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Under the Spotlight - Grip Profile - Adam T. Glass


anwnate

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Today's profile features Adam T. Glass.

 

Pardon a little hero worship today (or is that superhero?).  It is quite a privilege to profile such a unique individual.  We are all unique of course, but Adam seems to be operating on a different plane…all to himself.  I'd like to let that sink in for a moment.

Feats of Grip Strength?  Sure, sure…Adam has a ridiculous resume.  I'll break for a moment and discuss these before getting to what I consider his more important attributes.

Adam pulled 254lbs on the Euro at 2012 US Nats  (training lift 263), DO Axle deadlifted 433 at MMDec, (training lifted 463), and produced a 20mm Gripper close of 195 at MMDec.  A Red Nail Roster and Captain of Crush (#3), he also earned his Mash Monster 4 title.

Adam can do plate curls with variety of 45 plates & 50 standard plates…but it's really his INCH feats that are legendary.  In fact, his INCH lifts were a big part of his invitation to the 2013 Mighty Mitts contest.

The INCH Dumbbell lift is incredibly elite.  Over the years, very few people in the world have ever lifted it…fewer still have managed a double INCH lift.  Glass lifted two Thomas Inch dumbbells WITH 10lbs balanced on top of each dumbbell.  He's farmer walked a pair of INCH dumbbells  48'.  For perspective…I believe that Juha Harju has only walked them 32'.  While some people get a handful of INCH lifts in their lifetime, Adam lifted the INCH 100 times in 20 minutes.  This is mind boggling, but perhaps his most amazing INCH feat is his hand to hand transfers.  Other than Andrew Durniat, I can't find a record of anyone else managing this feat…something that Adam has done countless times.   People like Odd Haugen or strongmen like Brian Shaw or Mike Burke(nearly a double INCH clean), would be good candidates for such a feat.   

Recently Adam has been doing pinch grip muscle ups and pinch grip back levers using a bar he had made with two pinch grip plates.  It's impossible to express how impossible this feat seems.  I've never heard of anyone doing a full body pinch feat remotely as difficult.

While I believe that these stats have value, they are far from what separate "A.T.G." from the average bear.

Adam follows his own path to training…and when I say that, I mean his body's path.  Like some, he sets a goal, masters a discipline and moves on (and with Adam, that list is long).  But the way he goes about it is very different than most.  Years ago, looking for "a better way," Adam learned, employed and then taught Biofeedback Training. Simply put, by releasing control and letting go of rote programs designed for the masses, you allow your body to dictate your training by asking and following it's advice.  BioFeedback will break down your goals into puzzle pieces, then help you put them back together again.  At first hearing…it kind of sounds like wizardry.  Without understanding it, it certainly appears that way.  Without a doubt, Adam is a BioFeedback Wizard.

Before turning the profile over to Adam, I'd like to share my own introduction to BioFeedback.  After the Red Nail/FBBC Shiny, my unbraced bending really stalled.  After of year of ignoring Mike Sharkey (apparently I'm  stubborn), I finally allowed him to demonstrate BioFeedback. 

That first day, he explained "testing," and I immediately had  significant responses…that were REPEATABLE.  That was enough to convince me to invest in the actual program and learn the ins and outs of it. 

One of the first thing that my body "told" me to do was start pulling.  I didn't want to do so…but followed my body.  Months went by where I was not able to do any exercises I "wanted" to do.  Bench tested badly, bending tested badly, fly's tested badly.  See a pattern here?  So…I did an awful lot of  "pulling."  In less than 100 days, my bent over rows went from a single set of 70's…to 8-10 sets of 105's WITH Fatgrips.  It was around this time, my body decided to allow me to start doing pressing motions again (like DB bench or DB Military).  Apparently, with all the bending I had done before, I had developed very real imbalances in my body.  Listening to my body helped me correct these imbalances…and guess what happened?  Yup, I started making continual progress with my bending. 

Over the years, physical training programs have been developed to try and balance everything your body needs.  Some of them are very decent (people can argue which is the best), but none of them will train you as well as your own body can.  There is a trick to it though.  You need to invest some time into learning how read and follow your bodily signals to employ it properly.  At this point…Adam is so in tune with his body, he almost never has to retest to know when to stop an exercise or attack his goal from a different angle.  He IS that wizard…and he knows…without knowing.

Gentlemen (and ladies), I give you Mr. Adam T. Glass…

 

adam profile pic final.jpg

 

7 questions to get to know Adam.

 

1.  What are your stats?  Gripboard Name, Age, Height (inches/meters), Weight (lbs/kgs), R/L dominant hand size (cm/in), Country/City (or region … whatever you are comfortable with), Relationship Status, Kids?, Occupation ("international spy" is acceptable) 

GripBoard Name:  AdamTGlass

Age:   34yo

Height: 6'2" (188 cm)

Weight :  190 lbs (86 kg)

Hand size:  7 7/8"  (20cm)  I am a lefty but in the scope of grip strength I have done better with all competitions primarily right handed.  

Location:  USA/Fort Worth, Texas

Relationship status:  Married  

Children:  No kids.

 

 

2.  Why did you start training grip (and how long is it now)? 

When I was either 16 or 17, I purchased Mastery of Hand Strength and Dinosaur Training.  I've never thought my hands particularly special.  Growing up I didn't have a strong grip or anything like that. What I have done is the result of training.  For some reason I was intrigued by the idea.  Strong hands?  What if I could build strong hands?  I ordered some equipment and managed to put it to used every once and awhile. 

I was in the USAF for 9 years and exited honorably as a technical sergeant (E6) I was 3PO71 Security Forces. 

I would definitely say grip played a benefit to me through all stages of my military career - stronger hands improve marksmanship, apprehension and handcuffing, weapons maintenance (imagine pulling apart 249's all day to inspect) and healthier shoulders.  I was a compound supervisor at a detention center for a year.  There happened many incidents which required immediate physical response. Strong wrists and hands allowed me to overcome combative detainees without having to resort to higher levels of force or weapons. 

I began an intelligent approach towards hand strength in 2006.  I saw video of Dennis Rogers bending a heavy duty crescent wrench.  I thought maybe it was a trick, an amazing and very impressive trick...but what If?  What if this guy really is that strong?  One month later I got my hands on a nail bending set up and was hooked.  A LOT of steel bars were bent and in 2008 I certified on the IronMind Red Nail.  However…I will not return to any of the heavy bending.  I think it's an awesome display of strength but terrible on the body. 

Towards 2009 I was working grip 2-3 times a week along with bending and breaking things.  In the spring of 2010 I was offered opportunity to host for an international grip contest promoted by the one and only David Horne

From there, hosting and participating in strength gatherings and events was a very routine part of my life.  I hosted dozens of contests in Minneapolis and had the great pleasure of visiting Texas, Ohio, and California in grip contests and events. 

 

 

3.  Before you die, what is your ULTIMATE grip goal/goals? 

This ultimate goal question is hard to speak on.  There are things I'm working on that I can see so many increments in improvement who knows how far?  On my bar set up I see single arm pinch grip muscle ups with a weight in the free hand.  I also see snatching the Inch.  I will break the 425 lb mark on the 2" vertical bar.  

More importantly than the grip feats I'll do before I die, I say that I'll be doing grip feats until the day I die. 

 

 

4.  How do you currently structure your overall training/how do you incorporate your grip training? 

My overall training includes much power rack holds and partials, many calisthenics and gymnastics motions, and a fair share of stupid human tricks.  My favorite things to work on are the human flag, muscle ups, single hand lifting, and handstands.  Hand balancing is the most interesting and most humbling challenge of everything included. 

How I train grip - I lift things up and put them down.

How I structure?  I pick 1-3 things and do them for 2-5 minutes until I'm tired then I do something else.  I do not get particularly emotionally involved much in terms of hyping up, it's all just another training session.  Most of the time on grip is working with thick bars, fat handles, v bars, and blocks.  For about 2 years I lifted the inch dumbbell 5-6 days a week. The strength built during that time frame never left.  I haven't spent time working on grippers since checking off the MM4.  I can close a #3 on any particular day but it's not getting my attention to do anything more with it. 

There is no magic amount of reps, sets, days or work or rest.  It's all individual, and the perimeters change.  All of my training features some documentation and records and that is where I receive my coaching.  My body's feedback, along with training log and last month's training video reveals where to work now.

Most of my grip training over the last two years has been on pinch grip calisthenics variations, V bar lifting, and roller handle type implements.  I do a routine amount of hand balancing and bar calisthenics and those are beneficial for the grip and wrist in their own regard. 

Anyone who has lifted with me anywhere at any time knows I aim to make all things as easy as possible.  I train and compete…mentally and physically -  calm and focused. 

 

 

5.  What hobbies (other than grip/bending/lifting) do you enjoy?

Reading is my favorite.  I aim to learn something new every day.  

Monthly I'm involved in networking functions and fellowship.

I spend as of my time with my wife as I can, and our assortment of cats, dogs, & rabbit.

I like Tex/Mex cooking and patios.

I speak with people monthly to assist, motivate, and educate them to get a healthier body and lifestyle. 

I often think on writing.  A question I would ask is…What could share that would be of use to my fellow brother?

 

 

6.  Do you have a personal anecdote, topic or thoughts you'd like to include in your profile?

There are a few things I want to leave here for the benefit of those who may read it someday...

First thing…Learn the basic anatomy of your body.  You will do much better with an enlightened mind to what motions are possible at each joint of the body.  Know what those motions are and how they occur.

Second…Rest time is at least of equal importance to training.  With higher performance, it becomes of greater importance than training.  Understand your body is subject to many stressors and at times your training could be the doing more harm than good.

Third…Keep a method or process to document your training.  How much?  Enough to keep you making progress in whatever you are doing.

Fourth and final…Seek wisdom.  Seek is a verb. 

 

 

7.  Who's Grip profile would you like to see next?

Nate…for the next profile I would request Steve Gardener. 

 

 

Thanks Adam.  Steve has agreed and will be profiled soon.

 

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Nice read! 

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5 hours ago, anwnate said:

More importantly than the grip feats I'll do before I die, I say that I'll be doing grip feats until the day I die.

Simply poetic :)

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Adam always seems to be pushing the physical limits of human strength. Incredibly impressive. I hope he chooses to compete again. He'd be without a doubt one of the favourites to win the King Kong event.

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6 minutes ago, Eric Roussin said:

Adam always seems to be pushing the physical limits of human strength. Incredibly impressive. I hope he chooses to compete again. He'd be without a doubt one of the favourites to win the King Kong event.

Overwhelming Favorite this year- nobody would come close.

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I don't know if I'd go as far to say that no one would come close. It's all about doing well in all four lifts on game day -- which isn't always easy, even for Adam.

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Adam is wise beyond his years. Thanks for doing this.

 

For those who do not know, Adam is a regular guest on Eric Fiorello's podcast.

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Awesome & insightful writeup!  Thanks for sharing Adam..  your hand strength is off the charts sir!   

Great write up Nate- as well my friend!  

Cheers!  

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18 hours ago, terminal said:

Adam is wise beyond his years. Thanks for doing this.

 

For those who do not know, Adam is a regular guest on Eric Fiorello's podcast.

I had no idea.  TY.

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  • 2 years later...
  • 2 years later...

Yet another guy I found out about through this community. I've also found him on youtube where I watch his clips religiously. 

Incredible strength, he's achieved greatness in the strength world for sure 

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