Quest For Gripstrength Starting With Gripper #3

[Geralt]

New session:

My left thumb suddenly got a bit sore one day after my last session, it now feels ok, but to be sure I'm not doing any pinchwork today.

Crush and bench:

Bench between gripper singles;

L and R vulcan level 1-1 till 3-3;

R Immediately up to level 15 (5-5), beyond parallel, forced closed and hold for a few secs, L level 13 (4-5), same;

Repeated this;

L Level 12 (4-4) closed, R Deep set IM#3.5, forced closed and hold;

Repeated this;

L choked IM#3, very near, forced closed and hold, R IM#3.5 turned into negative;

Some lighter rep work (3-4 reps at most), at lower levels with Vulcan.

Homemade gripmachine:

Handpalms facing away from me, thumbs not over the bar, so just the fingers pulling in, still trying to find a good starting point, but

for 5 reps for 5 sets 75 kg (165lbs) seems to be ok, I now have some space for loading a bit more weight each session.

This one feels good! Barely able to close my #1 after this! It's to early to find if there will be any carryover. We'll see.

Ended with reversed wristcurls with my hands pulled through a strap with my loadingpin attached.

Said that I would add some straphold work, but I'll wait with that. My goal is now to close my vulcan at level 15, from there I'll open my sets a bit up (wider).

It's going ok now, don't have that much pain anymore, injury is getting better! Let's hope the curve keeps going up.

BTW when the weather here is getting better, I'm going to add some running work every week...have been doing some winterbulking at the wrong places I'm affraid...haha!

Edited February 8, 2011 by Geralt

[Geralt]

Grrrreat! Monday I'm getting my new custom made gripmachine! A welder I know has been so nice to make me one, my colleague (who's husband is a welder)

will be bring it to work monday. Let's see.

threw some PM's to Carlos F. Rivera Pagan, one of our stronger GB members. He's done a lot of work with his gripmachine on his quest for

the IM #3.5 He's a very nice bloke and gave me some very useful tips in correspondence to his gripmachine work. I'm going to use that for sure.

So cheers buddy if you read this, thanks for your info!

This will be my routine the next period: 2x training per week, one session heavy with main focus on grippers, one session with focus

on gripmachine. Measured progression will be the key words. using a improvised gripmachine for now. Squats and bench will be used for firing up the CNS, If

I feel froggy I'll do some lifting work between those sessions, but I've got to be careful with my injury (although feeling it a lot less thank god!).

This evening session:

Bench between sets for firing up the CNS.

1. Grippers:

IM#1 for warming up;

Choked IM#3 L and R, R 2x closed, 1x VVN, L 1x closed (but just) 2x VVN;

2. Gripmachine:

4 sets of max. reps, 85 kg (187lbs)x4, 85x3, 85x3, 85x4 (Put in so much effort, I got dizzy haha) These are full range reps, so almost from the top of my middle finger, all the way up to the top handle at the end of my hand, as done with a CC set. When the handles don't touch, it doesn't count as a rep.

Try to keep my upper body as stationary as possible.

Rep total: 1190 kg (2623.50lbs). Next GM session with a total above this mark, means

I'll up the weight a bit. If not, the weight stays the same. I'll have to see if this weight today was to high, given the fact that I couldn't do more than

4 reps per set properly. That's the trail and error part I'm afraid.

3. Homemade SW:

Singles: L and R, 2x15kg (33lbs) 5 sec. holds, was to short, so I took off some weight. 2x13kg (29lbs) 7 sec. holds.

4. Leverage work with wooden hammer; speaks for itself;

5. thumbscrew work on IM#1, static holds and a few partial reps.

next session grippers only and pinch work.

[Joefrey]

Nice workouts Man !!

[Geralt]

Got my gripmachine! Works great! I'll Have to figure out what weight works the best to start with. Handpositioning also makes a LOT of difference...

Think I'm going for the CCS width.

Crush and bench:

Vulcan level 1-1 x5 L&R, 2-2 x1 CCS L&R;

choked IM#3 straphold 0.5 kg 4 secs R, choked IM#3 L closed/just a hair in between, couldn't see right...;

Next singles all deep set:

Vulcan level 5-4 VVN R, 4-5 VVN L;

Vulcan level 5-4 VVN R, 4-4 closed L;

(always ending 'failed' attempts in forced closes and holds for a few secs)

Vulcan level 5-5 x 2 L&R body forced closes and holds for about 5 secs (choked Vulcan to parallel);

Filed and choked IM#2.5 L and R 3 reps;

Pinch:

60mm block: 80kg, 85kg, 87,5kg, 87,5kg (slipped out of hands just before lock-out)

Gripmachine:

Couldn't resist! Was planned for friday evening, but wanted to try it. fiddled around a bit with repping it at different weights.

It definitely challenges the lower arms in a different way. Friday night will be my gripmachine-only session though, going for the routine

I mentioned one trainingsession before in my log.

[Carlos F. Rivera Pagan]

Grrrreat! Monday I'm getting my new custom made gripmachine! A welder I know has been so nice to make me one, my colleague (who's husband is a welder)

will be bring it to work monday. Let's see.

threw some PM's to Carlos F. Rivera Pagan, one of our stronger GB members. He's done a lot of work with his gripmachine on his quest for

the IM #3.5 He's a very nice bloke and gave me some very useful tips in correspondence to his gripmachine work. I'm going to use that for sure.

So cheers buddy if you read this, thanks for your info!

This will be my routine the next period: 2x training per week, one session heavy with main focus on grippers, one session with focus

on gripmachine. Measured progression will be the key words. using a improvised gripmachine for now. Squats and bench will be used for firing up the CNS, If

I feel froggy I'll do some lifting work between those sessions, but I've got to be careful with my injury (although feeling it a lot less thank god!).

This evening session:

Bench between sets for firing up the CNS.

1. Grippers:

IM#1 for warming up;

Choked IM#3 L and R, R 2x closed, 1x VVN, L 1x closed (but just) 2x VVN;

2. Gripmachine:

4 sets of max. reps, 85 kg (187lbs)x4, 85x3, 85x3, 85x4 (Put in so much effort, I got dizzy haha) These are full range reps, so almost from the top of my middle finger, all the way up to the top handle at the end of my hand, as done with a CC set. When the handles don't touch, it doesn't count as a rep.

Try to keep my upper body as stationary as possible.

Rep total: 1190 kg (2623.50lbs). Next GM session with a total above this mark, means

I'll up the weight a bit. If not, the weight stays the same. I'll have to see if this weight today was to high, given the fact that I couldn't do more than

4 reps per set properly. That's the trail and error part I'm afraid.

3. Homemade SW:

Singles: L and R, 2x15kg (33lbs) 5 sec. holds, was to short, so I took off some weight. 2x13kg (29lbs) 7 sec. holds.

4. Leverage work with wooden hammer; speaks for itself;

5. thumbscrew work on IM#1, static holds and a few partial reps.

next session grippers only and pinch work.

Remember to put a nice chair by your side when you get dizzy..hehe that could happend..

Probably start on the heavy side on your GM workouts but you can stay with that weight since you can close it for some reps. But if you feel that is kind of heavy to start you can go some 10 or 20 lbs lighter and start over. Don't neglet to train your whole arms i.e. biceps triceps forearms curls. Since this muscles don't affect directly to your grip it does indirectly since usually when someone has great grip it also have good overall arm strenght, and can give you kind of a grip support, hope you understand what I'm saying.

As always keep strong my friend!! Hope to see you on that IM list this year.

[Carlos F. Rivera Pagan]

Got my gripmachine! Works great! I'll Have to figure out what weight works the best to start with. Handpositioning also makes a LOT of difference...

Think I'm going for the CCS width.

Just read this now...

Always put the handles of the GM where as you put your grippers in your hands. It's kind of difficult since the GM movement is more like parallel moving and the grippers is more of a lever, but remember that the GM is for gaining grip strenght and not for closing grippers specifications. But of course if you gain grip strenght you should close bigger grippers for sure.

[Geralt]

Thanks! I´ll just have to get the kilo´s moving for a period and see what it brings! As for training my arms, well, pushing exc. aren´t a problem, but

I can´t curl that much for the biceps/do a lot of heavy pulling work because of my arminjury at this point. It´s getting better fortunately, but it´s still there.

It´s probably a very light version of ´radial tunnel syndrome´, a nerve that´s become a bit trapped because of expanding muscletissue. And there a sore spot in combination with that caused by doing a lot of pullup work a few years ago. So I´ll definitely want to be at least completely pain free in every movement outside the training before

throwing even light curlwork in my training. It sucks bigtime , but at least it´s manageble at this point.

[Geralt]

Tonight's training with grippers went CRAP. No other words about it.

Did some warm up work with my Vulcan and two attempts a bit heavier. Not good.

Did do heavy leg training wednesday (muscle pain just started today) and had some bad nights with my youngest daughter. So I felt tired when beginning tonight blah blah

Well, have to deal with it...have to stay with my training moments because of my work and other schedules;

Was a good warm up for my new gripmachine work. Decided to load it up to 90kgs (app. 198lbs).

6x90kg, 6x90kg, 5x90kg, 4x90kg = 1890 kg total. Again, very strict and handle against handle, otherwise it's a failed rep.

Distance between handles adjusted till app. 40mm. Next time over this weight in 4 sets means 'upping' the weight;

Wristcurls and reversed wristcurls 4 sets till failure (one hand, arm lying on high bench, curling my loadingpin with a horseshoe handle attached to it),

thumb UNDER the handle, so only training the wrist! 20kg's, going carefully. Reversed wristcurls with lower weight, around 10 kg's;

Have to think about my injury (Have to temper myself not to quickly up the weight);

Thumbwork, used thumbscrews, which actually felt very good! Had a HUGE pump in my thumbpads afterwards.

All in all a reasonable assisting excercise night.

Edited February 18, 2011 by Geralt

[Geralt]

Grippers and squats today. Squats between the gripper singles.

Warm up hands with light thumb-squeeze work, getting the thumbpads a bit thicker with bloodflow;

L and R thumbsqueezes on IM#1 and IM#2, both x10;

Vulcan L and R Level 1-1 x5;

IM#3 choked R closed and held for 5 secs;

IM#3 choked L attempt and forced closed, keeping it closed for a few secs;

Vulcan level 5-4 R deep set and closed;

Vulcan level 4-4 L Very near and forced closed, hold;

Vulcan level 5-4 R Deep set VVN, forced closed, hold;

Vulcan level 4-4 parallel set, no close, forced closed and hold;

CCS IM#3 just for setting feeling, way past parallel, seeing the closes I did above, not bad for my idea;

CCS IM#2.5 filed, Very near, if it wasn't filed, it would be closed;

IM#3.5 R parallel set and forced closed, turned into negative;

Secret Weapon:

L and R 3 x 10 secs with 13 kg, that's longer than last time SW training, so next time I'll up the weight to 13,5 kg;

Ended with some more thumb squeezes with thumbscrews both hands, IM#2.5, IM#1, then thumbsqueezes L and R separate till failure

with plastic sports store grippers.

[Joefrey]

Great job Geralt ! You clearly diversify your workouts which I really think is a very good idea.

Train hard my friend !

[Geralt]

CCS IM#3 just for setting feeling, way past parallel, seeing the closes I did above, not bad for my idea;

CCS IM#2.5 filed, Very near, if it wasn't filed, it would be closed;

I was just reading what I did last time before training tonight, the #3CCS attempt was righty, and the #2.5 was with my left hand.

Last one is definitely catching up lately. Glad with the progress!

[Geralt]

Tonight's session:

Squats, Choked adjustable gripper, Gripmachine and assisting exc, mostly thumbwork.

WARM-UP

* Squats, thumbscrews on sportsgripper, fast reps L and R for a light pump, normal fast rep work with L and R with sportsgrippers ,just for the feel.

* Squats, TNS IM#2 L and R, solid closes;

CHOKED VULCAN (Handles 35 mm / 1,38 inch in between)

* Squats, Vulcan notch 5-5 (level 15) R Very, very near! notch 4-5 (level 13) L VVN! This feels good!

* Thumbscrews on IM#1, both thumbs together (like in Titan's telegraph key) 20 reps,

Squats, again Vulcan notch 5-5 R VVVVVVVN (like 1mm or less, it could be closed, but couldn't see it and I'm NOT giving any rep away to myself!),

level 4-5 L closed!;

* Squats, Vulcan notch 5-5 R VVVVVVN/closed, notch 4-5 L closed!

When not closed above mentioned, I closed the final mm's against my leg, then holding closed and CRUSH CRUSH CRUSH for 5 seconds;

GRIPMACHINE

* Squats, pinchwork (telegraphkey idea)on IM#2.5 both thumbs together 8 reps;

* Gripmachine (handles also set with about 35mm in between, coincidence with the choked gripper by the way)

95kg x 10 = 950kg (felt to easy in fact, because the choked gripper didn't work the sweep for my fingers, so I upped the weight to 100 kg's / 220,5 lbs)

100kg x 6 = 600kg

100kg x 5 = 500kg

100kg x 4 = 400kg

Total = 2450 kg Next time over this weight, then I'll up the weight.

Again, VERY strict on the reps, full closes, handle against handle and NO cheating with upperbody!

Felt so good in fact, I decided to end with some SW work!

SECRET WEAPON

SW hold: 15 kg L and R, both 10 secs holds, handles were fighting to open up;

SW hold: 15 kg R 10 sec. hold, L 13 kg 8 secs;

SW hold: 15 kg R 8 secs. hold, L 13 kg 9 secs.

Thumb/pinch reps: IM#2 till failure both thumbs in between the SW work.

Edited February 25, 2011 by Geralt

[Geralt]

Kept if fairly simple today, when starting with bench, I felt my left thumbpad aching. So that's a sign to back off!

Left the bench for what it was after warm up and did some light thumbwork left and right more heavy.

Besides, started early at work this morning (5 am / 5 'o clock in the morning) so at seven pm after dinner and kids brought to bed my eyes got a bit heavy heh heh....To the garage you lazy b.....d!

Warm up some crunches, crappy sportsgrippers reps at high velocity and IM#2 TNS L and R;

Core workout: choked Vulcan (3,5 cm / 1,34 inch), thumbwork and Secret Weapon:

When missed, forced closed and held closed for 5 secs, squeezing the light out of my eyes;

R Vulcan 5-5 (level 15) wham! closed!

L Vulcan 4-5 (level 13) Very near;

R Vulcan 5-6 (level 16) miss,

L Vulcan 4-5 (level 13) Very near;

R Vulcan 5-6 (level 16) miss,

L Vulcan 4-5 (level 13) near;

R Vulcan 5-6 (level 16) miss,

L Vulcan 4-5 (level 13) miss;

Special Weapon:

15kg L 9 seconds, R 10 seconds;

15,5kg L 7 seconds, R 9 seconds;

15kg L 10 seconds, 15,5 kg R 10 seconds.

0,5 kg up with this thing makes a lot of difference!

That's it for tonight.

Edited February 28, 2011 by Geralt

[Geralt]

02-03-11

Benchpress and squatwork only;

04-03-11

This evening choked Vulcan 3,5 cm, few attempts and gripmachine.

Trained with a buddy of mine, had to explain a lot, which is great and fun ofcourse, but it took the intensity and

speed a bit out of my workout.

After warm up:

Choked Vulcan R level 16 (notch 5-6 gold spring)miss, forced closed and hold,

Choked Vulcan L level 13 (notch 4-5)VVVN, forced closed and hold;

Repeated this 3 times,

Then gripmachine, handles set at 3,5cm distance,

102,5 x 7 = 717,5 kg

102,5 x 7 = 717,5 kg

102,5 x 6 = 615 kg

102,5 x 5 = 512,5 kg

TOTAL = 2562,5 kg

That's ok, the weight total per 4 sets is rising per session.

SW 3 x 15,5 kg L and R 10 sec holds! Felt tired at first after gripmachine work, but than found some strength somewhere.

Between sets in this session thumbwork with thumbscrews, I'm going to add again some pinchwork with my wooden blocks next session.

[Joefrey]

Nice workouts !!

[Geralt]

Thank you my friend. Have you gotten a bit of rhythm back in your training? You nailed your #3 pretty good with CCS!

It would be a shame to let that progress go!

[Geralt]

Got this irritating headcold/caughing thing since two days , went to bed very early yesterday evening, but I had to drag myself through the day.

Well, ofcourse, stupid as I am instead of going to bed early again today I decided to still workout, and maybe get the energy back for a bit.

C R A P P Y W O R K O U T S E S S I O N

Warmup, bench, squats and abs to get the blood flowing;

Thumbwork;

In total:

R 4 x Choked Vulcan level 16, miss, forced closes and holds;

L 4 x Choked Vulcan level 13, VN, forced closes and holds;

L and R Vulcan singles one after another without rest level 3, 6, 9, CCS closes, 12 CCS just missed, but hey, seen the singles mentioned above, I'll deal with it.

I hope I'm, when fresh, around level 14 with CCS with my right hand now, I want to be around level 15 CCS when trying my #3.

SW stuff, not worth to mention.

Tired, going to bed now.

[Cannon]

Sorry, this isn't that related to your log, but I had never seen those sick or sleeping emoticons before so I just looked now and there are a LOT of new ones!

Not sure why this one is called "chris"

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In other news, just shrug off the bad workout. Sometimes it counts to just show up!!!

[Geralt]

Not sure why this one is called "chris"

---------------------------------------------------------

Obviously you don't know Chris, otherwise you wouldn't be asking this question.

[Geralt]

Strength is stalling, so that means back off week.

Did two sessions per week with every session max attempt for several singles.

I was closing the Vulcan at level 15, 16 was coming along. Those two levels are between IM#3 and 3.5.

Last monday I had a very irritating headcold but I still trained. Today I felt somewhat better, but not on top of my strength.

Why not I thought and I tried a CCS with my #3. I got it halfway past parallel. This doesn't make sense since I have no problem closing it MM set and

I can do strapholds with the #3 (from deep set) so the final piece shouldn't be the problem. But seeing the circumstances, I've been doing a lot

of heavy work so I'll see what a few more days rest will do. I'll take a week off.

Ended with some gripmachine work at close range, handles at 2,5 cm distance. Reps with 110kg.

[Malice]

You can also try using your #2 gripper and just grease the groove next week with some CCS or TNS using the easy gripper. That way you can still practice the range of motion but not really stress your hands. It'll also act like active recovery getting blood flowing to the muscles to help aid recovery. I found that to work better (for me) than just taking the week off grip altogether.

[Geralt]

You can also try using your #2 gripper and just grease the groove next week with some CCS or TNS using the easy gripper. That way you can still practice the range of motion but not really stress your hands. It'll also act like active recovery getting blood flowing to the muscles to help aid recovery. I found that to work better (for me) than just taking the week off grip altogether.

Hmmmm....maybe that's not so bad idea indeed! Think I'm going to give that a try..... Thanks! I'll do that.

[Geralt]

Long and exhausting day at work, lot on my mind the last two weeks.

Did a 'light' routine with shoulder presses with an EZ bar (curving feels a bit better for my arm injury, I can workout now pain free, so that's a big improvement),

squats, and ab work on a decline bench, together with 'pullovers' from the incline bench, pulling a 44lbs plate from over my head from the ground to my

chest. Felt that was enough for tonight. Maybe some light benchwork wednesday, Friday grip again at earliest.

[Geralt]

Had some rest with grip, but have been training my overall body a bit more, also ditched the greasing the groove with lighter grippers, just wanted to give my hands

some rest. Have had a lot on my mind at work and in private life (no problems but still, not going to bother everyone with that haha) so my energy for training and

recovery was at an all time low. When you set a goal it's sometimes hard to consist in training when the results are not that what you've hoped for. But still, I'm back.

I've started to mix my training up a bit. I'm going to train a bit more when feeling fit and not on the same days.

Today, why not, CCS with my #3, I did my training together with some work around the house, cleaning up all the winter mess for the spring season.

Thumbwork with thumbscrews mounted on my IM#2, 20 reps with both thumbs together, just for pumping the pads a bit up;

3 x MMS set L #3, no closes, but very near;

3 x CCS #3, first attempt a bit past parallel, second and third got it very near. Nothing to brag about, but seen my busy period I'm still in and my sickness a week ago,

it didn't feel that bad. I'm going to incorporate CCS work more now with my #3.

Gripmachine, while working in the garden, did a lot of sets till failure, ending with 4 reps with 130kg (286,60lbs) with a handle distance of 3cm (1,20 inch).

I'm going to load my gripmachine HEAVY from now on.

Also going to handle my choked Vulcan again.

Edited March 19, 2011 by Geralt

[Geralt]

Still very busy with work at this point...so much to do in and around the house because of the spare free time there is...

So I'm training a bit more now how I feel.

Warming up with abs and bench, did legs with squats two nights before.

Core workout with grippers:

Vulcan choked level 15 L, missed and forced closed, keeping it closed felt not that extreme heavy, it's the close itself that's heavy..;

IM#3.5 MMS R, miss, forced closed, but due to bad setting, my pinky didn't get the space it needed....forced closed turned into crappy negative;

Repeated L with same Vulcan 4 x in total;

IM #3 CCS R, first time very near, second time very, very near, maybe 0,5 cm/0,19 inch, of course hard to say when squeezing and trying to measure;

third and fourth attempt, pretty much the same;

Secret Weapon, couple of reps L and R with 20kg's, pulled my hands open right away for a few mm's, let's see if I can keep this weight up.

Thumb work in between.

Next session heavy with gripmachine.

Edited March 23, 2011 by Geralt