Captains Of Crush Hand Grippers

[tomaarigatto]

Hi all,

My latest gripper just died and I need a new one. I do not know what their 350lbs, etc are in terms of force because never seen it written in normal sports store hand grippers.

Anyway my concern is the gripper texture. Is it rough? My last one was plastic with lots of extruded dots on top that really gave your fingers hard skin within a day, which I do not want.

Since I never seen these hand gripper in real stores, I am wondering if you can tell me more about the texture. Looks pretty rough but you never know.

Btw I used tape to cover the handles of my last gripper several layers on top so that it would feel more smoother/softer.

Lastly I wonder why did they not go for handles that conforms to hand shape? Is it not better?

Thanks in advance.

[JAU1985]

The handles are knurled like a barbell handle would be, the knurling is for the gripper handle to stay in your palm properly. If you're used to those cheap plastic handle grippers you might want to start with a COC Trainer and work with that.

But if you don't want "hard skin", start taking care of your hands. I train grippers, pinch, deadlifts, kettlebells and my hands are in pretty good shape.

[Teemu I]

Hmm...not sure how to put this. I guess if your biggest concern is hardening of the skin, I would have to warn you about the knurling on heavy duty hand grippers. But I have to ask, what is your purpose for grip training? Really, because serious grip training to actually get stronger will not leave your hands silky and smooth. No offence meant, that's just the way it is.

Get yourself a Trainer and CoC #1 to begin with and let your hands toughen up. Good luck!

Edited May 22, 2009 by Teemu I

[Guest Bullitt]

I guess you could wear gloves or something to train grip, but it kinda defeats the purpose. If you train grip properly, you are going to get some calloused hands. Cost of doing business. That being said, if you take care of them by using some lotion from time to time they don't get too bad. My wife still lets me touch her anyway.

[tomaarigatto]

Thanks for the replies.

The gripper I used was pretty hard compared to the previous one. Even most of my friends couldn't bring the handles together. But I don't know how it measures to the values of COC.

Anyone knows what those values on the grippers (80lbs, 120lbs, etc) mean? Like is it the amount of weight you can curl or lift?

As for the tough skin, I even got serious callouses with my last gripper which is why I wrapped them with tape. Otherwise it's not only toughening of the skin but also it swells very badly too. I just wanna concentrate on the squeezing power.

How about using a silicon gun to cover the handles?

Thanks.

[Volko Krull]

Hi tomaarigatto,

it's about like this :

CoC Guide : They are about twice as strong as the typical sporting goods store gripper.

"" Sport : Most people can still close this one first try.

"" Trainer : Very many can still close this one first try.

"" #1 : Here the ice becomes thinner. You have to look around for some big dude if you want to see it closed first try.

"" #1.5 : Same here.

"" #2 : The No2 is for most people a very good achievement in hand strength. Only a few freaks can touch the handles the first time they try.

"" #2.5 : Unless you don't comb trough vintage construction sites and coal mines, nobody from the street is going to close that thing.

"" #3 : Maybe 20-30 people in the WORLD could close the No3 without training, but even that's mostly unlikely.

"" #3.5 : Nobody. And I'm serious.

"" #4 : I won't even talk about that thing now.

In your place I would probably buy the Trainer model and the #1.

[mwhities]

Thanks for the replies.

The gripper I used was pretty hard compared to the previous one. Even most of my friends couldn't bring the handles together. But I don't know how it measures to the values of COC.

Anyone knows what those values on the grippers (80lbs, 120lbs, etc) mean? Like is it the amount of weight you can curl or lift?

As for the tough skin, I even got serious callouses with my last gripper which is why I wrapped them with tape. Otherwise it's not only toughening of the skin but also it swells very badly too. I just wanna concentrate on the squeezing power.

How about using a silicon gun to cover the handles?

Thanks.

Go here:

IronMind - COC

and scroll down and look at the info in the blue box. I don't believe there is a correlation between grip strength an weight on can lift. I only have one-arm an I can close a #2.5 (237.5). I KNOW I can lift 237.5 right now.

Michael

[tomaarigatto]

Thanks guys.

This page seems to describe how the values can be measured:

http://keepyourknee.com/ca.html

[DannyGrip]

Thanks for the replies.

The gripper I used was pretty hard compared to the previous one. Even most of my friends couldn't bring the handles together. But I don't know how it measures to the values of COC.

Anyone knows what those values on the grippers (80lbs, 120lbs, etc) mean? Like is it the amount of weight you can curl or lift?

As for the tough skin, I even got serious callouses with my last gripper which is why I wrapped them with tape. Otherwise it's not only toughening of the skin but also it swells very badly too. I just wanna concentrate on the squeezing power.

How about using a silicon gun to cover the handles?

Thanks.

I'd have to agree w/ Teemu on this one - if you want to train your grip to actually get really strong, it's better to not cover the handles as you will get better leverage on the gripper and will allow you to train the best.

One of my friends is just like you and what he did was - he got the CoC grippers and then went to a local sporting goods store and bought himself this gripping wraps that tennis players use on raquets, these wraps are black in color and they roll on the gripper and at the bottom you cut what you want and then there's a sticker that closes the bottom. This is better than tape because it won't leave anything on your gripper, nothing gets glued and it's just thin wraps that go around - http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...t%3D18%26um%3D1

Try to put only one layer around the handles or the handles will become thicker and the close will be less. You'd never get strong for the last 1 mm if you end up covering too much.

I would still recommend you train w/ grippers without these grip wraps and just toughen your hands and put Vaseline Intensive Care - Aloe Fresh if you'd like on your hands everynight before you go to sleep. http://www.vaseline.com/Carousel.aspx?Path...ducts/AloeFresh

As far as what gripper to start with.

Definately skip the Guide & Sport.

The Guide feels the same as the cheapest gripper you'd buy in a store (don't know why someone posted it's twice that of sporting good's gripper). The sport feels about the same as the Everlast Wooden gripper that you can buy at any sporting good's store.

The Trainer on the other hand is stronger than any gripper you'd ever find in any store and this is the usual starting point.

One of my friends though, who was known to just endlessly click off reps since he was young w/ a cheap plastic gripper - bought the #1 & #1.5. He was able to click off 5 Reps w/ the #1.5 out of the package and the #1 about 20 or so.

Not sure what special plastic gripper you got, maybe the #1 would be a great starting point for you.

Order the #1, or maybe the #1 & #1.5. If the #1 is too tough, then get the Trainer.

Hope this helps!

[tomaarigatto]

Thanks Danny, racket grips sound like that plan. I will check them out. Just out of curiosity, are they like a band that you roll over the handle or is it a hollow cylinder?

I will definitely get #1 and see how it feels.

Thanks again,

[mwhities]

Thanks Danny, racket grips sound like that plan. I will check them out. Just out of curiosity, are they like a band that you roll over the handle or is it a hollow cylinder?

I will definitely get #1 and see how it feels.

Thanks again,

It's a rolled up band. You can cut off a foot or so of it and then wrap it up the handle. I suggest UP as you will want the end to be covered and less chance of your hand "unrolling".

Michael

[tomaarigatto]

Thanks Michael. I am gonna check one of these in a store but how does the racket grip gets sticked to the handle? Or is it the friction that holds it?

Thanks again.

Also just was your youtube vid. What's the white dust in your hand? Is it to prevent slip?

Thanks.

[mwhities]

Thanks Michael. I am gonna check one of these in a store but how does the racket grip gets sticked to the handle? Or is it the friction that holds it?

Thanks again.

Also just was your youtube vid. What's the white dust in your hand? Is it to prevent slip?

Thanks.

No problem. They should have a small roll (piece) of tape you will put at the top of the handle where the wrap ends.

It's chalk. Yes, helps with slippage.

Chalk

Michael

[meelhama]

I'd go with the Trainer. I still use it regularly for warm ups. There is a chance that you will rep the #1, but you'll still want something a bit lighter. If you didn't care about the knurling, I'd suggest Tetting grippers. Although they are rough, I think they are the most durable.

[tomaarigatto]

Thanks for the help guys.

Btw what's tetting grippers? Looked it up but they look like COC?

[Teemu I]

Thanks for the replies.

The gripper I used was pretty hard compared to the previous one. Even most of my friends couldn't bring the handles together. But I don't know how it measures to the values of COC.

Anyone knows what those values on the grippers (80lbs, 120lbs, etc) mean? Like is it the amount of weight you can curl or lift?

As for the tough skin, I even got serious callouses with my last gripper which is why I wrapped them with tape. Otherwise it's not only toughening of the skin but also it swells very badly too. I just wanna concentrate on the squeezing power.

How about using a silicon gun to cover the handles?

Thanks.

I suspect you had to perform dozens of reps on your plastic handled gripper to feel any training effect whatsoever. With heavy duty grippers, very little volume is required and many people find singles the most effective way to train, so it will not be quite as hard for your skin as you might think. I think higher volume causes more tears and callouses in my hands than low volume, high intensity gripper training. Edited May 22, 2009 by Teemu I

[meelhama]

Thanks for the help guys.

Btw what's tetting grippers? Looked it up but they look like COC?

They are very similar to COC grippers, in fact (Warren) Tetting use to make the COC grippers. The main difference is that the spring in Tetting grippers (either BeefBuilders or T1-T6 variations) are set in the handles with a pin instead of glue. Though I've never had a problem with COC grippers, I have expereinced glued springs working their way out of the handle. Secondarly, Tetting grippers have a tougher knurling than the COCs. Some people really don't like the feel.

[meelhama]

Thanks.I suspect you had to perform dozens of reps on your plastic handled gripper to feel any training effect whatsoever. With heavy duty grippers, very little volume is required and many people find singles the most effective way to train, so it will not be quite as hard for your skin as you might think. I think higher volume causes more tears and callouses in my hands than low volume, high intensity gripper training.

Ditto. Low reps = much easier on the skin.

[DannyGrip]

Thanks for the replies.

The gripper I used was pretty hard compared to the previous one. Even most of my friends couldn't bring the handles together. But I don't know how it measures to the values of COC.

Anyone knows what those values on the grippers (80lbs, 120lbs, etc) mean? Like is it the amount of weight you can curl or lift?

As for the tough skin, I even got serious callouses with my last gripper which is why I wrapped them with tape. Otherwise it's not only toughening of the skin but also it swells very badly too. I just wanna concentrate on the squeezing power.

How about using a silicon gun to cover the handles?

Thanks.

I suspect you had to perform dozens of reps on your plastic handled gripper to feel any training effect whatsoever. With heavy duty grippers, very little volume is required and many people find singles the most effective way to train, so it will not be quite as hard for your skin as you might think. I think higher volume causes more tears and callouses in my hands than low volume, high intensity gripper training.

This is very much the case. When you perform a whole lot of reps on a CoC grippper, you'd get tears and callouses on your hands. Repping a gripper is so much fun, but as much as I loved doing this when I first started training - I've went ahead and stopped doing that completely as I have a mission to get stronger and close bigger grippers. This is where SINGLES come in VERY HANDY and most likely will not rip your skin as bad as Reps. SINGLES performed using techniques such as Attempts/Negatives & Overcrushes give the best gains on these grippers. Low Volume, High Intensity is the way to go! Though I do plan on working back on getting a lot of reps only once I certify on the #3. It is very addictive to just want to rep the gripper a lot, the burning in the forearm is like a high - though the results are limited from such training .

As far the Tetting grippers are concerned, if you're worried about the knurling on the CoC's, don't bother getting the Tetting grippers because these will tear up your hands even more. The knurling on them is the toughest I've ever felt on grippers.

It does have it's advantages, but it's personal choice at the end.

The strengths between the CoC's and Tetting grippers are about the same.

The comparisons are follows:

IronMind -----Tetting/BeefBuilder ------IronMan

Trainer ----------T1 / Beginner---------------- Light Duty

#1 ---------------T2 / Advanced--------------- Heavy Duty

#1.5 -------------T3/ Super Advanced

#2 ---------------T4/ Master------------------- Extra Heavy Duty

#2.5------------- T5/ Super Master

#3 ---------------T6/ Grand Master -----------Super Duty

#3.5------------- T7/ Elite

#4 ---------------T8/ Super Elite

Edited May 22, 2009 by DannyGrip

[tomaarigatto]

Thanks guys for all the replies. Yeah I had to do around and over 100 in my last one till I feel I can't do anymore, so doing that once was even enough to get a swell, that's why I wondered.

So fewer reps would be easier on the hands I agree.

Also when you guys said SINGLES, do you mean doing it only once? So those grippers are meant to be closed only once?

Thanks again.

Edited May 22, 2009 by tomaarigatto

[Guest Bullitt]

If you want absolutely no knurling, John Beatty is taking orders for the new FBBC grippers. One of the options I believe is no knurling. It will make the gripper MUCH harder to close, but it does get rid of the knurling. Here is a link to the gripboard thread if you want to take a look...

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=31942

[deadgame1]

do lke a group of 5 singles with one hand then another with the other hand!I first got my COC's I bought sport through no.2 thats a great starting platform for anyone even my 1 yr old daughter!if you have a budget get the sort and trainer or the trainer and no.1I could close all except the 2 but in my line of work grip is just developed(mechanic welding tire changing fabricating hoding air tools heavy steel)

[DannyGrip]

Thanks guys for all the replies. Yeah I had to do around and over 100 in my last one till I feel I can't do anymore, so doing that once was even enough to get a swell, that's why I wondered.

So fewer reps would be easier on the hands I agree.

Also when you guys said SINGLES, do you mean doing it only once? So those grippers are meant to be closed only once?

Thanks again.

Ok, well 100 reps on the plastic hand gripper means most likely you can skip the "Trainer".

I have a good feeling you'd be able to close the #1.5, as one of my good friends was doing the same thing as you w/ the plastic gripper and when I finally let him try the CoC's, he was able to close the #1.5.

Singles mean that you won't be doing your usual rep/set routine, (which has some benefits to the hands, but will take a really long time to develop the crushing power you want) you will be doing 1 Close and Hold it for as long as you can and do this w/ the hardest gripper you can close or you can take a gripper you cannot close and attempt to close it then cheat it shut a bit and hold there for as long as you can. These techniques are to shock the hands to develop strength to close bigger grippers. The rep/set scheme will only get you so far and then strength gains will come to a slow halt.

[Grippster]

I'd like to say something helpful and I really don't like to put it this way, but I don't know of anybody who has powerful yet smooth/soft hands. Your skin gets tough when you apply that kind of force. I found that even with a taped handle, the pressure you exert on the gripper is enough to cause blisters around the area that the handle pushes into. I doubt you'll make it past a #2 without toughening your hands to some extent.

[JAU1985]

I don't see the big deal with tough hands, if you lift weights at all you're going to get blisters, callouses, rough skin, and things of that nature. Get the Trainer for warmups and the #1 to close, you won't regret it.