John Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Hi guys! I apologise in advance if a similar question has been posted before, but any advice would be much appreciated. I bought the COC #1 last year and can now close them easily, and I am looking to invest in a new COC and the KTA Program, which I have heard so much about. Anyway, my question is; would it be worth skipping COC #2 and heading straight for the #3? The reason I ask is because the COC grippers aren’t cheap, especially here in the UK, so I wondered if it would be ok to skip #2 and get #3 so I can build up to them, and they would last longer? However, I would only do this if you think it wouldn’t harm my results or progress, especially on the KTA Program. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat 74 Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Well, it will be hard to do KTA with 2 grippers. You need an overcrush gripper, a goal gripper, and a bigger gripper for negatives, also, a cut gripper for beyond the range work. If it were me, I would buy the 2 and 3, or try to find some RB's if they are more available in the UK? I like KTA, but if it were me, I would try to buy 2 grippers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big bri Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 first off if you tried to do KTA skipping the #2 and goin straight for the #3 that would probably lead to injury i'd think. say you can bench press 200 lbs. it would be along the same lines as trying to skip training for a 300 lb bench and training for a 400 lb bench. secondly it is good to have the whole set of grippers for a variety of training purposes. As far as KTA goes, you need to be very dedicated and serious about grip training. it's not an easy program to say the least because it involves a high amount of volume every week for 10 weeks. i strongly encourage you to start the program and stick with it because, assuming you're a beginner and correct me if i'm wrong, you will get amazing beginner gains. so my suggestion is buy the #2 and #3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Styles Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 You need a #2 and a gripper significantly stronger. You may want to consider getting a BBGM instead of a #3. Some of the new #3's are obscenely hard. When I did KTA with a goal of the #2, I couldn't even get my 2005 #3 set in my hand to do negatives with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctordeath Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 If you want to get your COC gippers cheaper, buy them direct from Ironmind- even with shipping they tend to be cheaper that way. Also, don't be tempted to skip the #2. It's way tougher than the #1. and the #3 is a an order of magnitude higher still. I can shut my #1 easily now, and am quite close with the #2, but the #3 is a distant goal. That's why there's a list for people who can shut them- they're tough, and it's a real achievement. You sound like your grip is a at a similar level to mine, and I can say right now, you will not believe just how hard a #3 is to close until you try it. Get both. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DAN PRAYDIS Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 i dont know if this helps but they will work in a pinch http://sfuk.tripod.com/reviews/grippers_heavygrip.html and http://www.handgrippers.co.uk/body.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Lemanczyk Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Buy a #2 and work with it. Listen to your body with time and patience. Slow and steady wins the race. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verdigriz Posted January 21, 2006 Share Posted January 21, 2006 Speaking from experience.....I got my hg200 and closed it the second workout session, sold it and got me a COC #3, after a month of work on it, including chokers and negatives, I cant budge it much past parallel, I will be going back to a #2 (like someone told me I would lol), and I suggest you invest in one too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted January 22, 2006 Author Share Posted January 22, 2006 Thanks for all the advice, it's much appreciated! Well I took the plunge and bought COC #2 & #3 direct from Ironmind as Doctordeath advised, and it does work out cheaper than buying them over here. I am going to purchase the KTA and read up thoroughly before they arrive! Just one more question; how long do the springs keep their tension? Say I could close #2 after working on it for a year or a couple of years, would I still necessarily be able to close a brand new pair? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davesbeard Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 How much did it cost to get grippers imported? Costs nigh on £50 for 2 grippers bought from this country so i'm hoping its cheaper bought straight from ironmind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geo Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 Get a 2. You can get them from London Kettlebells. They are about £21 from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted January 22, 2006 Author Share Posted January 22, 2006 Two grippers direct from Ironmind cost $39.90 + $19.00p&p = $58.90. If you do a currency conversion it comes out at roughly £33.27. Londonkettlebells.co.uk are the cheapest I have found them here in the UK at £21.50 each, but I don't know what they charge for P&P. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelbiceps Posted January 22, 2006 Share Posted January 22, 2006 (edited) A quality spring that never exceeds its recommended range of motion should be good for enormous numbers of reps (easily millions) with no appreciable weakening. Ironmind says they have improved their springs since the mid 90's and that spring failure is rare and spring weakening very insignificant. I'd be inclined to believe that. Probably the easiest way to damage a spring, resulting in strength change or ultimate failure, would be to nick it. Even a small nick causes a stress concentration that can result in failure. So keep it out of boxes containing sandpaper, files, hardened tools, etc. The other way that comes to mind would be getting it really hot, but I can't see how you'd accidentally get a gripper spring hotter than, say, the temperature in a car on a sunny day... That's not nearly hot enough. On the other hand, making all grippers identical from one to another is harder, so just because you can close your #2 doesn't necessarily mean you can close all #2's. But you'll be close! Edited January 22, 2006 by steelbiceps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billafer 65 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 You need a #2 and a gripper significantly stronger. You may want to consider getting a BBGM instead of a #3. Some of the new #3's are obscenely hard. When I did KTA with a goal of the #2, I couldn't even get my 2005 #3 set in my hand to do negatives with. Yeah the new 3's are insane...i would definitly get a BBGM Im in about the same situation as you are with the negatives.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat 74 Posted January 23, 2006 Share Posted January 23, 2006 I have 2 BBGM's both are as hard as a stout #3, if you want a tweener, get a BB Super Master. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Posted February 3, 2006 Author Share Posted February 3, 2006 Hi guys, Thanks again for all the advice, just wanted to give you all an update. I got my Captains of Crush 2 & 3 this morning! I am really glad you persuaded me not to get just the #3 as it's a huge leap from the #1! I have the utmost respect for anyone who can even get those babies in the last 1/2! I can't even imagine being able to close them yet, the #2 is hard enough for me! Just one negative point for anyone thinking of ordering off Ironmind in the UK, I did get stung for an £8 custom charge! Has anyone else experienced this? The KTA Program is definitely next on my list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doctordeath Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 Hi guys, Thanks again for all the advice, just wanted to give you all an update. I got my Captains of Crush 2 & 3 this morning! I am really glad you persuaded me not to get just the #3 as it's a huge leap from the #1! I have the utmost respect for anyone who can even get those babies in the last 1/2! I can't even imagine being able to close them yet, the #2 is hard enough for me! Just one negative point for anyone thinking of ordering off Ironmind in the UK, I did get stung for an £8 custom charge! Has anyone else experienced this? The KTA Program is definitely next on my list! I got away with it last time, but it's always a calculated risk- some you win, some you lose. I work as a postie and have seen some folks get away with hundreds of pounds worth of stuff (it's all on the customs declaration), while others get stung on relatively small amounts. I have been stung before. I bought a piece of software direct from the US (it was only available throught the manufacturers), and got charged £14 by customs. It's a pain, but hey- this is rip-off Britain, we should be used to it by now! Next time you may be lucky. Or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btomcik Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 I'm in agreement with everyone that said to work with the #2 before going to the #3. I bought a #1 in November and was able to close it only once in my dominant hand. By Christmas I was able to do 20 reps with it and then I got a #2. I closed the #2 on my first dry but only once in my dominant hand. Now a month later I can do it for two or three reps. Once I get up to 20 reps on the #2 I'm headed for the #3 and certification. The #2 is tough so good luck and be patient! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onslaught61 Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 while we're on the subject, i was wondering where you guys begin the kta program? do you think its more effective in the beginning, like after you are able to close the #1, or is it more effective in trying to beat that plateau, or both? i can close the #1 for 5 reps, and i figured i would try to close the #2 before i got the kta program, so that when i do get it, ill be able to go for the #3 sooner. is the program consecutive, as in do you use the program several times? or is it just a one time program? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelbiceps Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 I'd say try to get the #2 closed yourself. Take your time. You want to let the tendons strengthen, which takes time, and get the skin really tough before the KTA, or you won't be able to keep with it. If it takes a few months, that's fine. Just try not to overtrain. KTA would probably be destructively overtraining for someone who started a month or two ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onslaught61 Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 ok thanks thats what i needed to know. also, do you use the whole kta program more than once or twice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelbiceps Posted February 3, 2006 Share Posted February 3, 2006 You can do it more than once, but you'll want a couple months of an off-cycle before going again. It's a good way to shock your grip, but you can't do it too often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fissure Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 I closed the #2 on my first dry but only once in my dominant hand. Now a month later I can do it for two or three reps. Once I get up to 20 reps on the #2 I'm headed for the #3 and certification I found that being able to do high reps with my #2 didn't prepare me for the #3 at all. I would get something harder than your #2 now and start doing negatives or choker closes. These are getting me much closer to my #3 than the high rep work was. Of course everbody is different and you may get similar results from #2-#3, as you did from #1 - #2! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy74 Posted February 4, 2006 Share Posted February 4, 2006 (edited) Hi John. I was only closing grippers for a few months before i started KtA'ing it. i had to stop the program prematurely after week 4 unfortunatly , (nontraing or injury related issues) but i tell you, i closed the no.2 (my goal gripper) a week after i started the program. While it is taxing,, if you follow the recovery methods outlined in the program and eat well, rest well you might be right. I started out with a no.1, no.2 and no.3 and a sport i used for thumb work. just incedently, the no . 2 i can now shut with both hands. i can smash it shut for 10 seconds in righthand and justt close it with left which before Christmas both were an impossibility for me.adn that s without even finishing the whole program. its up to you and Definatly i would consider what others said here about waiting until you can shut the 2 by yourself , but as i said i started KTA after around 3 months of gripper training and results were mindblowing considering i didn;t even get all the way through it. I did have previos experience in doing thickbar holds and pinch gripping for a good while prior to grippers though, don;'t know if that counts for anything. Edited February 4, 2006 by Jimmy74 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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