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Recipe For A Successful Grip Contest. By Yours Truly, The Creators Of


MCrushetta

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Hey Ya’ll! Gil and I were asked a few times how we had such a big turnout and a kick ass competition this year …so several requests have prompted this post. I hope it helps if you are thinking about promoting a contest or getting more people involved in your grip events! Let me also preface this by saying that I am new to grip and this was our first comp, but I am not new to fitness events or organizing / promoting. Cheers to a griptastic weekend… Questions and comments welcome. I will be taking this post at some point and turning it into a “competition checklist” and posting for you all to have.

Timeline

August 2015 …. (5 months out from the Comp) - Squeezus and I sat at a bar in Muncie Indiana, lamenting that his job was making him travel. Three high gravity beers in we got creative and decided a Grip Contest in Nashville needed to happen. We both had had such a great time competing this past year, why not? Gil thought of the name and wheels began to roll. Logos? Venues? Events? Possible Dates? We made notes but nothing concrete. We hoped we could get at least 15 people to come and some women entered into the comp (I care about this!) One of our main goals was to get people interested that might not have considered grip comps before.

Early September 2015 … (4 months out) - Decided on name. Perused Gripboard calendar and decided that mid January would be best for giving people notice and time for us to organize. Set date as January 16, 2016. Secured a venue through friend of mine that owns Resilient Gym. Asked around and found a kick ass graphic designer that was reasonably priced and she started drafting ideas based on inspiration we sent. Set price for event.

October 2015 (3 months out) - Started several Google Docs with To Do lists. Planned to announce competition the day after King Kong when Grip sentiment and excitement was high. (Oct 25 announce date). Asked a few of our friends to help that day and secured volunteers for score keeping etc. Solidified, for the most part, the events in the comp so we could announce right after contest announcement.

Oct 25 2015(slightly less than 3 months out) ANNOUNCE: Create Public Facebook Event. Invite ALL friends that live nearby and fitness friends far away. Launch Registration link - via google docs in facebook event group and on Gripboard. Registration link did not include link to paypal which we will do next time. But Paypal or Venmo was method announced for payment, or bring cash day of.

November 2015 … (2 months out) - Secure T shirt print shop. Confirm design for shirts via graphic designer. Reached out to ALL the fitness friends in the industry I have - made a list - we called every gym near Nashville - talked to EVERYONE all the time about our upcoming comp and how excited we were. Sent the flyer to every person we could possibly talk to about grip stuff and how fun it would be. Promote via Instagram and other social media.

December 2015 (1 month out) - Sent a PERSONAL facebook message or email to everyone that had checked “interested” on the FB invite group asking them to come. Hashed out little details about day / answered all questions that came our way / encouraged newbies at our gym to get involved and started seeing registrations flow in. Asked people to spread word to their friends, and asked multiple times. Build google doc score sheets and weight loading sheets so multiple computers can be used that day. Regularly post in FB group updated list of registrants. (create excitement ya’ll).

Early January 2016 … (NO MONTHS OUT. GET SERIOUS TIME) - Post video on facebook event and youtube of events - a quick demo for people unsure of what they were getting into. Continued to reach out to people interested but on fence, individually. Visit venue, determine floor plan. Engage spontaneous nature - decide to have multiple contest platforms since there are so many people coming. Squeezus created easy to use magnetic crossbar for easy judging. Ask people to bring equipment for medley (women and men) so there is enough stuff. Determine men’s and women’s medley events and prizes. Build trophies and secure other prize material. Secure food truck so nobody would starve.

January 16 - Had 31 actually sign up - 27 show up. It rocked.

SOME NOTABLE THOUGHTS

  1. Check Your Ego! This was not a contest where Gil and I wanted to show off or be distracted competing. We both genuinely wanted people to have a good time. That required both of our efforts that day - especially since it was our first go ‘round. Maybe we can compete next time. Our mission was to make this non intimidating for new people too and to get people interested in the sport. Pump people up. People always remember how you make them feel.

  1. Nothing Replaces Genuine Passion. If I don’t really care how something goes it will show. If I don’t really love what I’m talking about, people will know. If I don’t really care if you come, you will pick up on it. Enthusiasm is contagious. We got excited, we talked about it all the time and we invited people that thought they couldn’t grip and were intimidated. Be warm, be welcoming, be excited. The grip community welcomed us this year but we might not ever have started or stayed involved if it wasn’t that way. We want to extend that friendliness to non gripsters and convert them.

  1. Be Flexible and Relax. We didn’t necessarily want to have two judging platforms but once we had over 20 people registered we knew we would need it. If these things drag on and on people get distracted or bored. We wanted to make things efficient so the excitement would run high all day. Relax - ahhh. Once the wheels are in motion these things take care of themselves and people are helpful. Our friends and all the contestants helped in any way they could. Ask for help.

  1. Play to Your Strengths and Know What They Are. Squeezus and I are very different and very good at different things. He is a technical wizard who can make excel spreadsheets that will blow your mind. It took me a year to master my iphone. I am a connector of people who likes talking about fitness stuff. I like organizing events and making lists. Do what you’re good at! We split up tasks, and helped each other. It made for an easy build up and a very smooth day.

  1. Lessons Learned .. Nothing is perfect. We will link paypal registration through paypal.me next time. We ordered shirts that rocked but the sizing was off - especially since grip is a lot of people with muscles. We know better for next time. ASK for feedback. We put out feedback sheets and read them all. We asked everyone how they found out about the comp so we can plan for the next one up. They found out through gripboard, facebook event, instagram, friends, personal invitations, reddit announcement.

And use Google docs for all documents. I don’t work for google but, I love google docs. A lot more than most things.

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Wow - all I ever did was say contest is this date - see ya there - or not. :).

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This should be a sticky for future people to refer to.

Nice write up.

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This should be a sticky for future people to refer to.

Nice write up.

My thoughts exactly.

BTW...you and Gil did an amazing job. That's a hell of a turnout. Thanks for this post...gave me some ideas. ;)

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Good job Maria and Gil. It's alot of work to put on a good comp especially one with good attendance. Sounds like you guys did great.

- Aaron

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It was a great contest. Thanks for the write up I hope to put on an annual "Griptogether" here in NC at some point when I've collected a good amount of gear. This is a great layout for things I should take note on.

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I have read lots of good things about this contest but I am left wondering, "How was the BBQ on the food truck?".

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I have read lots of good things about this contest but I am left wondering, "How was the BBQ on the food truck?".

Nashville has a really high bar for food trucks. Not the same stuff that you would find at a carnival. It was really good.

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I have read lots of good things about this contest but I am left wondering, "How was the BBQ on the food truck?".

LOL. The BBQ on the food truck was pretty damn good. If we can rock another huge contest I will get multiple food trucks.

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I have read lots of good things about this contest but I am left wondering, "How was the BBQ on the food truck?".

LOL. The BBQ on the food truck was pretty damn good. If we can rock another huge contest I will get multiple food trucks.

You better start calling now - No doubt in my mind you guys will be putting on more events!

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I have read lots of good things about this contest but I am left wondering, "How was the BBQ on the food truck?".

Nashville has a really high bar for food trucks. Not the same stuff that you would find at a carnival. It was really good.

We found this Awesome coffee shop last time down there climbing - down by the train station?

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I have read lots of good things about this contest but I am left wondering, "How was the BBQ on the food truck?".

Nashville has a really high bar for food trucks. Not the same stuff that you would find at a carnival. It was really good.

We found this Awesome coffee shop last time down there climbing - down by the train station?

I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but Maria sure is. Maybe she knows.

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I have read lots of good things about this contest but I am left wondering, "How was the BBQ on the food truck?".

Nashville has a really high bar for food trucks. Not the same stuff that you would find at a carnival. It was really good.

We found this Awesome coffee shop last time down there climbing - down by the train station?

Hmmmm. I can't think of one by the train station. Though Nashville has some seriously good coffee shops, and I am speaking from a large coffee snob soapbox. If you are back here I will send you to all my favorites.

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I have read lots of good things about this contest but I am left wondering, "How was the BBQ on the food truck?".

Nashville has a really high bar for food trucks. Not the same stuff that you would find at a carnival. It was really good.

We found this Awesome coffee shop last time down there climbing - down by the train station?

Hmmmm. I can't think of one by the train station. Though Nashville has some seriously good coffee shops, and I am speaking from a large coffee snob soapbox. If you are back here I will send you to all my favorites.

First there was BBQ, then mythically good food trucks, now coffee... You guys are killing me.

This would have a "- humor" but good food and good coffee are serious.

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