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Road To 1200


KRC

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Gripper Max (TSG):

Right:

5xF @ IM 2.5 ...

3xF @ BBGM choked to parallel

3x6s @ Filed IM 2 overcrush

Left:

5xF @ BBM 5/8"

3x6s @ Filed IM 1.5 overcrush

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Just noticed that it's been just about 6 months since I started grip training. A quick summary;

Went from:

TS Gripper: ~95lb #1.5 out of the box to closing 132lb #2.5,

V2 CROM Spring: L12 close first attempt to ?

Pinching: 100lbs first attempt, to pinching 140

Levering: 8lb sledge first attempt to levering 12lb sledge (hand 2 inches from bottom)

Bending: 6" length of 1/4" CRS to ? (only bent for a couple of days)

Only really trained grippers consistently during the last 6 months, so everything else is pretty much a raw starting point. Goals off the top of my head for the next 6 months (i.e. goals for 1st year of grip training):

TS Gripper: 159lb #3

V2 CROM: L16

2HP: 180 (on a real 2HP apparatus)

Lever: 16lb

Bending: Red Nail? (won't start bending until I close that #3, so I'll have less than 6 months of bending time, but if I start bending regularly, I'd like to bend a red before the end of 2012 which is probably a more realistic time frame for a Red anyway).

Looking forward to continued progress!

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11.14.11

2HP:

Tears from Friday were pretty brutal, but came out fairly in tact today.

Worked up to:

1 - 127.5

1 - 137.5

F - 145

1 - 145

Another reason to buy a real 2HP: i locked my legs out with this weight, but my hips were definitely not locked out like at the top of a deadlift. I think this would have been close in terms of height. Maybe I'll take a trip to Sears with the GF sometime around late next month, lol.

Levering:

12lbs

Right:

1 - 12"

1 - 8"

1 - 6" <-- supposed to be 5"

1 - 4" (full lever) <-- head almost exploded. see video below.

Left:

1 - 15"

1 - 11"

F - 7" <-- supposed to be 8"

1 - 7" <-- supposed to be 8"

Could have had 8" on the left, but super pumped about the right hand lever from the bottom of the handle! When I first bought an 8lber a few months ago I wanted to hit 12" by years end, so that's at least 1 strength goal I'll hit this year. :)

There is a gorgeous 16lber with a darkwood handle at my local hardware store I've been eyeballing for months; she and I have a date :rock

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11.19.11

Met with Daniel and got some really good tips and lifts in.

Axle: 1 x 233 on IM AA

2HP: 1 x 143 (?)

Gripper: Missed 2.5 again by a mm

Got 6+ inches of air on a loadable Inch trainer with 100+ bar

Bent a 1/4" G2 bolt real easy and a "medium" 60D nail. Got stuck on a 1/4" G5. My DO technique needs a lot of work. Never felt comfortable in any position with the G5.

Now having done lifts on an actual 2HP and an IM axle, I can calculate a NAGSA total: 507. Maybe once I get a pinch and axle for myself, I can work toward a goal of 680 for 2012 (315/205/160).

Daniel also gave me this awesome stash of steel:

IMG_20111119_192256.jpg

Thanks Daniel!

Gonna take a week off of grippers, maybe just squeeze the trainer a few times. Haven't progressed on the 2.5 in months (minus the one close). Daniel mentioned that my set for grippers was wider than parallel, so hopefully a week off and a closer set will revitalize things somewhat.

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I had a blast bro. You did really well with no experience on these lifts. Those G5s I gave you are harder than any other G5 I have tried. The 2HP is probably too wide for you, it was 58mm. 54mm or smaller would suit you better. Like I said, I did 206 on Jedds 2HP and before today I could only do 173# on mine. If you had the right width and a good seasoning you would be in the 170s for sure, maybe even 180s.

Again, it was fun. Sorry I had to cut it short, I would have loved to spend more time bending steel. I look forward to your progress to come. We should set up another grip/bending day bro.

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11.27.11

Gripper Max (TSG):

Right:

4xF @ IM 2.5 ...

3x7, 8, 9s @ Filed IM 2 overcrush

Left:

4xF @ BBM 5/8"

3x10, 9, 10s @ Filed IM 1.5 overcrush

I think it's safe to say that one 2.5 close in October was a fluke. Onward and upward regardless. Took a week off, hands feel good to finish up the year strong.

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  • 2 months later...

Yesterday was Daniel's comp. It was my first competition and a great experience. Even got my girlfriend who originally came just to watch to compete!

Grippers:

1st - 88lb #1 - grabbed the wrong gripper :whacked

2nd - 125lb BBM 5/8" - Felt strong

3rd - 132lb #2.5 - Hit it w/a second effort

4th - 140lb BBGM - Not close

Although my pinch training was pretty good leading up to the event, hitting the 2.5 w/a 20mm block was really my main goal for the comp. I only just started training with a "block" (gripper handle) so I was weary. Contest adrenaline was very obvious as I hammered the BBM 5/8" pretty easily which I didn't expect to do, and hit the 2.5 as the next attempt.

2HP

1st - 141.6

2nd - 146.6

3rd - 151.6 F

4th - 151.6 F

Just never felt good, here. I really need to train on my own "real" 2HP apparatus because my training on my own wood block @ 57mm was very solid (lifted 150 repeatedly last week) but somehting just wasn't right here. I lifted at 54mm but I still think that may have been too wide. Not sure what the problem was, exactly, but I'm gonna try and build my own device ASAP.

Axle

1st - 215.5

2nd - 230.5

3rd - 245.5 F

4th - 245.5 F

Axle was decent. Lost 245 at the knees twice. Didn't train for even one minute for this event so I'll take it, I guess. I don't have the space for an axle (or even just a 1.9 pipe) but I'm gonna get some fat gripz and maybe even ask my gym to get an IM axle or at least let me bring a pipe in. Need to start training this as I gave up a LOT of pounds here to pretty much everyone at the comp.

70th percentile in grippers, 60th in pinch and 40th in axle. Pretty obvious what I need to work on... Although I wasn't too close to my goal of 565, I did hit some PR's (60penny reverse, 2x25's 1HP, 2.5 @ block, 295 mixed grip on the axle, lol) so I'm happy.

The comp was a great time with lots of great guys (and gals). Thanks to Daniel for bringing grip to the Bay Area and for his helpful advice, and to all the sponsors who generously donated a substantial amount of gear!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3jqGS1jneOQ

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Since I'm approaching the numbers I was at when I was my strongest last year, and since my grip training is going smoothly, I'll continue logging here.

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Nice write up bro. Thanks a ton again for getting the comp started with me, bringing gear, and running the comp with me. Sofia did really well. I'm happy she repped the women's class.

Great job at the comp. Congrats on killing that gripper goal! The first one is a learning experience to find what needs work and sometimes what training adjustments you want. I know I learned stuff that will change up my plan to bring up the lower lifts.

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Perfect b-day gift from the Women's Diablo Rock Grip Champion: GHP 7 and pair of Fat Gripz! The GHP should be the perfect step between my 140# GM and 160# IM 3. Also got a prepaid membership to the best gym here in the city (3 full power racks/platforms, etc.). A great weekend overall, and back to training tomorrow!!

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Those are some cool gifts!

Indeed--I'm a lucky guy. Even if the GHP doesn't come in around 150, it's a gorgeous gripper that feels really smooth.

2.14.12

Squat: 3x3 @ 285

Bench: 3x5 @ 205

Dead: 1x5 @ 315

Vulcan V2 RH: 20/20/12 @ Level 6/8/9

V2 LH: 20/20/12 @ Level 6/7/8

^Done between working squat sets. Had to find what level would be taxing enough to stop me under 20 reps but more than 10, so the first to AMAP sets I cut at 20.

1x5 @ 135 Fat Gripz deadlifts.

Took it kind of easy today due to not having squatted in 6 days. DL felt strong. I need to stagger my fat gripz deadlifts and rows to fall on the days I don't do those as main lifts. I had way more in me for the FG DL's but my back was toast.

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Hi Kevin, that was some great lifting at the competition. I would like to thank you for helping Dan to set that all up, I really had a good time, as did everyone else. Sorry your girlfriend had to do the same medley that was meant for the guys. Call me crazy but I think asking a girl to do a one hand deadlift with 250 lbs on an olympic bar with no center knurling is perhaps a bit much. :whacked

I too had a rough time with the euro pinch set-up, much more unstable that my normal setup. I think the inside collars which held the plates out away from the center disks really made the apparatus much more difficult to control. Will probably have to make some attempt to train for this before the next competition.

As for thick bar training at a comercial gym, FatGripz can't be beat, but I feel a close second are seated rows with a rolling thunder or 2 inch crusher.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to seeing you again at the next competition.

Mike

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Yeah Mike, it would have been cool for her to score more, but she had a fantastic time regardless. She's already been bugging me about how to train!

You mentioned that you'd been focusing on fat bar and pinch--I'd say that's an understatement... huge lifts from you. Looking forward to competing together again soon. Hopefully there'll be a WSH leg in the Bay Area in addition to any future regional comps.

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2.15.12

2HP:

5 - 95

5 - 105

10 - 115

Set up my training on 2HP a little differently from how I ran it prior to the comp. Gonna do a 5/3/1 style "AMAP" set one day a week, and then a speed day using band resistance with lower weights. Going all out as frequently as I was (on top of pretty hefty volume another day a week) killed my forearms to the point where if my taper didn't come when it did, I felt like I might be at risk for injury.

Formulator:

Wrist Curls: 20/20/20/20 @ 2.5/5/7.5/10 lbs

Rev. W. Curls: 20/20 @ 2.5/5

The lever arm on my homemade formulator is ridiculously long :laugh . Slow and steady, here. Will work up to 30 reps with a top weight and then move up.

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Yeah Mike, it would have been cool for her to score more, but she had a fantastic time regardless. She's already been bugging me about how to train!

That's awesome bro! It'd be great to have her do it again. This time I'll design a medley for women. It honestly escaped my thought which bugs me. It didn't hit me until she was on the clock trying all the stuff. It would be an easy fix to have different weights on the devices and to round up some light blocks/blobs. Hans thinks we can double our competitors next time now that people saw it, the competitors are juiced and pics and vids are out there.

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Yeah Mike, it would have been cool for her to score more, but she had a fantastic time regardless. She's already been bugging me about how to train!

You mentioned that you'd been focusing on fat bar and pinch--I'd say that's an understatement... huge lifts from you. Looking forward to competing together again soon. Hopefully there'll be a WSH leg in the Bay Area in addition to any future regional comps.

That is awesome man. I wish my girl was into this stuff. I can't even talk to her about because she thinks its stupid. Shes a very girly girl.

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  • 2 weeks later...

2.27.12

Squat: 3x5 @ 280

Bench: 3x5 @ 215

Deadlift: 1x5 @ 325

FG DB Rows: 1x21 RH/20 LH @ 45

Vulcan V2: 20/16/20 @ Level 9 RH, 20/13/17 Level 8 RH

HAMAR KURLZ: 2x4, 4x3 @ 35s

I've been lifting just failing to log. Stalled at 290 a few days back so reset to 260. Feelin' good. DL still moving up--another PR today.

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2.29.12

Squat: 3x5 @ 285

OHP: 5/4/4 @ 140 PR

BBR: 3x5 @ 195

Kroc Rows: 30/30 @ 75

FG DL: 1x5 @ 145

TSG Speed Closes: 5x5 @ Sport

DB OH TE: 4x4, 2x3 @ 75

I'm 99% certain 15 reps at 140 is a rep-PR. That puts all my lifts above where they were when I fell off the wagon last year except the bench which is odd as the bench was by far my strongest lift at that time. Bench sets are still fairly easy though so I'm sure it'll get there soon.

Thinking about investing in a weighted vest and doing long walks with the dog (which I do anyway) and maybe some stair running. It's about the same price as a prowler but much more "usable" given my circumstances. I NEED to do some conditioning going forward and to eat significantly cleaner. I've carried too much fat for my entire adult life and it's time to go. Plus I'd imagine increased work capacity would help my lifts some.

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3.1.12

2HP: 3x1 @ 130

3.2.12

Squat: 3x5 @ 290

Bench: 3x5 @ 220

Deadlift: 1x5 @ 330

FG Rows: 17/22 @ 50

Hammers: 4x4, 2x3 @ 35s

TSG:

3x1 BBGM Negatives

3x8 seconds OC Filed IM 2

Sq and DL were easier than I expected, especially DL which was easy money. Goals for this run of Starting Strength (and hopefully the LAST run of SS) were 320 Squat, 240 Bench and 340 DL. DL is cake, and the Squat and Bench will be tough but doable.

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3.5.12

Squat: 3x5 @ 295

OHP: 4.2.2 @ 142.5

BBR: 3x5 @ 200

Kroc Rows: 26/29 @ 80

FG DO DL: 1x5 @ 150

DB OH TE: 6x4 @ 75

V2 RH: 2x15 @ L10

V2 LH: 1x15, 1x13 @ L9

I was extremely skeptical of the mobilitywod guy's tip to keep your feet at a fairly "medium" stance and pointed almost directly forward while squatting for a while (not sure why). I tried it today and I'm a BELIEVER. The sets weren't exactly easy, but they went up much more easily than I anticipated. That will forever be my squat stance until something better comes along (which I don't anticipate).

Squatting like that enables greater depth, more power out of the hole (greater ham and glute recruitment), and the ability to keep my back far straighter than what I was doing. Really, I was shocked at how immediately effective it was.

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3.7.12

Squat: 5.5.4 @ 300

Bench: 3x5 @ 225

Deadlift: 1x5 @ 335

FG DB Rows: 22/30 @ 50

Hammer Kurlz: 6x4 @ 35

TSG: 5x4 @ Trainer dynamic closes

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Well good news and bad news today.

Every 3-6 months since I started lifting, I strain a muscle in my lower back bad enough to prevent lifting (or pretty much anythng else besides slow, elderly-style walking). The first time it happened I was stupid about it and didn't really move for the three days after it happened, and I ended up missing about a month of training. Every other time, ive been proactive about icing, ibuprofen, gentle stretching/mobility, etc. and I usually only miss seven to 10 days before getting back to full strength.

So the bad news is that I'm going to be out seven to 10 days when I really had a good head of steam going training-wise. The good news is that I'm taking this as a wake up call.

For my entire adult life, I've been overweight with a HUGE belly (huge relative to the rest of my body, anyway) and in very, very poor conditiong. For some reason I always found excuses about why conditioning at that time had to be put off, or why I had to eat that entire cheesecake/box of cookies in one sitting, or why I had to relapse back into smoking cigarettes, etc. etc. ... But I'm done with all that sh*t now. My father is in essentially catastrophic physical condition right now, and has a long history of intense physical ailments related back to his decades long career as a pre-OSHA carpenter and, thanks to his horrific diet (which I inherited) extremely high-blood pressure (which, along with diabetes, I'm also in danger of inheriting). I can see myself going down that road and I'm putting a stop to it today.

As soon as the back is good to go, I'm doing regular conditioning working up to 4 times a week, ab/core work a minimum of 4 times a week, and cutting the crap out of my diet, starting with all sugar. It pains me to say this, but even if conditioning and a cleaner diet slow my rate of progress in strength gains, it has to be done at this point. I just turned 30 and I can see things going downhill already.

I suppose a realization similar this is something everybody goes through when they leave their late 20's/early 30's, but I guess I'm just glad it's happening now rather than 5+ years from now when kids are involved and the changes I'm going to make are even harder to accomplish mentally.

To new beginnings!

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I suppose I should log my workout too, while I'm at it :)

3.12.12

Squat: Warm up to 275x1

OHP: 1x20 @ 45

Nicked the back at the first rep of 275 prior to my planned workset of 305. Did some mobilitly/psyching up and tried to get some pressing in but it wasn't happening. The weird thing about this strain was that it happened in the rack position of the squat. I went down in the hole, came up pretty explosively with good speed, and it wasn't until I was locked out that the blinding pain came :) . Usually it's in the hole when it happens and I end up bailing the weight.

Gonna bring a video camera next time to see if it's a form issue, but, as I mentioned in the above post, it's more than likely a pathetically week set of abs (that I don't train directly--AT ALL) that's to blame here.

V2: up to 1x10 (or 11?) @ L11 Right Hand

1x7 @ L10 Left Hand

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Hope you heal up quickly. Good to see that you are going to focus on improving your health.

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