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Mitti's Inch Journey Log


David Mitti

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Starting this log with the Inch being my main focus..

I've started work towards the Inch multiple times with my best lift being my Baby INCH which weighs 135#. This happened at a bodyweight of about 195#.

My weight right now is 175# and my current best lift now is my 53kg circus bell to about knee level, little away from lockout..

I will be doing this training with bodyweight training being my main source of overall training other then a few select implements for grip and of course fat Dbells for the Inch work.

Let's see if I stick with it this time, I'm hoping keeping this log will help a bit knowing a few of you might be watching....

Let the training begin!!!!!

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You got this Dave! Dang I didn't know you lost 20lbs! With that weight loss, would you say grip strength has declined?

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You got this Dave! Dang I didn't know you lost 20lbs! With that weight loss, would you say grip strength has declined?

Thanks Tom!

I believe I have lost some overall strength but how much is hard to say beings I shifted to the bodyweight training...

If I feel I need to add some weights back in the game as I go I might, will have to see how progress goes!

I will do what it takes to get this INCH lifted.

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Started with some bodyweight training.

1) Frogstand holds / Tucked planche holds.

2) pistol squats

3) L-Sits

2nd half of training was geared towards the Inch.

1) Supersets with -Fatz Dbell Deads top weight of 100lbs( not focusing on max attempts right now)

- 2-25's plate pinch for reps.

- Finger curls with barbell ( worked up to 95lbs for some nice controlled reps)

Edited by David Mitti
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Finger curls will definitely help on thickbar. Also a great warmup to heavy thickbar.

I use them to warmup every grip workout. Occasionally go heavy on them too, because I rarely touch a gripper.

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Finger curls will definitely help on thickbar. Also a great warmup to heavy thickbar.

Thanks Jon!

I have tried finger curls before after finding out Chris Rice was a big fan of them.

This time I plan on sticking with them, keeping all the work strict..

Appreciate you chiming in, all tips and advice are welcomed.

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Finger curls will definitely help on thickbar. Also a great warmup to heavy thickbar.

I use them to warmup every grip workout. Occasionally go heavy on them too, because I rarely touch a gripper.

Same here Bob, grippers are not of interest to me as of now.

I hope you check in from time to time my friend, your a big part of my drive towards this goal..

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Check out the wrist wrench. I made my own. It accentuates the rotation. I used it for holds and it helped with solid dumbbells.

It will be interesting to see what is helpful in your journey.

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I second this, thanks for pointing out - I forgot. I have one as well that I mainly use for conv. wrist curls and straddle, Inch rotation fighting curls. Easy to make tho I'm sure the real version is better.

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Robert Miller is easily the best with the Wrist Wrench in our training group. I am pretty much neck & neck with a couple of the guys. Robert Miller is enormously talented overall in grip and may have some of the strongest wrists in the world: he can do a 12 lb. sledge coin DL from the end of a normal-length sledgehammer, easily lever a 20-pounder to his head w/ either hand, was near the top of the plate curl event at Nats. w/ very little training and back in February or March of this year I saw him do a 35 lb. plate curl on a whim strictly w/ no training. He can pinch 2x45 easily, even after a workout. He rim-lifted (w/ fingertips) the two Zuver plates simultaneous at the Arnold's Sorinex exhibit, which are 200# each i believe.

So, Miller has elite/world-class wrist, fingertip and pinch strength, but cannot lift the Inch, best I've seen him do is a full lift w/ a 10 lb counterweight on the finger side of the DB to slow rotation, and he's missed that lift before as well, despite being able to clean the 135 lb Inch-type globe DB. His hand is likely 1/8-1/4" smaller than mine.

In other words, Miller is better than me or at worst equal on most all things other than wide pinch/open hand strength. He cannot pinch 3x25 yet (did 3x45 2H easily) and has just barely broken the 50 lb. Blob off the ground. So, what I am saying is the wrist wrench is a great tool, but not a "silver bullet" for the Inch necessarily unless your wrist is your only weak point perhaps. Miller, despite his relatively small and very thick hands, could lift the Inch with a month or two of specific work on thick-handled globe DBs (adding weight on the thumb side of a "light" one or on the the finger side of a heavier DB like the Inch for reps and holds and/or develop more open-hand strength. For him, it doesn't really matter, he could even develop enough additional wrist strength to offset the other areas perhaps, but usually it is easier to develop the area you have developed the least.

If you don't have a 'big" hand, in most cases the Inch will find your weak point and keep you from lifting it. I guess that's why I love the challenge so much and call it my "Moby Dick".

I will be following your log when I can David and wish you well on your challenging journey. Every man needs one!

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Active rest day.

1) planche tuck holds

2) Pseudo Push ups

3) Sledge walks both regular and reverse style. < Focused on volume not weight today.

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Some tuck planche holds to start.

^ I Try to get some work in at least 3-4 days a week to progress towards full planche.

2nd half of training was grip.

1) 53kg Inch style Dbell Holds.

2) 32.5# Hex Block holds / superset with finger curls. ( Finger curls feeling better, definite keepers)

3) Finished with some burn out reps with the 32.5# block.

Been a little while since hitting the blocks so the thumb is a little weak yet, luckily my pinch seems to come back half way decent..

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Mitts has incredibly strong wrists. In Red reverse territory with only a month or two training.

That's great! For guys w/out big mitts, wrist, fingertips and supporting finger strength as well as some thumb strength are important.

You need to find the ideal position for your wrist. Despite what the bigger-handed guys say, you are unlikely to be able to lift it with the middle of your palm near the top of the DB. There will be too big of a gap for the DB to force its way through. The guys who can "pinch the Inch" in this manner either have bigger hands or otherworldly pinching ability.

Getting finger curl strength increased significantly over time is probably the safest way to get your fingertip strength up. Working towards a 50+ lb. Blob or Fatman, 3x25 (or 3x45 2H w/ extra weight perhaps) and a 2x45 pinch would also likely help (if not already attained).

With your wrist strength, have you tried any thumbless DB lifting? Be careful if you haven't tried it, as it feels like a high-risk move w/ max weight or at least it gives some scary shocks that feel worse than they are but could be a warning obviously.

Aaron Corcorran has some intriguing ideas in his Inch training log, including axle lifts w/ the thumbs facing forward and 6-second 1H axle holds I believe; haven't tried them, but they sound like a good way to build some more needed thumb strength.

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Mitts has incredibly strong wrists. In Red reverse territory with only a month or two training.

I believe my work helps a bit.

Glad to see you check in my friend!

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Thanks for all the tips and ideas Bob!

I do believe like you said if there's a weak link it will find it, found that out when I worked for the Baby.

I have small hands ,just under 7.5" from wrist to tip of middle, so really no weak links are allowed.

Like you stated too, no way will I be able to do the pinch style grip,will have to find the sweet spot pending on finger and thumb strength.

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If you feel up to it, post a video of the fingercurls :D

Would be nice to see how they are done.

I think I remember Chris Rice said that fingercurling is the best way to get a strong grip!

Interesting log with some great tips from beastly people!

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Wasn't feeling it today , lack of sleep etc.

Just a short workout.

Some push ups & Hammer walks for warm up.

1) Fatz grip barbell curls- 4 sets for 5 reps with 95lbs

2) 32.5# Hex Block holds

3) Finger Curls- up to 105lbs for 6 reps. Tried palm away grip today.

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I decided to add Back & Front squat work during my Inch run.

I always feel my overall strength is up when I do weighted squats vs pistol squats..

Also in the mix is a rolling thunder style handle that has the option of spinning or fixed and is 2.5" dia .

Ryan from strongergrip made this for me....

Back to the training tomorrow, Let the fun begin!!

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Barbell Squats added in the mix starting today..

1) Back Squat.

Bringing them back nice and slow.

Worked up to 225lbs today.

2) 2.5" Rolling Handle pulls.

-70lb x 10

-80 x 8

-90 x 6

-100 x 1R /2L

^ Really focusing on letting it roll hard into the thumb at the top.

Finished with some finger curls with the bar- worked up to 135lbs for 8 reps. Really liking these..!!

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Still playing around with lifts to see what's going to be added.

Today

1) Deadlifts with Fatz Grips on the oly bar.( Light /moderate)

1- 135 x 10

2- 185 x 8

3- 225 x 3

4- 185 x 10

2) Reverse grip military presses. Up to 125 x 3 < going to replace these with Kb presses next time.

3) 3"x 4" Block Dbell lifts. Worked up to 45lbs for reps with 3" side.

Dbell made by Ryan from Stronger Grip...

4). Barbell Curls for the finish.

1-95 x 5 for 3 sets

2-105 x 5

3-115 x 3

4-125 x1

5-95 x 5

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Same workout as Sunday except Bench work was done with regular grip.

1)- Back Squat

Worked up to 225lbs for a few singles. ( Really lacking on sleep this week)

2)- Bench Press

Worked up to 205lbs for a few singles. ( Haven't done reg bench in some time)

3)- 2.5" Rolling Handle Deads.

Worked up to 100lbs again . Best was 1R- 3L with 100lbs

4)- Finger Curls ( Palms facing away grip)

Worked up to 135 for 2 sets of 8 reps

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