Guest NailBender Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Greetings to all, Yesterday on March 15 I got to meet and train with Eric Milfeld for the first time. I thought I would share with the board my experience. I hope everyone enjoys what I got to share. The first thing I must say is that Eric is a 1st Class guy all the way and he's a walking encyclopedia when it comes to hand strength. The day started off with Eric showing me the correct technique for DO bending. I was hoping to conquer the IM Yellow after learning what Eric taught me but I just didn't have it yet. I now know the correct way to practice so it's just a matter of time and I will own the Yellow nail. I brought along one of my IM Red nails for Eric to bend for me as a motivational tool that I can hang in my workout area. I must admit I was in awe when Eric bent the Red in about 12 seconds. Absolutely amazing! The next thing Eric did was the Blob50. This was the first time I actually seen one of these things for real and when I attempted a lift, it was like the thing was literally welded to the floor. Eric stepped up and lifted nearly to a full standing position and dropped it. On the second attempt he stood fully erect and held it easily for 3-4 seconds. Again, amazing! We then went to the Euro Pinch and after Eric showed us some very valuable pointers I set a PR of 151 and Eric got 225 and looks like to me he could have done more. We moved on to Grippers. Eric shut 3 different #3's, MM1 and MM2. Eric also shut 2 different #3's left handed. This was a PR for Eric because he mentioned to me that he's never been able to shut the #3 left handed before. Eric had a really good day with grippers. I seen him on 2 different #3's shut them for 4 reps right handed. BTW, this was the first time I have personally witnessed someone shut a #3 gripper. I almost forgot to mention that Eric also did credit card sets on 2 different CoC 3's right handed with ease. I was simply in awe. This would have been THE day for Eric to cert on grippers. WOW! Next came the VBar from FBBC. This device is a real humbler. I got 151 for a PR and Eric got well over 200 but I don't remember the exact amount. Eric had a few little pointers on each thing we did that just made huge differences in our lifts. Me and Eric both attempted a deck of Bicycle cards. Eric got his and I got mine started but my hands where simply trashed and I couldn't finish it off. At the end of the day Greg Griffin who was also present for the workout did a Bastard cert. This guy is an impressive grip athlete himself. This was his first time to meet Eric also. Greg's bending was very impressive indeed. He got the Bastard in 1 minute, 35 seconds. Great job Greg! In closing I'd like to say that if you're new to bending or new to grip feats and you ever get a chance to meet up with someone like Eric or any other benders at Eric's level, don't turn down the opportunity. What I learned Saturday is priceless. I drove 105 miles one way to meet Eric and after learning what I did I think I might have walked that far for this experience. I'd like to thank Eric for his time and effort. Your an amazing individual and I can't say I've met a nicer person than you Sir. THANKS!!! NailBender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matthcarl Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Nice write-up. Eric is the man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big nasty Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 I had a similar expierence at Ben Edward's house some week's back being around these guy's can advance your grip training by year's just picking there brain. Sound's like guy's had a blast good luck on your training. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Eaton Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Eric is a class act for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Whoa 225 on the euro pinch, nice work Eric! Sounds like you did a little motivating yourself, nailbender! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Great report! Eric's the man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumpster Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Great write-up - I'm jealous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg_uk Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 thats a great write up, sounds like you learned a lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Great pinching Eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted March 16, 2008 Share Posted March 16, 2008 Meeting and training with Joe, his son Shane, and Greg Griffin was a great pleasure. Much like contests, grip meet ups can do wonders for your training and your motivation. Joe has kindly offered to teach me some arm wrestling, as he himself is a walking arm wrestling encyclopedia. He's pulled against pretty much all the greats as a professional. Shane Musselwhite is a top notch teenage strongman (not sure if he's still a teenager, though). Just being around all that enthusiasm yesterday really got us all psyched for some intense training. We did all the events to be contested at The Show of Hands Grip Cup, including all but one of the 18 medley events. Greg, who made the trip in from Rockwall is a very laid back, friendly, and surprisingly strong guy. Witnessing his first ever bend of a Bastard was just great. I love when someone requires just a little pushing to try something and then... they succeed! This was Joe, Shane's, and Greg's first go at the 2" v-bar. Joe made 152, Greg 157, and Shane 175. Very nice. I think everyone was pleasantly surprised by their pinching ability with the Euro Pinch, but I forget all the numbers. Just to make one small correction, Joe, I didn't really try any heavy pinching yesterday. You must have mistook me telling you my PR was around 230 for me lifting a similar weight yesterday. It was definitely a day for my grippers to shine. I was totally taken by surprise when I started doing things I had long since concluded were outside my range of abilities. One of the left handed #3 grippers I shut was my 143 pounder. What really threw me was how easy all the gripper PRs felt. Closing my 143 pounder with a credit card set was probably the one I was most proud of. I also got a set of two with my MM2 level gripper, as well as a no-set with a #2.5. After Joe and Shane had to leave Greg and I just kept on grippin' for several more hours till my wife made us disband. Ha, ha! I think we had been going nonstop for seven hours. Greg kindly gave me a bunch of horseshoes. I tried my first St. Croix Lite #0, which went down pretty easily. It felt a little tougher than a Diamond Classic. Well, getting together with a bunch of first class guys to train my favorite hobby is certainly something that was long overdue. See you guys for The Show of Hands, if not before! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nockowt1 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Congrats guys for the pr's. Eric I think it's time you tried for a new #3 cert. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Booyah!!! Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) Sounds like there was a lot of Fun!!! Eric Kicks A-- Edited March 17, 2008 by Booyah!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalachiMcMullen Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Congrats guys for the pr's. Eric I think it's time you tried for a new #3 cert. I second that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Congrats guys for the pr's. Eric I think it's time you tried for a new #3 cert. I second that! I certed in 2003 before the rule change, but it's nice to know I can credit card close #3 grippers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PPD7 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Congrats guys for the pr's. Eric I think it's time you tried for a new #3 cert. I second that! I certed in 2003 before the rule change, but it's nice to know I can credit card close #3 grippers. Is this the same Eric? http://www.geocities.com/ltgodfrey/home.html Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griffin Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Eric, Joe, and Shane were all first class guys, and I can't wait to get together again. Thanks for everything guys, I really had a great day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 A GREAT day had by all congrats on all the PRs guys and ERIC seems theres life in the old dog yet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alawadhi Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Bet you had a great day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NailBender Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Eric, Joe, and Shane were all first class guys, and I can't wait to get together again. Thanks for everything guys, I really had a great day! Hello Greg, I posted you and Eric's pic with your Bastard bend in my Gallery. Take a look. I'd like to thank you for your willingness to help out Saturday and you didn't mind sharing your knowledge. I had a great time and look forward to the next meet-up. Great job Greg! NailBender Congrats guys for the pr's. Eric I think it's time you tried for a new #3 cert. I second that! I certed in 2003 before the rule change, but it's nice to know I can credit card close #3 grippers. Is this the same Eric? http://www.geocities.com/ltgodfrey/home.html Thanks! Nope. Not the same Eric. Take a look in my Gallery and Erics the one in the red shirt. Thanks! NailBender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NailBender Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Congrats guys for the pr's. Eric I think it's time you tried for a new #3 cert. Thanks Kevin!!! Eric could have easily certified Saturday with the 3's. He had one of the best days I've ever seen of anybody on grippers. Eric's strength is almost unbelievable to see and you will not meet a nicer or more helpful person. NailBender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NailBender Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 A GREAT day had by all congrats on all the PRs guys and ERIC seems theres life in the old dog yet Thanks Gazza! Believe me Eric has plenty of life in his frame. This was the first time I got to meet a true grip strength strongman and I'm still trying to take in what I witnessed. Just crazy. Eric spoke very highly of you Gazza and in his opinion, at this point and time you have no equal. I'm not in anyway taking anything away from the other really great benders out there and on this list, but you are really a true "freak of nature" at bending. I don't think anyone on this list would disagree. If anyone does it's because they simply haven't seen Gazza in action. Thanks again for the comments, NailBender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Joe Thankyou to both you and Eric for the compliments. Eric is a very strong man indeed not just physically but more importantly mentally as well as being a great familly man and role model he has always given unselfishley to his hobby and pashions which i really admire and i also have been inspired by his many bending achievements none moreso than the "Eric the RED" video shure hes done alot harder stuff since and will continue to do so but that video captured the man for me I have no doubt that if Eric or any of the others top benders were to specialise on just bending for a few years like i did then my bends would not be considered that out of reach obviously those guys hands take alot more of a beating than mine do when there doing v-bar,grippers,pinch,blobs,deadlifts etc spreading yourself over all of them is always gonna be harder to recover from than bending a few pieces of steel these guys are the true greats of grip not me i just take a certain thing and give it my all no magic formulas just daily workouts on that disipline so that the body and mind are forced to adapt to that one thing and adapt or die i did it with bending now im trying it with the blob. Joe you have had success in arm wrestling and no the mindset needed just apply that in your bending and you will be fine . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maximus1 Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted March 17, 2008 Share Posted March 17, 2008 Greg! WOW! I am so happy for you! What a great accomplishment! Well deserved! I met Greg at a Dave Draper IOL Bash in Santa Cruz. I think in 2005. A few people had gathered by the pool and Greg brought grippers with. I had never heard of Ironmind, Captains of Crush, etc, and this little pool-side gripfest was my intro to the world of grip. I'm forever thankful to Greg for that! In the time since we have challenged each other, bounced training ideas around, motivated each other, traded grippers back and forth, etc. There has been lots of "THIS IS THE YEAR" talk for both FBBC certs and Ironmind Certs. It's just WONDERFUL to see you get there, GREG! Proof once again that there is no replacement for hard work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted March 18, 2008 Share Posted March 18, 2008 Big congrats Greg! I know you've been working on the bending for a while man. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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