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My griplog 2.0 (A renewed quest for gripstrength)


Geralt

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Happy birthday Geralt! Hope for a strong decade ahead of you!

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Happy birthday buddy! 🎉🎈🎂🎊🎁 

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Thanks for the BD wishes brothers! I am still working hard on my goal and I (hope not of course) or will die trying. 

You know, trainingwise, turning 40 doesn't say that much to me. I think that the older one gets, the more experienced one becomes with what works and what not. 
I am focused on how I train and what I train, and just cannot force results to happen. I put in the work where I feel it is nessecary and when I look back I just hope to have not made a fool of myself trying to chase a goal that wasn't realistic. I see guys at the moment certing the #3 like it's nothing and then I pick up a sturdy #3 from my board on the wall and it feels like a freakin #4 in the CCS. I just mean that creditcardsetting a #3 (above 150) at certing time, at will, will probably be for me the pinnacle of my gripstrength, regarding grippers in that set. I can only hope that the certing gods are favourable and lend me a doable #3 when the time comes. There is a difference of day and night in closing an easy #3 and a hard #3. But that's how that cert works. 

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The usual 'a peak is surrounded by two valleys' theme. I looked into nerve flossing the other day. Stretching the medial nerves that origin from the upper back all back to the middle and pointingfinger. That did give me stretch, perhaps this can be something, because they describe this as being directly related to gripstrength and handmobility. Going to do that for recovery and warming up. 

Took my time warming up with kettlebell swings and forementioned stretching. 
During training I noticed I have done enough lately for RT and thumbs, they are nowhere where I can be so I took it easy after grippers. Basically means taking a shower after grippers and going to a birthday later on of my 84 year old uncle and shoveling loads of pastry inside. 

Grippers (everything noted)
Vulcan several wide sets and reps with orange spring, very easy. Slow concentrics; 
Filed IM#1 3 x 3 MMS; 
Filed IM#2 1 x 5 MMS; 
Filed RB240 1 x 2 MMS; 
Filed IM#3 (142) 1 x 1 MMS; 
IM#3 (150) 1 x 1 MMS; 

Working,  paused MMS attempts and strapholds with 3 minutes in between, cycle x 3. 

BB Elite paused set 1 x 1 true MMS, missed by a few mm, round 2 about the same (both forced closed) and last round Ghp7 (155) MMS closed (but just)
Filed IM#2 2kg/4.4 lbs  strapholds (the in other posts mentioned thin and slick cordura fabric) 8 secs, 6 secs, 5 secs. This is squeezing at it's finest for me. Very intense. 

Tried my 25kg Blob a few times and I swear I heard it saying 'haha' a few times. My thumb strength is down the drain at the moment. 
 

 

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Some thickbarwork today, needed a mental revenge for yesterday, didn't feel very strong then so wanted to finish the workout where I left yesterday.

thickbar deadlifts, wasn't feeling great also, this weekend wasn't meant to be. It happens. Ended with 140kg timed hold and finished with shoulderpresses, bench and some bicepwork. Going to take a restweek. Been hitting it pretty consistent now since I came back from vacation. 

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So I took the week off from further stuff, basically one training haha shows how mental this stuff is. Anyway. Short grippersession today. 

Warmingup
Filed IM#1 CCS  1 x 8; 
Filed (both handles) IM#2 TNS 1 x 5, 1 x 3; 

Working
BBE paused MMS attempts (162) 3 x 1 all missed, but very close. The IM#3 is easy for me at any level, so I need to get that MMS strength up so that I can close a light Elite on an off day, just like I can do that now with practically any #3 MMS on any given moment. 
Filed (both handles) IM#2, 3 x 1 CCS strapholds with 5kg/11lbs

Ended with 1 x 14 MMS Ghp6 reps. 

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Ok so what have I been doing lately. 

My overall training is more based on upper body lately. My foodintake is my biggest downfall, but I have rest with this, that I just don't have time or will to start stuffing my face everyday to get bigger. When I feel hungry I eat, and when possible, I try to eat before that point, and what I eat I see as 'healthy'. 

Because of the upper body work, I luckily still see improvement in posture around my shoulderarea. My shoulders are definitely a weak spot. Seen a PT last week and although I am quite flexible, there was some stiff tissue that needs to be addressed to. He is also going to massage my lower arms and my hands next time, he noticed quite the difference in muscle tissue between left and right, right being more dense which is also my strongest griphand. I need to address that also. 

Legs, been pretty much skipping that. I need to get back with that, although I can honestly say I don't like doing legwork. I have never seen carryover to anything by it and quite frankly I don't think the backsquat is an exercise that does me any good for getting stronger with grip. That said, I am going to bring it in, but with much lower weight and more reps, besides doing pistols again. My legs are the most unthankful parts of my body to train. 

Grip

IM#3 certification is - as always - still on my list. But it will be a maximum effort and will never become easy for me, specially when I get a hard #3, which I will probably get. I made comfort with that thought too. It is how it will be. If it's a less tough one, good for me. But when I cert it, I don't want to get handed out the easy way out, so my biggest goal for now, is to CCS my 153 lbs #3. It is a very stout gripper which feels harder than it's rating throughout the sweep. @Joefrey felt it two years ago and he noticed that too. 

After SJ4 I kept on working grippers with RT for a few weeks but it is always one of the two that stays stagnant when training several implements, so it is grippers only again for me, with a little side step here and there when I feel good, main focus on the thumbs because that will aid gripperwork. 

As far as setup, I am figuring out the method @MurrayStrongnan is using, though tempered down in both volume and grippers. Basically twice or three times a week grippers, using strapholds, assisted heavy closes/negatives and repwork on the other days, one volume and one speed. I tried the 3 times week approach and I think that is too much for recovery for me, so I tend to go to 2 times a week. 

Yesterday after my gripperwork, I took my 153 #3 and attempted a wide set and was amazed with how more 'easy' the wider set felt, though I could not close it anymore. But that's not strange after Elite attempts and straphold work for a few rounds. So I think I am in the right path, but I just need to fine tune this. 

In a few weeks I have planned a week off from work and I will be redoing my garage, painting the walls and stairs etc and making a much more visual attractive place to spend my time during training. It's things like that, that help me stay motivated. 

 

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Last Saturday:
Started with squats again since many months, just began with sitting down and standing up without using hands, I am practising this constantly, in order to get my mobility up. 
Followed by pistols and a few sets of backsquats, up till 100kg 3 x 2, which felt good. 

After that, shoulder work with kettlebells and benchpress. 

Last Monday:
Grippers after warming up: 3 x 10 TNS IM#2 with both handles filed; 
Deadlifts, Standing barbellrows, seated rows and shoulderpulls, plus bicepwork. 

Today
Squats, 5 sets of 10, working up to last set 1 x 10 @ 80kg. Every rep is 1 sec. paused and ATG. 
Small benching afterwards 5 x 3 with swiss bar. 

 

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Bringing back the squats! Good luck keeping at it - for me squats are the one exercise I don't want to miss a week cuz my legs are always murdered with fatigue when I resume - training squats has definitely increased my mobility in the long term too - also how else are you supposed to poop in the woods?? 

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18 hours ago, Anton.Torrella said:

Bringing back the squats! Good luck keeping at it - for me squats are the one exercise I don't want to miss a week cuz my legs are always murdered with fatigue when I resume - training squats has definitely increased my mobility in the long term too - also how else are you supposed to poop in the woods?? 

It is exactly that brother. Been to the woods a few times now and all visits I crapped my pants. So this needs to change. 

Grippers

(warming up, ended with IM#3 149lbs very easy/swift MMS close).
Working
BBE (162) parallel, 1 x 1 closed, 1 x 1 slight miss,  1 x 1 deep set with hold. 

Ended with 1 x 2 CCS straphold with 2.5kg IM#2, both handles filed. 

All in all, despite having done other training this week and the grippersession beginning of the week, my hands seem to be adapting to my new regimen. This looks good, but it ain't over till the fat lady sings. If basestrength is rising, we have a happy Geralt. For now this felt satisfying to see some result from training and figuring stuff out. Next TNS workout next Monday. 

 

Edited by Geralt
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? I made Instagram links and now the're gone. Strange. 

Today
Grippers IM#2 filed both handles 3 sets AMRAP. 1 x 12, 2 x 10 (all no set). I need to slow down my pace between the reps, will get me a bit further. Short term I want to hit 15 reps No set, at the first set. 
So far still glad with this, seeing as that I do both sessions beginning and ending of the week, not fully recovered, but still progress, that means my gripperbase seems to be growing. 

All over training later today:
Practising sitting down and standing up without leaning or whatever, switching legs and stance, followed by one rep pistols both legs. That's one set x 10.
Squats, working up to 3 x 5 @90kg. 
Chinups, explosive deadhang 3 x 5 @BW; 
Bent over rows, 75kg 3 x 3; 
Kettlebell rows and barbellcurls both straight bar and EZ. 
Abs legraises. 
 

 

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Training October 4th sucked. No energy, yawning throughout the session, couldn't get fired up, shoulder hurt. So quit. 

October 6th (Yesterday)

Felt a cold coming up, by the time I wanted to train grippers, I felt reasonably but my nose started running like I never experienced before. Made it practically impossible to even walk around without getting everything covered with fluid. 

Warming up closed 150 lbs #3 pretty easy, so mostly a good sign for the main workout. I said 'mostly', since it wasn't earth shattering, but also not complete disaster. Punched the clock I guess. 
BBE 1 x closed, 1 x very near, 1 x very near,
IM#3.5 tried deep set, missed by a small bit, forced closed.
Choked 3.5, also miss, lost too much energy. By that time my head felt foggy so did some wrist movements with dumbbell loaded on one side and quit.

Next week I'll try one more week of overall training, week after that some painting to be done so I take that as a rest week for training.  

 

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Mondaymorning grippers during my coffeebreak. My hands feel good with 2 times grippers per week, though I notice more getting sore hands with other daily activities, so that means they need to adjust to the workcapacity. I felt good with the IM#2 sets today, though I feel my lowerarms get pumped faster. All in all progress in the baseline. It's a process of having the longest breath, I promise. I also keep the grippers purely as a grippersession, so no squats and stuff before or while doing grippers. I'm not going to carry a squatrack to the eventual cert, so unless I feel not activated I will do some stuff for priming. My hands need to be gripperstrong without all the abracadabra. Made it much to complicated. 

IM#2  filed both handles, no set.
1 x 16, short term goal met (15), now up till 20, before switching to no set 2.5. My guess is that when I reach that point, it will be tough to stay at 2 x per week. But we'll see. 
2 x 10. 

Lefty is a bit behind, specially hard to get 10 reps second and third set. I really need to up that hand in strength. 

Tonight Trapbar and some pulling exercises. 

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Last Wednesday tried shoulderwork but my left shoulder is giving me problems. Didn't write down what I did further. 

Last Friday morning grippersession on the go, did two 142lbs IM#3 (lightly filed) CCS's which felt pretty good. Slowly going back to the 144 and then 149 and 150 (the RGC steps I have) 
After that BBE mms attempts, missed them slightly but CCS takes away my strength pretty quick. 

Now a week off from training (and work), started redoing my garage where my workout space also is situated. Painting etc this week and some fun things to do with the family. 
If I feel good tomorrow I will try starting the TNS training with the 2.5, otherwise I keep rest till somewhere next week. 

Have seen a good massage therapist for my lowerarms and he was amazed with how tight and thick everything felt in my arms and hands, so it could possibly be that there has been tissue adhesions building up that are holding me back in strength.  He was surprised I didn't get much more inflammation problems throughout the years than I had. 

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Still busy with the paintjob although I am almost finished. It looks great, looking forward to working out in my 'new' space. 

During painting, some TNS work, up to  my Ghp6 @ 125lbs. Really need to figure out handplacement and need to make it more convenient. No set training is one thing, but when the sweep is starting to get tough, I really need that thumbpad to keep the dogleg in space so there's some work that needs to be done. For now my short term goal is 5 reps no set with this Ghp6 which has a good working sweep. Normally I should have less problems with the no set of this gripper but with only two days rest in between after Friday this still was ok. Need to adjust to the new resistance. 

After warming up:
Ghp6 No set 3 x 1, all closed; 
Vulcan level 15 (Gold spring, 5-5) CCS almost closed (no set got the best of me)
Vulcan level 14 CCS 2 x 1.

 

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Grippers only today, easing back to all over training next week. Did a lot of other stuff this week so had to save my energy. 

Did the closing work for the no sets while sitting down on the ground, with my closing hand on the bench. Taking momentum out of the equation. 
Focus on the sweep today. 
Warming up with Vulcan orange spring

IM#1 (filed) TNS 1 x 10; 
IM#2 (filed) TNS 2 x 4; 
Ghp6 (125lbs) No set 1 x 1, the 'harder' grippers feel pretty awkward, but I need to get used to that. Short term goal is 1 x 5 no set, which will be done soon. Just need to figure out the right training interval now, since two days to the next session will be a bit too soon from here. 
Vulcan 2 x 1 level 15 (5-5 Gold spring) CCS, first one closed, second one perhaps closed for a sec, but bumped it closed against the squatstand just to be sure, I only want to feel closes; 
IM#3 (150lbs) 1 x 1 wider set closed, sweep felt almost easy;
IM#3 (149lbs) 1 x 1 20mm blockset, almost got the second rep, but missed it, as shown on video. 

Ended with thumbwork and some pulling work. I just keep plowing...just keep plowing...

Video of the most stuff I did

https://youtu.be/yB2G7HbsT6E
 

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Today lighter gripperwork. 

After warming up: 

CCS 2 x 1 filed Beefbuilder Grandmaster (137lbs before filing), short term goal no setting this one, it has a pretty sturdy sweep and when you set it with the wrong technique, because of the filing it will be a big miss for sure. So good training for btr no set training. 
3 x 1 IM#2.5 (lightly filed) no set
2 x 2 IM#2.5 CCS; 
IM#2 (filed both handles) true Table no set 20 reps. 

Thumbwork with thumbscrews. 

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Little bit unconcentrated this session, tomorrow the kids both have competitions and today is also quite full. When I am rushed in my head it doesn't work, but thats training with work and family life. Short grippers only. 

Vulcan orange spring several sets speedwork; 
IM#1 1 x 8 TNS; 
IM#2 1 x 3 TNS; 
Silarukov 120kg 1 x 1 TNS; 
Silarukov 130kg 1 x 1 TNS, seemed closed but doubtfull so not sure. 
Silarukov 130kg 2 x 1 with slightly set, one closed, other one again doubtful. I really never tried this gripper in a training since all that time that I have it, but I am surprised how tough of a gripper this was. Now I wasn't on my best, but these grippers certainly aren't give aways in terms of closing. I posted a topic in the general section to see if anyone has done RGC for these grippers. Very different feel compared to other grippers. 

IM#3 149lbs wide set, again doubtful close, lost too much strength. 
RB240 135lbs (filed) 1 x 2 CCS closed. last rep also tough. 

Ended with 3 x 10 thumbscrews and a few loaded wheelturns (added weight to an old tyre). 

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Last Friday afternoon (27th)  I had some time at my side unexpectedly so I ran into the garage to finish up my gripwork, although I had no big expectations since grippers were so so. 

Turned out pretty fine, got a pretty comfortable 170kg / 374lbs trapbar with Fatgripz Extreme. 
After this some direct arm work and pinch work, tried some double 45's pinch lifts both hands. Lefty missed, right got up. I don't have smooth plates but it still is a challenge. 

Today (30th)
Wasn't expecting miracles today since I had a little bit or soreness because of Friday's open hand lifts. Still wanted to do speedwork with grippers. 
Also turned out pretty nice, seems my hands have adapted a little to the imposed demands. After warming up for grippers and wrists: 

Wide set BBGM (deep filed, 137rgc before filing) 2 x 1 closed; 
IM#3 (149lbs) wide set speed close 2 x 1 closed; 
Vulcan level 15 Gold spring (5-5) wide set 1 x 1 closed. 

Will do some assisting work later in the day if I manage, busy week. 

 

 

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Got behind in logging. My overall body training has no consistency at the moment, but my gripworkouts stay and they have priority.

Last Friday I started incorporating CCS work with the Vulcan at level 15. 
I remember the RGC rating Matti Heiskanen once made for the Gold spring and his came out at setting 5-5 at 143 lbs. So the end is a weaker #3 but this resistance is throughout the whole sweep. So here I can build some sweep strength without killing my end crush that much, but it makes the CCS feel completely different. Missed all attempts, but with a very slight margin. 
The step to level 16 is a whole new world. I can CCS the level 15 when fully recovered, but short term goal is to do this with two gripperworkouts per week. 

Also managed a few good double 45's lifts both hands. 

Today
Basically same, a few level 15 CCS attempts, all 5 very close, closer than last time;
Plate curls for wrists; 
Again double 45's pinch lifts; 
Pistolsquats, topped off with Anderson squats experimenting with the 'right' starting height; 
Ab wheel rollouts from the knees. 

Also need to mention that my left shoulder hurts and this happens everytime despite doing rehab work etc. I hate it. Wanna trade? 

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Welcome to the f*cked up shoulder club Geralt. Mine have been hurting since februari? Haven't been able to get rid of it yet, despite rehab, therapist etc.

Wanna see you close that level 15 ccs!

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