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Brent Barbe Is In The Grip Well!


Bill Piche

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Brent Barbe is in the well for the next two weeks. Questions only please per the rules of the well and he'll respond.

Thanks everyone and thanks to Brent for being in the well!

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Hey Brent…thanks for taking a turn in the Grip Well.

I've gone through some of your log and it's damn impressive. It's a great example of what "consistent action" will do. I'll probably come back before your time is up, but these were off the top of my head.

1. You've been training for years and have reached an elite level with grip. I imagine you've tried just nearly everything. Can you explain the approach to Grip Training that you've finally settled on?

2. I noticed you used to bend. What happened to that?

3. You seem to do a lot of rows. Is this the exercise you get the most out of?

4. If you could only train 3 lifts/exercises for grip..what would they be?

5. Can you name a few things you've tried that didn't work (or you got little from)?

6. Could you please share some of your defined (or vague) personal grip goals?

7. What's the story behind the Rosendal sig line?

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I believe you've spent a lot of time and energy focused on the 2HP. And also spent a lot of time on the Top50!

How would you recount your 2HP training in terms of successes and failures in how your energy was spent?

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A lot of good questions asked already. I'll add:

1.) Of your other strength endeavors, which have carried over the most for grip?

2.) If you could do one unabated wrestling move on Jedd, what would it be and why?

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Hey Brent…thanks for taking a turn in the Grip Well.

I've gone through some of your log and it's damn impressive. It's a great example of what "consistent action" will do. I'll probably come back before your time is up, but these were off the top of my head.

1. You've been training for years and have reached an elite level with grip. I imagine you've tried just nearly everything. Can you explain the approach to Grip Training that you've finally settled on?

what I've been trying to do lately is have a couple days a month where I go crazy in terms of intensity, volume, and time spent. in addition to that I hit some smaller easier sessions on a more regular schedule. I've come to this by paying attention to what works for me. so, I try to do something sunday and wednesday each week with wed being pretty easy and sunday being pretty long. about every second or third sunday seems to be the norm. between work and house stuff I just can't keep the intensity and interest up without a comp on the horizon.

2. I noticed you used to bend. What happened to that?

I just didn't have the mindset needed to hit the same bar 3 weeks in a row until it finally went. also, I am mostly training for comps and there is little to no bending in comps. I keep meaning to get back to it specifically for horseshoes and odd objects. no dice yet. Carl donati(sic) just started keeping a log here and he and I actually go to the same gym. we've tried to get together a couple times for bending but never really knuckled down and set a time. it is something I keep meaning to get back to though.

3. You seem to do a lot of rows. Is this the exercise you get the most out of?

it probably looks that way since I only record my grip type gym lifts here. however, I do db rows every upper body day. firstly because I have a loadable inch handle that is easy to take to the gym. the extra thick bar work without sacrificing the strength can be a hard balance to strike with a lot of lifts. the inch rows seem to be hard on my hands but I don't have to go so light my back doesn't get the work. also, I have 2 very badly damaged discs in my lower back. for whatever reason barbell rows bug me more than any other exercise.

4. If you could only train 3 lifts/exercises for grip..what would they be?

thickbar, plate pinching, and rev wrist curls. this makes me realize it has been a while since I worked plate pinching, need to fix that. every time I get away from the reverse wrist curls my elbows get inflamed. keep the curls in and I'm fine.

5. Can you name a few things you've tried that didn't work (or you got little from)?

I've tried a lot of different things. days per week, work per session, specific exercises, etc. the one thing i did that gave weird results was getting up early everyday and training before work. I forget if went 5 or 7 days a week but, I did this for quite a while. all the big lifts stayed the same. all the little stuff I was doing as accessory work went crazy. i feel like there was something to learn there but, getting up an extra 1.5 hours early everyday sort of killed it after a while.

6. Could you please share some of your defined (or vague) personal grip goals?

in general I'm working on bringing up my axle. i've been trying some new things and I'm hoping to test the lift sometime this autumn. I'm also trying to get the MM3 and get my COC#3 cert. i was working on the IM cert before but I hurt my hand in a highlander game. stone rolled of the bottom of my hand and screwed up my right ring finger. took a very long time to heal. in fact, 2 years later I could still feel it if I tried to work wide grippers. it's finally all good and I need to get that checked off.

7. What's the story behind the Rosendal sig line?

just something nic said at a comp. I forget to who and what comp. it stuck with me though.

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I believe you've spent a lot of time and energy focused on the 2HP. And also spent a lot of time on the Top50!

How would you recount your 2HP training in terms of successes and failures in how your energy was spent

The best thing I ever did for my 2hp was the summer I was going to train with Jedd about once a month. he, Rindo, frank, and i would have some pretty hard sessions. I know most people can't get to jedd's but, I think that if you can arrange a group session it's worth it. just make sure it's a group training session not a group screwing around session.

when I first started all this I was working at the university of pittsburgh and trained in the staff gym. they had a bunch of old plates that were good for pinching and hubbing. back then I was using a westside type routine and was in the gym 4 days a week. I did some pinch every time I was there. so, at least 4 days a week. it wasn't some huge amount of time devoted to this but, I would superset it in with other things. eventually that stalled out and I switched to other things.

right now my pinch has dropped off. I'm pretty sure that's largely a result of prioritizing other lifts. I used to start with 2hp no mater what else I was doing. I've gotten away from that since my pinch is still in the mid 220's without devoting as much time and energy to it.

so, from my experience there are 2 ways to get your pinch up. frequency or intensity. a training session that goes from 2hp to plate pinching to blocks to block tosses until you can't do anything else follow by rest will work. hitting it every other day in a much more moderate way also worked. whichever one works for you given other life stuff. does that make sense?

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A lot of good questions asked already. I'll add:

1.) Of your other strength endeavors, which have carried over the most for grip?

I had done a lot of rock climbing in high school and college. I think that had to have given me a good base to work with. I had been doing highland games for about a year before I started grip work. truthfully I think I started largely from scratch. work and school had kept me from doing too much for many years before I got back into HG and grip.

2.) If you could do one unabated wrestling move on Jedd, what would it be and why?

camel clutch. that's about all I remember from my mispent youth.

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1. How did you first learn about and get into grip?

2. What is the accomplishment you are most proud of in grip?

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1. How did you first learn about and get into grip?

I had been doing highland games for a year? I met Sean Rice, Chris Rice's son, at a game in ohio. somehow it came up that I used to climb. That fall at Ligonear Chris came to watch the game with Sean and told me he was having a comp in dec over by columbus. I went to gripmas and have been involved since.

2. What is the accomplishment you are most proud of in grip?

I've done a couple lifts and feats and things like that which are good memories. I think that all the work I helped with getting the qualifying lifts and weight class stuff together for NAGS would be it though. there are still some bugs to be worked out but, I think that in a couple of years the weight classes will be looked at as a turning point for the sport.

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How many feats are you able to work at the same time and still get results?

I mean both in the same session and longterm.

I feel as if I do more than two different feats I burn out i some way.

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How many feats are you able to work at the same time and still get results?

I mean both in the same session and longterm.

I don't really work feats as such. most of my training is for competition events. having said that, it seems like when I'm getting stronger I'm getting stronger in all events. and as far as a session or training cycle goes it depends. if there are a couple of comps with close dates I can train hard for the first and then roll right into the scond and have a long run of pretty high intensity training. if I have a bigger gap or a busy period with life stuff I find that it's harder to get going for training and it flags for that reason. basically as long as I'm still getting my sleep I've never had a period when I couldn't train hard if I wanted to.

as a side note I do sleep about 9 hours a night and can tell when that isn't happening for me.

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Hi Brent,

I was hoping you could comment on contra specificity as it relates to different grip and/or bending events. What I mean is, I have always heard (and found) it was difficult to make progress in bending and grip at the same time, and now have personally given up bending. I have also heard some people say working the axle messes up their crush grip, etc. Is there are a chart of mutual progression and suppression of the elements as it were, and do you have a strategy for complimentary training of different grip disciplines.

Thank you for taking the time to do this.

Mike

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What is your approach to failure? It's very well known that very few people get the same

results/progress/success by following someone else's template (what worked for them) to their success. For example, when a grip athlete succeeds in certifying on a hard gripper it seems that the majority fall for

the "band wagon affect" and want to know every little detail on how they succeeded. It's been my

experience that when I hone in on how that same athlete approached failure (along the way) this

seems to be the part that becomes most useful for me in trying to determine what may also work

for others trying to achieve the same or similar goal. Hope my question makes sense. If not, please

ask ask and I'll try another explanation.

Thanks for your participation sir!!!

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Back for more. J

1. Why do you train grip?

2. What are you general stats? (height, hand size, normal weight/division)

3. As a member of the Grip Collective, what do you hope to help see accomplished in the grip world down the road?

I also have two damaged discs (L3-4, L4-5), so your thoughts on training with back pain are of extreme interest to me. If my back goes out, my grip strength seems non-existent.

3. How did you damage your back in the first place?

4. How do you approach training for a contest…through or around back pain?

5. Are there any specific exercises that have provided you with lower back pain relief? (personal example: straightleg deadlifts with toes on a board have helped me tremendously)

6. Do you do any kind of preventative maintenance or measures do you use on your back?

Much appreciated.

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Is there a limit to how many questions one can ask here?

I noticed one member has already asked 13 questions. If everyone did this the participation

desire may slowly vanish.

Not being harsh here either. :calm Just rational. :) I could easily ask each participant 20 questions but

this would seem selfish on my part and probably even seem inconsiderate as well.

Maybe I'm off here so that's why I ask. :)

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Would it seem passive aggressive too? Just wondering aloud. :inno Not actually saying YOU were being passive aggressive. :rolleyes Because you know, someone that took the time to actually ADD UP the questions of another member might be seen as to having some sort of PROBLEM. :blink

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Is there a limit to how many questions one can ask here?

I noticed one member has already asked 13 questions. If everyone did this the participation

desire may slowly vanish.

Not being harsh here either. :calm Just rational. :) I could easily ask each participant 20 questions but

this would seem selfish on my part and probably even seem inconsiderate as well.

Maybe I'm off here so that's why I ask. :)

"The thread is "open for questions" for only 7 days, but the "Answerer" has 14 days in which to finish answering questions, at which point the thread becomes part of history." -quote from grip well rules.

I'm pretty sure everyone is free to ask as many questions they would like in 7 days.

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Is there a limit to how many questions one can ask here?

I noticed one member has already asked 13 questions. If everyone did this the participation

desire may slowly vanish.

Not being harsh here either. :calm Just rational. :) I could easily ask each participant 20 questions but

this would seem selfish on my part and probably even seem inconsiderate as well.

Maybe I'm off here so that's why I ask. :)

"The thread is "open for questions" for only 7 days, but the "Answerer" has 14 days in which to finish answering questions, at which point the thread becomes part of history." -quote from grip well rules.

I'm pretty sure everyone is free to ask as many questions they would like in 7 days.

There is no reason for participation to go down. Unlimited questions for 7 days. These guys know this who signed up so fire away everyone!

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It isn't my turn yet but in reading things so far - might I suggest a numbered questions format - like

1.

2.

3.

4.

and so on. This seems like it will really help the guy in the well keep things organized and things easy to track. Just a suggestion.

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Would it seem passive aggressive too? Just wondering aloud. :inno Not actually saying YOU were being passive aggressive. :rolleyes Because you know, someone that took the time to actually ADD UP the questions of another member might be seen as to having some sort of PROBLEM. :blink

Mike, are you being passive aggressive sir in suggestion I have a problem? I said in my last sentence I may

be off here. I thought it was a rational question. Apparently in your estimation I was off. That's why I asked.

Not a problem!

Is there a limit to how many questions one can ask here?

I noticed one member has already asked 13 questions. If everyone did this the participation

desire may slowly vanish.

Not being harsh here either. :calm Just rational. :) I could easily ask each participant 20 questions but

this would seem selfish on my part and probably even seem inconsiderate as well.

Maybe I'm off here so that's why I ask. :)

"The thread is "open for questions" for only 7 days, but the "Answerer" has 14 days in which to finish answering questions, at which point the thread becomes part of history." -quote from grip well rules.

I'm pretty sure everyone is free to ask as many questions they would like in 7 days.

There is no reason for participation to go down. Unlimited questions for 7 days. These guys know this who signed up so fire away everyone!

Thanks Bill for answering my question and not adding any false perceptions concerning my motive(s).

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Okay. I'm now aware that my question offended the individual asking a lot of questions so

I apologize to him for offending him but this was not the intent of my question. My question has been answered

so now we can move on.

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It isn't my turn yet but in reading things so far - might I suggest a numbered questions format - like

1.

2.

3.

4.

and so on. This seems like it will really help the guy in the well keep things organized and things easy to track. Just a suggestion.

Chris, if you are referring to an "overall" numbering scheme, it would be impossible to implement as more than one person might be submitting at the same time. I do think use of the quoting system already available could help keep things tidy by connecting the "questioners" with the answers.

Okay. I'm now aware that my question offended the individual asking a lot of questions so

I apologize to him for offending him but this was not the intent of my question. My question has been answered

so now we can move on.

Not at all Mighty Joe. Since I was involved with the inception of this, I was intimately aware of the details behind the "Grip Well" itself.

I was suggesting that you had p.m'd me (or the moderator) rather than discuss it in Brent's thread. Things like this unnecessary (but kindhearted) apology and my own response to it, don't actually belong in this thread.

I would suggest the moderator go ahead and delete all of these "off rule" posts. The answers to your questions could easily be added to the "Grip Well - What is it?" section.

So in retrospect Joe, it's probably a good thing this came up, since it will help clarify things.

I'll finish any thoughts in our PM...I just got off the road and only had a chance to skim it.

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climber511, on 07 Sept 2013 - 08:54 AM, said:snapback.png

It isn't my turn yet but in reading things so far - might I suggest a numbered questions format - like

1.

2.

3.

4.

and so on. This seems like it will really help the guy in the well keep things organized and things easy to track. Just a suggestion.

Chris, if you are referring to an "overall" numbering scheme, it would be impossible to implement as more than one person might be submitting at the same time. I do think use of the quoting system already available could help keep things tidy by connecting the "questioners" with the answers.

Not overall - just within each post - some have been and some not used this.

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I was hoping you could comment on contra specificity as it relates to different grip and/or bending events. What I mean is, I have always heard (and found) it was difficult to make progress in bending and grip at the same time, and now have personally given up bending. I have also heard some people say working the axle messes up their crush grip, etc. Is there are a chart of mutual progression and suppression of the elements as it were, and do you have a strategy for complimentary training of different grip disciplines.

The couple of things I have found are:

grippers really need to come first in the session or they are very weak. pretty much anything before doing grippers knocks my TSG strength way back.

when I was bending I found that it was really draining. I think that it's a combination of the fact that the attempts(individual hits on the bar) take a lot longer than something like a gripper rep. also, there's a lot more stress placed through the whole lower arm when bending, including some tissue stress from the pressure. I din't really find that bending killed my other lifts but I found that they stalled out if I was bending.

something I'm finding recently is that thick bar and pinch don't seem to affect each other for me. I can go pinch before thick or the opposite and numbers are not affected.

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What is your approach to failure? It's very well known that very few people get the same

results/progress/success by following someone else's template (what worked for them) to their success. For example, when a grip athlete succeeds in certifying on a hard gripper it seems that the majority fall for

the "band wagon affect" and want to know every little detail on how they succeeded. It's been my

experience that when I hone in on how that same athlete approached failure (along the way) this

seems to be the part that becomes most useful for me in trying to determine what may also work

for others trying to achieve the same or similar goal. Hope my question makes sense. If not, please

ask ask and I'll try another explanation.

Thanks for your participation sir!!!

as far as failure goes I would say in my case that mostly means comp results. if things don't work out the way I thoguht they should I do a couple things:

1. was I injured. at NAGS Championship this last year I felt I was off at grippers and pinch. I'm pretty sure I was able to narrow that down to loading the inch from my basement to the car at 4:30 in the morning. I screwed up my right trap and it was pulling my neck and shoulder all out of position. at Cahd Woodall's comp I had given up coffee for a couple of months and then had a bunch of energy drinks that day and made myself sick. so on and so on. the thing I take away from stuff like that is how to prevent it in the future. at this point I bring enough food/water/snacks that there's no way I'm going to eat something unfamilier. trying to make sure I don't do anything stupid to hurt myself the week before hand. i put a work stoppage on all house stuff that could mess up my hands. things like that.

2. if there's no injury I look at event planning. again, at NAGS Championship this last year I didn't do as well as I could on the medley. i feel that I trained it wrong. I set up everything I could at home and just went through and got it all. I didn't emphasize speed at all. i could have moved a lot faster on the day but, that's not how I trained. another mistake was that I had my wife filming me and telling me what I missed/needed to get. I should have split those 2 jobs up and had a check list for the spotter person. I missed the face levers because doing the filming makes it too hard to keep track off items.

3. go back and look at training and see where I missed points and how I had trained for that event. the first thing you need to do is WRITE THINGS DOWN. if you aren't keeping a journal you don't really know what you're doing. a number of times I would swear to the fact that I was hitting some event hard but, if you look back at the notes I only hit it once or twice and maybe the weights were light ssince it was at the end. so, not only can you see if you really trained it like you meant to you can also see if you choked or were being overly optimistic about what you could really do.

does this answer you question?

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