Jump to content

From The Ashes......resurrecting My Grip


1stCoC

Recommended Posts

Prayer sent, Richard.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Things seem a bit brighter this morning. We were greeted by an old time friend and coach with 4 Super Bowl rings to his credit. The man introduced Olympic lifting into the NFL at a higher level by inviting Gregory Goldstein Russian head lifting coach for a few committed coached to learn from. He in his quiet way didn't want to bother us or instill his usual mind numbing pearls of wisdom. A new salesman ex football player from a family of champions came in slack jawed and said " I just had an experience" with some guy named Johnny Parker. What a gem! Son Bert is on the phone with "the legend "now.

The pack lifted last night and the new ones "shoeless Joe " hard lifting team doctor helped work on a leg rehab device, Kenny soon to be the worlds strongest accountant showed up for his 6 th workout in iron hell. He was by the end of the workout growling like a wolf and gritting out perfect 200+ squats. Kim ,forensic homicide expert,martial artist ,and roller derby contestant,along with Shack a 68 year old SWAT instructor / crisis shooter rounded out the crew. All did their heavy rows in low sets of 5 in our wave pattern coming off thick handle diamond bar deadlifts on Tuesday. I said they could do one arm rows with "any weight" as long as it weighed at least 110 .pounds. Troops were pretty wounded but sucked it up and finished with 10 sets of varied intensity curls

. I saw a very interesting training film on Youtube of "the beast" Alexander Karelin and the way he modified reverse curls and rows to be the most feared wrestler on the planet! More to come on that!

A gain thank you for your prayers and well wishes for my young ,new ,upcoming family addition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really a good night training . Daughter in law resting, Bert putting a bunch of custom testing devices in bitter cold Michigan( love that state!). We lifted hard, Hundo horsing up alone old school style the 130s for dumbbell pressing weighing about 190. We all squatted well and with my back feeling better did a comfortable set raw with 365x5. Badger and Hundo didn't like that so much.lol Getting excited about the Mighty Mitts at the Arnold's. Time to see old friends and new doing their best before a crowd of thousands. As I said before any of our grip brothers will be welcome to visit our interactive booth which should be an end of isle booth to the right of the main expo stage as you face it. We will have PLENTY to play with. Ms D seems ready to compete in the Arnold Strongwomen. She will not be easy to defeat. Great strength and a heart of gold! Adrianne, Nasty House, Cyborg, Pat Povalitis ,Steve Weiner, and the natural "10" Ms.Kristy that lives to do grip and deadlift will all be there pitching in. Big Rich though not competing will be in the hall and booth to say hello as well. He is a true mountain of muscle. Deadlifts,and Triplex pulls tonight medium intensity and long awaited singles Thursday!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great deadlift night .We decided to lower volume getting ready for Thursday heavy squats. All were allowed after a good work set to take one gut check single. Everyone did a single best ( except me) . The youngest trainers did 310, Johnny a great 365,Mitch 405, Badger 455, Hundo 460 all good except my complete miss with 470. Too few "off the floor" sessions slapped me hard. We will see. MsD was doing raw, bolt straight ,smooth multi rep squats up to 350 like it weighed nothing.

The weather is really ramping up bad with ice raining down.The prayers must be working because the new baby to come has settled down. Bert is stranded in Ann Arbor Michigan after installing a force plate testing rack we have designed . I heard from sources that a good resturant is in that town the "Gandy Dancer" that has some good food and service. Maybe I will get a T shirt! Lol

Hacksaw ,our newest trainee spends a lot of time in the grip area. Just a regular guy but hauling up the 149 anvil and can and does deadlift the paired York 35 with either hand along with his friend in grip crime Hundo. I hope everyone weathers the storm safely

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The snow and ice subsided so on Friday we cranked back up the business and decided at least a few would train. It turned out the crew turned out to be just two of us. Johnny ,a guy that has come from a 70lb. Bench did 225 last night. He takes pride in every pound he gains and the long road of progress from where he started. Not bad for 27 weeks. He has gained from 170 to 208 body weight . I gave a good shove on a raw 305 bench press but the steps back are slower. To try to make up a bit on my last set I did 325x10 in the squat,It made me smile that knowing 45 years ago as an athlete I was doing about the same. Tired but a good feeling.

Our Queen of power , grip ,and Highland games traveled today to North Carolina and competed in Strongwomen. She wound up in most events doing from 100 to 300 most than the closest competitor. Her great leg and hand strength helped her lift a 700lb frame and barely miss a 250 log clean and push press. She is ready for the Arnold's !Ms. D is so very strong. My son is back from Ann Arbor after tossing the plane tickets and driving home. That is some kind of dedicated husband. The grand baby is settled down and each day that passes assures the birth will be a safer one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great night of training started by a standing ovation for Ms. D . You don't get respect like that very much. She quietly smiled while we as a pack went to about 160 in the millitary Diamond bar press with recently added 2.40" handle. Comfortable to press a double inch type grip when deadlifted as well..We all thought what it took for Ms. D bare handed to roll up 250 on a big steel log and shove it overhead. Whew!The music was loud and lifting good. Clark our recovering accident victim did his life's best bench of 275 and multiple double sets of 245. Great for a young man mangled and unconscious just a year ago. I cranked the squats up again in our first day of our fourth cycle and hit 350x5 raw. Hacksaw ,our new guy that I mentioned was hauling paired 35s up right and left handed. , 5-10s loose in a pinch, the 155 mandrel with an extra 10 plate right and left handed md breaking ground pretty well by a few inches the 149lb.. Peter Wright brand anvil. We all finished with log roller stretching, and Arm Aid rehab work.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Feel like we are all overtrained by a bit the guys have been hitting back to back cycles of roughly 9 weeks training. They are all game but just tired looking . My weight is back, my shoulders and legs going well but it showed in the triplex pulls followed by deadlifts. Everyone tried but was tired. Hundo said "what's next?" I said lets jump 50 more ,take two, and drop the 7th set. Hundo yanked up 455x2 and started on rep 3 when I said to "shut it down" My total body power linkage is not as smooth unit yet and the lower back and high hamstrings are not yet caught up with the other components .We do poorly with adding weights because now we load them in an old school "whatever weight is next goes on "not neat , orderly arrangement. It helps you avoid mind blocks of certain bar loading. It felt heavy but , after my miserable 470 try the other day I figured I better get pulling. 400 for those reps still let me remember I am still mending. It is going to be a gut check today but, we are going for it. Accessory lift intensity will be lowered to aid recovery.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We took a fast workout last night dropping all auxilliary exercises and went straight to th meat. Bench press and squats for sets of 5 and 5 sets of 10 in the one arm row with anything over 100. No easy task or some. Weights ranged from 100 to 140. We gathered up a group afterward to head to the movies. We support, hire , and contribute to the Wounded Warrior program and we decided as a group to take our guy "Ram " to see Lone Survivor. I rarely go to the movies but this was really well done about the actual life and battle of Navy special ops soldier Murphy. This was the man who's name in Crossfitters training became an honored workout.

Our guy Ram ,a Marine ,was blown up to the extent his neck was so broken he awoke looking with his head bent back looking at his heels. Full of titanium he now re applies himself to normal life and fatherhood, to see what our recent warriors have gone through to keep freedom alive and us safe is truly humbling. As my son said afterward "how can for a moment we complain or ever give in to the darkness"?

,

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is Sunday a day of resting and gathering up the spirit. I have been sore for quite a few days along with several of the "real tough "pack members. I bought something to help Badger and Johnny that I never heard them complain about any pain or injury before( taped back in place broken fingers and face sliced wide open with a cutting wheel )and going right back to work.I bought Salon Pas patches and gave them to the guys to try. Both said they worked great . Well ,I figured why shouldn't I try on my swollen wrists ,knuckles ,shoulders,and aching neck. ......amazing significant relief and reduced swelling! Boy ! I am getting more of them!

No , I in no way am making a dime on this tip , just trying to help! For grip guys they should do wonders!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It is Sunday a day of resting and gathering up the spirit. I have been sore for quite a few days along with several of the "real tough "pack members. I bought something to help Badger and Johnny that I never heard them complain about any pain or injury before( taped back in place broken fingers and face sliced wide open with a cutting wheel )and going right back to work.I bought Salon Pas patches and gave them to the guys to try. Both said they worked great . Well ,I figured why shouldn't I try on my swollen wrists ,knuckles ,shoulders,and aching neck. ......amazing significant relief and reduced swelling! Boy ! I am getting more of them!

No , I in no way am making a dime on this tip , just trying to help! For grip guys they should do wonders!

I can see Richard at the Arnold now with patches all over his body :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You sir ,must have a crystal ball. ! You can call me Patches! hope to see you there Chris .Your strength and enthusiasm is always so welcome!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Salonpas are awesome. I gave those away in prize packages one year at Global Grip Challenge. Still use them to this day from time to time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All the Mighty mitts gear sorted and loaded on trailer with a booth of display and interactive items. I will have the Phantom , original prove it red Tetting gripper, old Tetting late 80 s super tough gold gripper, and the one the first cert ever was done on. Baraban and Baseline grippers too. When medley Is over Friday event Items will be on display in Sorinex booth to the right of main stage against the wall. I was told that two gents interested in grip will be at the Mighty mitts award finish and also briefly in our booth . Randy Couture and Gold medal and pro wrestling superstar Kurt Angle. Both are friends of strength and grip. Hopefully as he did last year Arnold will personally visit our display booth. There has been a bit over 20k allocated( including the Henry Bell prize) to the support and prizes of our competitors.

The grand baby is due any time so son Bert will be "guarding the nest." It is going to be a great time of fellowship.

We still worked out last night triplex pulls and deadlifts bounced back for me after the initial first few workouts shock was over. Our new guy "Kenny the accountant" nudged his way into the squat hierarchy and did his last of 7 sets with 250x3..As an unexpected prize after camber bar curls we used the concentration curl unit and each man had to pick a single poundage and strict curl it for 50 reps non stop. Weights went from 35 to 70. I failed on rep 49 3/4 with . the 70lbs. No matter how hard I fought that last rep for 20 seconds or so the last 3" inches were not to be won .Lesson learned! See you at the Arnolds!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The shock and awe of the Arnold's massive crowd, the loading,unloading, setup, greeting of old friends followed by the (outdoor, snowing, 10 degree temp) loading of the implements and booth and challenged by a 13 hour jaunt through a mountain snowstorm has finally worn off. The Arnold's gets better each year with more quality events , a more wholesome family element, quality depth of contestants, and a more professional "setting the attitudes" aside in a more welcome atmosphere. To visit with the greats Coan, Lee Haney, Randy Couture, Mark Henry, Bruno Sanmartino,David Webster, Terry Todd, Betty Weider and so many others is a strong feeling generated respect and grounding.It was demonstrated especially by Andrew Durniat grip and the chance to truly excel is open to all. We passed the Baraban Dyno around to literally thousands to try a simple test of grip. The best "regular guy" was 83 kilo, Tank the super Russian 90.. There were about 12 to 15 that did 80 during the weekend. women were from 30 ( 35 typical) to an either hand squeeze by Ms . D of 65kilo. She did well in the Pro Strongwomen taking a strong second. She log cleaned a world record 255 there separate times only to fail in the press lockout. Truly a great competitor! We donated a fitting bronze original sculpture of Donald Dinnie to the worthy winner of still another strength sport the Pro Highland Games and the ultra talented Dan McKim won the day. Tough,proudly skilled, wonderful people !!!!! We lifted last night and though exhausted the guys still went at it. Hundo did his first 500 deadlift with "Kenny the Bull" our accountant pulling 300x4 during his very first cycle of lifting.

We learned much as in every year that life is a "show up" activity. The true luster of the day was enhanced with people like Nick Rosendaul, Jt Straussner and Chris Rice, House and Adrianne Wilson. A special heartfelt thanks to the man( Jason "Cyborg" Lawson) that picked up the worthy baton of running the contest after my son Bert loyally remained at his wife's side who is ready to give birth. Many reach out a hand but in some cases always with the palm up( give me) not vertical as in a honest greeting of mutual respect and willingness to help. I plan if God allows, to expand and unify the overall experience to all levels of the grip brotherhood and hopefully gain more from being involved than just feeling entitled. We have a great chance for grip to grow! Richard Sorin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for all your guys prayers and support. Amaris my Grand Daughter a platinum blond 7.9oz born natural anand healthy. Thanks from all the Sorin's! I can take a breath now!

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Glad to hear everything is OK with the little one, Richard!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations Grandpa and family!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You guys are great ! Many thanks for the support and understanding. We are all a bit beat up from non stop work, travel, Arnolds, and fitting in a birth and a few workouts in. The time and weather change here in these parts has everyone a bit dazed but, moving foreword. My weight is back about 30 lbs from 11 months ago, I need to start stepping up cardio again and stretching as strength slowly returns to "bind me up". Although my best recent max singles( and body weight) are almost to the pound one rep max to what I did 20 years ago for 20reps, I am content and if I looked perhaps there is someone near age 64 that is doing worse than me. My recent test singles are raw 405 squat, 300 bench and 420 deadlift. Grip never seems to leave me but arthritis in hands and both wrists make every day mobility tasks tough. At the Arnold's show the highest non pro dyno reading was 83kilo out of over 1000 that tried, I gave a good number of squeezes at 74. Big Rich and another pro had around 100-104. just wanted to keep up and let you know that we are ok and staying at it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Congratulations on your new grand child, success at the Arnold and in your training, Richard!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy policies.