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Destination:certification


Hubgeezer

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  • 2 months later...

Two months since I posted. My three-in-a-row Certification attempts at AOBS will not be 4th time, as I am not attending this year. Not ready anyway.

Middle right finger has been hurting for the last 9 weeks, beginning when I do warmups with the Trainer. I don't know if it is an injury or if it is the beginning of arthritis. I stopped doing vertical bar work of all types, as well as hub work as well as plate pinch. It eased up 50% as a result of backing off on those other exercises.

Been doing grippers twice per week, and it has been relatively flat, nowhere near top form or Certification. My CCS is running about 140lbs and HGS (HubGeezer Set) about 150lbs.

No Secret Weapon work.

Been doing the FBBC wrist roller, and continuing to get stronger there, starting to do some hex and blob work, which I have never done much of. A York 42.5 lb Blob coming up about 6 inches off the floor, just to give you an idea of where I currently am there.

Had another Trap Bar PR on July 9, 394 lbs. I have now adjusted my Goal from 400 to 420. Had a Double Overhand DL PR on July 23 of 373 lbs (that's how I do deadlifting). I guess my goal there is 405, up from 400.

Just about every Saturday, I give a PR attempt on my Double Overhand Axle lift, each time, try for 337 lbs. I usually chicken out when the bar gets about 3 or 4 inches over the knees. A week ago, I tried just standing up all the way, and the result was the bar to go flying out of the hands and clanging on the floor like you wouldn't believe. Every week I expect to do it, and am almost there. I am wondering if I should adjust my goal upwards on that lift as well, from 350 to 360. Getting it past the knees consistently at 337, I don't see why 360 would be that big a deal.

Got a 2 1/2 inch Crusher a couple of weeks ago. HUGE difference between a Rolling Thunder and the Crusher. The weight alone of the Crusher implement itself is radical. My best so far is 152 lbs, including the device. I am calling the pin and the device 12 lbs, which is conservative, so I had 140 of plates alone. I am hoping the Crusher improves the RT and the overall Thickbar which will lead to bigger Axle numbers. Have not really worked out on the Crusher, I just try to hit PRs with it.

I want the "grippers", but just don't seem to be interested in dropping the other stuff. And lately, I seem to be more interested in bigger numbers on the bigger lifts (RT, Axle, Trap Bar, Deadlift) than Vbar, Hub etc. I guess I am thinking that if I get overall stronger, that is the best thing I can do for grippers. Of course that may not be true, but that's what interests me right now. Take the most popular standard event in grip, the Two Hand Pinch...never had much interest at all in it - - it looks and feels boring to me. The only part of it that interests me is how much how fast I could improve to if I worked on it seriously.

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By the way, my Avatar and Photo... People post photos of themselves, their pets, their babies, etc. This is one of my daughter's "senior photos", 2002. Yes, she is my biological daughter! Not sure why people are always so suprised about that :laugh

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Hey man. I just read through your training log. great read. I'm trying to cert on the #3 also. good luck on getting it done. I'll be following your progress.

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Mike, sorry to hear about the setbacks man! But I'll tell you this - once you achieve the cert it'll mean even more to you after everything you've gone through!

When you pull DO on the Axle, do you flex your wrists (not max tension, but moderate) toward your body at the start? That helps me lift a bit more. I've got notes on this somewhere but I know that slight tweak nets me 10lbs minimum every time I use it. The wrists seem to straighten out immediately at the beginning of the lift anyway. Kind of paradoxical I guess...but I think it "sets" the bar in the hands more firmly than just gripping and ripping.

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Mike, sorry to hear about the setbacks man! But I'll tell you this - once you achieve the cert it'll mean even more to you after everything you've gone through!

When you pull DO on the Axle, do you flex your wrists (not max tension, but moderate) toward your body at the start? That helps me lift a bit more. I've got notes on this somewhere but I know that slight tweak nets me 10lbs minimum every time I use it. The wrists seem to straighten out immediately at the beginning of the lift anyway. Kind of paradoxical I guess...but I think it "sets" the bar in the hands more firmly than just gripping and ripping.

Thanks, I will give it a try, as I am open to anything. And, 10 lbs is A LOT. I had been "jamming" the bar into the webbing between my thumb and index finger lately and it had a psychological effect. I had always figured that I just was not strong enough and was limited by that on the Axle, but it really is "grip".

I will keep this little story buried in here, as it is a bit controversial, but I saw with my own eyes a guy who was a teen, hands about 7 5/8ths, who was my inferior in all most respects with grip (including Rolling Thunder and grippers) pull 355 in a contest. And, in my view, 355 is pretty darn good. What was his secret? Let's put it this way, his body was extremely Roidy. And, my son spotted him at the Fit Expo a couple of years later, and his body had "deflated". Interesting that many say roids don't help much in grip, but for whatever reason, they do with the Axle. I guess you can say that is why I revised my goal to 360 - - a Clean Geezer over a Roided Teen :tongue

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Keep going, you will cert on the #3 and when you do there will be no if's buddy

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  • 4 weeks later...

Middle right finger has been hurting for the last 9 weeks, beginning when I do warmups with the Trainer. I don't know if it is an injury or if it is the beginning of arthritis. I stopped doing vertical bar work of all types, as well as hub work as well as plate pinch. It eased up 50% as a result of backing off on those other exercises.

Been doing grippers twice per week, and it has been relatively flat, nowhere near top form or Certification. My CCS is running about 140lbs and HGS (HubGeezer Set) about 150lbs.

No Secret Weapon work.

Been doing the FBBC wrist roller, and continuing to get stronger there, starting to do some hex and blob work, which I have never done much of. A York 42.5 lb Blob coming up about 6 inches off the floor, just to give you an idea of where I currently am there.

Had another Trap Bar PR on July 9, 394 lbs. I have now adjusted my Goal from 400 to 420. Had a Double Overhand DL PR on July 23 of 373 lbs (that's how I do deadlifting). I guess my goal there is 405, up from 400.

Just about every Saturday, I give a PR attempt on my Double Overhand Axle lift, each time, try for 337 lbs. I usually chicken out when the bar gets about 3 or 4 inches over the knees. A week ago, I tried just standing up all the way, and the result was the bar to go flying out of the hands and clanging on the floor like you wouldn't believe. Every week I expect to do it, and am almost there. I am wondering if I should adjust my goal upwards on that lift as well, from 350 to 360. Getting it past the knees consistently at 337, I don't see why 360 would be that big a deal.

Got a 2 1/2 inch Crusher a couple of weeks ago. HUGE difference between a Rolling Thunder and the Crusher. The weight alone of the Crusher implement itself is radical. My best so far is 152 lbs, including the device. I am calling the pin and the device 12 lbs, which is conservative, so I had 140 of plates alone. I am hoping the Crusher improves the RT and the overall Thickbar which will lead to bigger Axle numbers. Have not really worked out on the Crusher, I just try to hit PRs with it.

I want the "grippers", but just don't seem to be interested in dropping the other stuff. And lately, I seem to be more interested in bigger numbers on the bigger lifts (RT, Axle, Trap Bar, Deadlift) than Vbar, Hub etc. I guess I am thinking that if I get overall stronger, that is the best thing I can do for grippers. Of course that may not be true, but that's what interests me right now. Take the most popular standard event in grip, the Two Hand Pinch...never had much interest at all in it - - it looks and feels boring to me. The only part of it that interests me is how much how fast I could improve to if I worked on it seriously.

I guess I will just build from last time.

1. Finger is fine. I don't have arthritis! That is big.

2. Did Vbar work one time in the last month. Still not sure why it sucks on the two inch, although I got 233 on the right hand. Got 281 on the One Inch and stopped. Didn't want to shock the system.

3. Grippers still flat, but they had declined a ways a few weeks ago. Been trying them 5 nights a week, and if it is not there, then I don't do them after warming up. I end up doing them 3 times a week. They had declined to the point that my 159 lb 3 was a quarter inch off with a 1 5/8th inch set, but it is down below 1/8th again.

4. FBBC wrist roller is doing real well, I get stronger each time I use it. Hopefully it will be good for some carryover somewhere.

5. Today had the first workout ever on the Crusher. Did 20 reps for each hand with 112lbs. Need to add weight next time.

6. Done no Trap Bar, deadlifts, etc for 3 or 4 weeks. I hurt my knee when I pulled 482 lbs off a 9 or 10 inch platform. It was easy, but the next day the knee hurt and it has not recovered yet.

7. Never was much of a Block Weight/Blob guy. Been doing some lately, finishing off with what I call "hand-to-hand swinging negatives" with a 42.5 York Blob. It is like a high pull with your other hand underneath the Blob, and then you pass it to the other hand on the downstroke and swing it above the shoulder. Something I came up with intuitively. Not sure what it has done, except I could get zero air on the 42.5 Blob a month ago and I high pulled it last Saturday.

8. Got my Rolling Thunder Version III fixed and back. I think after all these years, I finally got the Rolling Thunder handle I wanted. Pulled 202 on it the first time I tried it, so I still got something left, seeing as it is now a "free rolling new version".

Trying to get the right mix of body stuff, grip stuff, and gripper stuff. A lifetime challenge...

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  • 2 weeks later...

Had not worked out with anything but grippers the last two weeks, until today, due to time constraints. Hit 212 very strongly on the refurbished Rolling Thunder Version III, was happy with that. Had 217 about 75% up, thought I was going to do it, but it was not to be. Pulled the 42.5 lb York Blob past my waist 3 times todays as well. Used the Crusher for 12 reps of 117 lbs, which is 8 less reps but 5 more lbs than last time.

Using an experimental approach to grippers, trying them almost every day, and "going for it" if it felt good, and dropping them if it not not feel good. A few days ago, I went three straight days on the grippers and was stronger each time. Closed my 154 lb Number 3 for the first time in a year, when doing it CCS, got it to about 1/12th of an inch (less than 1/8th and more than 1/16th).

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  • 6 months later...

Been six and one-half months since I last posted in this thread. A record amount of time without doing so.

Grippers have sucked. Been real busy at work, my wife has had health problems, my son has a significant other who is expecting my first granddaugher in a few months, and my daughter got married two weeks ago. The last week I have started to train them (grippers) like they matter. I would say I was down to 3 times a month the last three months, and the strength level has decreased to a huge degree. I estimate the gripper closing strength level fell to around the low-140s using the HubGeezer Set of 1 5/8ths inches, and at CCS level, perhaps mid-130s. That is as low as it has been in years and years.

Been keeping up on overall strength, and have hit a number of Thickbar PRs in the last few months, both Axle and Rolling Thunder. Had 217 on the "new" Rolling Thunder handle fairly recently.

My weight...has varied since 2004. I have lost 40 lbs twice since then, subsequently gained most of it back. Right now I am in my 3rd Round with Weight Watchers (along with my wife) and weigh about 25 lbs more than I did at my lowest a couple of years ago. This time, we seem to be very serious about the weight from a "health" standpoint (as opposed to a vanity/appearance standpoint).

My latest approach to grippers appears to be 3 times per week: Monday, some Joe Kinney Secret Weapon machine work. Very intense, but for only around 10 minutes. Wednesday, wide set gripper training, not a lot of volume. Friday, some real volume on the grippers, with choker work and no CCS work.

Doing one light weight workout in the middle of the week (overhead presses, reverse hyperextensions), except some pretty serious deadlifting on that day as well. Saturdays, is a weight workout and other grip exercise work, pretty high volume.

Am going to enter the Fit Expo Grip Contest in middle of July in San Jose. My plan is to enter 3 of the 5 events at Odd Haugen's grip contest: Silver Bullet, IronMInd Hub, and Rolling Thunder.

The recent interest on this forum and the IronMind forum in the IronMind Hub is fun for me to observe. For years, I worked on it in obscurity, and now it seems to be very popular among all kinds of grip guys. The new texture on it seems to work better for everyone in the World, except me. One week ago, I started working out on it (the Hub) again. I had the highest volume on IronMind Hub in a workout today as I have had in the last several years. My best competitive lift on the Hub was 73 lbs in 2006. So far, on the "new" Hub, my best is about 57 lbs, no witnesses or video. My thought was that if all of these punks (I mean that in a loving way) were going to be picking up the numbers on the Hub with the various videos, I should train and enter where the event is actually contested in a competition. So, I will be competing on the Hub 9 weeks from tomorrow, in San Jose at the Northern California Fit Expo debut.

In 9 weeks, I expect to be at the top of my game in Grippers, Hub, and Rolling Thunder.

Edited by Hubgeezer
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My thought was that if all of these punks (I mean that in a loving way) were going to be picking up the numbers on the Hub with the various videos, I should train and enter where the event is actually contested in a competition. So, I will be competing on the Hub 9 weeks from tomorrow, in San Jose at the Northern California Fit Expo debut.

In 9 weeks, I expect to be at the top of my game in Grippers, Hub, and Rolling Thunder.

Awesome. I read this entry and immediately the instrumental (training version) of eye of the tiger started playing in my head. :rock

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My thought was that if all of these punks (I mean that in a loving way) were going to be picking up the numbers on the Hub with the various videos, I should train and enter where the event is actually contested in a competition. So, I will be competing on the Hub 9 weeks from tomorrow, in San Jose at the Northern California Fit Expo debut.

In 9 weeks, I expect to be at the top of my game in Grippers, Hub, and Rolling Thunder.

Awesome. I read this entry and immediately the instrumental (training version) of eye of the tiger started playing in my head. :rock

Don't take it too seriously. The "punk" part at least. But, until I met a "grip guy", my three favorite events were the Hub, Grippers, and Rolling Thunder. Interestingly enough, the first contest I entered (3/04) only had those three events. So, you could say I am "returning to my roots".

I was the judge for the first ever Silver Bullet competition, and saw the World Record set by Mark Felix up front. I actually DQ'd his hold before he dropped it. His flesh was oozing over the device and engulfing it. No one saw that but me. When I say DQ'd, I mean I called "time" before the hold was over. The rules have been changed a little to prevent that bizarre incident from happening again. I think it is only a concern if someone has Freak Hands, and I don't believe that his "world record time" is inflated by more than a second or two, if that.

But, the whole "Silver Bullet" hold record, I believe, is wide open to anyone who can close a 3. I am not saying it would be me, not at all. But, I believe that Kevin Bussi, could break it in a month if he trained it. There is a "sweet spot" in each person's hands, and not having to close the gripper all the way means that the hold does not go to the guy with the strongest Dyno Close, or the strongest RGC closer, etc. Felix, whose crush is good, not great, just so happens to have the perfect fingers/hands to hold the sucker the longest.

After all the competitors were finished on the Silver Bullet, with no warmup, no chalk, etc, I put the device in the Gripper, and after I held it for a while, said, "Hey Randy, check this out!" He pulled out his camera and took a photo, and I held it a while longer. My point? My "performance" would have finished in the middle of the pack of the competitors, and I was not prepared. Still not my point. My point is that the World Record is up for grabs for ANY Number 3 closer. It is a new event, apparently involving strength areas not really contested before. Adam Glass looks to be competing in July, so my hypothesis will get tested, as I don't see why he would not be able to break it...

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  • 1 month later...

I think I am giving up on the Joe Kinney Secret Weapon. Even though it may be one of the last ones he ever made for the public, I think I will sell it. Perhaps mention it on the Selling Forum that I will take it with me to the Fit Expo if someone wants to buy it. I am not interested in wasting time to package the sucker, pay for it, etc, but if I drag it around wherever I go (LA, Bay Area) then maybe someone will be interested in looking at it and buying it.

Got a Go Really Grip Machine from IronMind. I like it. Has a smooth move to it, and you know, it feels more natural for a "full range" impact on it than "full range" (no set) movements on grippers. To prevent injury, I am simply using 45 lbs and repping high reps. Do "underhand and overhand", two sets of each. Underhand are much easier. Used it 3 times, each time I have done more reps than the previous one. I do a FBBC 3 Inch Wrist Roller each Saturday. This past Saturday, after using the grip machine on Monday and Wednesday, I manhandled the wrist roller like I never had before. I presume that is from the Go Really Grip Machine. It's expensive, but when you look at what it costs for a "Secret Weapon", double that, well maybe it is not so much. Weightlifter's Warehouse (Tetting's equipment) has a machine that is less expensive, but it does not appear to have the flat bar that enables you to go a little beyond the range so to speak. I am excited that maybe this is the 1% factor that it will take for me to make this Number 3 CCS happen. So, taking it slow to avoid injury.

On July 15, will enter the Fit Expo's grip contest put on by Haugen. Am doing 3 of the 5 events, and may judge the other two. Doing the Rolling Thunder, the Silver Bullet, and the IronMind Hub. Have been focusing on the Hub the last two months, trying to see if Hubgeezer can make his mark. Am about 93-95% of my best years ago (two weeks ago pulled 70 on the old hub, and that was after 30 training reps leading to that atttempt), and am hoping to be at my all time best in 2 1/2 weeks, for old time sakes. I would like to PR on the Rolling Thunder. My best ever is 217, and I think that 220 is going to be one of the weights. I pulled 207 fairly easily on Saturday. You never know with that implement. Lastly, I hope to hold the Number 3 for 30 seconds, which sounds insane for someone who is not a Captain of Crush, but I think it is doable.

But, the news is that I like the Grip Machine and am hoping it is the ticket. I honestly have given the Secret Weapon its chance over the years, and it just does not do it for me. It is frustrating because I wanted it to work and I know it worked for Joe Kinney.

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I trained on a Secret Weapon seriously for some time. I was making gains on it in the beginning, I saw a steady increase in performance for 3 weeks in a row but like with many things you can overdo it and so did I.

I plan to give it another go at some point. With more careful approach. Maybe like 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off and just with a few singles per workout.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Today I did my last significant workout before the contest (Haugen's grip contest at the San Jose Fit Expo) in 8 days.

On July 3 I hit a PR for the Trap Bar Deadlift, 397 lbs. Had not tried for a max lift in a year, due to a knee injury in September (pulling a bit under 500 lbs off of IM Elephant Steps on the trap bar). My goal is 420, and hope to hit that before the end of 2013.

Curious how things will go July 15 with adequate rest and all. It's been close to two years since I was in any kind of a contest.

After this event, I plan on focusing a bit more on the Certification again. Without doing much "real" focus on gripper training recently, I took my RGC 154 something Number 3 down to 1/8th of an inch CCS this afternoon, so it is coming back.

I think I will do some light weight training Tuesday and a little on the grippers. Other than that, nothing else before next Sunday. Sure hope there will be some actual competitors in San Jose for a truly unique event with lots of people present. Other than "the Arnold", or the Fit Expo in LA, no US contest will have had more people in attendance. I wonder how many will be watching the grip contest. 100? 50? 200? We'll see in 7 and one-half days...

In attendance, will be my daughter and her husband (married in April), my son-in-law's 10 year old son, my brother, my son, my son's girlfriend, and possibly my wife will even be there (she can't stand being left out of a family function even if it is a stupid grip contest). And Randy Strossen. What a Zoo!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Today I did my last significant workout before the contest (Haugen's grip contest at the San Jose Fit Expo) in 8 days.

On July 3 I hit a PR for the Trap Bar Deadlift, 397 lbs. Had not tried for a max lift in a year, due to a knee injury in September (pulling a bit under 500 lbs off of IM Elephant Steps on the trap bar). My goal is 420, and hope to hit that before the end of 2013.

Curious how things will go July 15 with adequate rest and all. It's been close to two years since I was in any kind of a contest.

After this event, I plan on focusing a bit more on the Certification again. Without doing much "real" focus on gripper training recently, I took my RGC 154 something Number 3 down to 1/8th of an inch CCS this afternoon, so it is coming back.

I think I will do some light weight training Tuesday and a little on the grippers. Other than that, nothing else before next Sunday. Sure hope there will be some actual competitors in San Jose for a truly unique event with lots of people present. Other than "the Arnold", or the Fit Expo in LA, no US contest will have had more people in attendance. I wonder how many will be watching the grip contest. 100? 50? 200? We'll see in 7 and one-half days...

In attendance, will be my daughter and her husband (married in April), my son-in-law's 10 year old son, my brother, my son, my son's girlfriend, and possibly my wife will even be there (she can't stand being left out of a family function even if it is a stupid grip contest). And Randy Strossen. What a Zoo!

Hope all is well in your training, saw what you did on the Im hub on the IM site hub G. :mosher

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Yeah Mike, big props on winning the Hub event man!!! That's stunning in that group of competitors.

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  • 3 months later...

Wow, it has been more than 4 months since I last posted. It is time to start this up again. I am going to miss Ben Edwards, as it was his article 5 years ago from which the title of this thread was named.

The last few days, on one of the more controversial articles of the current state of the forum, I am reminded of these studies that discuss this phenom:

http://news.yahoo.com/incompetent-people-too-ignorant-know-175402902.html

I looked at those who have posted comments in this thread over the last 5 years. I am happy to report it does not apply to any of you!

I am pretty motivated (again) for the Certification. Hope to get there shortly. I don't have another 5 years of hand strength to do it (with apologies to Chris Rice).

HBGZR

Edited by Hubgeezer
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awesome article Mike.

You want to try the cert again at the LA Fitexpo? I'm guessing Randall will be there with the gripper like last time. I am trying to ramp up to the #3 and Red cert, and maybe the C2D too, to be do them at the LA expo. I hope to see you there.

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awesome article Mike.

You want to try the cert again at the LA Fitexpo? I'm guessing Randall will be there with the gripper like last time. I am trying to ramp up to the #3 and Red cert, and maybe the C2D too, to be do them at the LA expo. I hope to see you there.

Maybe. I have not touched a gripper in 3 weeks, been using a grip machine. I may test tonight to see where I am.

I was planning on going to the Fit Expo, leaving my car at the LA airport, going on a business trip for a couple days, and flying back to LA for the drive home. Haugen may not need my buddy and I to score and judge this time, he may have his own team now. And, I don't think I am up for competing. But attending the LA Fit Expo has become my thing. Besides, it gives me an excuse to write for MILO!

Quite frankly, when you are at "our level", two months of intensive training is, in theory, enough to put it away.

But yes, Randy will be there, I am certain. I think if you "wanted" to, you could pull it off without a problem. Randy would probably NOT be the judge, which is a good thing, as he likes to take pictures, and you cannot do both at the same time. To me, the judge's eye needs to be on the gripper, not in the camera.

I am never going to try a certification again based on "hoping to PR".

So Daniel, are you going to both go for a Cert AND Compete? The Adam Glass School of Rock would. The Hubgeezer School would not! Then again, I keep saying 3 Strikes is enough. I don't want to be the Jim Kelly of Certs (Didn't Kelly lose 4 Super Bowls?). John Elway lost his first 3, then won 2? I hope to be 3-4 (CoC, MM1, MM2, MM3. 3.5 at my age is impossible CCS)

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I put in the vacation to be there again this year but I do not plan to compete. The focus is just to do as many certs as I can, hopefully the #3, red and C2D go down. And to enjoy the expo more and socialize with other gripsters. Looking forward to seeing you there and being able to hang out with you all more.

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Since my July 7 post...

Was in the Fit Expo San Jose contest. Had a good time. Met Adam Glass in person for the first time, as did Dr. Evil. Adam is a good guy, way more level-headed than I dreamed. I figured he was a suicide psycho lunatic based on his Youtube videos, not the case at all.

Horrible, awful, in the Rolling Thunder. But, so was everyone else. A dry chalky handle that just felt awful. Pulled 180, and the next weight was 194. I don't remember how high it went up, about 1/3 to 1/2 maybe. So I had 190 in the tank that day. Humidity matters.

Axle. I didn't even enter it, but what the heck, tried it anyway. I think I had the opening weight (330?) below the knees, no lift. Zero.

Silver Bullet hold, a whopping 4.03 seconds, my estimate of the 3 was 156RR. Adam only had 5 seconds, bad day for grippers for the group too.

The above was not the order of the events. But the Hub, I won with 64 lbs. After all my attempts, took a shot at 66.5 lbs, had it 8-10 inches up, but not quite there. It was fun, I got all psyched up like I never do, wish it was on video, but my brother had car trouble so Mr. Photographer and Video Dude was not there. Bummer. But my daughter, son-in-law, step-grandson, my son, and my wife (??) were there. It was a nice family event, probably never to be repeated.

Okay, enough about that. Since then, I have had TWO separate skin cancer surgeries. Both on the face, neither the kind (there are 3 types) that kills people. But, it is a modern techniqe that is more than just doing a hole punch where the cancer is, and requires NO EXERCISE for a bit afterwards. Will keep the nasty crater on my ear covered up for two more weeks. I am one-quarter Irish, so I am sure I have not seen the last of these little buggers.

But, despite the layoffs, had a few PRS: September 15, very strong 220 on the Rolling Thunder, right hand. Easy 200 on the left. May have had 222 on the right (better than most Youtube lifts), depending on the judge. It was a "humid warm" day. October 19, on my difficult 2.5 (unrated, but it is a tough one) was less than 1/16th off on my left hand. That may have been my first "gripper PR" in years...left hand, but I will take it. Failed at lifting 401 on the Trap Bar somewhere in that time frame.

As far as working out goes, no vbar, no pinch, still doing the hub, a few basic barbell exercises (my Trap Bar being my core strength one), reverse hypers (for injury prevention, I swear by them, but I do not go heavy on them, use 100 lbs these days for high reps), no thick bar. And grippers and the grip machine.

Had a just shy of 3 weeks (18 days) layoff from grippers, but had used the grip machine 4 times during that period. Result? On my 154RR 3 (from a 2009 Cert miss), 1/8th off on Hubgeezer Set, and 1/8th of an inch off on CCS. Huh? No difference? Have not gotten real serious on the grip machine, but I have convinced myself, that for me, the sucker really works for "wide sets". So, I think I am going to work the crap out of it one day a week, use it medium level one day a week, and do grippers one day a week. We'll see what happens.

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  • 4 months later...

Some time in the last year, I figured out that the Gripboard was no longer a "closed" forum. Anyone connected to the Internet can read this forum.

I don't mind writing detailed thoughts and feelings to my friends, but to all the weirdos in the world with a computer, I don't think so!

With regret, I think I am going to post minimal information here from now on. If it was "members only", I would feel differently.

Still banging away at it. Had my first PRs of 2013 two days ago. Of all things, it was on the "new" IronMind Hub, both hands.

My gripper goal is to be able to Certify on the Number 3 at the Fit Expo on June 30. If I am not confident that I will do it, I am not going to attempt it. As I have said before, I don't want to be the Jim Kelly of Certifications (0-4 in Super Bowls).

I plan on competing in all 5 of the events at the grip competition of the Fit Expo. No guts, no glory.

I also may enter Daniel's contest in a month, but I will only be training on one of the four events for it (grippers). Never done that before, just sort of walked on without preparation, but will do so this time and see if it is still fun.

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Some time in the last year, I figured out that the Gripboard was no longer a "closed" forum. Anyone connected to the Internet can read this forum.

I don't mind writing detailed thoughts and feelings to my friends, but to all the weirdos in the world with a computer, I don't think so!

With regret, I think I am going to post minimal information here from now on. If it was "members only", I would feel differently.

Still banging away at it. Had my first PRs of 2013 two days ago. Of all things, it was on the "new" IronMind Hub, both hands.

My gripper goal is to be able to Certify on the Number 3 at the Fit Expo on June 30. If I am not confident that I will do it, I am not going to attempt it. As I have said before, I don't want to be the Jim Kelly of Certifications (0-4 in Super Bowls).

I plan on competing in all 5 of the events at the grip competition of the Fit Expo. No guts, no glory.

I also may enter Daniel's contest in a month, but I will only be training on one of the four events for it (grippers). Never done that before, just sort of walked on without preparation, but will do so this time and see if it is still fun.

Take it away Mike. Go get that cert. Hope you can accomplish your goal. On the GB = open to everyone subject: I noticed that too (I never look at this board without beeing logged in), and am wondering what the idea was behind that. I also keep that in mind while posting.

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