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Kody Burns Is In The Grip Well!


Bill Piche

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Kody Burns
Greenville,Ohio
37 years old
6'2" 200 lbs

I've been competing in Gripsport for almost 4 years. April 2102 was my first competotion. Here are some of my accomplishments since then,

Certified Captain of Crush (CCS) -Aug 2012

N.A.G.S. National Champion 2012 (83kg) June 2012

N.A.G.S. 2HP World Record (270+) - Dec 2012

N.A.G.S. National Champion 2013 (93kg) June 2013

Shoulder Surgery June 20th - Rotator Cuff,
Bicep Tendon, AC Joint


N.A.G.S. Little Big Horn World Record -
King Kong Oct 2013

N.A.G.S. 1HP World Record - King Kong Oct 2013

Overall Champion - Gripmas Dec 2013

Raised 1HP World Record - Gripmas 2013

N.A.G.S. One Hand Axle Deadlift World Record (93kg) Gripmas Dec 2013

(Ironmind) Little Big Horn World Record - Midnight Grip Contest Dec 2014

Ironmind Blockbuster Pinch World Record *
Recognized by Randall Strossen Feb 2015

(Ironmind) Silver Bullet World Record - Chicago Viking Vicegrip Challenge - May 2015

N.A.G.S. National Champion 2015 - (93kg) June 2015

Raised 1HP World Record - King Kong Oct 2015

N.A.G.S. Vertical Bar World Record - King Kong Oct 2015

N.A.G.S. 2HP World Record - Gripmas Dec 2015

First man in the world to total "Elite " in the 93kg class per old rules. (800 lb Total) Grippers, 2HP, Axle.

Double Overhand Axle Deadlift - Double Bodyweight contest lifts (83kg) & (93kg) classes.

Highest Bodyweight to Pinch Ratio in the World - 1 Hand Pinch & 2 Hand Pinch

Pinched 2/25kg plates Dec 2015

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How are there no questions yet!? :)

Please tell us about your 2HP training, strategy, philosophy, tips, tricks, habits, chalking, anything and everything you're willing to spill.

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Kody, most people know you in the grip world by your physical strength. I'd like to touch on your mental strength; dealing with the injuries, setbacks, and finding the time to divide between family and work to improve your world class grip. What continues to drive you in the face of a nightmarish work schedule and chronic injuries? How do you get your head right to be able to pinch at such a consistently high level even if your body is not feeling it?

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How long had you been training prior to your first comp?

For grip, Reps or singles? (On average, in general)

Tips on thumb placement for block/euro ?

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Kody, you said you started competing in grip sport 4 years ago, but before then were you training your grip at all?

When you first started training your grip what did it look like and what does your training look like now?

Thanks for doing the grip well Kody!!

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How did you find the world of grip training?

Do you do an other strength actives and if so do you think they benefit your grip training?

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What does your diet look like?

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First of all congratulations on all of your accomplishments. Second, grip work at your level must be really rough on your hands so what steps do you take to do keep them healthy?

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Thanks for taking the time to be in the Well Kody.

With the Anvil, was it a natural implement for you strength wise or did you really have to specialize on it?

Also with the Anvil, do you have to train it often to maintain a certain strength or do you find certain other lifts you do keep you close with it?

Thanks again

Edited by David Mitti
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Hello Kody, i would like to know how you structur your training. How many days a week? Do you have special days for grippers, pinch, thick bar...? How many exercises?

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Hi Kody - I don't have much to add to the questions above. I just want to let everybody know that if you meet Kody at a contest, etc. he is one of the nicest guys you'll meet, and very helpful to new folks and experienced folks alike. I had a chance to meet him at Nationals a few years ago, and Kody is truly a class act. He also has a smokin' hot wife, but that's besides the point :sorcerer:

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Thank you for doing this, Kody!

My questions:

1. In general, do you prefer time wise longer grip workouts? (I think I remember you talking about that, I maybe remember wrong)

2. Do you always exercise your body as well, when you do grip training?

Edited by Six Barrel Shotgun
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First off; I knew you were a grip monster but the list above, fuark! Mirin! Big time!

Im interested to hear about your strategy and training with grippers and 1h euro pinch and blockweights etc.

Also, how was your gripstrength when you first started training?

Keep the records coming!

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Kody, big congrats on all you've been able to achieve in such a short time! I'm wondering if you would be willing to share some details on your 8 hour training sessions? Do you do this mainly because you only have time to train one day per week, or have you found other benefits to the longer workouts? Any chance you could give us a rough idea of what your training template looks like? Thanks for doing the grip well!

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Hi Kody thanks for doing This. I think for a lot of people You are the number one guy they wanted to see in the grip well.

I would really just like to know all of the stuff people already asked. What does your training look like? How often do You train grip? Do You split grippers, thickbar, pinch or do You do it all in one session? Do You do more volume/reps or more intensity/singles? Any specific things You do for recovery? And most of all, hoe the hell do You keep progressing even when You are already at an insanely high level??

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Kody,

I knew you were a beast, but over the years the accomplishments blend together. Your list of accomplishments is most impressive, bro.

I wish you the best in health and recovery from your chronic injuries.

I'd like to ask about your training methods for things like 2" Vertical Bar and LBH. Do you have a certain grip application technique that you like most? I have a very hard time getting comfortable with vertical support lifts, so I'm particularly interested in your thoughts along these lines.

Thanks.

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Kody, it was a pleasure meeting you and watching you "work", this Gripmas. Thanks so much for climbing into the well. With all your accomplishments, I think we may have had to throw you in whether you volunteered or not. ;) Gonna go easy on you…and just start you off with 10 questions.

1. I think a critical part of training (in general) is finding the right balance between work and rest. If you hit the Powerball tomorrow and could devote as much time to training as you possibly wanted…would you even change your current program? (follow up…) If so, what would you do?

2. You are part of a very elite group of gripsters. At what point in your training did you realize you could actually compete (and win) events? (follow up…) Did this change your focus and training any?

3. Physical training is a life long journey…can you share a few epiphanies (grip or otherwise) you've had along the way?

4. What impact has marriage and children had on the Kody Burns you used to be?

5. Two things have not (in general) happened in Gripsport. One…strongmen have not really been grip-centric. Two…there has not really been anyone training grip from a very young age. When/if either of these things happen…do you think that today's elite standard is even compete? (follow up...) Are we even close to human potential?

6. What part do you think that "ego" plays in helping or hampering someone achieving his/her goals?

7. Do you know why you train Gripsport? (follow up…) If so, can you share the reasons?

8. Do you have an ultimate grip goal(s)? (follow up…) If so, how do you plan on achieving it(them)?

9. What with the hat? …and the rubber bands?

10. What are your three favorite movies?

Thanks!

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It was a pleasure to meet you are Gripmas.

At that competition I noticed something.

Even with you doing all those incredible feats of grip, you never take off your wedding ring.

I do not like to wear jewelry so after getting married in 2007 having a ring on was a huge adjustment-- and I was not even doing grip back then.

Now days, I take off the wedding ring for almost any physical task, and I might not put it back on for days. My wife is cool with this so that also helps keep me comfortable.

My father on the other hand, he never took his ring off a day of his married life.

so...

Does wearing the ring not bother you, or did you make a personal decision to not take it off?

I assume if you left it on for competition, you must also have it on when you train... but please do tell... and thanks for your time here in the Grip Well.

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Kody, I look forward to hearing about how you train pinch but also would love to hear the thoughts behind the protocol. To me the why something is a part of someones training better explains how it should be done and the purpose behind that part of a protocol.

Thanks,

Aaron

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Thanks Kody for doing this. And congratulations on your two hand pinch world record and dare I say the best one hand pincher right now too (with yiur crazy long hold on the 2 25kg). Most questions I wanted to ask you tey asked you above. But for the one hand pinch, what dobyou helped you most raising the 2 25kg so easily? Please explain the training method you did and how often? And is it true you only train once a week? How long is your grip session and your focus? What else besides grip do you do?

Thanks

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Kody, you have desire to repeat the feats:
1. Anvil Richard Sorin weighing 100 pounds 4.5 inches wide - with one hand to take a pinch. Chad could only Woodall, Mike Burke, and himself Richard Sorin.
2. Blobzilla, or 30 kg blob legacy - can draw, I'm sure, but take the clean and press - could only Snook Lane, Burke, and Brian Shaw.
3. 2 45-pound plates York, the old, the total width of 4 inches - to carry 10 feet - could only Richard Sorin.
4. Blob with the extra weight - Wade Gillingham 81.5lbs.
5. Record Adam Glass - 350 pounds for 2 V-Bar, would you purposefully preparing to break this record?
6. Will you be ready to break the world record for the Little Big Horne, now owned by Laine Snook 107.29 kg and, in particular, beat to training record of Adam Glass on it - 110 kg?
7. Do you plan to prepare to return his title on the Silver Bullet - to surpass the result in 65.28 sec?

8. Three 35-pound plates York, which are fixed on the same axis, pinch grip 1 hand- this could be done only by Brian Shaw.

Good Luck!

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Do you have any gripper goals and what do you want to focus on more in the future?

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Kody, was a pleasure meeting you recently at Gripmas. Lots of great questions here so far.

Soo.....any bending for you down the road?

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How are there no questions yet!? :)

Please tell us about your 2HP training, strategy, philosophy, tips, tricks, habits, chalking, anything and everything you're willing to spill.

My 2hp training is more along the lines of 1hp training. I rarely train 2hp directly. Maybe if I want to see where I am that's about it. Most of the work is done with both hand by either working with the 1hp or training assistance exercises. What I think most guys don't pay enough attention too or think about is thumb work. Think about it when the hand is pinching something the thumb has to equally oppose the weight of what four other fingers are doing together. That tell me that the thumb can long outlast what most of the fingers can do. What I think might keep some guys from really developing full power of their hands and forearms is that they either don't think about it, or maybe they just neglect it, not sure but I could see how it would be easy to think the hands are done if you worked grippers or destroyed the thick bar. But the thumbs aren't done. They can keep going long after you might have killed the crush or thickbar. Thickbar kills my crush. I always have a protocol where I warm up the hands with dexterity exercises, powerball, whatever gets the blood moving, then its always squat/crush/pinch. Sometimes I work a squat set, then a gripper set, then a pinch set, then up the weight on each and do it again. And Im likely to add other prime mover exercises like 2 inch wrist roller or I might add a some heavy dexterity balls to the mix. I always crush before I pinch. Even if I might have killed the hands a day or two prior, I will still go really light grippers for reps then stretch, then work the pinch in with it. Thumb strength is very critical for the exercise Im about to let y'all in on :)

One tip I can give you guys is this, and keep in mind that before I learned this technique I had already lifted 125+ lbs on the 1hp. I didn't want anyone to think I just figured this out and was able to 1hp 134lbs. This technique I kind of stumbled upon after breaking the world record twice before I realized it. What I do is I train 1hp with a loading pin or vbar out in front of me with about 40 to 50lbs on it, just so you can't tip it over. Start with an empty Euro and pick it up off the ground, turn the Euro into the loading pin and try and tip it over. So you have a static pinch followed by a static pinch pronation isometric against the loading pin or vbar. This helps train the torque needed to generate more pinch force. The same pinch force torque needed when you 2hp. Then what you do is you start the Euro against your calf muscle or ankle area, generate the same force against the leg as you did against the loading pin or vbar. The rules state that the bar can and will hit your leg during some part of the lift and it does for some. So just start it against the leg generater more torque. You still will need pinch power but this isometric assistance angle is where it's at. This will add a lot more dynamic power to your pinch. It will feel strange at first but after a few workouts you will see huge jumps if you do things right. I like to work the assistance exercises in between these attempts. Sledghammer Pronation/Supination, wrist roller, whatever feels like would help. Then next workout you add weight and adjust your isometric hold time. Shake things up, try rubber bands for resistance if you want. Sometimes I would pick it up and slam it into the vbar as hard as I could to work explosive power. Granted you have to be at a high enough level of pinching to get over the fear of not being able to pull the bar up you leg because it's touching your leg. You got to get over that or get some slick under armour pants or jogging pants or something. That little bit of friction is of little value with what you will overcome in just a couple sessions of training it like this, believe me.

Sorry I have no Chalking secrets. I use lots of it cause my hands sweat a lot when training. You can have too much for sure but learning that just comes from playing around enough to get to know how your hands react to the conditions, humidity, temperature, etc.

One more valuable tip that I can share that I probably do more of than trainng alone is contrast baths. Ive done thousands and thousands of contrast baths. I use 8 ice cube trays for my cold and really damn hot water. One extreme to the other. My hands are completely addicted to contrast baths. You can ask my wife how long and often I do contrast baths. Sessions typically run for an hour or more but never under 30 to 45 minutes minimum everytime. Ask John Vance how my ice bucket feels :) He can tell you how well they work. It's a great mental way to TRAIN THE PAIN !!! Hurts so good for me. Can't get enough. If there's one obsession I have it is these. You can't do enough of them if your serious about taking your hands to the next level. Grab a 5 gallon bucket, get 8 frozen ice cube trays and just add cold water. To put things in perspective, I can do these for long periods of time 5 - 8 minutes all while moving my hands constantly as I can, trying to get every last bit of old blood flushed out. This might sound extreme as you will see that 20 - 30 seconds is all you might enjoy. I have done these for years so that just shows you what the hands will adapt to after awhile. Keep in mind once you get to the hot you will be able to withstand much hotter water than you think. Each time you change you will be able to stand the other extreme that much longer.

Hope this helps. Sorry it's taken so long to get back. This is my third time typing this. First time my computer updated and wiped out everything, second time I hit the home button instead of the backspace button and erased it all. So I apologize, I meant to get back sooner. I work some funky hours right now too so Im not ignoring you guys. Just a little busier than I'd like to be right now. All good though. I will try to help every way possible.

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Kody, most people know you in the grip world by your physical strength. I'd like to touch on your mental strength; dealing with the injuries, setbacks, and finding the time to divide between family and work to improve your world class grip. What continues to drive you in the face of a nightmarish work schedule and chronic injuries? How do you get your head right to be able to pinch at such a consistently high level even if your body is not feeling it?

Thanks Bro ! You know I could write a book here. Looking back, injuries, situations, and circumstances are what defined me, I didn't say it did't affect me, because it did. There are many things that I use to look back on in anger out of bad life choices or situations that I realize now were out of my control, back when I didn't have control of myself. Growing up there was always seemed to be an eerie dark force trying to hurt or kill me. I had some really bizarre accidents which resulted in several head injuries. I had stiches 5 different times in my head before I was 19. Too many close calls to count. One situation was when I was 17 and there was a diving incident where I jumped off the diving board in the 10ft pool at the campground, I pushed up off the bottom and just as I got to the top some dude jumped off the diving board, not a high dive but pretty damn high. The water was really murky and he couldn't see me and when he dove his head hit me directly on top dead center. My head was probly a foot and a half from being out of the water when he nailed me.With me holding my breath at the same time Im not sure how it didn't knock me out or break my neck. Umpteen stitches and a life long migraines and neck pain. When I was 19 I got on a 4wheeler way too drunk after hearing of my cousins dads tragic death, I wrecked and tore ligaments in 4 different vertebrae, folded my self up pretty good. The top side of my left shoulder and my left ear hit the ground at the same time with me still hanging onto the 4wheeler while it smashes me into the ground driving my shoulder blade into spine so hard it ripped the vertebrae apart.

A couple months later I left for Parris Island, South Carolina on basically a one days notice to join the United States Marine Corps. I had a hell of a start out of the gate as I tied for the most pullups of the whole initial platoon. 120+ guys from all over the east coast united states. Feeling great the first 3 weeks then my feet and back start killing me to the point I couldn't sleep and I was being quarter-decked for on a routine basis for moving cause I couldn't feel my legs if I sat indian style for more than a minute. This only made things worse back wise. A month after the four wheeler crash I was working and I fell from about 25 feet or so in about 5 degree weather in workboots and had broken both the balls of both feet. So needless to say, trying to go through Marine Corp boot camp wasn't happening. After 5 weeks I was sent home with Fraudulent Entry. Not Honorable or Dishonorable. They say I joined illegally because I didn't tell them about it when I joined. So this was very difficult for me to deal with. I'd know I wanted to join since the 5th grade. Kind of like having your dreams ripped apart literally because my body failed because of injuries. I was signed up for Infantry too so eventually after getting over the depression and drugs and more bad decision making I found that God must of had another plan me. So anyhow, Ive always been a hard worker no matter what the situation so I never lost the desire to become the best me that I have left inside. Almost every job Ive ever worked, and I have worked a lot of different jobs, there were people who would always come and say Damn you work hard ! That's just kinda the way Ive always rolled. I always liked physical work but and training my wrists and forearmas but never did I thought I would be on a forum answering questions regarding grip after breaking grip strength world records. It's all too much for me sometimes that I can't honestly believe it has happened. Seems like God has given me more than I ever prayed for. Waking up everyday knowing Gods got my back from here on out is what keeps me goin man. That and of course my incredible family and friends that Im thankful for. I used to take all my frustrations of life out on drugs and alcohol but God managed to lead me to Grip and that has made all the difference. $20,000 in fines and courtcosts and 3 DUI's later and apparently that's what it took to get my head out of my @$$. That and the 2nd DUI was on 4th of July 2008 and the cops ruffed me up pretty good. Black eye, major lump on my head, a 16inch straight bruise across my ribcage, too many body bruises to count, what I was pissed about the most was that the twisted my handcuffs and did nerve damage to my thumb side of my stronghand. I couldn't feel my thumb, first finger and middle finger for 8 or 9 months. This was after I just learned what setting a gripper was so this injury was devastating to me. This is where I learned about the contrast baths. See that's what Ive learned throughout the journey, Opportunities Are Often Disguised As Problems. Take care my man !!

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