Irish Strength

[Chrisx9118]

Thats what i call volume on a gripper workout bro!

Do u have a journal over on bb.com? Ill try to find it, i know u go by 75kg.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Thats what i call volume on a gripper workout bro!

Do u have a journal over on bb.com? Ill try to find it, i know u go by 75kg.

Thanks Chris! I used to regularly do around that much volume until grippers fell by the wayside for a few weeks and I'm starting to get back my gripper strength.

Yeah i had a journal on BB.com, it was "Raw strength, all around grip strength" but I like to keep a journal where I get good advice. The only people who really regularly viewed it were guys like you, Goju, etc, etc and alot of them post here also so I figured I'd put one up here. I try not to go to BB.com as much, I'm sure you know why but I do post there when I see a question I can answer or know alot about. Grip questions, some strongman questions and some other miscellaneous stuff.

Just got back from the gym, I felt motivated and determined today, WAY more than usual and I'll take that over a strong day anyday! Not necessarily in the bench but it's what wasn't sore so I did alittle bit but I realized that those pushups, grippers and especially those handstand pushups really took out my triceps.

Flat bench

135x10

175x8

195x3

185x4

175x5

155x7

Decline bench(went for speed and these flew!)

135x10

155x10

155x8

135x10

Dips

BWx15

BWx15

Medicine ball pushups 4x10(first set was with feet raised 3.5' off the ground on a large ball)

Tried playing with the Planche press, I've always wanted to do one even before I got into training or grip and I think I'm getting close! I can hold myself up in the position(minus the feet spread out though) for a few seconds with my elbows braced into my lats but it's TOUGH !

Edited September 22, 2007 by MalachiMcMullen

[nockowt1]

I think 375 is a good number to shoot for. You'll probably end up with more than that anyway. Good luck.

Yeah, I'm willing to bet my max is higher than 355 right now. The frequencey of times I lift it, how easy it feels and the fact that I pulled 340 for 4 and nearly 5 reps really tells me I'm good for at least 365 I'd think. I only pulled 355 conventional once though, all I can seem to do is Sumo lift it right now.

Just so you know, 415 is my max (probably have 425 in me) and I've never done more than 315x5.

[nockowt1]

Grippers(#2 and 2.5 are choked to parallel)

Filed Tx5 TNS

1.5xTNS

2.5x1 hold at 1/8" from choked

#2x10 choked closes RH and 4 LH(+a VERY close 5th attempt)

2.5x1 inverted choked close

#2x2 3 finger choked closes RH and 1 LH

#1x2 Ring/Pinky finger holds near closed

1.5x2 TNS

2.5x1 inverted choked close RH, LH barely moved it

#2x10 inverted choked closes

#1x1 Index/middle close RH and 1 close attempt LH

1.5x5 inverted closes RH and 3 LH

#2x2 choked closes RH

#3x1 hold at parallel

Tx2 ring/pinky closes

Tx1 index/middle no set and 1 attempt(it's really hard to do with how much I filed it!)

#2x3 choked closes RH and 2 LH

2.5x2 negs from 1/8" until parallel(second attempts were held from 1/4")

#1x5 no set

Tx10 index/middle closes

#2x3 overcrushes RH only

1.5x3 overcrushes LH only

Tx15 inverted

Tx15 (these and the inverted T closes were supersetted, as soon as one set was done with the right it was handed to the left and so on you all know the drill)

#1x10 RH and 7 LH

Done with grippers!

Figured I'd do some pushups n' such before the gym

Fingertip pushups(chest to floor always) 2x10

Handstand puhsups- 1x4 1x3

That's one hell of a workout. I think my hands would fall completely off after something like.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Just so you know, 415 is my max (probably have 425 in me) and I've never done more than 315x5.

I've got chills now Thanks for telling me that, next week I'll have to give at least 365 a go then

That's one hell of a workout. I think my hands would fall completely off after something like.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Well, after seeing Chris close his #3 today I decided I'd play with mine I'm not to the point yet where I could try to even MMS this beast but I did manage to shove it into a choker @ parallel and try on it abit. I did well enough that I think it's worth mentioning No closes but I did this maybe 2 or 3 hrs after the gripper workout 6 posts above and I was able to get the 3 to sub-1/4(I'd like to say 1/8 but for now I'll say 1/4ish) on a RH inverted attempt and I at least moved it a 1/4" with my LH a few times so I feel I've made great strides in the short time I've been training with chokers. They REALLY seem to work with me but it could also be that I never trained MMS and concentrated on high rep, full-open reps and training choked seems like it's balancing me out. I still train reps and wide open reps as I feel thats the only way grippers should be closed.

[nockowt1]

What do you use as a choker?

[MalachiMcMullen]

hoseclamp

[MalachiMcMullen]

Wishy washy today, wasn't into it, had a long day, bored, blah blah blah.

OHDBP

55x4

OHP

105x5

125x5

145x3(1 strict and 2 jerks)

125x5

125x5

105x5

OHDBP

65x3

65x3

65x3

70x3

Handstand pushups(these are pretty hard, definitely going to work these more as I feel uber weak with BW exercises)

1x4

1x2

1x1

DB snatches

75x3

[MalachiMcMullen]

Mostly biceps today, I hate doing just biceps though so I added some lat stuff in.

DB curls

35x12

50x8

40x10

45x10

EZ curls

85x8

95x3

105x3

115x3

125x3 negatives

85x8

Reverse BB curls

85x8

75x8

75x8

75x8

DB rows(each arm)

75x10

75x10

75x10

Bent over rows

125x10

145x8

145x10

125x10

Lat pulldown machine(did this with the V handle thingy)

160x10

160x10

170x10

Done for today.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Had a strong day all day today but alas no real motivation. Earlier today i did some random bending, just a few things I found at work, a 4" 3/16 wood nail that went pretty easy but I didn't have a way to cut off the sharp end so I was sure to wrap that with some SS shims we have laying about, and I also bent another bolt. Don't have any clue what that bolt was but is was definitely the definition of springy, I gave it my all in the kink and felt it move down quite abit but when i stopped pushing on it it was near straight! Barely a warp in it, if it were any bigger than 3/16 I would've given up there but persistance paid off. I gave it another go and didn't stop due to pain and it broke in half. More annoying than hard. My #2 also fell LH with a true blue MMS set several times and it felt pretty easy today with both hands, also tried it with index/middle Rh and got it to 3/8ish from parallel, plus a few 3 finger closes Righty. Almost shut the #3 from choked @ parallel and inverted, >1/8 for sure.

Clean pulls

215x5

DEADLIFTS!!!!!(I took your advice nockowt1 and went for another max)

305x1 DO

365x1 PR

375x1 PR but with absolute sh*t form

400x0 It didn't even hover but I felt I was close so I gave it a few more tries and failed

405x0 off 4" platforms and nothing, 3 tries

375x0

355x1

355x0 maybe 2"

305x1

305x3

315x3 DO

Clean pulls

215x5

235x5

265x4

215x5

Good mornings(I powercleaned all into position then threw them up onto my back)

155x5

155x5

175x5

155x5

All the GM's felt really easy and i went super low, I'm limited however because I have no power rack of any kind

Handstand pushups(I've not felt a better exercise for the serratus anterior muscles!)

BWx5

BWx8

BWx5

Sledge levering(all handles are 33.25")

8lbx1 lever to face

16x1 full length(31.25")attempt

16x1 at 17"

8x2 Rear DLs

10erx1 to face RH only

[MalachiMcMullen]

I decided I'd get some new welding gloves and cut them up for some thin leather wraps and I actually had a decent bending day. First time I've trained bending in alittle bit now, maybe a week or two and destroyed a good # of 1/4" G2 bolts ranging from 5"-6". 6 6" bolts, 1 5", 3 5.5" and a 5.25" bolt all went down to sub-1" with little problem. I don't know the toughness of all of these as I'm not really a bender but I did some "L" heads, "BBB"s, and two 307A CYI bolts. I also tried another bolt left over from my FBBC beginners bag, it was marked AWD and is 5" and was HARD. It could be that its the last bolt I tried to bend tonight but I got a small kink and nothing more, it wasn't moving after that. All that really hurts on me are the backs of my thumbs(between the index finger and thumb) and my LH index finger and knuckle. My LH index finger hit a Hard disc grinder while it was running and took a good chunk of skin out of my second knuckle, muscle showing and all and of course I kept hitting it during my bends. I also bent a piece of 1/4x7 CRS that I had previously attempted almost a year ago and kinked it to about 150 degrees. I crushed it down to sub-1" as well but failed miserably attempting some FBBC 1/4x7. I'm still very hit and miss with my technique though as the 180-160ish remains my sticking point.

Forgot to mention I did 3x5 of handstand pushups

Edited September 30, 2007 by MalachiMcMullen

[vikingsrule92]

Great Job Zach you're making great progress with bending. AWD is another G2 brand, I'm not sure how they compare to other G2s but it might be you were just tired.

The FBBC stuff is WAY harder than regular CRS I have found locally just so you know.

Hopefully that skin heals for you man that'd suck at BBB.

One question, why not just buy wraps?

[MalachiMcMullen]

Great Job Zach you're making great progress with bending. AWD is another G2 brand, I'm not sure how they compare to other G2s but it might be you were just tired.

The FBBC stuff is WAY harder than regular CRS I have found locally just so you know.

Hopefully that skin heals for you man that'd suck at BBB.

One question, why not just buy wraps?

Thanks, I'm pretty lucky as the finger goes. It doesn't affect me on any grip movement except setting a gripper.

I didn't buy wraps because the gloves were free

[pklidaras]

if you wanna another type of hammie/low back exercise without the need for a rack, try Romainian DL's for reps in the 5-8 range.

[MalachiMcMullen]

if you wanna another type of hammie/low back exercise without the need for a rack, try Romainian DL's for reps in the 5-8 range.

Thanks, yeah I usually do those, the last 2 weeks though I've substituted GM's for RDL's. Don't usually do more than 5 but I'll make an effort towards 8-10 in the next few weeks.

[PowerHouse]

Speed deadlifts seemed to have helped me the most. I started with 50% and each week put a lil more on the bar and did the reps as explosively as possible.

Keep up the good work.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Speed deadlifts seemed to have helped me the most. I started with 50% and each week put a lil more on the bar and did the reps as explosively as possible.

Keep up the good work.

I tried just straight speed DL's for alittle while but I didn't see any improvement. Ever since I started doing clean pulls(DO), so long as I'm sure to get the bar above my belly button everytime, I feel a slight bit stronger and more explosive the next DL workout. My lower back never had trouble being explosive but my legs can't keep up. With clean pulls my legs and calves have to help pull the weight high and I end up on my toes so it teaches my legs to be explosive. I count them in place of speed DL's and they hit my traps much harder than shrugs do anymore. I'm pretty sure it's because the whole of the trapezius is involved in the pulling. You'd have a hard time hitting the lower portion of the traps doing just shrugs because your standing straight up and there is no transition from lower to middle back like that.

Thanks!

I'll add that since my hands didn't feel that raw today I felt I needed to get that 5.25" AWD G2 that evaded me the night before. It could again be that my hands are superpooped after last nights bending but this little guy fought me 100% through, got it 1.125" though. Tried another 6" BBB G2 after that and figured I'd stop, my hands ached for a good 20 minutes after that so I think it's time for rest.

[MalachiMcMullen]

My hands are pretty achy from all the bending the other day, add to that my disc grinder stupidity and my new burst blister from bending. To say the least, grippers hurt abit Oh well, I still have 10+ days right?

OHDB press

75x3

70x5

70x5

70x5 RH and 4 LH

DB snatch

75x3

Flat bench

135x10

185x3

205x3

225x0

205x3

Incline bench

135x5

155x5

175x3

155x5

155x5

135x5

Handstand pushups

BWx3

BWx2

BWx1

Reverse curls

75x8

85x8

95x1

85x6

Hammer curls

35'sx12

45'sx10

Wrist curls

125x10

135x10

155x3

135x8

125x10

Reverse wrist curls

55x12

75x3

75x3

Dips

+35x10

+35x10

+35x10

[MalachiMcMullen]

DEADLIFT DAY!!!

Clean pulls

215x5

DEADLIFTS!!!!

335x1

365x2 PR

355x1(would've been 2 but my back started to round before it reached my knees)

335x3

Rack pulls

400x3-mid thigh

400x3-knees

430x5 singles-knees(should note that I took a sumo position for this)

Shrugs

250x10

350x10

400x6

350x8

250x10

DB rows

75x3

75x3

75x3

OHDL's

125x1

165x1(RH only)

155x2

125x1

Also found out today how much difference big hands make in blockweights. I'm not consistent at all with my 30 hex blob, I can lift it but one bit of sweat makes it slip before my knees and my old art teacher(slash school wrestling coach) with 8 1/8" hands can pull it with 3 fingers everytime without fail, sweat or no sweat. It's fun though, now he wants to try all kinds of grip stuff because I told him he has huge hands.

Edited October 5, 2007 by MalachiMcMullen

[MalachiMcMullen]

I feel a very nice soreness in my shoulders and mid back from yesterday.

Early in the day I took my baby BFDB to my old HS and let some people have a go at it(along with my 30 blob). 1 lifted it, 7 had the guts to try and fail in front of others and I no more than twisted it on the ground I did however put my harbringer strap on and row it Rh for a few reps when I got home

Just a few higher rep things to get blood flowing to my shoulders today.

Flat bench

135x10

135x10 reverse grip

175x10

155x10

135x16

JM press

55x8

65x5

Dips

BWx12

BWx12

BWx18(wanted 20 )

[MalachiMcMullen]

Grippers for the first time in awhile, my LH index finger has been hurting me since my assident and today it finally doesn't hurt so bad to set grippers. So here goes

Tx5

#2x1 good squeeze

#2x1 LH negative held quite near closed

2.5x1 RH negative held 1/4" from closed, slipped

1.5x2 TNS singles

#2x1 MMS rh +1 close miss and 2 attempts LH

#1x1 NS

#1x1 OC

1.5x2 OC's

#2x1 attempt

1.5x2 MMS singles and 1 attempt LH

Worst, most terrible gripper workout I've ever had. My finger really set me back far. Dropped me from 2.2-2.3 to 2.0 level.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Felt strong in the triceps today.

Flat bench

135x10

175x5

205x3

225x1+3 strong, slow negatives

205x3

205x2

185x5

decline bench

185x10

225x1

205x8

incline bench

135x5

185x0

165x5

135x5

OHDB jerks

75x2

Med. ball pushups

BWx20

BWx10(this and the next set were done with feet on a large ball)

BWx10

BWx20

Single med. ball pushups(like a diamond pushup)

BWx10

Fingertip pushups

BWx5

Planche pushups(feet in)

BWx3 attempts (really close! Even though I was really tired I could hold, go down and go up slightly, just a matter of balance I think)

A nice opposite to todays gripper session.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Weird session today.

DB hammer curls

35x10

45x10

50x6

Straight bar curls

85x5

85x5

Reverse curls

85x5

Wrist curls

125x10

135x5

155x5

160x5

165x0

125x10

RWC

55x5

65x5

75x5

One arm push ups(didn't know I could do these! All #'s are for both arms)

BWx5

BWx5

BWx8

BWx5

BWx10

BWx5

BWx8

BWx10

One handed lockouts

250x1 BH

270x1 BH

290x1 BH

This will be the last workout until the comp.

[MalachiMcMullen]

BBB3 was awesome! Bent my first G5's including a 5.5" G5, warped a G8, and attempted a 5" G5. Shut Aaron's #2 ridiculously easy, the easy #3 was next and I shut it with little difficulty but I was stopped at a slightly harder #3, about 3/16 away Beatty said. Pulled the Inch replica when I stopped the rotation with my LH. I pulled 275 on the axle but dropped it before it hit the floor so it was a no lift and the same with my 190 pull on the 2" Vbar, pulled it high but it slipped out on the way down. Just wait until Gripmas, I'll pull 300 on the axle!