offermann Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Hey again guys, the other day I received my CoC grippers, #1 and 2, and now I'm seeking training opinions. See, I can only close the #1 for a rep at best; ideally I should have gotten the trainer but this is where I am at. I have been training with the Ivanko Super Gripper the past few months but it does not feel the same as the CoC and it is also much easier to close according to the resistance tables. So I'd like to train with just the grippers I have but they aren't much use to me yet. I read/heard somewhere that using the #2 will help me closing the #1 but I can barely budge the 2. The best I can do with it is close it to parallel with two hands and then do a static hold (one hand) for maybe 10 seconds if I squeeze the hell out of it. I can do the same with the #1 but I can hold it longer and closer to a closed position. Is there anyway I can work up to closing the #1 for a few reps with static/negative work? Thanks dudes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwwm Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Here's what I did last year, and at preliminary level grippers, it works, but probably not much more beyond that. You can start by closing the #1 every other day or so. Just one rep. Then after a few weeks, close it every day. Then after a few weeks, try to close it once in the morning, once in the evening. So on and so forth. It's called Greasing the Groove. After maybe 3-4 months, you should be able get 3-4 reps at a pop. Once you get in the 6-8 range, you can try your #2. If you're still far away from closing the #2, then you can 1.) file your #1 or 2.) try strap holds with the #1. Either one for reps should get you to the point of closing the #2. My $0.02. Others may have better ideas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cannon Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 If you have an ISG handy there is no reason not to include it in training to warm up and fill gaps. So you CAN close the #1? I'll have to check the other thread. Good work! I can type more about a simple program when I'm not on my iPod. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offermann Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 If you have an ISG handy there is no reason not to include it in training to warm up and fill gaps. So you CAN close the #1? I'll have to check the other thread. Good work! I can type more about a simple program when I'm not on my iPod. My hands were beat up yesterday but yes, today I could close it, but when I say 1 rep I mean 1 rep. I could not do sets of it yet, it takes max effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norden Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Seems like you and me were at the same level in the beginning. First time I held a #1 I could close it, only one rep. I got #2 and started working out with that one on a monday, and this is what I did: 3 sets of negatives, cheating it shut and holding it till it opened up my hand completely, 1 time with each hand was 1 set, and I rested like 3-4 minutes between the sets. I taped the "finger handle" with some electric tape. Like I said I did this workout on a monday, rested tuesday, same workout on wednesday, rested thursday and did that workout again on friday. After these 3 workouts I rested for a couple days, then I picked up the gripper and closed it. So, these negatives worked really well for me in the beginning. Some people say it's not good for your tendons etc, and that's probably true, at least when you're at a higher level, but I don't think it's that bad doing it with a #2. However, it's important to warm up, and it might be a good idea to play around with your #1 a couple weeks before starting with negatives on the #2. Remember that this is what worked for me, so I guess you'll have to feel for yourself if this way of training feels bad for you and your forearms/hands. Don't get injured. Get enough rest and don't forget to eat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gerryg Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
offermann Posted February 19, 2012 Author Share Posted February 19, 2012 Thanks for the advice guys. I like the Ivanko but it just feels a lot different than the CoC grippers and I don't think there is much strength carryover. I'm probably stating the obvious but my weakest point is the last centimeter or so of the close, even on the Ivanko I suck at that part. I just get lost when it comes to grip training frequency because with weightlifting, if your rest and diet is in line then you can usually plan when to workout; you will feel energized. Grip training, for me at least is very unpredictable. I just have days where my hands feel super weak and other days where I feel like I can crush anything (not really though) and it is totally random. That's why when I pick a training date and my hands feel tired like today I just feel like I am not making any progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gift2k1 Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 (edited) ^^ This Setting the gripper properly is paramount. I was in the same boat as you when I started. I bought the Trainer and #1 and I couldn't close the #1. I can say almost guaranteed that this was because of my set and not my strength. I also have fairly small hands so a piss poor set on the gripper was just going to be bad. I bought the #2 2 months after the #1 and closed it straight out of the package. You can see my whole progression in my signature down below. Anyway, I believe this is partially due to getting stronger and doing plenty of max effort attempts on the #1 but I honestly think it's probably more so because of watching videos. "How To Set" videos like Paul's (linked above) and need to be watched again and again and mastered. Learning from the pros like that is invaluable. I didn't do any sort of "routine", I would just do a bunch of reps on my Trainer then go to town on the #1 for whatever I could get. I would do this probably 5 times or more on a given day just cause I was determined to close the damn thing. Once I could close the #1, I would focus on holding it as long as possible and than eventually grinding the handles like hell.Im still a rank amateur but in my experience the weak days/strong days you're talking about is normal, at least for me. I kill the grippers some days then others just feel like the strength isn't there. Some times it lasts for a while and I feel like I am losing strength. But then all of a sudden one day you pick up that heavy gripper, get a perfect set on it and just kill it. I sort of like the idea of a routine but i'm not going put the grippers away at the end of a routine if I still feel like I have more in me. So for me, I'm sticking with the "walk by the peg board, grab a big gripper and smash it a few times a day" routine. For me, the skin on my hands would get torn up and hurt like a bitch so that would keep me from putting out max effort. But I probably used the grippers way too much in the beginning. Now my hands are fine, you get used to it. I'm done rambling now. Good luck. Keep at it. Edited February 20, 2012 by Gift2k1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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