Quest To Certify

[Broly]

1/9/13- PUSH + NEGATIVE MACHINE

Grippers

Tx10, BBAx10, #1x8, #2x1

GHP Negative Machine (old PR was 65lbs)

Warmup: 50x6secs, 60x5secs,

Working: 67.5x6secs, 5, 70x4secs, 6, 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 (9 sets)

Dips

BWx14, 14, 25x10, 33x6, 44x4, 5

Chest Crush Lifts (old PR was 145)

125x3, 145x3, 155x2, 160x1

Woke up bright an early at 6am for this workout and NO caffeine! I had the focus but energy didn't kick in till I started doing the dips. Initially hands were cold, skin was super sensitive as if they forgot what grippers were but Finally near the end they sort of got into a groove. Dips felt great. Feels good to do these again and will help big time with my lacking crush with bending. Crush lifts saw a major improvement with a 15lb + PR since last time I did these. Half way through my negatives I started doing the Dips. Didn't take away at all and was a good way to save time. I normally wait 3-4 minutes in between each set for negatives.

Just a quick note on these type of negatives, They are nothing like gripper negatives I've done with heavier grippers. Those feel like it's ripping your hand open and I agree with majority of the board members that they're unsafe and risk injury. The negative machine is totally different. You're able to get the weight up with the other hand so there's no force pulling back till you let go and it's more of a hold feeling that a rip your hand open feeling. There's two ways I can attack this. The first way I will use this is the same way another girpboard member, John Carter has used and that's every 4 days or so and mainly with the negative machine as the workout for grippers and increasing the weight each time. The second way I thought would be to do the machine once a week and then work with grippers on the weekend to balance it out but I will work with John's method first and see where I net out.

[Broly]

1/12/13- GRIP

Home Made Axel DL

107x8, 173x6, 223x4, 244x2, 260x2, 1, 1, 1 (ran out of weights! Probably nearing max on this bar. Brand new unseasoned grip area so very smooth and slippery)

Home made Axel 1 Hand DL

107x1, 118x1, 123x1, 127x1, 132x1

2 Hand Plate Pinch

66x5, 88x4, 108x1, 108xhold, 108xhold, 113x1, 1

1 Hand Plate Pinch

50x5, 5, 55x2 negatives, 50x5 bounces, 50x10bounces Left, x7 RIght

Home Made 2" Vbar

121x4, 4, 131x4, 141x2, 151.2x1

Im Hub

35x3, 37.5x2, 40x1 (L), 45x1 (L) 35xhold ®, 50xF (L)

Bending

Yellowx1 (melted), Redx1 (double wraps), 7" sqaure 1/4" CRS x1 (double wraps), Cut G5 kinked (hands hurting, still not as conditioned as they used to be)

Great workout, PR on the hub, Axel and Vbar feel really slippery with taking off the paint on the handle areas but it will only add to me getting stronger with it being unseasoned and more challenging. FINALLY got the Red and in doubles. Doubles take the pain out of the kink and make it all about your strength and technique, my crush has improved and I got it right within the 2 inches, same PR for the sqaure. Need to work my way down into singles on the pads

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtSz9vKgej4&list=UUk_N1Rh4mMVc-NN-yGzY6Jw&index=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZQSaoRnZ8o&list=UUk_N1Rh4mMVc-NN-yGzY6Jw&index=2

[Broly]

1/14/13- GRIPPERS & WRIST/FOREARMS

Axel Curls (warm up for grip)

59x5, 79x4, 3

Grippers

TNS Tx5, #1x6, #2x1, GHP5x1

GHP Neg machine: 65x6, 7, 70x6, 70x7, 72.5x6, 5, 6, 5, 4

(takes a while to warm up for grippers and take a few sets to get warmed up on the GHP Neg Machine)

Leverage Bar Pronations from floor (Did these in between rest of GHP neg machine)

5x10, 7.5x5, 8.75x3, 2, 2, 10x1

Plate Wrist Curls (did first set in between GHP negs)

Seated: 25x3,4

Standing: 25x3L + 1R, 27.5x1L (able to strap a 2.5 plate to the 25 plate with a velcro strap)

Axel Reverse Wrist Curls

69x10, 89x8, 105x4, 5

Seated Sledge to face (did these in between rest of axel reverse curls)

L: 6x5, 5, 8x3, 8x2

R: 6x4, 4, 8x2, 8x2

Sledge dead lifts (Choked Grip)

front: 6x2, 4

Reverse: 8x2, 3

Reverse Bends

Grade 2 x1, 60Dx Fail

I need to revise my training for the Reverse style. I haven't done a bend in a long time and have mainly been training with the WD for it. The problem I think is that with the WD I tend to put my back hand into the butt of the handle to get better leverage and it helps going for the higher levels but it doesn't translate well into actual reverse bending. Also the hands are much further apart as well as the so called initial kink on the WD being super easy with just the end of the motion being difficult. With reverse bending it's all about that kink. If you can get that kink then you should be able to finish the motion.

I think on the WD I'm going to try and get my hands a little closer so it's as close as you can get to mimic the motion. I'll take a hit on how high with the levels but it might translate more.

[wojo]

The axle came out great....and congrats on the Red!

[Broly]

The axle came out great....and congrats on the Red!

Thanks Bro!

[Broly]

1/16/13- Weighted Body Pullups & Dips

Pullups

10, 10, 25x7, 50x4, 75x2, 100x1, 100xalmost

Dips

10, 10, 25x10, 50x7, 75x3, 50x6

1/17/13- AW Practice

Last one I'm going to. Annoyed with the contsant cancelations, and commitment to the sport by most. The tournaments take waaaaaaaay to long and the only way to be competitive is to practice. If I can't strive to be the best and need to rely on others then I'm not going to bother.

1/19/13- GRIP

Grippers + Negative Machine

TNS: Tx10, BBAx5, #1x1

MMS: #1x6, #2x4

Negative Machine: 50x15, 60x10, 70x8, 80x6, 7, 82.5x5, 5, 6, 5, 85x5, 4

TTK (done in between)

10x10, 15x10, 20x5, 22.5x1, 1, 20x5sec, 21.25x4sec

Planks (done in between)

25x10, (35x10L, 35x5R), (35x8L, 35x2R), (30x10L, 30x5R), (30x12L, 30x10R)

Key Pinch (done in between with thin block)

25x5, 5, (30x5L, 30x3R)

Ghetto Axel

173x5, 223x4, 273x1, 278xF, 243x3, 2, 253x2

Ghetto Euro training

98x5, 108x1, 113x1, 118xf, 98x5, 3, 88x8sec hold

Rolling Thunder

100x2, 3, 4, 4

Bending

1xyellow, 1xRed (1MM miss) Doubles to singles

**Pretty fast kink and should've kept going but switched to the singles to early and lost heat in the nail causing for a loooong bend*****

[KRC]

1/17/13- AW Practice

Last one I'm going to. Annoyed with the contsant cancelations, and commitment to the sport by most. The tournaments take waaaaaaaay to long and the only way to be competitive is to practice. If I can't strive to be the best and need to rely on others then I'm not going to bother.

This doesn't mean you're dropping AW altogether, does it? Are there any other groups in the area that might be more consistent?

[Broly]

1/17/13- AW Practice

Last one I'm going to. Annoyed with the contsant cancelations, and commitment to the sport by most. The tournaments take waaaaaaaay to long and the only way to be competitive is to practice. If I can't strive to be the best and need to rely on others then I'm not going to bother.

This doesn't mean you're dropping AW altogether, does it? Are there any other groups in the area that might be more consistent?

As of right now yes. In the beginning it was great. So many people showed up to practice and I grew and got better in the sport and then I don't know what happen it just all went down hill. I even bought a table to host my own practices and could never get anyone to show. Our main local spot people just stop coming and got fed up with the organizer constantly canceling. I poured my damn heart into this and kept getting let down. I tried to really fit AW, Grip and Bending together but that was it's own challenge.

When practice was consistent I would get so much stronger, I'd heal faster from a practice and feel great. The less practice happened the longer it would take to heal due to the body not being used to it. There's nothing like training at practice. I'm honestly extremely disappointed and so fed up. The plus side though is that now I can really focus on grip and bending and see better gains. I might one day return but only to see how my other progress has effected my strength on the table.

[KRC]

Damn dude, I'm really sorry to hear that. Not being able to do what you love really blows.

I gotta say I'm surprised, too. There's nothing within 100 miles of me here and I'm going to be moving back to the NY metro area this summer, and expected to run into tons of table time. Don't know why I assumed there was so much, maybe from some of the videos i've seen.

FWIW if I end up there this summer I'm totally down to do whatever if you get the urge to train again.

Anyway, like you said, more time to kick ass in grip and bending.

[Shoggoth]

That sucks man. I'm sure it'll pick back up again though. Myself I'll travel 2hrs round trip once and sometimes twice a week to train. You find the right guys/club and it'll be good.

[Broly]

Kevin, Let me know when you move down here. Would be cool to get a practice in even if I'm hanging it up at the moment.

The main spot was like a 20 minute drive and the backup spot was a 45 minute drive one way. I'd even drive an hour one way for the consistency but that's what was lacking so much. It's such a HUGE difference from the videos I have on my youtube channel of how it use to be and how it is now. It's freakin depressing. All I wanted to do was arm wrestle. I was training for it to get stronger and then go arm wrestle. My friend always used to poke fun and say I arm wrestle my door because I'd get my table, load up some bands and practice. I've arm wrestled my door more within the past few months than I have actual people.

Well enough of me bitchin about it. I appreciate the support and will always have a place in my heart for the sport.

[EricMilfeld]

I totally understand. Because of my demanding work schedule and difficulty finding training partners I had come to the same conclusion about a month ago. Yeah, it's a very frustrating and depressing feeling. But out of the blue I received a call from an experienced puller who lives an hour away. Turns out someone whose work schedule and training schedule didn't jive with my own had took it upon himself to contact this guy. So, like no sooner had I decided "what's the point" than I received the call. Now I have the opportunity to pull weekly with some very accomplished guys. I wish I could offer some concrete advice to help your situation. Have you exhausted all resources in terms of contacting pullers to put the word out that you are looking for training partners?

[Broly]

I totally understand. Because of my demanding work schedule and difficulty finding training partners I had come to the same conclusion about a month ago. Yeah, it's a very frustrating and depressing feeling. But out of the blue I received a call from an experienced puller who lives an hour away. Turns out someone whose work schedule and training schedule didn't jive with my own had took it upon himself to contact this guy. So, like no sooner had I decided "what's the point" than I received the call. Now I have the opportunity to pull weekly with some very accomplished guys. I wish I could offer some concrete advice to help your situation. Have you exhausted all resources in terms of contacting pullers to put the word out that you are looking for training partners?

Unfortunately Yes. Anyone new I've ever brought on experienced such bad tendon pain that they weren't able to workout for 2 weeks which is normal at first but the more you do it it goes down to a week then down to only needing 2-4 days. Another guy at the same experience level as myself actual only lives 10 minutes from me but would constantly over think his training and would never just want to pull. He'd show up for 10 minutes then stop saying he doesn't want to get sore due to wanting to hit the gym the next day.

[Chez]

I can pull with you sometimes buddy. If you promise to take it easy on me . I may not be much of an arm wrestler, but I'll make you work a little at least on the right hand.

[Broly]

I can pull with you sometimes buddy. If you promise to take it easy on me . I may not be much of an arm wrestler, but I'll make you work a little at least on the right hand.

Haha. Thanks Chez, appreciate the offer.

[Broly]

1/24/13 - Dips and some gripper work

Crush

Vulcan L3x (7R, 5L)

GHP Negative machine: 60x6, 70x5

Vulcan L4x 5R, L6 x2R, L7 xF, L6 x2

Dips

10, 15, 13, 33x10, 58x6, 66x2

OK it's time to admit I might have to make a doctors appointment for my left hand. The pain in my left palm has become such an issue with so many type of exercises, especially those that push into the hands, especially grippers. This has been going on for about a month now and isn't normal. First time playing with the vulcan. This thing is hard to set! Having 7" hands make this such a challenge but I think if I continue to play with it it'll make normal grippers feel so much easier to set.

Felt normal tonight so I have no idea why I was struggling on the GHP negative machine. I did 85 max on my last session and 70 felt so damn hard tonight. I decided to skip it and play with the vulcan to save my already scarred ego. Lately been feeling off on my workouts. It's not even like I've been going crazy with my workouts or anything where I'd need time off so just frustrating at this point.

[Broly]

1/25/13- PULL WORK

Pullups

15, 10, 25x8, 50x4, 75x3, 75x3 chins, 75x2, 75x3 chins

Axel Curls

69x8, 89x4, 4

Axel One Arm Curls

39x4, 6, 50x4

Plate Curls

25x4, 27.5x3L 2R, 27.5x1

Axel Wrist Curls

50x6, 55x4, 74x3 partials

Rolling Thunder

100x1, 110x1, 120xno lock out, 100x3, 7

Nice pumped workout. Actual went for a bend but my middle fingers are so tender and cut up from trying to get them conditioned that even going for a 60D was too painful. I'm going to let them heal and get back at it in a few days or so.

This workout felt really good for being so short. My home made axel feels amazing for bicep and forearm work. Really gets the blood pumping. Forgot to mention that I messed around with the WD now that I have a black spring and couldn't really get a level 3 but even an orange level 1 felt a little tougher than it normally does so I think I'm just a burnt out at the moment. HUGE difference between the black and orange spring though.

[Broly]

1/27/13 - GRIP

Ghetto Axel

107x10, 173x7, 223x4, 259x2, 273x1, 1, 278xF

One Arm Axel (between legs)

107x1, 127x1, 132x1L, 1L

One Arm DB DL

150x1, 200xF, 170x1, 180xF

Ghetto Euro

88x5, 108x2, 1, 113x1, 119x1, 123xF

1 Hand Plate Pinch

L: 50x1, 55x1, 61xF, 50x2 sets of bounces

R: 50x1, 55xF, 50x2 sets of bounces

Vulcan (black spring)

R: lv3x4, lv4x1, lv5x2, lv6x1, lv7xF

IM HUB

L: 30x3, 35x2, 40x1, 45x1, 45xF, 30x2 sets of swings

R: 30x3, 35x1, 40xF, 30x2 sets of swings

2" Ghetto VBAR

88x5, 121x2, 131x1, 141x1, 151.5x1, 161.5x1, 171.5x1, 181x1R

1" FFBC VBAR

175x1

WD (orange)

L: lv1x10, lv4x1, lv7x1, lv3BLACK xF, lv8x1 (touched leg right at end), lv7x double tap, lv6x1

R: lv1x10, lv4x1, lv5x1, lv6xF, F, lv5xF, lv4x double tap

Wrist rotators floor

L: 10x1, 2

R: 10x1, 1x half

Bends

Yellow DU-kink, switched to reverse xF, switched to DO -destroyed

5.5" 60D Galvanized - destroyed

NOTES

• with my Dead lifting, once I get to the heavier weights it's rolling out. I need to to adjust my initial grip
• Hands felt great but crush wasn't there. Could've been due to all the open hand work right before I went for the Vulcan. I actually went for a #2 and couldn't get it. Hands felt good but worn out a bit when going for the crush. Hands might be getting weaker in the crush only to bounce back and get stronger, similar to the concept of the KTA and RRBT. Either way I'm going to power through it. WIll adjust the numbers on the GHP negative machine so each set is a very convincing crush instead of a 5 second hold.
• Ghetto Euro- Found a nice sweet spot and thumb webbing is now a bit tougher since last go around. Hit a new PR at 118
• 2" VBAR- due to grip area being so slick, I wiped it clean with a towel, dried my hands and once I did that for each lift the numbers jumped by a big margin!
• Will start spending more time on the WD. a level 3 black spring is no joke and feels so much harder than even a level 8 orange.
• Middle finger joints finally healing up good and much less pain than last few days. a day or two more and I'll be back to Reds in doubles or less and wearing the fingers out again so they build up even tougher.

[Broly]

This upcoming week I only have Mon-Fri so I'm listing below what I feel is priority to get accomplished.

1. A Full bending session (most likely after a brief work out)
2. Sledge work
3. Rolling Thunder, Blob work, GHP negative machine,

Maybes

• Dips and crush work
• Weighted Pullups
• Forearm work (maybe even with the Terminator handle. )

[Broly]

1/28/13- BENDING

Warmed up with a few pushups in a sweater to get the body going. Starting off with 2 60D spirals (cut) then a very fast Yellow. Double wrapped a new Red and moved it pretty quick to the crush BUT the transition again caused the nail to cool plus the fact that it was very off centered caused a failed attempt. I felt great though and even though I couldn't move it further I took a few minute break.

After realizing it wasn't going anywhere I decided to take a new Grade 2 5/16 (6") cut the bolt head and single wrap it. Moved it a tad but the pain in the fingers stopped me from going further. This is ok because I'm still in the process of getting them conditioned. Decided to wrap it in doubles and bent the living crap out of it. Switched to singles and let it cool on purpose to make it harder (it's not as hard as a red) and started crushing it big time. The double wraps caused an off centered bend again but I was strong enough to finish it off.

At this point the hand pain was there and I couldn't get a Grade 5 so I made sure they were nice and beaten and decided to call it a day and held my head up high that my fingers are becoming slightly tougher with each bend and will soon be able to conquer the tougher steel in singles again. Outlook below.

Tuesday- Will rest up. Do some pullups here and there, hand therapy and power ball maybe.

Wednesday (morning)- Weighted dips, crushing movements and try again for a grade 5 in singles (it's just a finger pain thing now because grade 5's are easy. Just not easy when your fingers are wimps) and some other steel combos.

Thursday (evening)- GHP overcrush negatives and sledge work.

Friday (morning)- Rolling Thunder, blob work and whatever else I can fit in

[jchapman]

I hear you on getting the fingers conditioned. I just decided to do everything in IMPs for this purpose. I also seem to want to bend everythng over the index finger only, which makes it feel like it is going to snap in half without leathers on the bar. I am trying to get some of my middle finger on the bar to spread out the pressure.

[Broly]

Yea I've switched to just IM pads as well. I'll do double IM pads and have another pair cut so I can do 1/3 with singles and 2/3 with singles. You don't see too many guys bending over their index fingers. I started out this way and then found the spread to the middle to be more comfortable. Realizing more and more bending is more about pain and conditioning up to the Red. Once your Fingers are tougher then Reds are nothing as long as you keep it moving.

[Broly]

1/30/13- PUSH and BEND

Was feeling froggy this morning even with being tired and did my bends in between my Pushing exercises.

Dips & Bends

10, 15, 25x11, 50x9, 75x3, Grade 5 bolt, 75x3, 5.5" 60D, 50x9, 5" 60D, 50x3

Chest Crush lift and Bends

100x4 holds, 4.5" 60D, 150x2, Grade 5 bolt, 175x2 (new PR!)

Gripper Crushes

GHP 7: 6, 4, 3

My chest feels so damn sore from this workout and my arms barely have the energy to type right now. Felt great and the hands felt tougher today. Not tough enough just yet for a 5/16 Grade 2 but getting there.

[Broly]

1/21/13- GRIPPERS

Time: 6pm (after work)

Energy: Low (Bad Crohns attack yesterday, stuck with doing a liquid diet for the day)

Grippers (Left hand pain in still present in palm but if I grip really high then the handle is off my palm causing no pain, felt damn strong left too)

Tx10, BBAx10, #1x10, Vulcan L3x10, L4x10, #1x10 Left, L5x5, GHP5x1, #2x1 Left, Vulcan L6x3, GHP5x1 left

GHP Negatives

50x7, 60x8, 65x6, 70x5, 5, 75x5, 5, 5, 6, 5

Pretty much every workout after work kind of sucks but I have to make due with the time I have. Was feeling so damn tired I decided to just call it quits after the Negatives and see if I can find time in the morning to make up what I wanted to do tonight.

With the GHP Negatives I focused more on crushing each hold which felt way different than how I have been doing and couldn't go as heavy but it does give a better "worked" feel in the hands. I need to realize that even though I need to increase the weights with each session doesn't mean I can't also increase the intensity. Some days will be bad days where I won't be able to lift as much and on those days if I feel that adding more weight isn't being beneficial then i need to compensate by doing reps or hold on longer. This will still make it harder than last sessions workout.

[Broly]

2/4/13- OVERALL

Didn't have any time to workout on Friday before my snowboarding trip but let me tell you, Snowboarding Saturday was an insane workout! I recently made a GoPro mounted Pole to use with my Go Pro camera which meant holding this thing for almost 5 hours going down the mountain each time. My grip got toasted and my forearms fried which was nice but the rest of my body took such a beating from a year lay off from the last time I went snowboarding. Full body workout galore and I'm still very sore in my legs, traps, stomach and right forearm. Might do some bending tonight if I have the energy just to keep the hands well beaten and conditioned.