odin Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Finally lifted the ~172 lb. Thomas Inch Dumbbell in a steady rain. My Moby Dick finally is dead; had to lift both the dumbbell and the mental block created by literally over 1000 failed attempts. Weighed in at less than 174 lbs. that morning. Many people I need to thank, but for now will start w/ Roger Steffens, who very kindly gave me the Inch. my friends and training partners James Retarides, Jason Otto and Robert Miller who were integral to my improvement and my wife (Maricel) for putting up with and even encouraging my obsession. Counting from my very first attempt it was 2387 days from the start date to the end date, end date included or 6 years, 6 months, 13 days including the end date. Much more later. 15 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acorn Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 So awesome! Huge congratulations Bob! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jvance Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 That is huge Bob, just huge!! Congrats!! Your determination and thoughtful training approach is inspiring! Beautifully executed lift too, in the rain, with no tilt. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josh O'Dell Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Congrats! Dance in the rain! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slazbob Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Awesome! That's the payoff... For refusing to give up and let it win. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MANNA Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Congratulations man 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Mitti Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 (edited) Big Congrats Bob!! It has been awesome watching you train for this feat. You are a huge drive in my going forward toward the Baby and than ultimately the INCH... Thanks for sharing your journey with use and giving advice to those of us on the same path you were on . Congrats again my friend. Edited April 21, 2014 by David Mitti 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Sharkey Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 That's some determination man. Congrats!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chez Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Congrats Bob. Really inspiring determination. I hope I can lift it one day. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubgeezer Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Great Lift! Congratulations! Long Journey, long road, and it has been a great ride. At your bodyweight and age, absolutely unprecedented, no doubt about it...I can't imagine that many even begin to grasp just how big this is, not just for you, but for everyone. Very impressive. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwwm Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 How the hell did you do that in the rain?!?!?! Didn't the handle get wet? Congratulations!!!!!!!!! That is like hanging upside down from a 2.38" handle with one hand!!! Congrats!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kodyburns Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Outstanding Bob ! Awesome work ! Big Congrats !!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tja Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Wow, congratulations! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anwnate Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 It was inspiring man. Thanks. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cemery Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 congratulations Bob ! Very nice lift, no tilt at all, in the rain. Your earned this one man ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tank Andrade Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Congrats huge huge lift 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Piche Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Awesome! Congrats! Talk about persistence! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim71 Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Congratulations. I love the persistance that you had to achieve this. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 A "Ripley's Believe It or Not" performance! Very inspiring. Congratulations, Bob! Bob, I remember promising you a prize should you ever actually lift that thing. Can you recall what it was? I forget which thread I posted in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Six Barrel Shotgun Posted April 21, 2014 Share Posted April 21, 2014 Big congratulations. That was beautiful. I'm moved by your persistance. Sometimes grip feats is more then just strenght training.. You did not quit 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robertmiller67 Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Absolutely amazing display of grip strength Bob!! Not to mention your determination & work ethic are 2nd to none!! Well done sir!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Parker Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Determination at its best, awesome Bob 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nickr104 Posted April 22, 2014 Share Posted April 22, 2014 Bob Is the man!!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odin Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 I'm so overwhelmed ny ll your heartfelt and kind words everyone, will post more later...was hoping Nate Brous (who witnessed the lift along with James Retarides, Jason Otto and Robert Miller, would post one of his very interesting and long reports of the grip events of the day here. I get too frustrated dealing w/ all the quotes, so tried to reply to your comments w/out them (below) mudhutmasher as i said on the tube, BIG congrats dewd! and mad respect for sticking with it until you lifted it! WORD! Thanks Tommy, that means a lot to me! acorn Posted 20 April 2014 - 10:24 PM So awesome! Huge congratulations Bob! Thanks Aaron, injuries set me back along the way as I was getting kind of close when you did your great "pinch" Inch lift about 5 years ago. jvance That is huge Bob, just huge!! Congrats!! Your determination and thoughtful training approach is inspiring! Beautifully executed lift too, in the rain, with no tilt. Jon, thanks! Would love to pick your brain sometime as you are 10x more thoughtful and analytical. Joshua87 Congrats! Dance in the rain! Thanks Joshua, I felt like Gene Kelly when i saw it was raining that morning, as I seem to perform better in rainy conditions. slazbob Awesome! That's the payoff... For refusing to give up and let it win. Thanks slazbob, felt like I couldn't live with myself otherwise. Pip Congratulations man Thanks Pip! David Mitti Big Congrats Bob!! It has been awesome watching you train for this feat. You are a huge drive in my going forward toward the Baby and than ultimately the INCH... Thanks for sharing your journey with use and giving advice to those of us on the same path you were on . Congrats again my friend. Thanks David, you've believed in me along the way for sure. "What you have to do and the way you have to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that's another matter." - Peter F. Drucker Mike Sharkey That's some determination man. Congrats!!! Thanks Mike, kind of like you and the RED! Chez Congrats Bob. Really inspiring determination. I hope I can lift it one day. Thanks Chez, you will my friend if you apply the same determination you do towards grippers! Hubgeezer Great Lift! Congratulations! Long Journey, long road, and it has been a great ride. At your bodyweight and age, absolutely unprecedented, no doubt about it...I can't imagine that many even begin to grasp just how big this is, not just for you, but for everyone. Very impressive. Thanks Mike, wasn't sure how many appreciated all those factors, but thanks for highlighting them! Now go conquer that #3 cert my friend, it will be a very similar story! bwwm How the hell did you do that in the rain?!?!?! Didn't the handle get wet? Congratulations!!!!!!!!! That is like hanging upside down from a 2.38" handle with one hand!!! Congrats!!!! Martin Thanks Martin, the air was very very wet too and it took several minutes of literally pouring chalk on the handle as rain danced on to the handle from above and bounced up on it from the ground below. However, due to dry/aging skin or whatever, have always done better on thickbar and pinch in wet conditions as at least things don't feel dry and dusty. There was certainly raindrops on the handle when I lifted it, but not enough to make it slippery, lift felt great! kodydelone Outstanding Bob ! Awesome work ! Big Congrats !!! Thanks Kody, you are a daily source of inspiration for me! tja Wow, congratulations! Thank you tja! anwnate It was inspiring man. Thanks. Thanks Nate. YOU inspired me, my friend, did NOT want to disappoint you after your trip from NY! cemery congratulations Bob ! Very nice lift, no tilt at all, in the rain. Your earned this one man ! Casey Emery Thanks Casey, it was just how I wanted it. Would have held it longer at the top as it felt like the rotation was stopped completely from the bottom to the top of the lift but wanted to do a "GB-approved lift" before trying anything crazy and dropping it or something. Tank Andrade Congrats huge huge lift Thank you Tank! Wannagrip Awesome! Congrats! Talk about persistence! Thanks Bill You never gave up on your #3 cert, 2x45 pinch or anything else you set your mind to either. Tim T Congratulations. I love the persistance that you had to achieve this. Thanks Tim T, appreciate the kind words. EricMilfeld A "Ripley's Believe It or Not" performance! Very inspiring. Congratulations, Bob! Bob, I remember promising you a prize should you ever actually lift that thing. Can you recall what it was? I forget which thread I posted in. Eric, thanks, your all-around strength is always inspiring to me. no I don't remember what it was...vague recollection only when you reminded me here. Six Barrel Shotgun Big congratulations. That was beautiful. I'm moved by your persistance. Sometimes grip feats is more then just strenght training.. You did not quit Thank you Six Barrel Shotgun. Did not want to be on my deathbed regretting failing on this journey. robertmiller67 Absolutely amazing display of grip strength Bob!! Not to mention your determination & work ethic are 2nd to none!! Well done sir!! Thanks Robert, you work hard right along w/ me sir! You'll lift it too, if you commit to it! Strongmantobe Determination at its best, awesome Bob Jeff Parker Thanks Jeff, hope to see you again at a contest soon. nickr104 Bob Is the man!!!! Thanks Nick, if i can do it, you can do it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odin Posted April 22, 2014 Author Share Posted April 22, 2014 Last warmup lift; Inch DB w/ only 2.5 lb. paradoxical deload (counterweight). Note the two smaller DBs in the background (one has weight attached to it). Thought chances were good for an unaided lift when the rotation was stopped throughout. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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