British grip champs 2002

[David Horne]

Here's the final list of competitors for the British Grip Champs on Aug 3rd. It should be a great day, and with only 2 weeks to go I hope everyones training is coming along well.

OPEN

Elizabeth Talbot (Stafford)

Jim Wylie (Stafford)

Michael Daly (Glenrothes)

Brian Carlton (U.S.A.)

Steve Gardener (London)

Martin Whittred (St. Helens)

Marc Wylie (Stafford)

Kalle Lane (Sweden)

Richard Vizor (Northampton)

David Horne (Stafford)

INTERMEDIATE

Richard Scott (Stafford)

Gary Hunt (Wirral)

Jason Horne (Stafford)

Arne Persson (Sweden)

Ed Homers (Wolverhampton)

NOVICE

Faheem Chauhan (Liverpool)

Oliver Horne (Stafford)

Scott Essery (Stoke)

Ian Marsland (Liverpool)

Paul Patterson (Luton)

Louis Wilson (Wolverhampton)

Matt Makousky (U.S.A.)

Andrew Christie (Bournemouth)

Waseem Chauhan (Liverpool)

Good luck to all!

David

[gazza]

looks like an excellent day to be had by allDavid,

Looking forward to the competition,i think  it can now be called the international grip champs,Awesome lineup!

[Guest 115-1005574997]

Dave

looks like a great turnout this year and all 3 sections will be very competative.

You'll have your work cut out mate!!

Great credit to your hard work Dave that 7 coc and a WSW competator are in the comp!

C u on the 3rd!!!!!

[Nathan Say]

OH MAN that's gonna be an unbelievable contest, as in Lord of the Rings style, I just wish I was there!

[elizabeth talbot]

It's a great list of competitors and should be a great day (if a long one!). It's really encouraging for the sport to see so many people willing to put themselves out to participate, and even better that David has taken the time and effort (and believe me, it takes a lot of both) to put the contest together. I believe it will a job well done.

Elizabeth

[Guest]

WOW! This is THE grip competition for sure. Congratulations David on a great build up to what looks like an historic day in grip competition. Good luck everybody, you will see more incredible feats on this one day than many will see in a lifetime. Take your cameras and camcorders, it'll be a day to remember. I don't care what anyone says, doing it in competition is MUCH harder and more demanding than training for a set time and venue on apparatus you know. Doing it at home is NOTHING compared to this.

Nick

[Bearcat 74]

Doing it at home is NOTHING compared to this.

Why not?  This is something I do just for me.  I don't do this to impress or compete with people, in my eyes my competition is me.   So far I have never beaten myself or been satisfied with myself.  There's always room for improvement. If I have to compete for grip, lifting, etc to mean something to me, I would have to take a good look at my reasons for doing it.  I'm not saying xcompetetion is bad, or that I would never compete, I may I may not  I don't know.  There have been a lot of records set at home for it not to be nothing.......Just some ramblings...........

Good luck to everyone in the contest!

[Faheem Chauhan]

and even better that David has taken the time and effort (and believe me, it takes a lot of both) to put the contest together.

Good point that, Elizabeth, so thanks in advance to you both for having us around on the day.

Faheem

[bseedot]

Yowsers!!!!  This is going to be one helluva ride!  I can't wait to see all you guys and gal  

BC.

[Guest]

I completely agree with you Heath and I think you have taken my comment too personally. I live in a country where this type of training is almost unheard of and I have trained alone now for nearly 4 years. All of my training I do for my own personal satisfaction - just like you obviously do.

However, you can't honestly tell me that part of you doesn't want to prove or show your talents to others and see how good you are compared to the rest of the world or country in your case. If that were the case you would never post on the Grip Page or my website, never train with others, never document your progress and would not have gone to the AOBS dinner and put on the performance you did.

Bruce White is the epitomy of a reclusive lifter of super high merit. He competes with himself and only now after over 30 years have we begun to match his strength levels. Even Bruce, a man who has soley only known his own strengths, has decided he wants to prove his mettle in competition at this year Australian Grip Championships. I applaud that more than any garage gym feat because he is putting his reputation on the line. Records will be set in competition, like it or not. 'Records' set at home are rarely recognized by the majority otherwise we would all have records coming out of our ears.

You and I both critised Vince Basile for not showing us what he could really do on equipment that was familar to us. Well Vince had just been doing things his way and creating his own 'records'. As you can see this type of attitude doesn't sit well with most. Vince will compete to prove to himself and others just how good he is and again like Bruce I applaud that.

You don't have to compete and that's your choice but make no mistake, competition is where it's at. There are at least two competitions in America now and both are poorly supported compared to the UK and Europe and I hope Australia too. Why is this? Ego? Reputation? Who knows? The point is that the UK Grip Champs will really show us who is on top of the game in all round and specific grip events in a correctly refereed environment. Best of luck to everyone.

Nick

[Bill Piche]

As I said, grip is a sub-culture of lifting.  Even with powerlifting, the contests are few and far between at the local level.  And, to get to the national level? For most, forget it.  

I also think the UK has had a head start just due to David's efforts.  I ask how much as it grown by # of competitors to say 5 years ago?  

I also don't think Rep has anything to do with it.  Reputation with who? A group of 50 guys on a WORLD WIDE message board?

Heck, I would bet money more people would know about bodybuilders than a pinch lift!

Face it, grip right now is still nothing more than backyard contests with a hand full(s) of competitors (who mostly by acquaintance end up competing and knowing of it)  I don't care what you call the contests.

If it was really growing, there would be multiple weight classes and those would be expanding year by year.  Just like it did in Powerlifting.

Grip is still in obscurity.  However, I do see it potentially getting out.  If it can ride on StrongMan or even powerlifting, it might have a chance.  Look at the contest they just had again prior to the US strongman's.

Speaking of that. Congrats to GripBoard Member Wade Gillingham for kicking ass!  

[Guest baldy]

Hey Nick, I applaud you for explaining your comment from your first post. You are the first person that I have seen make such a dogmatic statement then bother to go back and explain it when questioned.

Re: Bill's comments about the grip contests before the US Strongman events (pinch block and RT contests), that is all thanks to IronMind.

Back on the original topic, best wishes to all the competitors at David's competition.

[Bearcat 74]

Showing what you can do is hardly a contest.  I don't care if people know me or not.  I want to be good at this stuff.  I can look at what others do, and try to match their feats.  If I can I am pretty good, if not I'd better get my ass to work.  I usually post on websites to give or recieve info.   I document my progress for me, that way I can see how I progress.  I didn't go the AOBS to put on a show, it just happened.  If no one would've seen me do anything I wouldn't have cared.   And I train with people out of friendship, everyone wants to do well so's to not look like a turd who can't do anything, but as far as competeing against the people I train with, no.  Tim, Jeff, Steve, and Pat can all back me up, I'm not out to beat anybody.  I'm out to impress myself, so far, ain't happened.  I applaude people who compete too, never said I didn't.  If I know I did something, I could really give a hairy rat sack what anyone else thinks.  People are going to doubt lifts/records no matter what, I think.  Like I said, I may compete one day, but I doubt it will ever be the goal of my training.

[Guest]

If it's not important to you Bill then why start a website dedicated to it? Also the US has had a competition now for quite a few years thanks to Kevin Fulton. He was the original developer of grip in the US and gets little credit or support for this. And if there's no reputation invloved (and you know that it's way more than 50 guys too) why go on about training programs, who's the best, show pictures of who you think is the best, have avatars for specialist grippers etc etc etc!

I am not saying I am any different. I love knowing how good or bad I am, trying to push the barriers and when possible compete. I also love training with others, learning new things and just training for the sake of it.

As always you say one thing and do another and when questioned you ignore the facts - which are; NONE of you compete in a sport you obviously love and are obsessed with but you want to be recognized by your peers. Please don't deny this as it's obvious and a perfectly normal human trait.

Like I said, I may compete one day, but I doubt it will ever be the goal of my training

I hope you do compete one day Heath and that goes for all of you garage dwellars who love gripping, and when you do, that WILL be the goal of your training.

Nick

[Roark]

Where did Bill say he doesn't care? Was that post

deleted?

If effort is care, he cares plenty. But he is a realist.

Years ago Jan & Terry Tood asked their classes at the

U of Texas 'Who is the current Mr. Olympia?' As I

recall, one person knew. Well, bodybuilding is

monumental in size compared to grip, so we are a

small community. Doesn't bother me.

[Nathan Say]

People say for some reason that Bruce Lee is the greatest martial artist ever, however he never competed in a contest. Same with Chuck Norris. Would people think Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player never played in NBA games & just played pick up ball with kids in his neighborhood? Would people believe Tiger Woods if he said that he was the best player in the world, but wouldn't compete in tournaments? I know Heath will say that he isn't trying to be the best crusher or anything, but it doesn't have to be a goal. Competing isn't enough of a priority for me too travel all the way to England for the IG Champs or across the continent for the US Champs but if there's a local contest I'll gladly enter. Not because there probably isn't a whole lot of competition in this area (not that I know of), but just to see how I compare to others. Nobody has to compete if they don't want to but I think (going back to the MJ & Woods examples) that there will be doubts if someone just does their own thing with nobody else (who could actually appreciate what goes on whether it's golf, tennis, potato mashing, etc) to witness/see it.

[Nathan Say]

PS   In math, when someone completes a proof, it really depends on the referee once it gets published whether or not it will be accepted by the rest of the math world. For example, if a mathematician says he proves something and the ref says it's good, but the ref doesn't have a good background in that particular area, or if the ref doesn't have a good rep for whatever reason, the proof will not be very well accepted in the math community. On the other hand, if the ref is very well respected & the ref says it's a good proof, the rest of the math world will say so as well.

     Taking this idea to anything lifting-related, I'm sure anything Pullum (same with David Horne I guess also & no doubt others) said was a good lift in his day, was definitely a good lift. No doubt about that. But if someone who doesn't know what a good lift is, or doesn't know what to look for or doesn't care (or has that reputation) wouldn't be well accepted, whether it was good or not.

    Now, if the only person who witnesses a lift is the lifter, maybe they make it up? It's not totally inconceivable but then I doubt that anyone would really do that. It's still possible, which is why there's the whole IM certification procedure, etc. I think this is the reason people willl be skeptical of someone who go out into the middle of nowhere & do their own thing. There should be at least some record of what they do though, whether there are pic or whatever. There's a pic of Bruce White lifting an Inch replica in the latest IG, so that tells me that he's got massive & brutal grip strength & makes his pinching claims credible. That's what people need, someone doesn't HAVE TO enter contests, but I think there should be either a picture or video or credible witness so everyone can see & (consciously or not) evaluate the validity of the lift.

[Guest]

Face it, grip right now is still nothing more than backyard contests with a hand full(s) of competitors (who mostly by acquaintance end up competing and knowing of it)  I don't care what you call the contests.

Sounds like I don't care to me Joe. Having said that, I ask you, where did I say Bill didn't care, was that post deleted too?

And it doesn't bother me either that it is a small community - 7 or 8 years ago when I first started (in grip specific training) and even more for David and even more for Bruce White, it was only a handful of guys but it was still being featured in magazines as part of weight training so even then it must have meant something.

All I was saying is that competition is the true merit of a feat of strength/record. That is where the American's, with the exception of Kevin and his brigade, are sadly lacking. Lots of feats but no competitors.

One more thing. If it's so small and 'obscure' why start the IGC that you guys promoted and died a death? I don't get it, I thought we were all here to do the same thing but it seems not.

Nick

[mobsterone]

handful - was that pun intended??  

[Guest 115-1005574997]

From what i can see there are two issues here.

Being competitive and COMPETITION.

Lots of people are competitive.  If your passionate and want to achieve a goal you work dammed hard to attain the target.  But those who are competitive in a competition and pit their skills against others is a whole new ball game.

Bill, im sure you’d agree that doing a max single deadlift at home, on your own was a bit different than deadlifting at a regional meet!!!

Its that extra element of nerves, self doubt, pressure etc that makes lifts done in competition the ultimate test of a mans steel and lifts done in competition are a separate issue and demand more respect than lifts done in a cosy gym.

Bearcat, carry on lifting on your own, doing what you want and setting your goals.  But please stop being so selfish and refrain from slagging people off just 'cos they dont meet your moral standards or find passion in something you dont!!!

Bill (im not picking on you mate!)  i can see Nicks point regarding compliancy read into your quote.  it does seem like your giving up and resigned to saying the grip world will always be a minority sport.  Theres a lot of people who DONT want it to remain small.

COMPETITIONS (be sure to know what i mean) are THE WAY of encouraging new people into the sport and retaining enthusiasm.  Think about it.  Competition on the #3.  The great work Randy’s doing with the rolling thunder champs and the pinch grip comp.  In an ‘armature’ sphere thats why the 'Brits' are light years ahead of the yanks thats why the Brits (sorry Nick...and Ozzies) are having the numbers of interested people increase dramatically and if you look at the list of competitors in the novice and intermediate section, you'll find new faces and retained old ones.

Look.  Just let those who are passionate about COMPETITION get on with promoting meets and if its not your cup of tea, then dont slagg us off.  If your narked that the Brits are doing better then pull your finger out and make the effort (as Kev, Brian, Nick and especially Dave) is doing and run a contest.

But most of all realise that lifts done in competition deserve more respect than demonstrations at the same weight

[gazza]

Nice replys,Nick and Scott,i to think competition is the way  forward,i also agree  with bearcat,in that the iron will always

be a personal challenge 1st and formost,i think a lot of people just dont like the limelight,and prefare to train on there own,or with friends,ina garage or basement etc,and do it just for the love of it,which i think personally is the best way to train.But i also think if we all hid away,we would never get to no about the Inch d/bell,blobs,cocs,plate pinching etc.

[Bearcat 74]

Scott, where did I slag anyone off?  All I said was competetion is for some, not for others.  If you want to compete, compete if not don't.  Either way don't knock someone's performance.  Maybe I find a passion in lifting in my basement, maybe that means something to me, and maybe I don't agree that it is "nothing" compared to a contest.  Maybe you should read posts before typing.

[David Horne]

I think one point that has been missed here, is that competitions give a nice focal point for people with like-minded interests to meet up. It has over the past built some very strong friendships, in my own case my friendship with Nick McKinless is one perticular case. Of course this meeting place is similar to dinners such as AOBS and OHF, where we all have a go at certain things that are there, a similarity in a way to a contest. Meeting the competitors has always been the most enjoyable aspect of competing for me, in fact this year I have the swedish guys Arne and Kalle staying at my house, and I hope they have a terrific time. As for winning this is good fun, but I've lost many times as well, and these are experiences of life that I personally wouldn't change. Years ago we didn't have excellent places such as this web site to meet like-minded people so contests were where we met up.

Well, let's hope for a nice dry day, lots of fun, no injuries, and plenty of beer to follow. I may even give you guys a shot of home made raki, the drink I brought back from Crete, it's powerful stuff!

David

[Bill Piche]

Just before I saw Roark's post, I was going to day "quit putting words in my mouth". However, we have to realize how "text" posts can be misinterpreted on the net if they are poorly worded.  Mine obviously was!

First, I applaud David for what he has done and has done for years.  I applaud Kevin as well.

Second, I am being realistic. But, for sure, I am not just giving up! As Nick pointed out, look at this web site.  However, for Grip to get going more is needed for promotion.  I mentioned NASA (no, not the space NASA) as a possible avenue.  

As far as competing, I have competed in PLing for years. It's a lot of fun.  There's nothing like the platform for that adrenaline pump! And, if my old bones cooperate, I just might compete again in the next 3-4 months.

My other positive comments also got washed.  With more pop up contests like that one at the US strongman's, that will undoubtly help bring some press.  Then, again, we all know the hill to climb is large.  Look at StrongMan which is just starting to grow in the US.  

So, long term, I think there is a chance and it's certainly not hopeless!  Again, my poor writing didn't get the full intent of my message across.

[Guest 115-1005574997]

Dave

great point well made about the mates you meet at lifting

Bill

im sure the only way is up in grip lifting and as everyone wants the sport to grow it will.