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Teemu's Grip Log


Teemu I

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So I decided to start logging my grip training here.

First, this is where I stand now:

- I can CCS close #3 consistently now with my right hand, my left hand is inconsistent and unable to close #3 anytime no matter how deep I set it.

- I can CCS close filed #3 with my right hand on a good day

- I'm 4 mm short of closing BB Elite with my right hand using about 40 mm set, with left hand, I'm no where near that

-My thumb strength sucks, both static and dynamic: I can lift only 15 kg:s with PDA Blobette right now. With hard grippers like Elite and above I have trouble to keep the thumbside handle properly positioned

- Wrist strength doesn't seem to limit my progress, but could be a lot better: I can do 5 strict wrist curls with 80 kg:s

My grip goals for this year (for now, I'll modify them as I progress of course):

1. Certify by closing #3 by IronMind rules

2. Close BB Elite

3. 90 kg two hand pinch

4. Wrist curls with 90+ kg:s

5. 20+kg:s lift with Blobette ( this one is going to be the hardest I think)

Instead of having a structured plan, right now I'm going by feel with my grip training. All comments and feedback are welcome.

5.7.2006

This workout focused on grippers

Warmup: tns closures

#2 2/2

GM 1/1

Two CCS attempts with filed #3: succesful with right hand, didn't feel too good though. Weak attempts with left hand.

Severe negatives with #4:

8 singles with both hands

Dynamic thumb with IMTUG #5:

8x1

My hands were done, I wrapped the session up by doing some rotations with dexterity balls and some extensor work with IM rubber bands.

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Kör hårt, ser bra ut! :)

I'm gonna follow your progress!

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Tack så mycket :)

I hope there will be some progress to follow!

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6.7. 2006

I'm totally dissatisfied with my thumb strength, so I have to do something about it..I'm trying to go with relatively high volume (higher than before) for some time now to see if it makes any difference. So here's what I did tonight:

1. Static: 20 singles/both hands with Blobette loaded up to 15 kg:s, All succesful with right, only 5 succesful ones with left.

It's clear to me now that my right hand is capable of doing more weight, but as my left struggles with that weight, didn't move up. I should probably work my left hand first with lighter load and add weight then to really challenge my right hand. In fact I'll do it next time, just for the sake of setting a PR with my right. :) I envy guys like Martin Arildsson, who have equally strong hands..of course I envy Martin's grip strength anyway...

2. Dynamic: I have this ancient grip tool, that has 5 springs between two robust handles. It is made in England actually, and it has a brand "Terrys" on it. I will probably put a picture of it in my gallery, because I'm curious to know how old it might be. I don't have any idea, because I saved it from getting thrown out of our warehouse at work.

Well, anyway that thing doesn't have enough resistance to build any crushing strength, but it seems to work my thumbs really well. That thing actually feels pretty good as a poor man's alternative for TTK, at least for now.

Enough mumbo jumbo:I did 5 sets of 5 reps with that.

My thumbs are done for today, I'll bet I feel it tomorrow, but that's what I'm after, I really need to get my thumbs up to par with my other fingers.

Edited by Teemu I
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I did expect my thumbs to be sore next day, no disappointment there!

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I tested myself today by giving a go at #3. Couldn't close it, so this day is the first day within six weeks that I have failed to close that. That just shows once again what kind of effect block weight training has for me, no hope of performing well with grippers the next day. I'm not certain what would be the best way to combine them to make progress with both at the same time and at decent pace. Maybe I should be doing less with grippers, but as I'm going for that certification by the end of this month, I will not do it yet. I want that cert first, I'll totally change my focus on pinching and thumb strength after that.

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8.7.2006

Grippers (I'm on the road, so I don't have my #4 with extended handle to work with):

Hard and fast closures of #3:

10 attempts with both hands, all succesful with right. With left, no success.

Overcrushes with filed BBSM:

5 singles with both hands.

Dynamic thumb with my new pony clamp, which is far better (harder) than the ones I used to have.

5x3

Felt quite good today!

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10.7.2006

It's time to do grippers and dynamic thumb with my modified pony clamp, thanks to Scott Styles for the great idea!

I decided to go TNS this time to add variety:

8 attempts at #3: 4 of them succesful with right, rest of them fell short just about 1 mm, got it within 5 mm with left, which was pretty ok as my lefty sucks!

For this session, I filed down my BBSM some more and did overcrushes with it alternated with severe negatives with #4:

Total of 6 singles each hand.

I also tried to increase the time under tension for negatives this time. I can really feel it killing my forearms, thus the lower amount of singles.

Dynamic thumb:

10 forced singles

Felt better than ever with grippers, this was probably the best gripper session I've had so far!

Tomorrow, it will be Blobette and some wrist stuff.

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11.7.2006

Today, it was time to see where my right hand goes now with the Blobette and to do some wrist stuff.

1. Blobette deadlift

-left hand: 14,6 kg 1/6 15,5 kg 1/3 16,6 kg 2 negatives 17,7kg 3 negatives

-right hand: 14,6 kg 3/3, 15,5 kg 1/1 16, 6 kg 1/1 PR 17,7kg 1/1 PR again! 18,6 kg x/3 attempts, that was close, it came of the ground but couldn't pull it to lockout!

That sure felt good! At this rate I'll be lifting 20+kg:s with my right hand in no time! This result really surprised me.

2. One handed wrist curls with 34 kg kettlebell

3x5

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12.7.2006

Grippers:

Attempts with MM set:

Right hand: BBE X/7, all of them fell about 4-5 mm short.

Here's a video of one of my attempts: Not good enough...

Left hand: #3 X/7, three of them were 2 mm short, frustratingly close, rest of them were about 4 mm short.

Braced closures and 5 second holds with filed #3:

6 holds with both hands

I did these in a sort of rapid fire fashion to really pump up my forearms.

Ring finger and pinky with Imtug #6:

6/6 succesful singles, surprisingly good.

Surprisingly good day with grippers, considering I did go heavy with blobette yesterday, but still not good enough!!! I want that Elite closed and I want it yesterday!

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In addition to todays gripper session, I decided to choke down my #4 and give it a go to see if I'm able to budge it. Gap between the handles ended up beeing 15 mm. To my surprise, I actually got it to move a bit...Here's a video of my attempt: Choked #4.

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Nice workouts Teemu I.

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13.7.2006

I decided to test myself after yesterdays hard workout with grippers. To my surprise I was able to get quite strong No Set-close with #3:here it is.

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13.7.2006

Tried to do some dynamic thumb work with pony clamp, but my hands are beaten up. Decided to do rotations with dexterity balls instead for active recovery. Todays total body workout included heavy sandbag lifts so that also took it's toll. It's time to rest for two days, I'll do only extensions with IM rubber bands and some training with those dexterity balls during that rest period.

Edited by Teemu I
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What do you do your wrist curls with?

I shouldn't speak for him, but he lists doing one handed wrist curls with a kettlebell earlier in this log.

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What do you do your wrist curls with?

I shouldn't speak for him, but he lists doing one handed wrist curls with a kettlebell earlier in this log.

Correct. That's what I use, and I don't mind you answering that for me :)

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16.7.2006

I decided to deviate from the "plan" and go full throttle today with grippers instead of block weights, because my hands felt fully recovered and I just want to kill those grippers! That means #3 with my left and Elite with my right. By the end of this month I WILL nail that IM certification no matter how bad day I have then.

I've noticed recently, that I've been able to make pretty good progress by changing my focus from the negatives to plain all-out attempts to close my goal gripper, then finishing my workout with overcrushes or assisted closures and holds of the filed #3. I guess it's simply variety what I needed to speed up my progress. Taking thumb work more seriously hasn't probably hurt either..and increasing the amount of time between the attempts with goal gripper up to ten minutes. Grip workouts will take more time from now on and I will not have so much time to goof around but that's the way it has to be.

Grippers:

Five Attempts with MM set:

Right hand: BBE X/5, 3 of them fell about 2 mm short! That's PR once again, I'm so close that I can smell it, yet that S.O.B refuses to close fully!!! I'll get that nailed this month, there is no way around it. So, still not good enough..

Left hand: #3 3/5, got it with nice grind and and all with my first attempt! That sure is a PR, which is allways nice! But not good enough..

Rest of them were about 2 mm short, frustratingly close..

It was time to call it quits with those MM attempts for today, to save some strength for other stuff.

After that, I used different ways to get most out this session, for right hand, it meant doing 3 second overcrushes with filed #3 and for left hand, it meant doing assisted reps with filed #3 and adding a 3 second holds on top.

- 6 singles each hand.

Those felt so strong, that I decided to file down that #3 some more after the first two singles. I truly think that the sooner you file down your grippers, the better. The more you file down your grippers, the better. Of course there's a limit how much you can file, but anyway I think BTR is more effective than doing strapholds.

I finished with one strong CCS close with my right, couln't do it with my left as those assisted reps tore quite a bit of skin from my fingers.

Once again, I must say this was my best session with grippers so far..but I'm not satisfied.

Dynamic thumb with modified pony clamp:

5x3

I called it quits then.

Edited by Teemu I
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My grip goals for this year (for now, I'll modify them as I progress of course):

1. Certify by closing #3 by IronMind rules

2. Close BB Elite

3. 90 kg two hand pinch

4. Wrist curls with 90+ kg:s

5. 20+kg:s lift with Blobette ( this one is going to be the hardest I think)

6. Double No Set Close #3

Instead of having a structured plan, right now I'm going by feel with my grip training. All comments and feedback are welcome.

So I added one goal to the list: Double No Set Close #3. I have to bring up my left hand quite a bit for that, but I'll do it anyway.

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You owned that #3 Teemu! That's pretty smooth for a CCS. Mine is real jerky.

Thanks dude! Mine was real jerky too, but what helped me was setting the gripper deeper first, that way you don't have to wiggle your fingers so much to get them properly on the handle for a good squeeze. Try setting it almost closed, then let it open carefully to set the card. That sure helped me.

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