TNS
-CoC #2 X 23 MMS
-HG300N X 3 OC (~20 seconds)
-Filed HG 150 X 37 MMS
LH
-Filed HG150 X 15 TNS
-CoC #2 X 11 MMS
-HG300N X 1 OC (~20 seconds) / 2 FR
-Filed HG 150 X 41 MMS

Filed HG150 R&P Crushes (L/R)
-3 X 6-8

Easy Stress Ball R&P Crushes (L/R)
-3 X 30

Extensors (L/R)
-Easy Band X 50
-Med Band X 50
-Hard Band X 50

NOTES: I figured I'd hit some volume work to change it up. I'm glad I did...it revealed a major lack of strength and endurance in my hands...especially my left. I think I'll be going back-and-forth between max effort and dynamic effort workouts, Westside style. I haven't gotten it fully worked out in my head yet, so stand by. I will say this; the pump from volume training is like nothing else for me. My forearms and hands were like iron when I finished this workout.

New news...I got a CoC #2.5. It's a great little gripper - I easily closed it right out of the package, but it's going to be a great training tool to get me smashing my CoC #3. Strap holds and over-crushes are forthcoming with my new 2.5! Thanks, G!

Update: POWERFEST 2008

OH, IT'S ON!

OK, boys and girls...here's the skinny. POWERFEST 2008 is shaping up to be a damn good contest, as expected. Jedd and Smitty of the Diesel Crew and Dave Bellomo of Max Kettlebells are teaming up to put on one hell of a show. The Diesel guys are sponsoring more and more strength contests, and seem to have a bit of the Midas Touch - EVERYTHING they're doing is successful. Everything.

All the lifts that'll be contested are set...check 'em out:

225lb. Log Press for Reps

150lb. Farmer's Hold for time - 1.5" rotating handles

450lb. Axle Deadlift for Reps

200lb. Sandbag Carry for Distance

Full Size Pick-Up Truck Pull

We're talking about a full on, OPEN CLASS with NO weight divisions! These guys are such great promoters, the guy on the top of the podium will take home around $450.00. Not bad for a few hours on a Saturday.

This is a Non-NAS event, so if you're the strong guy on the block - PROVE IT!

If you're a powerlifter and haven't gottn into strongman, there's a bench contest going on as well. Bench Contest Entry Form.

Grip Workout - 7 January 2008

Stress Ball Warm-Up (L/R)
-2 X 50

Grippers
RH
-Filed HG150 X 15 TNS
-CoC #2 X 5 MMS
-HG300N X 3 OC
-HG350 X 2 MMS, 1 OC
-Choked CoC #3 X 2 max effort attempts (~1/8" out)
-CoC #4 X 2 Negs (from parallel)
-CoC #2 X 5 MMS
-Filed HG150 X 10 TNS
LH
-Filed HG150 X 15 TNS
-CoC #2 X 5 MMS
-HG300N X 1 MMS, 2 FR
-HG350 X 3 FR Negs
-Choked CoC #3 X 2 FR
-CoC #4 X 0 (still can't get a negative with my LH)
-CoC #2 X 3 FR Negs
-Filed HG150 X 10 MMS

Extensors (L/R)
-Easy Band X 50
-Med Band X 50
-Hard Band X 50

Pinky & Ring Finger Stress Ball Crushes (L/R)
-3 X 50

Towel Twister Training
-2 X 2 mins of max effort

Phone Book Tears
-2, 1400 page books

NOTES: This was a great little workout. I was really motivated by my max attempts on my choked #3 in my last workout, so I thought I'd give it a shot again last night. That thing snubbed me again. I'll get it soon, I'm closer now than ever before. But, these max effort workouts are tough on my hands, so I think I'll go back to more of a volume style workout for a bit, prior to testing again on my choked #3. The P&R stress ball crushes are great! The ball is soft enough to get tons of reps, with minimal strain. I think the improved dexterity, strength, and endurance will really help out with the heavier grippers. The "Towel Twister" is one of John Brookfield's Grip Tips and it's so simple and effective. I'm telling you, two, two-minute sets and my hands were screaming! It's a great finisher and it has a limitless number of movements to stress the hands, fingers, and wrists at crazy angles. The phone books were legit tears, not pops. The first book went down so easy I grabbed another, and it fought me all the way. A brutal way to end a workout.

Videos and Write-Up On The Way!

I also have a great write-up coming soon. I got a chance to meet up with John Eaton, Saturday, 29 December 2007, for some grip fun!

I haven't posted the write-up and the footage (oh, yeah...Eaton brought the camera) because my wireless has been acting up at the house and YouTube is blocked at the office. Yeah...suckage.

I'll post it as soon as I can!

Workout Reports, etc.

I hit a grip workout with my boy, Geo this Saturday. It was good fun, per usual. Here's how it went.

Warm-Up (L/R)
-easy extensor band X 50
-med extensor band X 40
-hard extensor band X 25
-easy stress ball X 30
-easy stress ball X 25 (pinky and ring fingers only)

Grippers
RH
-Filed HG150 X 15 TNS
-CoC #2 X 3 OC
-HG300N X 3 OC
-HG350 X 1 OC
-Choked CoC #3 X 2 missed max effort attempts (~1/16-1/8)
-CoC #4 X 1 NEG
-CoC #2 X 8 MMS
-Filed HG150 X 10 TNS
LH
-Filed HG150 X 15 TNS
-CoC #2 X 3 OC
-HG300N X 1 OC, 2 FR
-HG350 X 1 FR
-Choked CoC #3 X 2 missed max effort attempts (~3/8)
-CoC #4 X 0 (I'd be lying if I called this a negative)
-CoC #2 X 5 MMS
-Filed HG150 X 8 TNS

Stress Ball (L/R)
-2 X 30
-2 X 20 (P&R only)

10lb. Concrete Weight Pinch
-3 X 20 (one handed pinch, switching hands in the air)

25lb. Plate Pinch
-3 X 20 (one handed pinch, switching hands in the air)

25lb. Plate Wrist Curls (L/R)
-3 X 10

25lb. Plate Tosses
-3 X 20 (flat side to flat side)

Fingertip Presses (two hands, ~50lb. stone)
-3 X 12

Front Lever (13lb. v-bar + 5lb. plate) (L/R)
-3 X 5

Rear Lever (13lb. v-bar + 5lb. plate) (L/R)
-3 X 8

Wrist Rotations (13lb. v-bar + 5lb. plate)
-3 X 5 (RH)
-1 X 5 (LH, my wrist started straining, so I stopped)

NOTES: This was a great workout. The Grippers felt really nice, and as you can see I went for a max effort day on my CoC #3. I finally got that thing in a choker. I notched a big washer and got it down over the spring. It's just wider than parallel, and it feels great. On both attempts, Geo said the gap was slightly larger than a piece of paper. Close, but not shut. Negatives on my new CoC #4 are the hardest thing I've ever done with grippers. I can't believe there are guys out there that close these things. I thought my hand was going to explode!!!! That thing is badass. I couldn't even hold it remotely close to closed for longer than a millisecond with my LH. Yeah. It's sick. The pinch and wrist stuff felt great, especially the plate curls and plate tosses. (I pulled both of these movements from John Brookfield's book, "The Grip Master's Manual". It's full of incredible, low cost training ideas. A HUGE thanks to GEO for the gift...I'll pass the book along once I finish studying it.) The plate tosses are meant to be done with a block weight, but the plate works just fine. I actually think it hits the fingers so hard, it might even be better than a block weight.