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My griplog 2.0 (A renewed quest for gripstrength)


Geralt

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Geralt and Royz have you ever tried  Kettlebell Arm Bars? Best rehab movement for shoulders i know of!!! 

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@Jörg Keilbach, no I have not and I will definitely look into those, thank you sir. It's getting pretty annoying not being able to build something up without eventually getting pain while I warm up like crazy and try to look after my weak links. 

Today's grippertraining
Warming up several movements. 
Working
1 x 1 Vulcan level 15 (gold spring level 5-5) CCS attempt, very very near; 
1 x 1 Next attempt CCS I got it closed, but just. I really need to get used to the Vulcan again. 
4 x 1 Level 15 wide sets closed. 
2 x 1 Ghp6 CCS close and very thin straphold with 2.5kg (excl. carabiner and loading pin). 
Pinchwork, double 45's pinch and thumbscrews; 
Grabbing hold of a weighted old caravantyre and doing a few walks till grip gave up; 
Wrist rotationwork, all directions. 

I am taking it pretty easy on the overall body workouts to save my energy a bit. Been pretty busy around the house last weeks. My bodyweight is constant, though around 99/100kg (220 lbs)
and I wonder if I am leaving strength on the table, because with my length (1,96mtr - 6.4") I really need that weight on my frame. But I just don't feel like stuffing my face anymore for the sake of weighttraining. Mostly I am not hungry and this prepping this just doesn't work in my work. Plus I don't want to make time for it. I have enough on my hands. So I'll just need to get stronger paws. 

So far it is going slow, but constant, which is better than I have seen last years. Things I did after long resting up, I am doing them now with two times per week training, so my base is rising. 

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Thank you sir, going to read this! @Jörg Keilbach:bow

Today

Again, grippers. Trained as you can read last Saturday pretty heavy attempts but even with one day rest, I planned a testing moment for today. 
Tested both Vulcan level 15 CCS as well as my IM#3 @150lbs from CCS and short warmup, both missed, but both attempts very near. 

So I think it is going better, normally I would have to recover at least a week to get this close lol so I figured if I recover fully for a a few days / one week, I should be able to nail these suckers. For now I want to keep the pressure on, I don't feel pain or have complaints of any kind in my lowerarms and hands, so I keep pushing some more. Friday or Saturday next grippersession. I need to have a few good closes in the bag in training to feel confident, preferably a few closes on the higher side of the #3 spectrum. I don't want to rely on 'good days' or 'amping up'. That's why I did these attempts with very little warming up and in between paperwork. 

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Today's grippertraining didn't go as I expected, just wasn't firing. Had been working in the garden a bit so my body felt awake, but as it turns out, it was not , regarding gripperz.  

Focused on 1.5" blocksets with my 155lbs Ghp7 but had trouble getting it firmly closed, more like touch and go, micro hair in between etc. 
After two attempts that took away the edge already so all my following grippersets (153, 150, 149 and 144lbs) just didn't feel right. Ended with 3 single attempts CCS level 16 with the Vulcan, nowhere near closed ofcourse, but forced closed just to give my hands a beating. 

I am switching to once a week grippertraining from here. 

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On 18-11-2017 at 1:46 PM, Geralt said:

Today's grippertraining didn't go as I expected, just wasn't firing. Had been working in the garden a bit so my body felt awake, but as it turns out, it was not , regarding gripperz.  

Focused on 1.5" blocksets with my 155lbs Ghp7 but had trouble getting it firmly closed, more like touch and go, micro hair in between etc. 
After two attempts that took away the edge already so all my following grippersets (153, 150, 149 and 144lbs) just didn't feel right. Ended with 3 single attempts CCS level 16 with the Vulcan, nowhere near closed ofcourse, but forced closed just to give my hands a beating. 

I am switching to once a week grippertraining from here. 

I suck at grippers as you know. But wouldn't it be better to stick with 2x a week and just lower your working grippers a bit and start a new 'wave'. You were doing very well untill now. I'm affraid you might be falling into the 'always working very near your max' trap again? I tend to change my 'program' also whenever it stops working, but in the long run that hasn't brought me much gains. Sticking with a program and just lower the weights a bit when it stops working is better I think, but mentally tougher... My two cents.

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On 20-11-2017 at 10:06 AM, Royz said:

I suck at grippers as you know. But wouldn't it be better to stick with 2x a week and just lower your working grippers a bit and start a new 'wave'. You were doing very well untill now. I'm affraid you might be falling into the 'always working very near your max' trap again? I tend to change my 'program' also whenever it stops working, but in the long run that hasn't brought me much gains. Sticking with a program and just lower the weights a bit when it stops working is better I think, but mentally tougher... My two cents.

That is certainly no bad insight, Roy. Thank you input is always appreciated. Well, I did a session last wednesday and it was kinda samo. Not going to mention it further haha

Anyway, I am always struggling with this point that I am getting stronger, but then I have to switch to the 'real deal' grippers and that is where I always slip. I think you are right. I will do this week no more grip, and start again next Monday with a new wave, working less in the max range. 

One thing that I really noticed by the way, is that I seemed to make progress again after I had a therapist do a few sessions of good lower arm and hand massage. Seemed like I just wasn't recoverying anymore after gripwork and all of a sudden it did again. Then I stopped the massages because of him having surgery and now I am stalling again. Made an appointment again for this afternoon. 

Thnx Roy. 

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New gripper wave, twice per week. 

Grippers warming up
Vulcan Gold spring lowest setting 1 x 10; 
IM#1 1 x 5; 
IM#2 1 x 3; 
Working
Filed BBGM (137 before filing) true CCS 3 x 1 (1 time closed, other times forced closed )
IM#2.5 2 x 3 reps attempt (So 1st close from CCS, then opening up till 20mm width, blockset and close) forced the second and third rep, this is killing with wide set work. 
Gripmachine: 120kg 1 x 6, 1 x 5, 1 x 3. 
IM#1 TNS 1 x 10 slow opening up. 

Thumbscrews 4 x 10 with TS's mounted on sportsstore gripper. 


 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I got behind in my log, but I am still training grippers, though nothing special to mention now. Had a few busy weeks and got some other stuff to do which took my attention away from training in general a bit. Sometimes that can be good. Cut back to once per week still, I need the recovery now. Same for all over training. 

My working gripper for now is a filed 137lbs BBGM. For now it's a good one, I do true creditcardset attempts with it (as were it not filed) which are pretty tough with this one. It has a good sweep. Going for a double is still a challenge, so I have a good short term goal for now. If I were doing grip twice a week I would not be strong enough to work at my 90% range. 

Reflecting on this year I have done a lot and regarding training, I have no idea if I will get the cert or not. Some things are meant to be, other things are not.  I keep on training as long as I feel good with it. Would be nice to put this behind me and just train to feel good, doing grip whatever I like, but at this point I am not letting it go. 

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Warming up, then working sets.

Filed IM#2 TNS 1 x 3; 
IM#2.5 CCS 1 x 1 straphold (thin slick strap with 2.5kg), hold 5 secs, but felt a bit too heavy, cut back to 1.25kg; 
Filed IM#2 TNS 1 x 3; 
IM#2.5 CCS 1 X 1 Straphold with 1.25kg; 
Filed IM#2 TNS 1 x 3;
IM#2.5 CCS 1 x 1 straphold with only strap and carabiner. 

This evening 'normal' training.  

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20 hours ago, Royz said:

What's the max gripper you can do CCS for a triple with? Mostly see you doing singles I think.

That depends - of course - on how much recovered I am. There's two things in my training with my past experience, that seem to 'bite' each other: 

- training more frequent, let's keep it in a week time frame, gives me more skill in creditcard setting and greasing the groove all along my gripperwork, but decreases my topstrength and training training less frequent, makes me stronger, but makes the CCS feel much more awkward. Plus everything is depending every time on that one good session. When that moment blows, I get a mental kick to my head and get frustrated; 

- Training above singles in let's say triples, doesn't seem to give that much carry over to my max CCS strength, but seems to build a good base, but that's where it stays. Training in singles makes me stronger, but it wears me out much more. 

When I can do a gripper wide sets for more than a single, I don't get the much needed training for the sweep, and focusing on singles with relatively heavier grippers helps me with that, but they are more challenging in the close when not optimal recovered. I was thinking of spacing my workouts a bit more out of each other, but that makes training very unpredictable in terms of when I train, combined with daily life. Having beginning of the week and end of the week I have the most control of my time. 

 

 

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Grippers today, 4 days of rest in between this and last session. 
Didn't feel particularly 'on' or anything, had a rough day yesterday, so perhaps that this was the cause of feeling a bit tired. 
From warming up: 

Vulcan lowest level gold spring TNS 1 x 6; 
FIled IM#1 TNS 1 x 5; 
FIled IM#2 TNS 2 x 3; 
IM#2.5 CCS 1 x 1;
Filed BBGM (137lbs before filing) CCS 3 x 1, tough nut with the BTR. 1 very good attempt, 2 were so so, would have been closed without the filing, but really want those handles to touch. 
IM#2.5 MMS 1 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 3
IM#2 TNS with straphold for time 1 x till failure;
IM#1 TNS with straphold for time 2 x till failure;

Dumbbell levering for wrists. 

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short one today

Trapbar up to 145kg from a deficit 3 x 3; 
Bend over rows with logbar 65kg 3 x 8; 
Pull downs from lat pulley in the squatrack 3 x 10, full stretch; 
Abs leg raises. 
 

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This will be the way for now. Total workout looked like this tonight. I only note the right hand, lefty plays along, with over the line more easy grippers, but it is improving. 

Long jump from stand, 1 x 10 @24kg KB swings, Vulcan lowest level gold spring 1 x 5 MMS;   this cycle x 3 with 2 minutes of rest in between; 

Filed IM#1 1 x 5 MMS; 
Filed IM#2 1 x 3 MMS; 

Working: 3 minutes of rest in between with timer; 

Filed BBGM@137lbs before filing 1 x 1 CCS, got it pretty much closed BTR, which feels like a small hurdle I got. One week rest is what I need, 2x grip per week seems no longer beneficial; 
BBE @162 1 x 1 paused MMS, missed by a hair and I was shocked that it even felt pretty doable! My sweep has improved. Forced closed, held it so and slow release; 
FIled IM#2 1 x 1 TNS with very thin 2.5kg straphold, for 5 secs on overcrush; 
BBE same as mentioned before, now a slightly bigger gap, forced closed etc; 
Filed IM#2 1 x 1 same as above mentioned; 
IM#3 @149 lbs 1 x 1 MMS, closed, but just, strength was starting to go down; 
Filed IM#2 1 x 1, slipped straphold because of technique mess up, tried to do a overcrush still;
Filed IM#1 1 x 1 TNS with same straphold, just got 10 seconds, this takes a good amount of concentration with this very thin strap. Unforgiving. 

Thumbs feel a bit beaten up because of some chores I did in the house, so left it with that. 

1 x 20 24kg KB swings x 4, one minute rest in between. 

 

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Saturday December 23th. 

Pistol squats; 
Bend over rows with Swissbar;
Pull downs from lat pulley with V handle; 
Seated rows;
Bicepcurls with Globegripz;

2x run up and down the street with 10kg vest, and 50kg worth of kettlebells in my hands, These were absolutely killing. 

This year I will keep focusing on gripperwork and I still believe I can cert the #3. I am motivated and train my overall body in such a way that I keep up my strength and mobility, but I am not focusing on big improvement on squat and deadlift or whatsoever. Doing this would cost me grip recovery. My overall training consist a bit more on bodybuilding like work and much less maxing out, if not at all. 

My sister in law suffered a stroke almost two weeks ago and it is the question at this point in how far she will be able to get back to normal life as before, with still two young kids. 
I think it's important to not loose sight on general health so I will need to kick myself under my lazy ass to get some conditioning work in. 

Merry christmas everybody! 
 

Edited by Geralt
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Thanks @Royz. You too!

Today grippers only. After warming up:

deep filed BBGM (137lbs before filing)     : 

3 (sets) x 1 (rep) true CCS, got all closed, but no touching of the handles yet. I figure if I can pull that off, I will have developed much more crushing power; 

Both handles filed IM#2 :

2 x 1  no set close with thin straphold, overcrushing for at least 3 seconds before setting down. It's not about a hold for time but it is very confronting to think that you are overcrushing but in fact, you are not lol ;

IM#2.5 CCS  :

1 x 1 with overcrush, this just felt very easy. Grinded the handles; 

IM#3 (145) MMS  :

1 x 3 reps, missed the fourth by a very small margin. Goal is to get 5 reps with my 149 end of training. I think this is achievable. I notice that even after end of session, this feels more easy because of the BTR work. 

IM#1 (both handles filed) :

1 x 1 straphold 2kg, 18 seconds.

Tomorrow a regular training with pulls, and conditioning. 

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After warming up:

bend over rows with swissbar 4 x 10;
Seated pulldowns 4 x 8; 
Triceps pushdowns 3 x 8; 
Barbellcurls with globe gripz few sets till failure, as strict as possible;
Abs; 
twice running up and down the street with 10kg vest and 50kg worth of kettlebells in my hands. Had them in a very bad hold during the walk and because of the bumping against my leg, my arms were screaming to let go. 

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First training of 2018

I want to make every session count. My overall training is on the backburner, whatever I do, I do that in front of the week so not to hinder my recovery. 
For gripperwork I don't do difficult CNS activation stuff anymore. I am recovered enough or I am not. Swinging, jumping and squatting never did anything for me for gripactivation and I can't bring the squatrack with me when certing. Like I said, either I am strong enough or I am not. My training approach will be based on simple ladder type warming up, just like when the bullet will need to hit the bone. 

Today's session started out disapointing, wanted to try to early in the session my wider sets with the #3´s and messed up a set after which I tried a new attempt too soon. This always gets me so irritated but also lose strength pretty fast, so I stopped for a little while, embraced the suck and went in again for some good learning points which I will input in my training next sessions. 

Warmingup
Vulcan 3-3 Gold spring 2 x 5 TNS (2 minutes in between);
IM#1 2 x 3 TNS (2 minutes in between);
FIled IM#2 2 x 2 TNS;  
IM#2.5 1 x 1 wide set; 

Working
IM#3 (150lbs) 1.5" blockset, did it so wide that the block easily wiggled between the handles and lost some time which messed up the set a bit. Thought I had closed it but there could fit a hair in between. This annoyed me; 
IM#3 (144) 1.5" blockset, again, pretty wide for this block again and I slipped the handle so I had to fight the whole close in and closed/missed it.  At this point I got so angry that I had to count till 10 and take a few deep breaths and concentrate on what I was doing. 

Again, new working set
IM#3 (149lbs) wide set closed; 
IM#2.5 (not rated) CCS close with thin straphold, only carabiner as weight, held for about 8 secs (minimal aim is 3 secs, going for overcrush) 
Vulcan level 16, parallel set, IM#3 gripperhandle in between for silver bullet hold, 3 secs hold (could do longer but it is for sweep work)
IM#2.5 CCS close with thin straphold again, starting to lose strength, 3 secs made; 
Ghp8 (176lbs) parallel set, IM#3 handle hold, 3 secs hold easy.
IM#2 (filed) TNS with straphold, lost count, but made it intense; 
IM4 tried to parallel set for SB hold but this was way to hard. The Ghp8 was too easy. Now suddenly I thought why the heck I was doing this from parallel, since I want to do sweep work for my goal. Stupid. My next session will be the same, but now SB hold from CCS set. 
BBE (162) tried SB hold from CCS but I lost too much strength. 

Off hand felt reasonably good, got a good IM#3 close from parallel. 

Thumbwork with keypinch, pinky and ringfiner, had to figure out good trainingweight; 
Keypinch for thumbs with closed fist, 20kg seems like a good weight. 
Dynamic pinch with thumbscrews on sportsstore gripper, 1 x 10, 1 x 8.
Wristcurls, used a towel with a kettlebell attached to it. Saw this on Instagram, demonstrated by @Raspberry_ape. 


 

Edited by Geralt
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I know it in my bones...this is YOUR YEAR Geralt.  

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Warming up
Lots of Vulcan lighter and medium settings and sets, till slightly above IM#2 level. Several set widths. 

Working (grippers)
BBE 1 x 1 20mm block hold between handles from true CCS closing position, working sweep strength and trying to crush the block; 
IM#2.5 1 x 1 CCS overcrush with thin straphold @ 1 kg, felt a bit too intense to finish the workout with, so fell back to IM2 with both handles filed next sets to truly get an overcrush; 

Repeated this cycle 3 times, 3 minutes rest between all gripper attempts. 
Finished off with IM#1 (filed handles) 2.5kg straphold for time. 

Ass. working (pinch with ringfinger and pinky, the decisionmakers when it comes to creditcardsetcloses)
Several sets with Lucas Raymond mini pinchblock, singles with 12kg (fingerplacement makes a lot of difference in weights used I noticed); 
Repping out 3 x failure with Thumbscrews on 'heavy' sportsstore gripper; 

Ass. working (Wrists)
2 x 10, 1 x 8 one hand wristcurls (flexing) with 12kg kettlebell, hanging from towel with the towel in the hand rolled up till a thick roll, with thumbs underneath to fully target the wrists, fast up, 2 secs down; 
2 x sets till failure radial movement towell pulls with 8kg kettlebell. 

Ended with one short overcrush from TNS with IM#1.

Edited by Geralt
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Experimenting with daily pistol attempts for the legs and see if I can bump up my reps with these ones. So far my legs feel good. 

I also do once a week all over training with Trapbar and intense pulling work, a lot of isolation pulls. I do more frequently pushups from stands I and I notice my shoulderproblems are starting to go away, which would be about time after so long. I feel good by doing this and there is enough I have on my hands apart from training lately, so the approach fits my life style atm. 

Grippers today
After warming up:
IM#3.5 CCS till 20mm closing (silverbullet if you will) and blockhold for at least 3 seconds, thinking about hanging weight on it, more like a sweep training from CCS. Actually these are pretty intense and they make all other grippercloses for full closes very tough; 
IM#2.5 CCS with thin straphold, first 1 kg but like I wrote above, cut back to 0.5kg. The strap is made from 2 slices of IM wraps, a carabiner and a rope for the weightplate. So very thin and slippery. 

Above routine x 3, between every gripper single I take 4 minutes rest. 

Pinchwork with thin pinchblock (one handed)  thumb, pinky and ringfinger. Singles up to 13.5kg in the end. The way how I position the fingers is very important here but I hope to see some carryover in strength for the last two fingers which I need for CCS. 

Wristcurls with 12kg kettlebell, flexing with a rolled up towel. Also other direction work. Forget to do ulnar and radial movement. 

Pushups from stands with 10kg weighted vest. 4 x 10 slow down, fast up. Getting stronger in this movement. 
|
 

Edited by Geralt
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Busy week and weekend, so I skipped an overall training halfway the week to be able to get a decent gripperworkout in on this Fridaynight. 
Kept it pretty short but intense and to the point. Did a pulling session with trapbar etc on Monday. Also doing almost daily pistol work. 

Short warming up;
3 x 1 IM#2.5 true CCS with straphold @ 1,6lbs / 0,75kg; Killing. 
2 x 1 IM#2 both handles filed down, TNS with same straphold. 
IM#1 IM1 both handles filed down, TNS with same straphold for max time. 
Wristtraining with kettlebells, towel looped through the handles, all directions.

Tomorrow I'll do thumbs, easier to do somewhere in between. Skipping the pinchblock for the last two fingers, since this puts too much pressure on my fingerjoints, at least the way i did them. 

Edited by Geralt
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  • 2 weeks later...

Last week I didn't come to logging in, but I did mostly IM2.5 creditcard sets with thin strapholds, which are pretty demanding on the hands for recovery. 
I also did wristroller, wristcurls with a kettlebell and thumbwork. 

In between I try to do my other training a bit more in front of the week so my hands can recover a few days without them touching any iron. 
Training still consists of pistols - which are hard to progress with reps - and pushups in all kinds of variety. I even bought a cool pair of pushuprollers, wich I can also place my feet on to do sliding work from plank position to do ab work. They hit the abs just as hard as the ab wheel in intensity. I also do direct armwork and pulls to compensate for the pushups. 

Had a busy week, had a home improvement done which still needs finishing and busy with work. 

Tonight 'only' 4 x 3 CCS reps with a filed RB240 @135lbs. Did a TNS straphold for time with the respectively IM#2 and #1, that was it. Was a bit tired,  better listen to my body and live to train another day. 

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