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Fist of Fury

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Will do a write up on the MM1 process now when the gripper is finally back where it should be again. Swedish postal service didn't make that process easy I can tell you :pinch

Getting certified on the MashMonster ladder was a goal I had for a while but really not worked on as much as I should have done. First time I closed a gripper equal to the MM1 was over two years ago. In order to be able to get the certification I knew I had to be able to do those closes in my sleep basically. So a lot of training was needed. I will do a write-up of my experience in this process of certification. So a wall of text is coming up... ;) 

I started to train more seriously for this back in November last year. It all went really good and I could've easily signed up for the MM1 in March if I wanted to but I got very tired of grippers and grip training, so I didn't bother.

I did some other stuff, started to train at another gym and did some other grip stuff and realized that grippers, plus other types of training actually helped me with thick bar. Got some interest again and ordered an Inch Dumbbell. The thing is glued to the floor unfortunately but I realized what type of training I need to do to be able to lift it one day. So, slowly my interest for grippers came back again. My strength had only dropped off by aproximately 10 lbs, which was a good sign since I was in the low 160's when I stopped training.

I had to buy some grippers again because I had sold all the important grippers I had :D Thanks to @Griparn for selling me three excellent COC#3 grippers!

I started to train with these and they felt easy right from the start, so I decided to sign up for the MM1 right away. Waiting time was very slow, at one point I thought the gripper was lost or something but it was just that Cannon had missed my message. So when I contacted him again he sent me the gripper very quickly. Then I had to wait for two more weeks before it arrived. So in total I had to wait for almost two months from when I signed up until I got the gripper.

These two months was up and down, I felt like my strength was decreasing slowly and steadily. However I never really failed to close my hard #3 so I still had some sort of confidence left in me. Around two weeks before the MM1 arrived I probably did my strongest close ever on a Tetting Elite spring with adjustable handles. About one week before the MM1 arrived I got sick, didn't sleep good and I lost around 3 kg's of bodyweight in around 5-7 days. I did feel quite strong before this though. I did easy reps with 83 kg dumbbell rows two weeks before the MM1 arrived and it was probably with better form than ever before and I was still closing the hard #3, so I was not worried. The last two days before the MM1 arrived was strange. I got serious elbow pain in my right arm, which was very strange because I had not done anything, maybe I was just sleeping wrong, I don't know.

I had elbow pain the entire Sunday and I knew that I would get the MM1 the next day, so it was kinda frustrating to say the least.

When I woke up on Monday all the pain was gone, which was a big relief.

However, I had not been sleeping good and I was still sick. So at this point I was kind of indifferent to how it would turn out. I was definitely hoping that the MM1 wouldn't be harder than the #3 I had been training with at least. But with this kind of preperation I decided not to get angry or disappointed if I would fail.

I was 100% sure that I would be able to close the MM1 if it was the same or easier than my #3. So that gave me some confidence, but of course you never really know how a gripper will feel when you haven't tried it before and you only get three chances and no warmup at all with the gripper before that. So because of that I was definitely a bit nervous.

Warmup
It all felt very good, did some speed reps with a #2 and did one close with a filed handle and I felt that I would close the MM1 right here. So I started the certification attempts.

First attempt right hand
Closed without too much of a problem, thought about doing two reps but I changed my mind, it's not a smart move because it's hard to know if the video is good or not, it's just better to focus on getting everything done as cleanly as possible for the referees to judge it. I realized that and aborted the second rep to save energy.

First attempt left hand
The set was good here. I actually got 2 whites and 1 red on this (i.e it passed). That surprised me a lot because I definitely thought the video was way too poor. So I went back and reviewed the video, going frame by frame to look at the attempt, maybe the referees saw something I didn't(?) When I reviewed the video I realized that I missed this by the smallest margin possible. So I told Bill not to include me on the off-hand list. It wouldn't feel right to me to be there when the gripper wasn't entirely closed. Below is a still picture from the video, it shows how close it was, and it shows how incredibly difficult it is to judge grippers. It's quite possible that it was closed at some point but this is the only picture I can get from the video which is not blurry.

675676354_MM1attempt.thumb.png.cfdd4e9b3c2c86b8e23830125284899a.png

Second attempt right hand
I tried to set it slightly wider on this attempt and it felt easier than the first attempt. On the first attempt the gripper slipped a bit in my hand, this time I had chalked up much better and I was starting to get warm.

Following attempts was not included in the official video...

Second attempt left hand
Way off. Not much to say here, I didn't have the strength and my technique in left hand has not been feeling good for a long time either. 1-2 mm from being closed.

Third attempt right hand
I didn't not include this in the official video because I wanted the video to be shorter and I was confident that the second attempt was good enough. Below is a video of the third attempt I made, where I managed to do a double. This is how the first attempt should have felt like, my warmup routine was not on point. So I need to work on that. I probably should have done a few singles on my lightest #3 before I started with the MM1.

 

Third attempt left hand
Way off. Same as second attempt maybe slightly more off, 2-3 mm.

Afterwards I managed to close the gripper with a 30 mm block set and I did 3 reps MMS with it. I did not like this gripper at all, if it was my own gripper I would have sold it immediately :D It has really smooth knurling and a really awkward feeling with a super easy sweep but it binds up a lot at the final part of the close, which of course became extra hard in left hand. It was easy for me to get one rep with it but hard to do reps with for some reason. It also tore my skin, I have not had any skin tears from grippers in over six months until this :laugh

The only regret I have is that I did not train my left hand more. I know I would have closed the MM1 easily if I did, and frankly I have no idea why I stopped training my left hand like I did 1-2 months before the cert day. I just stopped doing it without thinking about it, maybe I was too focused on training my right hand so I forgot about the left, I don't know. Lesson learned I guess.

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Sunday 13/10/19

Wasn't supposed to train anything but I was bored so I decided to see where I'm at. Closed adjustable Elite at 160+ and decided to move the handles up more, so it should be around 165+ now. So that will be my next goal.

Also tried the blockbuster, I've barely touched it in over a year now and I managed to get a high pull with 34.10 kg and could a get a little bit of air with 36 kg. Which is the same as my best lift when I was training with it over a year ago, I think this was better since it was a high pull.
I'm kind of happy with that since I haven't trained pinch in a long time. Seems like just doing very low weights with the wide pinch block and euro helps. I'm going to switch to plate curls and wrist work now for two weeks, then go back to train light pinch again after that. Will cycle it like this, so I don't do too much so grippers are starting to suffer.

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Monday 14/10/19

Taking a short paus with the pressing as my left shoulder did not agree with my training plan...

KB rows.
Deadlifts with hook grip, these are starting to feel much better, not painful at weights I can pull anymore, which is good.
2" db row 40 kg 3x5.
Inch db - assisted lifts with left hand 3x1 & 3x1 attempts right hand. got some air with the back globe with RH and the assisted lifts with left felt quite good, at least the first two.
Inch trainer - 68 kg 1.8 reps LH & 1 rep RH. I will lower the weight to 66 kg I think.
Sandbag deadlifts with atlas stone technique.
Tricep super set
2H cable pull down/push down - 3x20 need to work very light now because I have problems with my left elbow and I think the triceps is to blame for it.
Bicep super set
2H cable rev close grip/2H cable close grip - 3x10.
Wrist circuit x 3
Plate curl x 3 > 50 mm RH rev wrist curl x 12 > sledge supination x 8 > sledge pronation x 8 > sledge radial deviation x 8 > sledge ulnar deviation x 8.
 

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Tuesday 15/10/19

I made a horn trainer, basically a replica of the LBH. Wasn't going to train but I couldn't resist to try it. Did little more than 66 kg with left hand. Difficult stuff, first time I try it. I've tried the griptopz horne top but that was a very long time ago now. This feels easier but still hard. Hopefully it can help me in my quest to lift the Inch.

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Thursday 17/10/19

Inch db assisted lifts with left hand 3x1. Attempts with right hand 3x1.
Also did some grippers with right hand, I really feel like taking a break from grippers now. I'm not responding at all training them.

Later in the evening...

IM hub up to 30.65 kg with left.
RB 60 mm RH - 61.35 kg right hand & 68.65 kg left hand.
Inch db attempts 3x1 left hand.

I probably won't take a break though, I will just train very hard and get really weak for a few months, then rest and try to get stronger.

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Friday 18/10/19

20 mm block set reps with #1.5: 49, 28, 25, 24, 19, 19, 21, 18 (203), 3 min rest between sets. 

Later...

KB swings
Deadlift with hook-grip, without belt - 3 reps easy weight.
Deadlift with two RT handles - up to around 90% of max.
Sandbag deadlift atlas stone technique - 5 reps (quad killer).
Double stamped #3 156# - 3 solid reps with paus, RH. Tore a big chunk of skin off my pinky, because all the reps on the #1.5 I think.

Wrist, press, arms and back tomorrow. Just didn't feel like doing it today.

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Saturday 19/10/19

Left hand grippers
Vulcan was going to atempt lvl 17 but I set it to lvl 18 by mistake, desperately tried to set it for a long time before I relized :D Then I did one close on Lvl 15 with 20 mm block.

Sunday 20/10/19

LBH Replica - Attempt on 75.75 kg, got it half way up before it slipped out of my hand. Did 70.75 kg easily before that. Good to find something to get newbie gains on, wasn't budging even 70 kg when I first tried it earlier this week.
Inch Trainer 65 kg - 5 reps, then one strict lift and hold for 3 seconds. Felt good and taxing on the flexors.
LBH Replica again - 2 sets of 10 second holds.
All this was done LEFT HAND only.

Lat pull down - 4x8

Biceps, don't remember exactly what I did because I was spending all energy on doing them. It was with 50 mm grip and super set with reverse grip to start with, that I remember.
Triceps, same handle, easier weight.

Some finger curls with dumbbell. I really don't like finger curls but my skin needs to heal before I can use grippers again.

Wrist Circuit - Same thing as 14/10 but with slightly more resistance.

Putting the straight bar on the shelf now. Going to order a Swiss bar or a Log so I can do presses with neutral grip. Will use dumbbells until I found something to work with.

 

 

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Monday 21/10/19

Vulcan Lvl 6 20 mm block set: 5x5 LH & 50, 40, 30 RH (had to quit because the skin was starting to crack open again.

Later...

KB swings and rows.
Deadlift with hook-grip.
DB row - up to 61 kg x 5, felt weak so I stopped there, probably because I did lat pull downs yesterday.
Inch trainer thumbless DL - 3 reps L&R.
3" DB DL - 43.8 kg x 1, 53.8 kg x 1, 60.8 kg x 0, 58.8 kg x 0. Got some air on 60 with left, got the same amount of air later on 58 and also got same amount of air with RH on that weight.
Square rolling handle 45 kg on pin - 2 set of holds LH only. Right wrist felt little bad after DB attempts so skipped this.

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Tuesday 22/10/19

Wrist circuit x 3
Rev Wrist Curl 50 mm grip x 20 > Plate wrist curl x 10 > Sledge supination x 8 > Sledge pronation x 8 > Sledge radial deviation x 10 > Sledge ulnar deviation x 8.
WD2 - 50 reps each side.
LBH replica - 45 kg on pin 3x3 LH & 1x3 RH.

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Thursday 24/10/19

WU grippers: #1: 2x10, #2: 2x5, GBI G5: 1x1.

Grippers RH
Elite spring 165~ 1 mm off.
COC#3 146#: 5, 5, 4.
Vulcan Lvl 7 20 mm block set: 49, 32, 29.

Some light shoulder work.
Deadlift with hook-grip - 3 reps (rpe 5). Deadlifts actually feel quite fun since I started with hook-grip, definitely didn't expect that. I will never go back to any other type of grip that's for sure.
Elite spring 165~ 1 mm off (RH).
Tricep & Biceps in cable machine.
LBH replica - 55 kg on pin - 3x3 LH & 3x1 RH.
Inch trainer 65 kg - 10 reps LH. More than I expected, I could've done a few more but fingers was feeling it so I stopped at 10.
Inch DB assisted lift/negative - 2x1 RH & 1x1 LH.
Inch trainer 65 kg - one strict lift with 3 sec hold LH.
LBH replica - 52.5 kg on pin - 10 sec & 7 sec LH, slightly too much after DB work.

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Friday 25/10/19

Was going to try some choker closes with the #3.5 but I couldn't close it from 20 mm so I changed my mind and did a wide set workout instead, haven't done that in a long time.

Was warming up with two wide set closes with 153# #3, wider than 30 mm, closed it easily both times then I did the rest on video, CCS with 146# and 30 mm block with 153#, #2 rates 98#. Finished the workout with some biceps curls and a wrist circuit, same as 22/10.

 

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Saturday 26/10/19

Rubber band extensions L&R
COC#1.5 88# CCS - 3x5 L&R

GM spring 135~ 17 sets of triples RH

More rubber band extensions L&R

 

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Sunday 27/10/19

Rubber band extensions
Grippers CCS
#1.5 3x5 RH & #2 - 3 reps LH.
#2 - 3 reps RH.

GM spring 135~: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2. (50). Might have done 53, lost count at 9th or 10th set. Was doing the sets in a higher tempo than yesterday and it backfired and I ended up actually spending a few minutes more in total to do all 50 reps. 
More rubber band extensions.

Did 71 kg on the RB 60 mm RH with left hand later in the evening. Not a full lock-out lift but close to it.

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Monday 28/10/19

Rubber band extensions
KB swing - 20 reps
Close grip paused bench - 3 reps
Sandbag squat - 10 reps
Deadlift - a few sets

Everything felt good up to this...

Did grippers and they felt ok as well but I lost interest and wanted to do other stuff so I only did 10 sets today (30 reps total).

With left hand I did some attempts with the LBH replica, tried 80+ kg and got a little hop with it. Also tried to lower the weight to 75+ kg and same result. Did some attempts with 75 kg on the Inch trainer. Really disappointed with how thick bar is going, this is really not my thing. Extremely difficult for me to train it. I'm much stronger at it when I never train it.

Decided to do the rest of the reps.

Did 10 sets more, only got doubles on the last two sets. So 27 reps and a total of 57 reps during the whole day. I would really like to hit 50 reps in one set with the light #2 I have soon, I'm about 10 reps shy of it now. So I will switch and do some high reps for while now, then after that I'm going to do a test with the light #3 and see how many singles I can get with it in 30-40 minutes.

Also did some pinch, good thing I didn't forget about that.
140 mm block 13.5 kg LH 3x3 & 11 kg RH 3x3.
1H Euro (42 mm) 2.5 kg added on thumb side - 3x10 seconds L&R.

Rubber band extensions.

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1 hour ago, Hopefully said:

That sound 

It's the vintage gripper sound. Also called the brown sound :D 

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Tuesday 29/10/19

Morning

Rubber band extensions
Right hand grippers
Vulcan Lvl 6 20 mm block set: 30, 30, 30, 30, 28 (148).
A few CCS closes with #2.

Evening
Bought a set of FatGripz, after 5 years of training grip lol.
65 mm on my dumbbells. Did some rows, 2.5 reps at 56 kg with LH & couldn't lift it with RH.
FatGripz rolling handle DL - 45 kg on pin - 30 reps in 50 sec LH & 25 reps in 50 sec RH.

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Wednesday 30/10/19

Rubber band extensions
IMCOC 20 mm block set RH
88#: 30, 30. 98#: 15, 15. 146#: 0. 98#: 15, 15. 88#: 24, 18, 15, 15. (200).

No more grippers this week, will continue on monday.
 

Fatgripz RHDL - 65 kg on pin - 10 singles left hand.

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Thursday 31/10/19

Shoulder work - various exercises and face pulls with slightly heavier load and lower reps.
Paused close grip bench - 3 reps.
Deadlift - 3 reps.
FG Deadlift, 145 kg to knee height.

Friday 1/11/19

KB swings - 30 reps.
Grippers Left hand
#1.5 x 5
#2 x 3
#3 x 1 (146)
#3 x 0 (156 missed with 1 mm)
For some reason grippers felt very good LH. Very strange since I feel really weak at thick bar right now.

Rolling Thunder Left hand
73 kg x 1 (bad lift, barely got it).

Inch Trainer Left hand
50 kg - 15 reps. (100% level).

1H Euro pinch (42 mm) with 2.5 kg on thumb side - 3x3
1H 140 mm pinch - 3x10 seconds. 13.5 kg LH & 11 kg RH.

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I've gained about 10 kg of strength on the Inch trainer in 3 years. Progress is extremely slow, I haven't trained it as much as I could've done but it's still pretty bad I think. Around 10 kg more and I will be able to lift the Inch db, maybe not my own bell though since it weighs 80 kg. It might take around 6 years or more before I can do it. I'm definitely not talented when it comes to this, quite the opposite and worst of all, I don't think it's fun. I will try to improve my deadlifts, they actually feel quite fun to do now, first time I've ever felt like that.

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Monday 4/11/19

I had to go in to town this morning so I thought I'd go to the gym to save some gas money. Not optimal for me to train early.

WU with shoulder work and some KB swings.
Wide grip bench - 5 reps felt okay strength wise but I tweaked my back on the fifth rep, should have warmed up more, I did a few sets of kettlebell swings but it wasn''t enough. Good thing it wasn't anything serious though.
Deadlifts with hook grip, these felt okay, considering it was early in the day. Did one single then I did 8 speed reps with 60'ish%.
Grippers right hand, used the grippers at the gym - double stamped #3 150'ish: 3, 3, 2. COC#2.5: 4, 3. Hardest #2.5 I've ever tried, 140+.
Some pinching with a 50 mm block they had plus some pinch holds with 5 kg plates and some attempts.
Reverse hyper - up to 5 reps.
Pull ups with pronated grip - 8 reps.
Seal row - 3 sets.
Chest supported row - 3 sets.
Lat pulldown close grip - 3 sets.
Leg raises 2 sets.
Some bicep curls, felt incredibly weak at these.

Grippers felt incredibly hard as well, maybe because I did them directly after deadlifts.

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Thuesday 5/11/19

Grippers Right hand
Up to one attempt with Elite spring 165~, almost closed, less than 1 mm off.
One CCS attempt with COC#3 146#, same as before.
COC#3 146# 20 mm block set - not even 4 reps :( 
COC#2 20 mm block set - 35 reps & 20 reps.

Inch trainer Left hand
58 kg - 15 reps.

LBH Replica Left hand
Up to one attempt at 72.5 kg, got some air with it.

Very tired and without motivation. Not getting enough sleep.

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I've decided to take a break from grip training for a while. Ordered a new barbell and I'm going to focus on deadlifts and bench press and all the accessories for a few months without doing any grip training (it's too time consuming and distracting). I might do some just so I don't completely forget how to do stuff but I will not be logging anything here for a few months.

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Got some type of injury in my upper back for some reason. I have to wait and see if it gets better before I start lifting. Haven't got the barbell yet anyways. Hopefully it starts to feel better when it arrives. Have been feeling bad since Friday now. 

Can't even do everyday stuff properly but I can set grippers, which I think it's a bit strange. Did some grippers and was 1 mm from closing the #3.5 (best effort so far), did that right after hitting a new PR with the Elite spring, managed to close it at 165+ setting. Also did some wide pinch with 3rd and 4th fingers only because I can't even lift light weights without feeling it. So did some holds like that with 5-7 kg.

Was a bit surprised about this because I barely get any sleep and it feels like I'm going to get sick soon. Was expecting to be weak but instead I was stronger than ever. So I will probably train grippers once a week when I start lifting.

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