Training For Grip Nationals 2013

[EricMilfeld]

Body weight: 174.4

I think my biggest advantage, if I have any in the 74k class, will be that I always, with no exception, have a good day when I compete. I am quite a bit stronger in competition than I am in training. I will need every bit of advantage though given how weak I still am in the axle (pulled 132.5k today).

"Always".... wow, I've never heard anyone make such a statement. And, of course, I have no reason to doubt you. That is a colossal advantage. I can't help but wonder if you're not getting yourself adequately psyched for workouts...

Maybe you should do some deadlifting to up your strength a little. It very well could improve your axle. Unless you are already capable of still pulling well over 400 (just a strength level I have in mind for someone to get the most advantage out of hands capable of pulling 300 or so). I've been pulling my axle sumo lately, and even though I look like a woman squatting to give birth, I'm finding a slight advantage with it. But I will quickly add in my defense that my regular deadlifts are performed with extreme conventionality. Anyways, my deadlift technique with axle is keep the bar away from my body until I'm forced to make contact with my thighs to complete the last little bit of the lockout. I also keep my shoulders shrugged throughout the movement to minimize having to pull the bar up and into the thighs to get my shoulders back for lockout. So, you can see why, for example, someone deadlifting only 350 would not be able to use this technique on a 300 pound axle pull. Also, with sumo you have the advantage of pinning your thumbs between the bar and your thighs at lockout.

I lost 0.6 pounds yesterday, more than my loosely structured goal of 0.4 pounds per day. You better start on the laxatives, Mikael, before I catch you by week's end.

[Mikael Siversson]

Well, let's say I performed at or above my training max in 12 out of 12 competitions to be more precise in the pinch. Last competition, for example I equalled my training PR's in TNS grippers and the wrist developer and set new PR's with both my right and left hand in the 1HP. In the competition before that (in 2006), I set new PR's right and left in the 25mm vbar and pulled 88k in the 2HP. My training PR at that time was 84k.

I still have plenty of deadlift strength, it is the grip that is lacking. I have just switched from doing TNS to work with a 20mm block. Besides the 1HP which is relatively speaking my strongest event by far, I will probably do quite well with grippers as I am much better with a deeper set. After all I have beaten David Horne once in this event.

Body weight: 174.4

I think my biggest advantage, if I have any in the 74k class, will be that I always, with no exception, have a good day when I compete. I am quite a bit stronger in competition than I am in training. I will need every bit of advantage though given how weak I still am in the axle (pulled 132.5k today).

"Always".... wow, I've never heard anyone make such a statement. And, of course, I have no reason to doubt you. That is a colossal advantage. I can't help but wonder if you're not getting yourself adequately psyched for workouts...

Edited May 5, 2013 by Mikael Siversson

[Mikael Siversson]

Laxatives sounds tempting. I might do it just for the pleasure...

I lost 0.6 pounds yesterday, more than my loosely structured goal of 0.4 pounds per day. You better start on the laxatives, Mikael, before I catch you by week's end.

Body weight: 174.4

I think my biggest advantage, if I have any in the 74k class, will be that I always, with no exception, have a good day when I compete. I am quite a bit stronger in competition than I am in training. I will need every bit of advantage though given how weak I still am in the axle (pulled 132.5k today).

I can't help but wonder if you're not getting yourself adequately psyched for workouts...

Edited May 5, 2013 by Mikael Siversson

[EricMilfeld]

Mikael, that's just crazy impressive that your'e able to PR to that extent at all those competitions. A very good "problem" to have.

Well, tonight's workout was definitely a mixed bag of results:

Deadlift

500x1

Grippers

Right

- I shut my 155 with a 20 mm block set, which matches what I did at my recent contest weighing 25 pounds more!

- 134 x7 parallel reps with a 5 second overcrush on the seventh

Left

- 134x1 with a block set

- Grand Master 5/8" handles x3 with a 5 second overcrush on the third

Blob50

- It took me three attempts to stand up with it righty, and I failed altogether lefty. My thick pinch has been deteriorating exponentially by the week.

Euro

204.5 failed right at lockout

193.8 x1

196.3 x1

198.8 failed

My left thumb webbing is still absent a few layers of skin, so I'm hopeful this explains at least part of my terrible pinch performance tonight. But I can't help but recall what Matt Cannon said about losing very little gripper strength, but a lot of pinch strength when he lost weight. And maybe I wasn't completely recuperated from plate wrist curls, which is an exercise I don't normally perform.

2.75" Revolving Handle w/ 105 in plates

Right x7

Left x12

My fat bar performance here indicates I'm doing well so far on maintaing a good deal of my strength.

Bicep Dumbbell Curls

54x5

3.5oz. tuna

tablespoon honey

3 scoops protein powder

6oz. V-8

apple

small carrot

2.5oz. walnuts

sugar-free Red Bull

[Mikael Siversson]

It's all in your head Eric. A number of people (most of which are 250lbs+) have told us that bodyweight has absolutely nothing to do with pinch strength. If I ever turn anorectic I can always look forward to a bodyweight 1HP, not to mention the one hand rafter pullup.

But I can't help but recall what Matt Cannon said about losing very little gripper strength, but a lot of pinch strength when he lost weight.

Edited May 6, 2013 by Mikael Siversson

[EricMilfeld]

Bodyweight: 173.0... lost 1.4 pounds in a day!

It's all in your head Eric. A number of people (most of which are 250lbs+) have told us that bodyweight has absolutely nothing to do with pinch strength. If I ever turn anorectic I can always look forward to a bodyweight 1HP, not to mention the one hand rafter pullup.

But I can't help but recall what Matt Cannon said about losing very little gripper strength, but a lot of pinch strength when he lost weight.

My loss of pinching ability, in particular, has been an eye opener for me, and that's not to say I wasn't expecting some reduction. Part of it, I suspect, is the fact that my hands are less fleshy, and therefore there's less hand-to-apparatus contact.

[barbe705]

this is all very interesting. i never would have picked pinch as the first to go during weight loss.

[EricMilfeld]

this is all very interesting. i never would have picked pinch as the first to go during weight loss.

Exactly. I would have guessed grippers, with axle a close second.

[barbe705]

see, I would think as long as you maintained the strength the axle would stay the same or come up. even if you only lost a little bit of thickness in the hands I would think that would help.

hope you make the weight goal. It'll be cool to see what you can do having dieted this hard in such a short time.

[Mikael Siversson]

People speculating that weight loss does not reduce grip strength are missing the point. If you have 60lbs of excessive fat on your body and lose half of that over a longer period then no you will keep your grip strength. However how many have taken their body weight down to a level where they actually look like an athlete. Well Matt and just about no-one else. He lost pinch strength. No we have Eric doing the same. Essentially Eric and Matt knows what they are talking about whereas the rest do not. Eric would most likely have lost less though if he had spread out the weight loss over a longer period. The bottom line is that people compete in the wrong weight class if they lost no strength dropping down to the next, lighter weight class. It is absurd to believe that the body would somehow spare forearm muscle tissue but break down other muscle tissue as you run out of fat deposits. Grip strength, believe it or not, is generated by muscles, transferred by tendons yes but not generated by them. CNS this and CNS that, in the end if you get really lean, keeping all grip strength is just about impossible.

[Mikael Siversson]

I think you will see that the loss in grip strength varies between people. I have lost more in grippers than I have in pinch and axle.

[EricMilfeld]

Brent, thank you. And I think the reason I haven't lost more than I have already on axle is the fact that my hands are thinner. I'm confident I'll make weight one way or another, and if I fall flat on my face June 1st I'll accept it as a learning experience for both myself and others. I've learned a lot already in these unchartered waters.

Mikael, valid, practically indisputable points you've made.

A little fun just now:

- reverse bent a 3/8 x 6" threaded rod (brought it to 30 degrees in one inch pads, and then 45 degrees in 1.25" pads)

- forefinger lifted 115 pounds with each individual hand on the FBBC loading pin

- slowly worked up to 53.6 pounds on the IM hub, each hand

[EricMilfeld]

1/3 cup peanuts

tablespoon honey

small carrot

6oz. V-8

7oz. tuna with salsa (stickin with the lower mercury light tuna from here on out)

can of collard greens

8oz. black beans with salsa

bite of steak

a few spoonfulls of green beans

2 scoops protein powder

tablespoon honey

8 crackers with salsa

[barbe705]

have you noticed and extra joint pain or aches with dropping down like this?

[EricMilfeld]

have you noticed and extra joint pain or aches with dropping down like this?

No, I really haven't. The running on concrete would cause some occasional minor joint pain, but I don't attribute that to the weight loss.

[EricMilfeld]

Body weight: 175 (gained two pounds yesterday, but I suspect it's mostly additional water weight)

[EricMilfeld]

2 tablespoons honey

7oz. tuna and salsa

small carrot

apple

6oz. V-8

1.5 scoops protein powder

2.5oz. walnuts

4oz. cod and salsa

[mightyjoe]

People speculating that weight loss does not reduce grip strength are missing the point. If you have 60lbs of excessive fat on your body and lose half of that over a longer period then no you will keep your grip strength. However how many have taken their body weight down to a level where they actually look like an athlete. Well Matt and just about no-one else. He lost pinch strength. No we have Eric doing the same. Essentially Eric and Matt knows what they are talking about whereas the rest do not. Eric would most likely have lost less though if he had spread out the weight loss over a longer period. The bottom line is that people compete in the wrong weight class if they lost no strength dropping down to the next, lighter weight class. It is absurd to believe that the body would somehow spare forearm muscle tissue but break down other muscle tissue as you run out of fat deposits. Grip strength, believe it or not, is generated by muscles, transferred by tendons yes but not generated by them. CNS this and CNS that, in the end if you get really lean, keeping all grip strength is just about impossible.

One of the BEST posts I've read this year!!!

Hats off to you Mikael!!!

There's some minor technical things that could be said on weight loss effects versus CNS activation being all there is to keeping ones grip

strength but overall you nailed it Mikael!!!

I think it's humorous how many individuals think that the CNS somehow by miracle can be switched on and off like a light switch. LOL! The CNS

is always turned on whether you're doing grip or talking a brisk walk or lifting weights. It's the way the CNS is modulated that people don't quite

get. I see this myth being perpetuated most often in the grip community!

AWESOME post Mikael!!!

[EricMilfeld]

Body weight: 173.6

[Electron]

Hey man, great progress and I'm having fun reading your log and the input from Mikael too.

[EricMilfeld]

Hey man, great progress and I'm having fun reading your log and the input from Mikael too.

Thanks, buddy!

-loaded up my hundred pound plates to 155 and did 3 singles of suitcase deadlifts by the rim, in preparation for the medley (150 pounds in the medley). Tough weight, but I did it.

2 tablespoons honey

2 1/2 scoops of protein powder

banana

apple

2.5oz. walnuts

6oz. V-8

4oz. cod with some homemade salsa (I love all things spicy, including salsa)

[mightyjoe]

Eric, this is interesting reading your progress and nutrition strategy.

I hope this strategy pays off. One thing for certain is you're learning a great deal about

your body and how it responds to this reduction in weight while observing what it does to

grip strength levels of various sorts.

Great journal and discussion between you and Mikael!!!

Thanks for sharing Eric!!!

[Mikael Siversson]

Just for the fun of it I shall present my daily intake (Mon-Fri)

200 ml of protein drink (about 17g), 200 cal.

1 nut bar, 220 cal.

two small chicken mayo burgers at MCD, 650cal.

light dinner (a small portion of whatever we have for dinner, typically vegetarian)

1/2 protein bar, 150 cal

I am always at my leanest when I dine daily at MCD (no joke), as long as I stay away from the soft drinks and fries.

[climber511]

Hey man, great progress and I'm having fun reading your log and the input from Mikael too.

Thanks, buddy!

-loaded up my hundred pound plates to 155 and did 3 singles of suitcase deadlifts by the rim, in preparation for the medley (150 pounds in the medley). Tough weight, but I did it.

2 tablespoons honey

2 1/2 scoops of protein powder

banana

apple

2.5oz. walnuts

6oz. V-8

4oz. cod with some homemade salsa (I love all things spicy, including salsa)

I'm still healing up a torn middle finger tendon from the 200# plates at the Sorinex booth at the Arnold. My own fault of course - no warmup or anything - just walked up and pulled - sometimes I'm an idiot ! So please everyone be careful with the rim lifts.

[EricMilfeld]

Body weight: 172.8

Thanks, Joe, and I'm glad you're enjoying this mad scientist experiment of mine.

Mikael, yeah, your're eating marginally more calories per day than me. I consumed about 1210 yesterday. I've tried to cut back a couple hundred calories this week. I see you're getting plenty of protein, too. Getting a balanced diet and ingesting approximately 1100 or 1200 calories per day like I've been doing this week makes getting adequate protein for a strength athlete a balancing act.

Chris, I'm glad you got that warning out. I have not personally been injured on the rim lift, but it certainly has that "feel" to it. Not the most natural of grips. I try and ease into the weight a bit cautiously as I pick it up. I feel more comfortable doing timed holds with the big plates, as opposed to loading up near max weights.