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...of Gripgods, Pinchmen And Steelslayers.


anwnate

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Appreciated gents. :)

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I hope things get better with the back. Look forward to seeing you tear it up again later in the year!

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  • 1 month later...

Update...near zero training in this post.

So...I had my third Ablation on January 6th. It ended up being a ten hour surgery and scaring the crap out of Maureen (expected time was like 4-5 hours). I fell out out of rhythm by the 9th...and was shocked back on the 11th. I started sleeping on an incline...which seemed to relieve the snoring/apnea. I then stayed in rhythm for 3 weeks or so. The wifey and I recently saw Ron White and stayed overnight in a hotel. I completely forgot about propping myself up. Coincidence or not (unlikely), I awoke back in A-fib. The current plan is to see if the meds convert me on their own (historically unlikely) and if not get shocked this Thursday and hope for the best.

I'm trying to be proactive...consulting a doc on sleep apnea (often a A-fib trigger), attempting to lose weight (down 10lbs...not water) in the last 3.5 weeks...another 20lbs to go. Unfortunately I am very symptomatic at the moment. I've been pretty nauseous for a couple days now (which helps with weight loss lol) even just sitting. Pretty much any moving around leads to shortness of breath...and the extra time in bed is helping throw my back out. Because of the symptoms...deadlifting (which helps my back) is out of the equation...so I'm getting a little frustrated. It's kind of a "Catch 22." It's a bit depressing...which is annoying, because I like to eat when depressed...yet I'm trying to lose weight so I can't. lol.

A bit of a Clusterf-ck indeed.

I attempted grippers the other day and failed to close my 175 GHP8 at MMS. Sigh. I don't know if it's the back, the heart, the CNS...but I tried to wear the hands down regardless of gripper ratings.

Anyway...the spirit is willing...but the body is weak at the moment. I'll update next time I have some new/interesting info.

Never give up...never surrender! ;)

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  • 1 month later...

So...it had to been a year since I met up with Wojo.  A few months ago we settled on a date and yesterday it finally came.

I've been feeling pretty shitty and actually contemplated cancelling (especially the night before when my nausea caused an upchuck).

However, Sunday morning came and I felt pretty good.  I hopped in the car and headed North on the NJ Turnpike (1.5hours or so).

For those who don't know, Wojo finally took the plunge to follow his passion and start training people in strength conditioning.  

He's been super busy so he hasn't been on the board much.  Not only is he working at a few different facilities...he's even opened his own starter gym for personal training.  His company is called "Better Strength and Performance."  http://www.bettersp.com/home.html

I arrived at Noon and inspected his new digs.  He immediately gave me a BSAP shirt.  Sweet!  

While he had most of the equipment at his garage gym before...it looked a heck of a lot bigger when spread out.

It's a no-nonsense, zero mirror facility.  Everything in there is set up for practical purposes.  Here's a few pics...

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So we traded a few challenge pieces and I picked up a pair of 65lb dumbbells he kindly grabbed (for me) from a local Craigslister.  I strongly recommend using your grip buds to extend your CL search area.  I've been able to hook quite a few people up...and vice versa also.  Now that I have the 65's...Wojo and I are going to have a friendly race to the Double Inverted Pinch Lift with them.  As far as I know, only Wade has done more (70lb IDL) in preparation for a Mighty Mitts one year.

Wojo attempted SID with dry hands first...but quickly decided to chalk up.  He did a light chalking, blew some moisture on them and tried again.  Boom!  It went right up with both hands.  He then started going for the Clean.  It took about 15 minutes and a number of close calls...but he cleaned an pressed the bastard. :)

I was barely able to break it off the ground yesterday.  I managed some decent holds with some assisted lifts...but my CNS wasn't having it.  My thick pinch isn't quite what it was when I was working on it.

I did a little bit of gripper work...but I knew right away that it wasn't gonna be a good day.  While warming up...I BARELY closed a 142.  Eventually, I worked up to an easy close on a 168...but when I tried my 175 GHP8...my hands were already shot.  I had done a bunch of grinding recently and have a hard time not gripping things tightly.  Seriously...sometimes my hands ache from washing the dishes. It's really become a habit to clamp down on things.  The wifey will no longer hold my hand during the night...as I occasionally will bear down in my sleep.

We ended up talking a lot about his business and future goals.  There is a TON that goes into making a business like this work...and it's really a labor of love.  If you don't love this career path, there's no way it'll work.  We then decided to do a little Axle work.

Right away I knew this was a good idea.  He basically (at my request) went into "Work" mode and completely dissected my form.  There were soooo many things I've been doing wrong, that when I got it right...it really uncovered some huge imbalances I've developed in my legs, glutes and hips.  After I managed a few good lifts...my lower half and core was completly shot.  I'm feeling it right now as I write.  So...as my heart lets me, I'm going to try to employ his suggestions on form and see what I can see.

At some point, John took his sweatshirt off and holy crap did he get ripped and (from his arms) very vascular.  I've seen the bigger/heavy Wojo, the superskinny Wojo...but never this beast.  He's light on his feet, but looks brutally strong and incredibly in shape.  He's been on a ketogenic diet and his system seems to have really embraced it.

Eventually we headed to a local BBQ place for a nice lunch and continued conversation.  I'm so pumped for John.  He worked a very long time in a job he hated.  Now that he's focused on his real life goal, he's visibly more relaxed and very positive.  I'm pretty sure there is a moral there.  Very often we forget just how short a time we are given in this world.  For most of us, we essentially waste that time focused on things that actually amount to spiritual suicide.

 

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Really happy for Wojo. Hes a really good guy. 

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That's so awesome! Would love to do something like this. I'll be checking his website so I can buy one of those shirts!

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Very nice write up man! Wojo sounds like a beast. Yes, when working out alone we tend to neglect our own shortcomes in terms of form and setup in training. 

Also, I am amazed by how strong you still are on grippers buddy. When I feel sick, someone can hand an Elite to me but I could only use it as a press papier and here you are feeling miserable and closing a 168lbs gripper. 

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Nate! It was great to see you and train with you yesterday! Thank you for the support and all the kind words. You have an incredibly generous spirit and your ability to knock off strength feat after strength feat given the challenge your heart situation presents is a huge inspiration to me personally as well as many, many others I'm sure!

Let's get together again in a few months, that should be enough time for you to make headway on the double 65lb hex head lift!

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  • 4 weeks later...

@&()@^R*&@#)_#(*(*(Y*!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

About 4am I awoke and immediately thought I was out of rhythm.  I went to take a whiz and by time I came back, I was out of breath.  The stethoscope confirmed it.  Not to mince words...feel like shit.  Constant low level nausea, SOB (shortness of breath), dizziness, fatigue.  Yuck.

 

Worked on some heavy duty Mag weights today.  I'm making some for the PUA's, for contest prizes...and for my soon to be started run at 2x45 pinch.

Had to stop and sit down.  Ugghhh.  Probably get shocked tomorrow.  I had stayed in rhythm since Feb. 11th...was getting hopeful it was solved.

 

Workouts?  Well I've done some grippers once every 9 days or so.  Not over the top... just some maintenance work atm.  Out of the blue, not warmed up, I bent a Red Nail (single IMPs), in around 1min the other day.  My hands are totally deconditioned.  If I had to...I could probably cert in like 30 seconds...but it would HURT.  They have gotten quite girly-girl without bending in the last 6mo.

Rich Cottrell dropped by the other day for hanging, tiny bit of grip work and dumping some stuff to cover the comp plates.  Good times.

A Barrell Strength Systems package arrived while he was here (TY Gil and Maria!).  See pic below!  Turns out, they are sponsoring the SJ3, so there was some goodies in there.  

plates 2.jpg

FBBC (Thanks Andrew!) is also throwing in...and with a couple other surprises planned, it's looking like it'll be a super-cool comp (my first sanctioned).

 

Contest...I don't know how my health will affect my contest...but it's a go regardless of whether I compete or have to just have to sit in a chair the whole time.  Hopefully, this will just be a bump on my grip-road.  I have a few (probably achievable) goals for the contest.  

Grippers...my "official" 20mm (righty) is a 163lb.  I'd like to get an "official" 180lb (#3.5) with the DHWOG block.  But...I'll be satisfied with a 175lb (#3.5).

(lefty) I have no official 20mm.  I'd like to get a 162lb (MM2 rep) lefty...but will be happy with a 155lb(#3) ...if it's back in time or 153lb (#3) if not.  If I do get the 155 or better, I'll sign up for the MM1 offhand as soon as I post SJ3 results.  I'll decide on the MM2 off depending on ease of MM1 close.  I'm still getting more coordinated with my left.

The Flask...I attempted it for the first time and got 27kg...I'd like to pull 38kg at SJ3.  Probably seems out of reach...but I've got a game plan.  We will see.

2.5" Crusher...I attempted it once at Tom's and pulled 63kg...I think 70kg is within reach...provided I get off my butt and order it in time to practice it. ;)

Here's a pic of the new comp plates. :)

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Hope you're able to get your heart and health back to where you can pursue your goals with full vigor. A lot of people are rooting for you, so keep up the good fight Nate!

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Nice plates Than!

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Sorry to hear buddy. I hope you finally find a solution to your health problem. 

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  • 2 months later...

Well...I am still having my moments (heartwise)...but I'm feeling good enough to want to get back into something.

Watching the bending at SJ3 set a little fire under me.

The first time in forever...yesterday I went ahead and decided to attempt a nail.  Wanting to find out exactly where I was...I attempted a Red in singles.  Boom...12 seconds.  After that I contacted Matt Hunt and talked to him about him certing the Red.  Turns out he's literally 20min away from me.  He's a strong Mofo...and young.  He did well at every event at SJ3...he could be scary good in the future.  Talking about it got me pumped up a bit...so a little later I tried another one.  20 seconds.  Not amazing...but again...no pain in my hands surprisingly.  Decided to do another...not happy with the 20sec.  Boom...11 seconds.  I'll throw a video up when I do something more exciting.  So...apparently the bug has me again.  Gonna pick up the wraps again and start back on the Gold Road.  E.J. has enough of a head start now and I hear Delmar dove back into the bending pool.  This should be fun.

The only other thing I have on the docket is the CTD challenge.  I'm currently around 174 on the RT (haven't trained at all).  I've got like 3 months to add 30lbs to my lift.  I'm taking bets btw.  Someone is already in for $20 (against me).  To keep it fun...let's keep the top bet to $20.  No idea about the rules on the GB for public betting...so feel free to PM me if you'd like to bet against me.   I could use the easy money.  ;)

No really...it'll be good motivation...and I will probably have to buy a second tent and mister for SJ4.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Shitty update.

 

So...I've been working on making my hands bullet proof for bending and planned on a 1/3 pair of IMP Red tomorrow.

I hit a snag this a.m.

I awoke out of rhythm and feeling horrible.  Apparently I fell off my hill of pillows and my heart doesn't like that at all.

We are going to have to get one of those adjustable beds.  Maybe it'll have the bonus of helping my back along with my heart.  

Unfortunately they are super expensive...it's gonna be a big hit...but I don't think we have a choice at this point.

Writing this...my resting heart rate is 170+.  I'm sweating, short of breath and feeling a bit woozy.

Going to the E.R. soon...to get shocked.  Better to get it done today than tomorrow.  I imagine the ER will be packed with blown off hands and drunks tomorrow.

This isn't anything for me to get super worried about...been there/done that...but it's been like 4 months since the last one so it's a little bit of a let down.

Should be home by this evening at the latest.

Need to drop weight.  Right around 260 atm...most of it muscle.  If I get down to 225...the muscle is gonna take a hit.

Gonna have to got the "Wiggy" route and get "lean and mean."

Probably gonna take it easy for a couple of days.  

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Been working on bending again.  Shooting for a champered Red Nail no-wrap bend by Halloween.

Mostly doing this for hand conditioning for the Gold...but I'll admit I think it's a bad-ass bend.  

I don't think anyone has done yet...but if so...really doubting it was DO (my intention).

I tried 1/6ths IMPs today and failed miserably.  It was ridiculously embarrassing as I didn't really move it.

I don't know if it was a CNS thing, a hand grab thing or simply a "girly-ness" thing.

I was totally depressed over it for a few hours.  I was questioning everything...so I decided to do a Red in singles.

It went down in 4 hits, 8 seconds, down to 1.25".

It was SHOCKING to bend in the singles...they felt like leathers...way more than enough...like it was an unfair or an illegal bend.

This development helped me feel better about the day...so I focused on more handconditioning and started some of my Gold Nail exercises.

Will try again soon...the 30th at the latest.

Have some buds coming by.   (feel free to swing by if you are around SJ)

It'll make it hard to wus out again. ;)

 

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1 hour ago, anwnate said:

Shooting for a camphored Red Nail no-wrap bend by Halloween

Wow man, that would be truly legendary :rock

1 hour ago, anwnate said:

It was SHOCKING to bend in the singles...they felt like leathers...way more than enough...like it was an unfair or an illegal bend

^exactly why I keep one IMP bends, even one bar a workout, in my regimen.  

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I just cut some 1/6 IMPs out of curiosity- such a tiny scrap! Very interesting to hear that the sub full pads conditioned your hands so well, thank you for sharing. 

I assume you are already grinding over the edges of you bars- what are you using to smooth them out?

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12 minutes ago, aaronb41 said:

I just cut some 1/6 IMPs out of curiosity- such a tiny scrap! Very interesting to hear that the sub full pads conditioned your hands so well, thank you for sharing. 

I assume you are already grinding over the edges of you bars- what are you using to smooth them out?

Haven't had to on the reds yet but I will definitely be doing it soon.  I always use my angle grinder.  Makes short work of them.  I know a tool exists to champher metal, but I haven't found one.

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  • 3 weeks later...

General Update (so the log isn't hopelessly buried ;) ):

 

Hand conditioning is going really well.  

I've been pretty consistently hitting the crap out of my hands...slapping both a glob and the end of a gold nail.  

I can't promise a mallet hasn't been involved too.  All in all...I'm dedicating around 1 hour a day on it.

My hands are getting impressively tough.

I'm now starting the second phase of my program.

Yesterday I bent a couple of long bars (8 3/8") in IMPs.  An "O" and a "P"...O-1 DR.  They melted in 5 and 7 hits respectively.

Today I took down a "Q" that didn't go so smoothly.  I think the kink was like 6 hits...and the whole bar took like 2 minutes.  Frankly this annoyed me...but what can you do?  I haven't bent longer, stronger steel in a while.  You got to start somewhere.

On a side note...I had my 44th Birthday on Saturday and E.J. dropped by (Mo also for a few).  I had one of the best times of my life.  

Getting the opportunity to hang with E.J. and philosophize is something not to be missed.  He's not just another pretty face.  :D

 

Ablation #4 is scheduled for Thursday the 25th.

I'm hoping to lose some weight before then (278lbs ouch!) and get a bunch of bends in, in the mean time.

 

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3 hours ago, anwnate said:

 I can't promise a mallet hasn't been involved too.

:laugh:laugh Nice work man, looking forward to seeing where this takes you.  :rock

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  • 2 months later...

Well...this has become more of a diary lately than a training log.  Annoying that.

Just got back from the hospital after entering on Monday evening.  Some scary stuff and a lot of boring stuff.  I'm gonna meet with my electrophysiologist on the 19th to create a new plan.  

Weight.  I'd like to say I've been struggling, but the fact is that I've put forth zero consistent effort on dropping it.  

Starting at 275 (today), it'll be interesting to see how much I weigh in at, at Gripmas (58 days away).  If I'm going to have a further ablation, I really need to get down in weight.

 

In the meantime, I'm going to continue to work hand conditioning and barehand bending.  With such light steel, t's not really taxing physically.  I'm capable of a bare blue and will get a vid out shortly.  I've been kinking funny lately (I kink DO Bare...which is kind of weird to begin with).

I also intend on helping Mr. Cottrell achieve his Kill/Maim/Slay Red Nail Goal.

Other than that, there is a lot of planning going on for SJ4.  It may be Geralt's only US comp. and I'd like to make it a humdinger.  I think I've achieved a workaround for the intense heat of July.  More on that in time.  I'm going to open a SJ4 thread soon enough (yes ridiculously early) in an attempt to draw in a few peeps from far away...or to make sure peeps have time to get the time off or trip expense ready.  Plus, I got some cool ideas to share. ;)

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