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Destination:certification


Hubgeezer

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Okay, so I had the closest miss for Certification ever, on a harder than average COC #3.

Okay, so Randy says via email that I am supposed to be able to look him in the eye next time and tell him with 100% certainty that I am going to grind those handles.

Okay, so Randy's comments are not something I can ever agree to, because I am trained to be a professional critic (I am in public accounting).

Okay, so I am a little pissed off, as I have not been working out, only doing these stupid grippers lately, want to go back to working out, but don't want to give up the progress I have made on the grippers.

So what the eff do I do now?

For now, for right now, I think I want to keep going on the STUPID GRIPPERS.

So, dissecting things as far as training goes, I realize that my left hand, which was not being certified, made tremendous progress in the last 3 weeks. It went from 2.1 to 2.5 in 3 weeks. Wow! What did I do differently with my left hand than I did my right? Well, I usually did 10 reps on left, even when I did 22 right. So, the progress I made recently upping the frequency to every other day, I am going to try 2 days on with 10 reps heavy, then 1 day off, then 2 days on again. That's the deal.

Since 6 days ago, Saturday, June 7, I have done:

Sunday, June 8, nothing. Went to Yankee game with son. Sat next to Heavyweight Two Time Silver Olympic Medalist John Bradford on the shuttle from the hotel to airport stop. Got home 2:20 am Monday.

Monday, June 9, felt crappy, unmotivated, semi-depressed. Did 8 heavy reps, crappy results.

Tuesday, June 10, felt better. Highlights were Super 3 in choker, 1/24th inch from closing, 3.5 in choker, 1/4 inch from closing. 10 heavy reps.

Wednesday, June 11. Nothing.

Thursday, June 12. 11 heavy reps. Nothing to brag about, except my first CCS on my 2004 #3, may have been a close.

Friday, June 13, tonight. 11 heavy reps. Highlights were 2004 #3 was 1/24th away from closing via 1.75 inch set, MM2 was 1/12 inch away with 1.75 inch set, left hand closing RB210.

I think I will keep this up for a bit. Strossen will be around 20 miles from my house at an event on July 5 and 6. I don't want to think about that right now. I guess I want to just go 100% on grippers one workout at a time for a bit before I decide what to do.

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Keep working hard, didn't realize you wer in your 50s I turn 50 in August so it makes me feel good I still have a chance at the number 3. Keep up the OLD MAN STRENGTH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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I guess I want to just go 100% on grippers one workout at a time for a bit before I decide what to do.

I have decided what I am going to do.

I am going to do a few nongrip barbell exercises 2-3 times per week, plus grippers and IM Tugs. I am willing to give this a whirl for at least a month. I would want to be more prepared for a certification this time around.

June 14. Nothing.

June 15. 10 hard singles. Nothing noteworthy to report.

June 16. 10 hard singles. Highlight was taking my IM 3.5 in a choker down to 1/4 inch from closing.

June 17. Nothing.

June 18. First, grippers, 11 hard singles. Highlights were CCSing my 2004 #3 to "less than 1/48th of an inch", and taking the Super 3 in a choker down to 1/24th of an inch. Took IM 3.5 to one-quarter inch in a choker again.

Then lifted weights: deadlifts, reverse hyperextenstions, overhead presses.

June 19. 10 hard singles. Highlight was CCSing IM 3.5 to 5/16ths of an inch.

June 20. Nothing.

Today, June 21. 11 hard singles. Highlight was taking IM 3.5 to 3/16ths of an inch from closing with a 1.75 inch set. Was 1/32nd of an inch from CCS closing my 2004 #3, and 1/12th of an inch off for the Super 3 with a 1.75 inch set. Also with a 1.75 inch set, TOOK IM 3.5 TO 3/16ths OF AN INCH FROM CLOSING.

Then lifted weights, basically the same workout as described on June 18.

I am getting closer.

Edited by Hubgeezer
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  • 4 weeks later...

Continuing my routine of walking, some weights, and grippers. Added Two Hand Pinch using the Euro Pinch Device I got for my birthday. I finally got all the little pieces, collars, and screws the way I want them. Have it set at around 48 millimeters and am "seasoning" it with some light (115 lbs) weights.

Since last time:

June 22. 10 heavy reps of grippers. Highlight was getting my Super 3 down to 1/16th of an inch in the choker.

June 23, 24, nothing.

June 25. Held a Rolling Thunder Contest at 7 in the morning at my Rotary Club. Three Rotarians against myself, my son and my daughter. We won by 10 pounds. I did 191, my son did 151, and my daughter did 81. I was tired from hauling all the weights in from outside, and changing all the weights for a fast moving contest (25 minutes). Did 10 heavy reps that night, nothing remarkable to report.

June 26. Nothing.

June 27-29, sick.

June 30. Nothing.

July 1. Nothing.

July 2, Traveled to Eugene Oregon for the Olympic Track and Field Trials, nothing.

July 3. In hotel room, 10 heavy reps, nothing remarkable.

July 4. Nothing.

July 5, In hotel room, 10 heavy reps, nothing to brag about.

July 6. Nothing.

July 7. Home again, 10 heavy reps, nothing great.

July 8. Heavy reps on grippers, 6 total, nothing impressive.

July 9, 10. Nothing.

July 11. Did 10 heavy reps, nothing to brag about.

July 12. Lifted weights. Got a PR on the left hand for Rolling Thunder, 196 pounds.

July 13. Grippers, 10 heavy reps. Highlight was getting the Super 3 1/10th of an inch away from closing CCS. In a choker, it came to about 1/18th of an inch off.

July 14, 15, nothing.

July 16. Did 10 heavy reps on grippers. Not bad, but nothing to brag about.

July 17 (today). 6 heavy reps on the grippers, then lifted weights. One of my CCS #3 Reps was only around 1/24th away from closing.

After an illness and then a vacation, the gripper strength is approaching the level of strength that I had prior to the AOBS attempt again.

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I just started KTA and just finished my last workout for the first week. My hands are fried; however, I just now started reading your log and I must say, I am pumped to get better myself. So much so that I even CCSed my #1! AHAH!!! I have no hands left! I really thought that you were going to get certified on June 7 and found myself really rooting for you. I was disappointed to see that it did not work out for you ON THAT PARTICULAR TIME! You are too close to give up. Best of luck to you and I look forward to you making it on THE LIST!

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July 18. Nothing.

July 19. 10 heavy gripper CCS reps, nothing special.

July 20. My brief weight training. Light deadlifts are working, as there was no knee funkiness. Did hangs on pullup bar in back yard. Had kept away from it for a year. I am hoping that pullup work will eventually improve my Rolling Thunder, which is something I would like to do. Had a brisk walk with the dog. Besides a quarter mile warmup and cooldown on the walks, there is a 1.3 mile neighborhood loop that I am now walking fast. What is a fast walk for me? 14 minutes per mile pace. That feels way more healthy and beneficial than anything I have done in years, may be on to something there.

July 21. Nothing. EXCEPT, shipped off 4 IM Grippers to Lipinski for Calibration.

July 22. 10 heavy gripper CCS reps. Used Grand Master (which I CCS closed), Elite, and MM2 Replica for my difficult grippers in lieu of IMs.

July 23. 6 heavy gripper reps.

July 24. Nothing.

July 25. 10 heavy gripper reps. Highlights were, CCS: Close GrandMaster, Elite way less than 1/8th inch off (1/11??), MM2 Rep less than that (My Elite is a tad tougher than the MM2), RB 260 1/16th off, and RB300, 3/8ths of an inch off. The RB300 is the toughest gripper I have and is more difficult than my IM 3.5. I think it is a 3.5, perhaps 3.6. Went into garage and lifted weights, knees felt great again. Hit the pullup bars again. Did a late night (11 pm) dog walk afterwards. One of my healthier Friday nights!

Because I had been mainly doing IM CCS style, virtually all of those gripper attempts were PRs.

Bob Lipinski's calibration results are telling me that my "Super 3" is a Hard 3, not just my imagination, but I have some degree of skepticism on the calibration process. I think the name "Redneck" to the device is a good description, and is a way for all of us to keep it in perspective. The old method of sophisticated gripsters estimating is not too bad, and I like the calibration process as well. However, it is obvious we will never have a "magic solution" to this stuff, and I really do see the benefit of the Mash Monster system with all participants using the same gripper. As we say in the Accounting world, "it is an art, not a science".

The best thing about getting Bob's calibration numbers is that if I can CCS close my Super 3, I will have over a 95% chance of successfully certifying on anything that could come out of a new #3 IM package. After seeing the recent calibration numbers posted, it turns out that my thoughts about "mutant 3s" out there were WAY exaggerated. I was thinking it was perhaps 20% that new Number 3s were way tougher than they should be, and now I believe it to be less than 5%. IronMind has really done an excellent job of improving the consistency of their Number 3s in recent years.

I am improving, not doubt about it. Who would have ever thunk it possible at age 54? :cool

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Just noticed you were at the Oly Trials Mike - as a massive athletics fan myself that must have been one heck of a meet to attend.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Okay, still living without my beloved IM grippers, as they are being "cross calibrated" by someone else. No problem, as I have plenty of RBs and BBs.

July 26. Nuthin.

July 27. 10 Heavy gripper reps.

July 28. Nuthin.

July 29. 10 heavy gripper reps, then the minimal weight training, then hangs and pullups.

July 30. Nuthin.

July 31. Nuthin.

August 1. 11 heavy gripper reps.

August 2. Weight training, no knee problems at all. Had 211 on the Rolling Thunder 80% up. Got 196 100% on left hand.

August 3. 6 heavy gripper reps. Got my RB260 CCS style down to around a 20th of an inch. It is harder than my 3, definitely a PR on that guy.

August 4. Nothing.

August 5. 11 heavy gripper reps. Right hand took the MM2 a shade wider than 1/16th of an inch. 1/14th?

August 6. Nothing.

August 7. 6 heavy gripper reps, then lifting weights again. Easy 196 left handed on Rolling Thunder, got 211 with right hand 80% again.

August 8. Nothing.

August 9. 7 heavy grippers left, 11 right reps.

August 10. Lifted weights, did hangs, pullups.

August 11. 9 heavy left reps, 11 heavy right ones.

August 12. 6 heavy left gripper reps, 7 rights.

August 13. Lifted weights.

August 14. Nothing.

August 15. 8 heavy left gripper reps, 11 right. ON A CREDIT CARD SET I TOOK MY RB 300 DOWN TO 1/4 INCH AND MY RB300 IS HARDER THAN MY IM 3.5 WHICH CALIBRATED AT 177 LBS. :rock

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great training with the grippers right there, good to see some progress and your writeups

get that No. 3 !!! im sure Ill see you in the Milo mag this year

-Steve

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  • 2 weeks later...

Got my IM grippers back from being calibrated and cross calibrated. What did I learn? My average 3 is an average 3. My hard 3 is a hard 3. My hard 2.5 is a hard 2.5. And, my 3.5 is an easy 3.5. I didn't know what it was before, and now I know. Here are the calibration results.

IM 2.5...136 the 1st time, 134 the second

IM 3.....149 the 1st time, 152 the second

IM 3.....159 the 1st time, 158 the second

IM 3.5...177 the 1st time, 170 the second

3 of 4 of them went down. This is probably because the second fellow oiled both of them. He said the 3.5 was really stiff. As will be shown, it definitely is easier now. I do believe the reading for the average 3, what I call my 2004 3, is accurate the second time around. Otherwise, I think the readings confirm each other. Although 158 or 159 may not qualify as a "Super 3" as I have been calling it, I will continue to call it that.

Okay, workouts:

August 16. Lifted and did bar hangs.

August 17. 11 heavy reps on grippers.

August 18. 6 heavy reps on grippers.

August 19. Lifted and did bar hangs.

August 20. 10 heavy reps left hand 12 heavy reps right hand on grippers. Highlight was only 1/24th of an inch away from closing CC set for RB260.

August 21. Nuthin.

August 22. 10 heavy reps on grippers.

August 23. Lifted and played on pullup bar.

August 24. 6 heavy reps left hand, 7 heavy reps right hand with grippers.

August 25. 7 heavy reps left hand, 9 heavy reps right hand with grippers.

August 26. Lifted and played on pullup bar.

August 27. 10 reps heavy grippers. Got the IM grippers back for this workout. The 3.5 is definitely easier. Took it to under 1/4 of an inch, to 3/16ths of an inch to closing. Took the Super 3 to 1/8 of and inch from CCS closing it.

August 28. 6 heavy reps on grippers.

August 29. Lifted and did hangs.

August 30. 10 heavy reps on grippers. Did not CCS close my 2004 #3. HOWEVER I WAS ONLY 1/24TH OF AN INCH FROM CLOSING MY SUPER 3 WHICH IS CALIBRATED AT 158 AND 159 POUNDS. IT WAS GOING SO WELL I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DO IT! AND THEN ON ONE OF MY ATTEMPTS I WAS ONLY 1/8TH OF AN INCH FROM CREDIT CARD CLOSING MY 3.5. Of course, as I said, it is an easy 3.5 now that it has been oiled. At 170 pounds, I would imagine it is only a 3.3. Nevertheless, a nobody like me coming that close to CCS closing a 3.5 is rather amazing to me.

:coolIt is obvious that I will eventually be certified! :cool I mean, isn't it? :blink:blink

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August 31. 6 heavy reps grippers.

September 1. Lifted weights.

September 2, 3, 4. Nothing, nuthin, nothing.

September 5. 10 heavy gripper reps. With all the rest, I thought I was going to PR Big Time. Nope, but the highlight was coming within 1/24th of an inch away from CCSing my Super 3 closed again. Did 3 choker squeezes on the IM3.5, best was around 1/10th inch away from close. Could not put away the average 3, just not knurly enough to get a good grab on it.

It's getting closer...

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September 6. Lifted weights.

September 7. 10 heavy gripper reps. In the choker, came within 1/36th of an inch closing the Super 3, and about 1/10th of an inch from closing my IM 3.5. Both PRs. Felt fatigued prior to beginning the workout.

Starting to smell it...could be a ways off, could be right around the corner. Like it's called, Short Drive or Neverending Story?... definitely not a Short Drive, but definitely getting closer.

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There is a pattern emerging. I am only posting after I have some type of PR in a workout.

September 8. Nothing.

September 9. 10 heavy gripper reps. The highlight tonight was a PR for CLOSING MY SUPER 3 IN A CHOKER. NEVER EVER DONE THAT BEFORE. Also, I was about 1/24th of an inch from closing the same gripper CCS style. This gripper has been calibrated at 159, then oiled and recalibrated at 158 by someone else. PR!

Meanwhile, I was farther away from closing my sub-150 #3 CCS than I was the 158/159 gripper. The heavier #3 has to do with better knurling than what is on the older No. 3. About 1/24th away from closing the Super 3, perhaps 1/16ths on the older weaker 3.

Getting closer...

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There is a pattern emerging. I am only posting after I have some type of PR in a workout.

September 10. Lifted weights. Tonight, like many nights, I tugged on the Rolling Thunder a time or two. I have not worked out on the Rolling Thunders in 5 months, but I do a rep or two here and there just to see if I am losing it.

I PR'd tonight, 211 pounds. :rock I pulled 209 pounds in July of 2006. Have rarely done over 205.

Not bad for a 54-year-old accountant who is not very strong. :cool

I am looking forward to certification so that I can pursue my goal of 100 Kilograms on the RT. Maybe I should raise my goal to 225...

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There is a pattern emerging. I am only posting after I have some type of PR in a workout.

September 11. 10 heavy gripper reps. Highlight was taking my Super 3 from more than a credit card width down to about 1/32nd of an inch from handle touching.

Oh yeah, it's getting there... :cool

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There is a pattern emerging. I am only posting after I have some type of PR in a workout.

September 12. Nothing. Went to my first live MMA cage fight with my son and some friends of his. Outside, cold evening, thousands of people, bad layout. It had the feel of something in a Third World Country. Despite the "no beer" event, and what I described, it was good.

September 13. Lifted weights.

September 14. Gripper work, 10 heavy reps. Using a 1 5/8 inch set, took the "Super 3" (158 or 159 calibrated pounds) down to the smallest fraction I use, 1/48th of an inch from a close.

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There is a pattern emerging. I am only posting after I have some type of PR in a workout.

September 14. Gripper work, 10 heavy reps. Using a 1 5/8 inch set, took the "Super 3" (158 or 159 calibrated pounds) down to the smallest fraction I use, 1/48th of an inch from a close.

September 15. 10 heavy gripper reps.

September 16. My 30th Wedding Anniversary. Nothing.

September 17. Did Reverse Hypers and Deadlifts.

September 18. 10 heavy gripper reps.

September 19. 7 heavy left gripper reps, 13 heavy right gripper reps. Took the "Super 3" down to 1/48th of an inch with a credit card set.

Credit Card Set, 158/159 pound gripper. I need to let that one sink in a bit... :cool

I emailed Strossen, told him where I was, that I would probably want to "certify" in October or November if all continues. I told him I would be willing to travel 150 miles in one direction to the judge/witness of his choosing. He is very intrigued by my "first gripper for Christmas in 1998" story. He said something like "10 Years, that's a story in itself"...

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  • 2 weeks later...

September 20. Lifted weights. Left elbow hurts when I do barbell curls with Tiny Tot weights. Pathetic.

September 21. 11 heavy gripper reps.

September 22. Nothing.

September 23. 10 heavy gripper reps.

September 24. Lifted weights.

September 25. 10 heavy gripper reps.

September 26. 10 heavy gripper reps.

September 27. Lifted weights. Tiny Tot weights on barbell curls, feel it every single rep.

September 28. Wife's birthday. Nothing.

September 29. 10 heavy gripper reps. Finally, a couple of PRs! Closed my IM 2.5 (calibrated at 136/134 lbs) with my left (nondominant) hand. For my right hand, with a 1 5/8ths inch set, was about 1/32nd of an inch from closing my Elite!

September 30. Nothing.

October 1. Lifted weights.

October 2. 10 left 12 right heavy gripper reps.

October 3. Same as October 2. 11th rep was the RB300 taken down to 1/4 inch (1 5/8 inch set). Don't know what the RB300 is in pounds, probably around 180.

Still walking the dog 5 or 6 times per week for 2 miles. Slowly adding weight on my "light deadlifts". The combination of the two things seems to be working in that this is the best my knees have felt in years. They really feel healthy, pain free, it's great, considering I have not had surgery and 10 months ago was walking with a cane. Walking with a cane for a month, wow, that is amazing...

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nice walking always helps , knee injuries are not joke from what ive heard, Im glad your s are at 100 %

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  • 3 weeks later...

October 4. Lifted weights.

October 5. 10 heavy gripper reps left, 14 heavy right reps.

October 6. Nothing.

October 7. 10 left reps, 13 right reps on gripper. As usual, a combination of 1 5/8ths inch sets, credit card set, and choker closes.

October 8. Lifted weights.

October 9. Nothing.

October 10. 10 left, 13 right heavy grippers. All the Hard 3 choker closes were 1/32nd or less from handle-touching.

October 11. Lifted weights.

October 12. 10 heavy gripper reps both hands.

October 13, 14. Nothing.

October 15. Grippers, 6 reps (heavy grippers, after warmup of course).

October 16. Grippers, 12 heavy left reps. Right hand, 15 reps. Rep #15 was my RB300, Credit Card Set. Hands so fried was over an inch from closing.

October 17. Lifted weights.

October 18. Nothing.

October 19. Grippers. 10 heavy left reps. Right hand, 15 heavy reps. Highlights on the Right Hand: some near miss choker closes on the Hard 3, the 158/159 calibrated one. A near-miss on same gripper using a 1 5/8ths inch set. And for the only true PR since the last posting, with the same 1 5/8th inch set, I CLOSED MY RB260!

Yeah, closed my RB260 for the first time ever. Good solid, long touching together close too.

So my goal is to Certify in November. I am thinking of Thanksgiving weekend. I need to improve over the next 3-4 weeks, but the damn handles are pretty regularly so close to touching that any improvement means they will be touching every time.

Since it is so close, for the first time, I feel like I BELIEVE that closing the sucker CCS will be commonplace. Before, all I was doing was hoping. Believing is a whole different mindset, and I am finally a Believer. Somehow a minor step like closing my RB260 is helping. Having a bunch of grippers of various strengths affects how you categorize things in your mind. Closing the RB260 is my mind's way of telling me "Now the next step is to Certify, there are no more interim steps".

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