wojo Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 Had a great workout this afternoon with Chez. He drove down and brought a bunch of his toys so he could run through a bunch of events to prepare for nationals next weekend. I was able to get a lot of pointers on everything from grippers to 2H pinch to bending. My personal goal for today was to close his #3 gripper rated at 149.2 and I closed it successfully three times in a row! The adrenaline of working out with a partner really helped. Unfortunately, none of the three attempts captured on video are submission quality for the MM0....the camera was too shaky on the first, my set was not that clear on the 2nd and my hand is shaking too much on the third. The most important thing was getting the damn thing closed and I did that, so I'm psyched! I followed up with an extremely close attempt with another one of Chez's #3's rated at 153. I think I definitely could've closed it if I hadn't already done the previous three. My easiest #3 is rated at 153.6, so I still have some work to do before I can MM0 Cert. We recorded a bunch of other stuff...but it's all on Chez's camera... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYvU-lYlG0Q Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 My bad dude. I'm a stinky camera man. You definitely smashed it closed. I would have submitted for the hell of it because I have seen worse videos pass. Either way you are going to get it soon. Thanks again for having me over. I had a lot of fun. You're a strong guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Surmis Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Strong closes there! You'll destroy that #153 in next work out np. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted June 4, 2012 Author Share Posted June 4, 2012 Strong closes there! You'll destroy that #153 in next work out np. Thanks! My bad dude. I'm a stinky camera man. You definitely smashed it closed. I would have submitted for the hell of it because I have seen worse videos pass. Either way you are going to get it soon. Thanks again for having me over. I had a lot of fun. You're a strong guy. lol...no worries....I dropped the ball getting your red nail on vid! I actually did e-mail my second attempt to Bill and he was right in telling me that the set wasn't clearly parallel and both the set and close were too far away from the camera. I'll just have to work on closing my own #3 and getting a nice clear video of it. I'm just happy to have gotten all three of my first #3 closes on video, no matter the quality. I had a great time training today too...we have to do it again soon....thanks for taking the drive and sharing all those pointers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel reinard Posted June 5, 2012 Share Posted June 5, 2012 Congrats man! That's a milestone gripper and you killed it 3 times with holds. Your 153 is next! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 Congrats man! That's a milestone gripper and you killed it 3 times with holds. Your 153 is next! Thanks Daniel! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted June 5, 2012 Author Share Posted June 5, 2012 Keeping it short and sweet: 5/3/1 Deadlift - worked up to 340x5, 395x5 and 450x8 (all sets performed double overhand for extra grip work) My hands were pretty shot after that, but I still wanted to do some gripper work so I worked up to my #2.5 for 5 singles with a 30mm block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Just over a week ago, I started my own KTA inspired program...using the fundamentals of the program but only three days per week and thus without the same volume. However, the volume is still much higher than I would otherwise be doing and will gradually increase over the next month. While warming up today, I'm pretty sure I closed my #3 rated at 153.6....so I was pretty psyched about that. The next month of training is all about dominating this gripper. My other training is going well too. My strength levels are back to pre-vacation levels and I've decided to do all my training right at home in my garage. I'm following 5/3/1 now and so far I feel that the whole 5/3/1 philosophy fits me better as a 40 yr old, raw lifter. I had followed the Westside System for about 1-1/2 years and I loved it, but I'd rather be deadlifting relatively heavy very single week and squatting without a box relatively heavy every single week. I think box squats are more appropriate for geared powerlifters....if you're just a regular guy like me who's looking to get stronger, but doesn't compete in the squat, I feel my efforts are better spent elsewhere. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel reinard Posted June 16, 2012 Share Posted June 16, 2012 ^ awesome man! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 ^ awesome man! Thanks man...it's coming along... Still pluggin' away at my KTA inspired program....almost closed my 153.6 from a decently wide set on Sunday (I use the term almost loosely)....but it felt really strong. Last night's workout however was brutal....my hands feel all raw and beat up and my strength was noticably lower....but I pushed my self through. Since I've committed myself to training in my garage in lieu of the gym....I'm working on buying/making the stuff I really need. Yesterday, I made myself a 45 degree hyperextension with less than $30 of wood and less than two hours of my time....not bad. Next up is a reverse hyper, which should be easy because I'm going to make one that uses the safety bars of your power rack as the base. After that, I'm going to make a glute ham raise that sits on the floor like the one Orlando Barbell sells. With all those pieces in place along with my power rack, deadlift platform, flat dumbell bench, lat machine and miscellaneous stuff.....anything else would just be icing on the cake. The one good thing about lifting in your garage (besides the music and ridiculously liberal use of chalk) is that is really forces you to think things through and focus on the exercises that really matter. If you want to be big and strong, you don't NEED a leg press or a hack squat.....or a pec deck or rear delt machine.....or a seated or standing calf machine....or any machine that works your biceps or triceps....or a smiith machine....etc. All those machines are just luxury items and all fall under the category of assistance exercises anyway. When you break it down, it's really amazing how little equipment you truly NEED to kick ass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted June 28, 2012 Author Share Posted June 28, 2012 Well, I finished my first three weeks of my KTA inspired program and the verdict is still out on how much benefit it was. This week is my deload week, so I'm hoping the reduction in volume will heal me up and allow me to realize some gains in strength. I "feel" stronger and less intimidated by my heavier grippers....and I think my setting ability has definitely improved....but I still can't close my #3 rated only 4.4lbs heavier than my best close to date. I'm pretty sure I got the handles to touch one workout, but I'm not counting that....and since then the volume of my workouts have increased and my hands are beat up and tired, so my attempts at my #3 have been par for the course (maybe a tad closer than normal...we're talking like 1/16th of an inch or so). The good news is that tendonitis has not reared it's ugly head, even in the face of all this increased volume. One thing I've definitely learned is DON'T use a nail clipper to clip off the caluses on your fingers...it only makes it hurt worse the next workout! After this deload week, I'm starting my program all over again with some planned changes like the addition of strapholds and negative crushes. "Hungered, violent, solitary, godless: that is how the lion-will wants to be. Free from the happiness of serfs, redeemed from gods and worship, fearless and fearful, great and solitary: that is how the will of the genuine man is." F*ckin' A. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel reinard Posted June 29, 2012 Share Posted June 29, 2012 I use a razor once a month on calluses. Just shave em right off, gently of course! Filing them works for a little while but once stuff gets intense it just doesn't do enough to keep them down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted July 3, 2012 Author Share Posted July 3, 2012 I just wrapped up the last workout of the "deload" week of my KTAIP (KTA Inspired Program) and it was solid. I'm pretty sure I closed my #3 rated at 153.6 on my second attempt at least for a moment. After my gripper work, I PR'd with both hands on my Ironmind pinch block at 62.5lbs each (counting plates only) and then PR'd both hands on the Ironmind Hub, 50lbs RH and 47.5lbs LH (counting plates only). My other training is kicking ass too....squats, deads and presses all heading north with 5/3/1....life is good. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 Last night was the start of Cycle #2 of my KTAIP and I closed my #3 (153.6) again momentarily while warming up. I did a total of 8 singles tonight comprised of negative crushes, overcrushes and strapholds and I felt so good, I could've kept going. I followed up with 3x20 pony clamp pinches and 2x25 sand bucket extensors. Progress seems to be happening....painfully slow as it might be....but progress is what it's all about. It helps to remember that strength training is like a marathon, not a sprint. If you're in it for the long haul, you reap the rewards....if you're expecting overnight success, you're in for a rude awakening....this isn't the lottery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 Deload squat day last night....afterwards I decided to film a quick tour of my garage gym and show my toys.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcGroO10WNc 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted July 8, 2012 Share Posted July 8, 2012 Love it. Coming along very nicely. Bad ass bro! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 Hit some PR's tonight.... 5/3/1 standing press - worked up to 185x9 - new PR! I decided to compete at World's Strongest Hands in August, so I blew the dust off my Vulcan V2 to give it a shot since I've been training exclusively with TSG's for a while now. I finally got my first level 13 close with this thing - new PR! I went for level 14, but it wasn't very close. I also PR'd this past Sunday with both hands on the Rolling Thunder....180RH and 175LH (this is counting plates only). Keep moving forward.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted July 20, 2012 Share Posted July 20, 2012 Nice. Level 14 should go down Sunday with me yelling at you. Good shit on the RT also. I'm also trying to get better at that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted July 20, 2012 Author Share Posted July 20, 2012 I'd really like to get that level 14....if not this weekend, then at WSH. I'm finding that my Rolling Thunder numbers don't really benefit a whole lot from my other grip training.....it's something I'm gonna have to really work on regularly to get my numbers up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 Had a great couple days of training...Chez came down on Sunday to simulate the events for WSH. The first thing I did after warming up was record a quick MM0 attempt, so I've sent that video off to the powers that be. I went on to hit a PR level 14 close on the Vulcan V2 and a not too shabby attempt at level 15.....I really want this at WSH. We also did some reverse bending, Rolling Thunder, ghetto stub, ghetto 2" v-bar, block weights, etc. Tonight was triples week on 5/3/1 and I hit a deadlift PR of 495x8, which I'm really happy with because all previous bests were with a deadlift bar or other somewhat flexible bar and at home I've been using the 1-1/4", 1500lb rated power bar from Jesup Gym, which has no whip or flex to it....so it keeps you honest. For anyone who actually reads my posts......all GripBoard members are always welcome to reach out to me if you ever want to get together for a grip training session in my garage. All things considered, there's not many people out there into real strength training, let alone grip training.....so we have to stick together and support one another. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel reinard Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 I wish I could join you and Chez out there. That would be an intense training day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted July 24, 2012 Author Share Posted July 24, 2012 I wish I could join you and Chez out there. That would be an intense training day. Yeah man....look forward to training/competing with you one day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniel reinard Posted July 24, 2012 Share Posted July 24, 2012 It's def on my radar to get back out that direction again to meet back up with jedd, others and new faces. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted July 25, 2012 Author Share Posted July 25, 2012 I hit another PR tonight and reverse bent my first yellow nail It's only the second time trying to reverse bend...the first was this past Sunday. I just can't seem to get into a good position for a double overhand bend...not enough flexibility I guess...so I think reverse bending is the way to go for me for now. Next workout I'll give the blue nail a shot and see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wojo Posted July 26, 2012 Author Share Posted July 26, 2012 Hit another PR tonight...this time right handed on the Rolling Thunder....I got 185 in plates + 8lbs Approx. for the loading pin, carabiner and handle = 193lbs. I also re-read the reverse bending portion of Jedd's Bending e-book and realized I've been reverse bending over the proximal phalanx of my thumb and not the metacarpal. I'm hoping this adjustment yields some immediate improvement. I submitted my MM0 video this past Sunday...so I'm hoping to get a yah or nah sometime soon...the suspense is killing me....lol.... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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