Chez vs The MM8: Whatever it takes

[Josh O'Dell]

Congrats bro!

[Stephen Ruby]

Congratulations!

Passing one of the hardest bar exams in the country on your first try is an amazing accomplishment.

[Chez]

Congratulations!

Passing one of the hardest bar exams in the country on your first try is an amazing accomplishment.

Thanks Stephen.

I took a few days off from training. Needed to recharge the batteries. Tonight I hit a light Chest and Triceps workout. I'm trying to lose some weight so I plan on keep the weights low and reps higher for a while. going to incorporate some body weight movements where I can. My goal is to cut to 230 lbs eventually, but I'll take that slow. I just want to be healthier.

Flat Barbell Bench Press

45 lbs = 20 reps

135 lbs = 11 reps

175 lbs = 8 reps

205 lbs = 10 reps

205 lbs = 10 reps

205 lbs = 8 reps

205 lbs = 8 reps

Close Grip Push Ups With Rotating Floor Handles

3 sets of 12 reps

1 Arm Overhead Dumbbell Extensions

31.5 lb DB = 3 sets of 10 reps each arm

Incline Dumbbell Flies

31.5 lb DBs = 3 sets of 15 reps

[Chez]

Some Thick Bar, Back and Biceps Tonight.

1 Arm Bent over Dumbbell Rows with Fat Gripz.

69 lb DB = 4 sets of 15 reps with each arm.

Standing Alternating Dumbbell Curls with Fat Gripz

31.5 lb DBs = 3 sets of 12 reps each arm.

Standing Alternating Hammer Dumbbell Curls with Fat Gripz

31.5 lb DBs = 3 sets of 10 reps each arm.

Note: I ran out of time for assisted pull ups again. I'll make them up tomorrow. This Saturday I'm going over a friend's house and I'm going to attempt my easier COC #3.5 CCS. should be fun.

Edited November 7, 2013 by Chez

[Josh O'Dell]

Nice bro ! that 3.5 ccs will go down!

[Geralt]

Nice work Chez on both grippers and studyresults. Strong.

[Chez]

Thanks Fellas. I went over Nate's house to help him move and then we trained some grip and bending.

I tried my easier COC #3.5 (172 RGC by Cannon) CCS 3 times and this is a still from best attempt:

It was dam close and I can't even tell if I got it or not. The lighting isn't great and the camera is a little far away. Either way I'm like right there. I won't count it as closed since its not convincing. I'll wait for when i get it and leave no doubt.

I also tried Nate's easier #3.5 twice and I'm pretty confident I got it once CCS, but we didn't get a video of that one. My second attempt wasn't close because my hands were fried since this was my 5th straight #3.5 CCS attempt.

After grippers, I bent some steel. First time bending in a while. Took down a Yellow Nail, Grade 5 Bolt, Grade 8 Bolt and Red Nail in Ironmind Singles pretty easy. Nice to know I can still bend.

Fun Day.

[Josh O'Dell]

Dam impressive Chez..

[anwnate]

Yeah...piss poor lighting and video fail on my part (multiple times). My new place will have an actual "studio setup" corner area for filming.

While Chez CCS'd my 3.5 (lighter than his), here's a near miss with his own (harder) #3.5.

(There were closer frames man, but I know you wouldn't want a still that could possibly be motion blur.)

Sick, sick sick!

[Chez]

Yeah...piss poor lighting and video fail on my part (multiple times). My new place will have an actual "studio setup" corner area for filming.

While Chez CCS'd my 3.5 (lighter than his), here's a near miss with his own (harder) #3.5.

(There were closer frames man, but I know you wouldn't want a still that could possibly be motion blur.)

Sick, sick sick!

I'm not going to lie. I was frustrated that I didn't get it fall Yesterday. Coming close and just missing stings. No excuses though. i just need to get stronger. This is going to happen. Thanks again for everything yesterday Nate. Good times.

[Josh O'Dell]

Each time you get that close you get stronger bro, Give it hell ! Your one of the strongest people i have seen bro...

[Geralt]

Tough Tough Tough. Strong also x 3. Man I can almost hold my Ghp8 @176 closed, let alone ccs-ing that sucker. Very impressive attemps! I understand your frustration but don't forget most guys here would gladly be doing attemps like this! First pic looks closed though.

[Chez]

Each time you get that close you get stronger bro, Give it hell ! Your one of the strongest people i have seen bro...

Tough Tough Tough. Strong also x 3. Man I can almost hold my Ghp8 @176 closed, let alone ccs-ing that sucker. Very impressive attemps! I understand your frustration but don't forget most guys here would gladly be doing attemps like this! First pic looks closed though.

Thanks guys. I'll keep working hard to get that #3.5 certification.

Tonight I trained left hand grippers (I only closed a couple yesterday lefty but didn't really train the left) and shoulders.

Grippers - All reps MMS or slightly wider

Left Hand

Warm Ups

COC Sport = 10 reps

COC #.5 = 5 reps

COC #1 = 5 reps

COC #2 = 3 reps

COC #2.5 = 1 rep

GHP 6 = 1 rep

GHP 7 = 1 rep

Working

149.2 lb Rated Original COC #3 = 3 reps

149.2 lb Rated Original COC #3 = 3 reps

149.2 lb Rated Original COC #3 = 3 reps

149.2 lb Rated Original COC #3 = 3 reps

145.2 lb Rated FBBC 4X = 3 reps

- left hand is feeling great again and getting stronger every session.

Arnold Dumbbell Shoulder Presses

31.5 lb DBs = 10 reps

42.5 lb DBs = 4 sets of 12 reps

Seated Dumbbell Side Laterals 1 Arm at a time

22.5 lb DB = 4 sets of 10 reps each arm

Extensors

Red + White IM bands = 3 sets of 20 reps each hand.

Edited November 11, 2013 by Chez

[Mephistopholes]

Scary close man!

[Chez]

Scary close man!

Thanks buddy. I'm a persistent guy. I'll keep chipping away at this cert.

[jvance]

2008

"Tex" Henderson

2009

Gabriel Sum

Rich Williams

2010

Jonathan D. Vogt

Paul Knight

Ioan Cristian Puscasu

Sergey Daragan

2012

Vache Sevajian

Andrew Durniat

2013

Michael Burke

Carlos F. Rivera Pagan

Brad Ardrey

Very short list Chez, world class company. Keep giving it hell. You'll be up there soon

[Stephen Ruby]

Wow solid attempt man it wont be long now. Once you set your eyes on a goal you achieve it, you have proved that both physically and mentally.

Yeah several of those guys on that list are world class strongman/powerlifters/arm wrestlers among a few grip stars also. You will be in elite company on that list.

[Mike Sharkey]

Your one of the strongest people i have seen bro...

That's (bad word filter)ing truth

[Chez]

Thanks Guys. Seeing that short list for the COC #3.5 Certification is very motivating. I know if I keep working really hard I can join those guys.

Tonight I trained Pinch.

1 Hand Pinch Euro Device

55 lbs = 5 lifts each hand

70 lbs = 3 sets of 5 lifts each hand

IM Hub

39.5 lbs = 3 sets of 5 lifts each hand

Blobs

46 lb Blob = 3 sets of 5 lifts each hand

Extensors

IM Red Band = 3 sets of 30 reps each hand

Note = Just getting some volume in. Can probably increase the weight a little next week.

[Chez]

Hit some Chest and Triceps tonight. Light weights and higher reps as I continue to try and lose weight.

Flat Barbell Bench Press

Warm Ups

45 lbs = 20 reps

175 lbs = 8 reps

- Some how I forgot my typical second warm up set with 135 lbs. At least I think I forgot to do it. I'll blame that on drinking wine and vodka during the workout

Working

205 lbs = 3 sets of 10 reps

Close Grip Push Ups with Floor Handles

15 reps

10 reps

10 reps

- Freaking Triceps are frying out easy tonight.

1 Arm Overhead Dumbbell Extensions

31.5 lb DB = 3 sets of 12 reps each arm

Incline Dumbbell Flies

31.5 lb DBs = 3 sets of 15 reps

Extensors

IM Red Band = 5 sets of 20 reps each hand.

Note: I spoke with Jonathan Vogt and we are doing a gripper exchange. I sent him my 2 hardest COC #4s which at 215 lbs RGC and 218 lbs RGC and hes sending me his certification #3.5. We are both going to upload video attempts. He said his Cert #3.5 is a real beast and harder than any 3.5 he has every tried. He wants me to try it MMS and give him my opinion of what it rates. I'm going to throw some more MMS work into my routine over the next 2 weeks to ramp up to the attempt. Should be fun.

Edited November 16, 2013 by Chez

[jvance]

Vogt is still gripping? Can't wait to see some the footage, sounds epic. You both are crush monsters

[Chez]

Vogt is still gripping? Can't wait to see some the footage, sounds epic. You both are crush monsters

Thanks bro. Jonathan told me he hasn't really trained in the past year because hes been busy in his personal life. The dude is a genetic freak though. Even when he was training he didn't train the kind of volume that guys on the grip board are use to. He told me when hes training a couple closes a week works for him. He may be rusty but we are both going to take a couple weeks to ramp up before the attempts. I'm good at grippers but Vogt is probably top 5 in the world crush strength.

[bencrush]

Great job on the CCS close on the 165lb gripper Cesare! You have gotten very strong on the grippers over the past year.

[Chez]

Great job on the CCS close on the 165lb gripper Cesare! You have gotten very strong on the grippers over the past year.

Thanks Ben. I still remember watching all your gripper videos and getting inspired.

Tonight I hit a quick Thick bar, Back and Biceps.

Bent Over 1 Arm Dumbbell Rows with Fat Gripz

71.5 lb DB = 3 sets of 15 reps each arm

Standing Alternating Dumbbell Bicep Curls with Fat Gripz

34 lb DBs = 3 sets of 10 reps each arm

Standing Alternating Dumbbell Hammer Curls With Fat Gripz

34 lb DBs = 3 sets of 10 reps each arm

Note: The cert #3.5 gripper from Vogt came in the Mail today. I picked it up, set it to MMS and gave it a light squeeze to get a feel for it. No Warm or Chalk. Vogt told me it really ramps up and I can feel it. Getting excited to try it. Gotta be patient and ramp up to it.

[Josh O'Dell]

Good luck