NEW MEMBERS Introduce Yourself Here

[llswayj]

Hello. My name is Jonathan. Despite having a rare and progressive neurological condition, I'm interested in improving my quality of life by means of strength training. Before symptoms progressed, I was relatively athletic and years ago realized the benefits of hand strength. Recently, I've decided to set my disability aside and raise my physical aptitude.

I'm interested in forging powerful tools, improving manual dexterity, and regaining confidence that has diminished during the course of my disease. This is by no means a sob story, so take your pity and shove it.

BTW, I'm diagnosed with Friedreich's Ataxia and in spite the typical pathology most patients endure, I'm considered unusually healthy. I still walk (though most strangers mistake me as drunk). Anyway, I'm glad I stumbled here because this board looks like a very useful place.

[ilovesharks]

Hi, my name is James and I live in southeastern Michigan. My friend at work just told me about COC and the Red Nail in December and I was instantly interested. I'm only about 170 pounds at 5'11". I've tried my friends COC grippers and got addicted. I can close the 1 without any problem, but can only get the 2 to within 3/8".... for now. I'm plan on ordering the COC trainer, the 1, and the 2 for now. We are also starting to get into bending. My personal best accomplishment to date bending is a 7" piece of 3/8" aluminum. it took me a long time to get it though, but needless to say I was excited. Usually, I bend 1/4" carriage bolts at 6" and 5 1/2" lengths. I also bend 1/4" 6061 aluminum round stock at 5" and 4 1/2" lengths. I'm planning on incorporating various grip training into my schedule. The things I'm starting are pinching plates together and gripper training. I will figure out what else I'm going to do after reading some posts from people with a little more experience.

Edited January 19, 2005 by ilovesharks

[jarow]

Hi, my name's Jacob, and I'm currently 19 years old and a sophomore at Dartmouth College (in Hanover New Hampshire). Throughout High School I was a rower, and was recruited to row here as well. I rowed here all last year, but as much as I love the sport Division I College Rowing was more of a time commitment than I wanted to make, and didn't allow me to do a lot of the other activities I enjoy. As a result I'm not rowing this year and have been having a great time hiking and skiing in the areas around Hanover. I've also learned to whitewater kayak, done a small amount of climbing and generally just been enjoying myself.

As far as my interest in grip training goes...I was looking for a way to stay in top physical condition over the summer now that I don't row, but I've never really been into gyms and all that, so I got into kettlebell lifting. Been doing that for a few months now and currently have a 1 pood and two 1.5 KB's. I first heard about grip stuff through some of the people at the Dragondoor forum, who referred me here. I bought myself a CoC Trainer and #1, which arrived a week ago or so. The Trainer is easy for me with both hands, and with the #1 I can do 5-7 reps right hand, and 1-2 reps left hand (both no set), depending on the day. Looking forward to progressing there, and I'm already finding myself almost addicted and having a hard time taking a break from crushing those grippers.

I haven't really gotten into any other aspects of grip yet...but I want to eventually be able to do a rafter chinup, just because it sounds like fun (unfortunatley i don't have plates, blobs, or anything of the sort to work crush at the moment). Also I know that like it or not I'm gonna get into bending at some point. I've never done it before but I know that I'll eventually get curious and get hooked.

Oh yeah, and I'm 6'3", 185 lbs.

[most-muscular]

Hello, My name is Chris. If I had to describe myself, I would say that I am a natural bodybuilder / powerlifter who recently discovered the world of grip training. I am 24 years old, about 210 lbs, and 6 feet tall.

Back in October / November I came across an old gripper with wooden handles that used to be in my Grandmother's basement. It was really tough and I could only get a couple of full reps with my right hand. This thing was cool because I had never seen anything like it before. I am always excited about changing up my routine, so I decided to start training with it every other day, and after a month or two I was able to get 25 good reps with it.

Along the way I did some research online and found the COC grippers. For Christmas, I was given the T, 1, 2, and 3. As it turns out, the old wooden handled gripper that I had was somewhere between the Trainer and the #1. Since I had been training my grip for a couple of months with it, I could close the #1 easily, and I got the #2 closed later that same day.

Since I got the grippers, I have been training with incredible intensity, which is nothing new to me as a bodybuilder. It has been almost a month, and now my personal best is about 8 slow reps with the #2, and I am very close to closing the #3. (I will post the pic after this post)

Somehow I found the gripboard, and now I am also hooked on bending. It has only been a couple of weeks, but I have been bending every couple of days, and my latest personal best is a 5 1/2" carriage bolt from Home Depot.

My grip goal is to be certified on the #3 by April. As for bending, I need to learn a bit more before setting some good goals.

[Martin]

Hello

My name is Martin. I currently live in Austria, formerly from South Africa. I got heavily into grip training about 2 years back. I have been involved in martial arts and unarmed combat for the last 22 years and weight training for the last 20.

As far as grip abilities go. I can close the coc2 and am working on the 3. To aid in my gripper training I built my own version of the Grippinator. At the time I was living in SA so there was no chance of getting the real thing. I will soon upload the pictures.

I have only recently gotten seriously into nail bending after learning the technique in the 80's from a book. Nothing fancy though only the standard 6 inch nail from the hardware store.

Anyway I dunno if anyone actually reads this section but here is hoping that I can learn something of value here as well as contribute to some discussions in the future.

[Rick Browne]

Hello

My name is Martin. I currently live in Austria, formerly from South Africa. I got heavily into grip training about 2 years back. I have been involved in martial arts  and unarmed combat for the last 22 years and weight training for the last 20.

As far as grip abilities go. I can close the coc2 and am working on the 3. To aid in my gripper training I built my own version of the Grippinator. At the time I was living in SA so there was no chance of getting the real thing. I will soon upload the pictures.

I have only recently gotten seriously into nail bending after learning the technique in the 80's from a book. Nothing fancy though only the standard 6 inch nail from the hardware store.

Anyway I dunno if anyone actually reads this section but here is hoping that I can learn something of value here as well as contribute to some discussions in the future.

←

Welcome to the board Martin...........

With you living in Austria now, what a great opportunity to hook up with

Robert Baraban

[Martin]

[Welcome to the board Martin...........

With you living in Austria now, what a great opportunity to hook up with

Robert Baraban

←

Thanks man. Robert is unfortunately on the other side of the country. If he is game I would like to go check out his setup sometime.

Martin

[Stumper]

Hello all,

I'm Chris I'm 38 5'7" 275lbs. I first started playing with grip training about a year ago. No rhyme or reason to what I was doing just a little pinching, a little CoC, stuff like that... but nothing with any real direction.

I'm not sure how I found the gripboard. Either it was the deiselcrew's board or from reading the mash monster stuff on BB.com. Either way I've been happily reading ever since.

As far as what I'm looking for out of grip strength, I'm not setting any limits. I'm going to focus towards training for the #3 and bending a red nail. Right now I'm going through KTA, we'll see where that leads me. That's it for now.

[GatorGrip]

Staff Sergeant Walter K. Crews (aka: Gator Grip) I can’t tell you anymore or I would have to kill you, okay I’ll tell you half the story and just kick your ass. Ha - Ha just a joke guys don’t put the big squeeze on me I’m just a little fellow.

I am a 31, 5’8,” 227 pound soldier medic (You’ve got to have grip strength to run through a swamp for over ¾ mile with a field litter in your hand with a 275 pound former college football player that joined the Army to blow stuff up and got blown up himself- it happens and every second counts there is no setting, chalk, or leather wraps) stationed in Fort Wainwright, Alaska "Home of America's Arctic Warriors" I call it “Where Hell Froze Over!” Just last week it was a balmy -51 below zero in other words touch metal - lose skin. Crazy me I put this on my dream assignment sheet back in 1991 and 11 years later it came to pass. I'm a 6th generation Floridian but I wanted to see a snow, I meant the real deal and friends I got it. I have been to 19 different countries since joining the U.S. Army 13 years ago and I can surely say Alaska is the coldest, most rugged and potentially dangerous with weather being a killer and also due to the 4 bears that inhabit it, plus wolves, and those mighty moose, which hurt more people than bears ever do by far. You survive the winter to live for the summers when there is nearly 24 hours of pure daylight this lets one appreciate one of the most beautiful places on earth where God did some of his best brush strokes here on this canvas we call earth. Thank you for all of the time and effort you guys put into this most helpful and even entertaining website. Maybe one day if I keep at it and God continues to bless me I will join the ranks of those diligent few that have accomplished your elite certifications and strength goals.

The alligator avatar is part of my childhood memories of growing up in Florida half the time on land and half the time in the water. I also like the alligator as a symbol of crushing strength due to it having by far the most bone crushing power than any other animal on earth confirmed by a recent zoology study published in the Journal of Zoology of London. The University of Florida Zoologist’s measured the bite of a wild American Alligator that was 13 ½ foot even missing the end of his tail bite down on the bite bars with special strain gauges that measure the force. The old boy bite down at force reading of 2,960 pounds that is equivalent of a mid-size sedan falling on top of someone. Only the Tyrannosaurus Rex is speculated to have a bite force any harder and that is 3,330 pounds. Hyenas 1000, Lions 940, Dusky Sharks manage 330, common Labrador 125 even a human beats a dogs bite with 170 pounds of force. To think I swam around those things all my life. Only the mamma gators get real dangerous when protecting her young, but what mother doesn’t. I ain’t the Crocodile Hunter but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

GRIPPING and BENDING

I have recently been bitten by the steel serpent and needed some instant gratification in my life, so bending some steel was a quick fix that appears to have rapidly spread into every fiber of my being (well maybe every fiber of my hands). Plus as stated above being stationed here in Fort Wainwright or Fairbanks, Alaska. I have plenty of time indoors when not on duty to grip and bend. I started bending almost 2 weeks ago and so far I have been able to bend up to ¼” square stock down to a 5” piece, Round stock down to 4.5”, up to 40 penny nails but I can’t find 50’s and I’m not quite able to warp a 60 in to a U-shape. Captains of Crush closed # 1 out of the box for reps, and crushed a # 2 down far enough you could barely slide a dime side ways in the space. Although we all know close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Tore a 1” thick phone book I borrowed from my receptionist into 4 pieces right in front of her, but at that thickness there wasn’t much to it. She was harder to deal with than the phone book.

My goals go without saying, but I will anyway:

• Crush # 2 Captains of Crush, Crush # 3 Captains of Crush,

• Bend a Blue Nail and the ultimate Red Nail, (I thought about spray painting some 40 pennies blue and red and call this addiction quits, but I can’t do that I am a Drug and Alcohol Counselor by trade and I know I will just relapse when I go into a hardware store. I am strung out on steel plus as long as I don’t try to bend metal and drive I shouldn’t a DWI (Double under handing While In- transit or Double Under handing In motion ). Well if I do get caught and thrown in jail at least I can focus on bending bigger bars.

• Cutting cards for my gambling addiction clients, you know show them how to make a clean break with their habit.

• Tearing a license plate in half – not a regular car one, more like those ones you got out of cereal boxes as a kid and hung on your Huffy with the banana seat or BMX.

• Tearing an entire pack of Pokemon cards into eighths while wearing latex gloves.

• Breaking a padlock, the tiny gold one that hangs on my daughter’s diary to see what boys I must kill.

• Bending a horseshoe, no not a Clydesdale more like those mini-Shetland ponies that look like the farmer's wife left them in the dryer to long. I tried last week and would have done it to but the carnie threw me off the carrousel, “Something about I was just over 48 inches tall and didn’t have enough tickets either". So I knocked out his only tooth. Come to find out it wasn’t a carney after all just the janitor for the elementary school, but we aren’t supporting next years school carnival fund raiser, my future donations went for bail.

• Crushing the hand of a midget, not a young one, I meant one of the Wizard of Oz survivors they’ve got to be close to 100 by now, if he starts to get the best of me I’ll throw water on his ruby slippers, no that only worked on the witch and her shoes were black. Well maybe after I bend a Red nail I’ll give it a go.

• Bending spikes, yeah those purple ones that my daughter’s punk rocker boyfriend sports on his brain bucket.

• Nailing a centerfold, I mean folding a nail in the center –Just a Freudian slip fellows don’t kick me off the Grip board yet.

• Oh and learning as much as I can from all the patrons of the GRIP BOARD.

May God Continue to Bless You to Bless Others!

[EricMilfeld]

Staff Sergeant Walter K. Crews (aka: Gator Grip) I can’t tell you anymore or I would have to kill you, okay I’ll tell you half the story and just kick your ass. Ha - Ha just a joke guys don’t put the big squeeze on me I’m just a little fellow.

I am a 31, 5’8,” 227 pound soldier medic (You’ve got to have grip strength to run through a swamp for over ¾ mile with a field litter in your hand with a 275 pound former college football player that joined the Army to blow stuff up and got blown up himself- it happens and every second counts there is no setting, chalk, or leather wraps) stationed in Fort Wainwright, Alaska "Home of America's Arctic Warriors" I call it “Where Hell Froze Over!”  Just last week it was a balmy -51 below zero in other words touch metal - lose skin. Crazy me I put this on my dream assignment sheet back in 1991 and 11 years later it came to pass. I'm a 6th generation Floridian but I wanted to see a snow, I meant the real deal and friends I got it. I have been to 19 different countries since joining the U.S. Army 13 years ago and I can surely say Alaska is the coldest, most rugged and potentially dangerous with weather being a killer and also due to the 4 bears that inhabit it, plus wolves, and those mighty moose, which hurt more people than bears ever do by far. You survive the winter to live for the summers when there is nearly 24 hours of pure daylight this lets one appreciate one of the most beautiful places on earth where God did some of his best brush strokes here on this canvas we call earth. Thank you for all of the time and effort you guys put into this most helpful and even entertaining website. Maybe one day if I keep at it and God continues to bless me I will join the ranks of those diligent few that have accomplished your elite certifications and strength goals.

The alligator avatar is part of my childhood memories of growing up in Florida half the time on land and half the time in the water. I also like the alligator as a symbol of crushing strength due to it having by far the most bone crushing power than any other animal on earth confirmed by a recent zoology study published in the Journal of Zoology of London. The University of Florida Zoologist’s measured the bite of a wild American Alligator that was 13 ½ foot even missing the end of his tail bite down on the bite bars with special strain gauges that measure the force. The old boy bite down at force reading of 2,960 pounds that is equivalent of a mid-size sedan falling on top of someone.  Only the Tyrannosaurus Rex is speculated to have a bite force any harder and that is 3,330 pounds. Hyenas 1000, Lions 940, Dusky Sharks manage 330, common Labrador 125 even a human beats a dogs bite with 170 pounds of force. To think I swam around those things all my life. Only the mamma gators get real dangerous when protecting her young, but what mother doesn’t. I ain’t the Crocodile Hunter but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

GRIPPING and BENDING

I have recently been bitten by the steel serpent and needed some instant gratification in my life, so bending some steel was a quick fix that appears to have rapidly spread into every fiber of my being (well maybe every fiber of my hands).  Plus as stated above being stationed here in Fort Wainwright or Fairbanks, Alaska. I have plenty of time indoors when not on duty to grip and bend. I started bending almost 2 weeks ago and so far I have been able to bend up to ¼” square stock down to a 5” piece, Round stock  down to 4.5”, up to 40 penny nails but I can’t find 50’s and I’m not quite able to warp a 60 in to a U-shape. Captains of Crush closed # 1 out of the box for reps, and crushed a # 2 down far enough you could barely slide a dime side ways in the space. Although we all know close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Tore a 1” thick phone book I borrowed from my receptionist into 4 pieces right in front of her, but at that thickness there wasn’t much to it. She was harder to deal with than the phone book.  

My goals go without saying, but I will anyway:

• Crush # 2 Captains of Crush, Crush # 3 Captains of Crush,

• Bend a Blue Nail and the ultimate Red Nail, (I thought about spray painting some 40 pennies blue and red and call this addiction quits, but I can’t do that I am a Drug and Alcohol Counselor by trade and I know I will just relapse when I go into a hardware store. I am strung out on steel plus as long as I don’t try to bend metal and drive I shouldn’t a DWI (Double under handing While In- transit or Double Under handing In motion ). Well if I do get caught and thrown in jail at least I can focus on bending bigger bars.

• Cutting cards for my gambling addiction clients, you know show them how to make a clean break with their habit.

• Tearing a license plate in half – not a regular car one, more like those ones you got out of cereal boxes as a kid and hung on your Huffy with the banana seat or BMX.

• Tearing an entire pack of Pokemon cards into eighths while wearing latex gloves.

• Breaking a padlock, the tiny gold one that hangs on my daughter’s diary to see what boys I must kill.

• Bending a horseshoe, no not a Clydesdale more like those mini-Shetland ponies that look like the farmer's wife left them in the dryer to long. I tried last week and would have done it to but the carnie threw me off the carrousel, “Something about I was just over 48 inches tall and didn’t have enough tickets either". So I knocked out his only tooth. Come to find out it wasn’t a carney after all just the janitor for the elementary school, but we aren’t supporting next years school carnival fund raiser, my future donations went for bail.

 

• Crushing the hand of a midget, not a young one, I meant one of the Wizard of Oz survivors they’ve got to be close to 100 by now, if he starts to get the best of me I’ll throw water on his ruby slippers, no that only worked on the witch and her shoes were black. Well maybe after I bend a Red nail I’ll give it a go. 

• Bending spikes, yeah those purple ones that my daughter’s punk rocker boyfriend sports on his brain bucket.

• Nailing a centerfold, I mean folding a nail in the center –Just a Freudian slip fellows don’t kick me off the Grip board yet.

• Oh and learning as much as I can from all the patrons of the GRIP BOARD.

May God Continue to Bless You to Bless Others!

←

Now that's entertainment!

Welcome, Walter!

[catman]

Staff Sergeant Walter K. Crews (aka: Gator Grip) I can’t tell you anymore or I would have to kill you, okay I’ll tell you half the story and just kick your ass. Ha - Ha just a joke guys don’t put the big squeeze on me I’m just a little fellow.

I am a 31, 5’8,” 227 pound soldier medic (You’ve got to have grip strength to run through a swamp for over ¾ mile with a field litter in your hand with a 275 pound former college football player that joined the Army to blow stuff up and got blown up himself- it happens and every second counts there is no setting, chalk, or leather wraps) stationed in Fort Wainwright, Alaska "Home of America's Arctic Warriors" I call it “Where Hell Froze Over!”  Just last week it was a balmy -51 below zero in other words touch metal - lose skin. Crazy me I put this on my dream assignment sheet back in 1991 and 11 years later it came to pass. I'm a 6th generation Floridian but I wanted to see a snow, I meant the real deal and friends I got it. I have been to 19 different countries since joining the U.S. Army 13 years ago and I can surely say Alaska is the coldest, most rugged and potentially dangerous with weather being a killer and also due to the 4 bears that inhabit it, plus wolves, and those mighty moose, which hurt more people than bears ever do by far. You survive the winter to live for the summers when there is nearly 24 hours of pure daylight this lets one appreciate one of the most beautiful places on earth where God did some of his best brush strokes here on this canvas we call earth. Thank you for all of the time and effort you guys put into this most helpful and even entertaining website. Maybe one day if I keep at it and God continues to bless me I will join the ranks of those diligent few that have accomplished your elite certifications and strength goals.

The alligator avatar is part of my childhood memories of growing up in Florida half the time on land and half the time in the water. I also like the alligator as a symbol of crushing strength due to it having by far the most bone crushing power than any other animal on earth confirmed by a recent zoology study published in the Journal of Zoology of London. The University of Florida Zoologist’s measured the bite of a wild American Alligator that was 13 ½ foot even missing the end of his tail bite down on the bite bars with special strain gauges that measure the force. The old boy bite down at force reading of 2,960 pounds that is equivalent of a mid-size sedan falling on top of someone.  Only the Tyrannosaurus Rex is speculated to have a bite force any harder and that is 3,330 pounds. Hyenas 1000, Lions 940, Dusky Sharks manage 330, common Labrador 125 even a human beats a dogs bite with 170 pounds of force. To think I swam around those things all my life. Only the mamma gators get real dangerous when protecting her young, but what mother doesn’t. I ain’t the Crocodile Hunter but I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.

GRIPPING and BENDING

I have recently been bitten by the steel serpent and needed some instant gratification in my life, so bending some steel was a quick fix that appears to have rapidly spread into every fiber of my being (well maybe every fiber of my hands).  Plus as stated above being stationed here in Fort Wainwright or Fairbanks, Alaska. I have plenty of time indoors when not on duty to grip and bend. I started bending almost 2 weeks ago and so far I have been able to bend up to ¼” square stock down to a 5” piece, Round stock  down to 4.5”, up to 40 penny nails but I can’t find 50’s and I’m not quite able to warp a 60 in to a U-shape. Captains of Crush closed # 1 out of the box for reps, and crushed a # 2 down far enough you could barely slide a dime side ways in the space. Although we all know close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. Tore a 1” thick phone book I borrowed from my receptionist into 4 pieces right in front of her, but at that thickness there wasn’t much to it. She was harder to deal with than the phone book. 

My goals go without saying, but I will anyway:

• Crush # 2 Captains of Crush, Crush # 3 Captains of Crush,

• Bend a Blue Nail and the ultimate Red Nail, (I thought about spray painting some 40 pennies blue and red and call this addiction quits, but I can’t do that I am a Drug and Alcohol Counselor by trade and I know I will just relapse when I go into a hardware store. I am strung out on steel plus as long as I don’t try to bend metal and drive I shouldn’t a DWI (Double under handing While In- transit or Double Under handing In motion ). Well if I do get caught and thrown in jail at least I can focus on bending bigger bars.

• Cutting cards for my gambling addiction clients, you know show them how to make a clean break with their habit.

• Tearing a license plate in half – not a regular car one, more like those ones you got out of cereal boxes as a kid and hung on your Huffy with the banana seat or BMX.

• Tearing an entire pack of Pokemon cards into eighths while wearing latex gloves.

• Breaking a padlock, the tiny gold one that hangs on my daughter’s diary to see what boys I must kill.

• Bending a horseshoe, no not a Clydesdale more like those mini-Shetland ponies that look like the farmer's wife left them in the dryer to long. I tried last week and would have done it to but the carnie threw me off the carrousel, “Something about I was just over 48 inches tall and didn’t have enough tickets either". So I knocked out his only tooth. Come to find out it wasn’t a carney after all just the janitor for the elementary school, but we aren’t supporting next years school carnival fund raiser, my future donations went for bail.

 

• Crushing the hand of a midget, not a young one, I meant one of the Wizard of Oz survivors they’ve got to be close to 100 by now, if he starts to get the best of me I’ll throw water on his ruby slippers, no that only worked on the witch and her shoes were black. Well maybe after I bend a Red nail I’ll give it a go. 

• Bending spikes, yeah those purple ones that my daughter’s punk rocker boyfriend sports on his brain bucket.

• Nailing a centerfold, I mean folding a nail in the center –Just a Freudian slip fellows don’t kick me off the Grip board yet.

• Oh and learning as much as I can from all the patrons of the GRIP BOARD.

May God Continue to Bless You to Bless Others!

←

A man after my own heart... Welcom! Catman aka Charlie

[CrouchingTiger]

Hi . My name is David . I live in Belgium and found out about the grip board when somebody mentioned it over at the Dragondoor Forum . I have one 16kg and one 24kg kettlebell and I plan on adding 2 32kg kettlebells to my collection . Heavy farmer walks here I come .

It all started with reading t-nation , the kettlebells , then an interest in strongman events kept growing and along came the enthusiasm for grippers . I currently own 2 ATP Heavy Grips (150 and 200) and plan on purchasing their 250lb and 300lb model too . When I can close the 300lb model I'll start thinking about the IM #3 too .

That's about it .

I look forward to my stay at the gripboard.

Take care,

David

Antwerp-Belgium

[ryaneverk2]

Staff Sergeant Gator Grip... that was one of the BEST posts on ANY forum I've ever read. SOOOO funny

• Bending a horseshoe.....I tried last week and would have done it to but the carnie threw me off the carrousel, “Something about I was just over 48 inches tall and didn’t have enough tickets either". So I knocked out his only tooth. 

• Crushing the hand of a midget, not a young one, I meant one of the Wizard of Oz survivors they’ve got to be close to 100 by now, if he starts to get the best of me I’ll throw water on his ruby slippers, no that only worked on the witch and her shoes were black. Well maybe after I bend a Red nail I’ll give it a go.

HAHAHAA!!

[ryaneverk2]

I should probably do an official introduction now...

My name is Ryan Arthur, and I'm 18 years old. I live in California, also known as the People's Republik of Kalifornia, or home of the freaks and whackos...

Anyway, I've played soccer since I was about 4 years old, traveling around the state playing other competitive teams. That stopped after my Junior year in high school, though, because of ankle problems.

I realized that with all that soccer, I had some strong legs and some great endurance, but not much anywhere else. I'm 5'11" and 165 pounds, and wanted to add some muscle and strength. So I've recently bought a bench and some free weights, and have been working with them (for about a month now).

Somehow I got this idea in my head that having strong hands was just about the best thing one could have. Maybe it's from my Dad and two uncles, who're all carpenters, I really don't know. But I started researching on the internet for books, articles, anything about hand strength. I came across Ironmind's site, the grippers, and MOHS, by John Brookfield.

Now, after reading MOHS, getting a Trainer and a #1 gripper, and having 3 blobs on the way to me in the mail, I'm really getting into gripping. I want to have a great all-around grip. I'm thinking of building a plate loading gripper for crush, and a copy of the titan telegraph, and a Mr. PinchoGrip, like in MOHS. Also need to build a wrist roller, some thick dumbells, etc.

I could close the Trainer when I got it, but couldn't quite touch the #1. After a few days with them, I can get the #1 now, and am making good progress. I can't wait for the three blobs I've ordered to get here (a 25, 30, and 35'er, courtesies of pexter, Ed Claypoole, and bencrush ), and I think I'm going to build Mr. PinchOGrip this weekend.

I can't get enough of the idea and goal of having strong, tough, thick hands that can do just about anything. I guess that's my ultimate goal, as opposed to being on all the lists or having the stats. But my more tactile goals would be the IM #3, The Blob, the Inch replica, etc. I know those are a LONG way off right now, but I also know that with hard work over a long time, I can accomplish them. I'm sure I'll get into bending eventually, too...

I look forward to learning from the real masters on this site that've been around the block a few times (in grip terms ) and developing the best grip I can.

Ryan

Edited January 28, 2005 by ryaneverk2

[Clay Edgin]

Good stuff Walter!

[GatorGrip]

Good stuff Walter!

←

Thanks Clay,

That means a lot coming from a man of your stature and status. When I was just lurking above the water line I have read some of your gut busting Zingers you hurled at a few members. Bottom line you are a tough act to follow in humor, wisdom and strength.

Now I am ready to snatch the pebble from your hand - says Grasshopper

I meant GatorGrip, See how that far east shoalin stuff messes with your mind I already forgot my damn name. I better leave the Zen humor alone till I can harness it's great energy.

I read about the ancient art of Dim Mak "The Touch of Death". I don't want to kill anymore people than I already have. So my version will allow me to one day be able to just touch someone and make them laugh and it shall be called "Dumb Ass" The art of pulling fingers.

It won't kill yah but you could end up with Trouser Chile and have to flee the battle for the nearest bathroom.

Don't worry folks I am a professional.

I have a BS degree so I can talk fluent B ull S hit

I have a MS degree so I can talk M ore S hit

and I have a PhD so I can P ile it h igher and D eeper

Have a great day friends!

[Matt76]

looks like TMS is back you guys have yourself a troll have fun with him

[tspinillo]

• Tearing an entire pack of Pokemon cards into eighths while wearing latex gloves.

←

Is this even possible? We would require video proof.

T!

[Matt76]

he is a troll plain and simple get rid of him while you still can

[RMbros]

Ah, wait 'til he actually trolls to get rid of him.

His rambling narratives still crack me up.

As for the intro - I'm a referral from the FI board who dabbles in grip every once in a while. Mostly grip has been handling itself with DLs and shrugs, so I haven't focused like I'd like to.

37, currently daddy daycare to a 4 month old, mostly a non-competing PLer.

Edited January 28, 2005 by RMbros

[micrent]

Could someone tell me what classifies someone as a "Troll"

[GatorGrip]

he is a troll plain and simple get rid of him while you still can

←

Yes Matt76 what exactly is a troll in your mind? Is this comment like a compliment like he is a Treasure Troll or is this some curse thing from Dungeons & Dragons?

Either way I would like to thank you for your time and efforts in reading and replying to my original message.

I apologize to those out there in cyber-space that didn't feel my post was serious enough for them. I just thought that this is a serious site about some serious strength training and a little comic relief may give someone a laugh or two. My intent was one of good will and to remind everyone that between the certifications and challenges that it has to be fun and laughter in a good medicine, maybe like a contrast bath for the mind and spirit.

The Good Book States:

[COLOR=blue]A happy heart is like good medicine, but a broken spirit drains your strength.Proverbs 17:22 (NCV)

And Friends with these strength endeavors we need all the STRENGTH we can get!

Matt 76 I'll pray that your heart not be so hardened, Have a great day.

[tspinillo]

Welcome aboard Gator!

T!

[cyclops]

Hey guys. I'm brand new to the grip training world. I'm a college music student in Boston, and mainly a runner as far as sport goes. But grip training has fascinated me for a while, so I decided to give it a go. I ordered a CoC #1 and #2 and just got them in a few days ago. These muthas are tough! I can't quite close the #1 (about 1/8" from it, should have it soon of course), and I can get the #2 parallel. I'll probably get a steel bending kit of some sort too. Should I go with Ironmind's bag of nails or the FBBC Bender's Bag?

I was thinking about trying a plan similar to Pavel Tsatsouline's "grease the groove" routine because I've had great progress with other strength work that way. But I've been reading about the KTA workout and apparently it's the best way to go about it. The problem is, there's no Mac version I'm aware of. Is there any plan of making a Mac version, or maybe even just converting the ebook to a pdf so it's compatible with both? The wmv files are no problem at all, but I can't use ebooks.

Otherwise I'll just keep reading up on this board and any other training advice I can find and I'm sure I'll be able to make quick progress that way also. Thanks in advance for your time!

[EricMilfeld]

Welcome, Cyclops!

I'd get the Bender's Bag, as it's a much better value, offers more variety, and the round stock comes with filed edges.