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Texturing Surfaces for Friction Lifts


avasatu

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Chalk seems to be hit or miss: its utility depends highly on the temperature, humidity, dew point, and the way you've decided to chalk your surface. Often times, it actually makes the surface slippery or not any better textured than without it. Even water by itself does a better job depending on the environment. The fact that people have secret chalk techniques that aim to produce little bumps and ridges on surfaces is problematic in my eyes. If that's the goal, why aren't we just texturing implements so that they have little bumps and ridges on them?

On the other hand, products like Stickum help far too much and are incredibly difficult to wash off. Does anyone have experience with anything between the two extremes? Is there any kind of tacky cream, spray, etc. that might do a better and more consistent job than chalk? Does anyone have any experience with making surfaces more consistently properly textured? 

Some of the top guys I have talked to have recommended various types of paint, sandblasting, roofing/skate tape, but the former two actually "permanently" modify the surface, while tape is difficult to remove and not easy to train with alongside regular lifts. Whether or not you agree with me, any advice or tips is/are appreciated.

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14 hours ago, avasatu said:

Chalk seems to be hit or miss: its utility depends highly on the temperature, humidity, dew point, and the way you've decided to chalk your surface. Often times, it actually makes the surface slippery or not any better textured than without it. Even water by itself does a better job depending on the environment. The fact that people have secret chalk techniques that aim to produce little bumps and ridges on surfaces is problematic in my eyes. If that's the goal, why aren't we just texturing implements so that they have little bumps and ridges on them?

On the other hand, products like Stickum help far too much and are incredibly difficult to wash off. Does anyone have experience with anything between the two extremes? Is there any kind of tacky cream, spray, etc. that might do a better and more consistent job than chalk? Does anyone have any experience with making surfaces more consistently properly textured? 

Some of the top guys I have talked to have recommended various types of paint, sandblasting, roofing/skate tape, but the former two actually "permanently" modify the surface, while tape is difficult to remove and not easy to train with alongside regular lifts. Whether or not you agree with me, any advice or tips is/are appreciated.

Tacky is not legal in grip sport. Only chalk.

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Why don't we all squeeze dynamos. It takes all the technique out of the equation. I wonder why they don't use dynamos in powerlifting as well :D

Not much of a sport if there's no technique that you have to figure out, train and master.

Besides, nobody is forced to use only one implement in grip sport. If you're a promoter you can choose any type of implement you want. If you think it's better to pinch on a knurled surface, just use that in the competition you're promoting.

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24 minutes ago, Fist of Fury said:

Why don't we all squeeze dynamos. It takes all the technique out of the equation. I wonder why they don't use dynamos in powerlifting as well :D

Not much of a sport if there's no technique that you have to figure out, train and master.

Besides, nobody is forced to use only one implement in grip sport. If you're a promoter you can choose any type of implement you want. If you think it's better to pinch on a knurled surface, just use that in the competition you're promoting.

That’s true...for the most part

Edited by Guest
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 If you don't agree with what I'm saying, you don't have to post. I never said i wanted to use tacky. That's even worse than stickum. I was using the word tacky as an adjective. I want something a little more consistent and textured than chalk. Something that provides a little tack and consistent grit to a surface. I don't care if it's legal or not. 

I also agree we should be using dynos, despite your sarcasm. 

Edited by avasatu
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7 minutes ago, avasatu said:

I knew I could count on this place to quickly devolve a thread. If you don't agree with what I'm saying, don't post. 

You asked about a tacky surface for grip. Tacky is not allowed. You asked. Chalk is the only thing allowed for grip and arm lifting. How that devolves a thread, I do not know SMH.. also, why would you not care if it’s legal or not? Then it’s not part of grip or armlifting nor can it be contested. Don’t ask a question and then complain you get an answer you don’t like. I was not rude to you in any way shape or form. My answer was quite serious.... however.... you may be taking it more seriously than you should.

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I lift in a garage that's only heated when I'm actually out in it so temps are up and down.  So everything develops a surface layer of rust very quickly (days).  So years ago I started using Rustoleum Texture paint on all my training implements.  It solved the rust problem and gives a surface with some but not too much texture that holds chalk easily with no "secret" preparations needed (and a half hours work will easily remove it if you don't like it).  My Axle is bare steel and I keep it totally clean (no chalk build up at all).  My Euro is actually "Chromed" with a light industrial chrome so it doesn't rust.  This is not the super slick surface like the bumper on the older cars but it also does not develop the rusted rough pitted surface that develops on every unfinished metal surface in my garage.  It does suffer from the same issues getting it to hold chalk .  It has not been used in competition at Gripmas but honestly I and my friends lift the same on mine as we do on Jedd's and others actual bare well chalked steel Euro device from David Horne that we do use in my comps.   

There has been a ton of discussion over the years but no totally acceptable solution.  Aluminum doesn't rust but getting it to hold chalk is just as finicky as steel and isn't really practical for Blobs etc..   15 years of playing around with this very issue and the Textured Paint is the best I have found for training purposes. It's easy to get different amounts of friction with some trial and error when applying.  

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1 hour ago, avasatu said:

 If you don't agree with what I'm saying, you don't have to post. I never said i wanted to use tacky. That's even worse than stickum. I was using the word tacky as an adjective. I want something a little more consistent and textured than chalk. Something that provides a little tack and consistent grit to a surface. I don't care if it's legal or not. 

I also agree we should be using dynos, despite your sarcasm. 

This seems to be a common theme on this board lately.

If you can't deal with people having different opinions than you I strongly suggest you don't read on discussion forums.

Yes use dynamometers, that was exactly what I said in my post, use what ever device/implement you want. That's one of the great things with grip sport, there's a whole bunch of different implements to use in competitions.

There's a good reason tacky is not allowed in grip sport and there's also a good reason there's no standardization of surface for pinch. Simply because it would be much less of a challenge and more boring. It would have less relevance to real functional strength, which is a lot of what grip strength is about. It's interesting to see what type of objects people can pick up from the ground, everything doesn't have to be the same all the time you know. As long as you compete on equal terms.

 

 

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Just now, Hopefully said:

Grass, clay, hard court? 

Yes all of which are totally different. Makes it more interesting. Hard Court didn't exist way back in the old days but was added later (easier to maintain).

Having a wide variety of grip implements makes grip sport more interesting if you ask me. One guy might be the best on one pinch block but on another pinch block someone else might be better. Makes it more interesting.

IN MY OPINION! :)

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20 minutes ago, Fist of Fury said:

Yes all of which are totally different. Makes it more interesting. Hard Court didn't exist way back in the old days but was added later (easier to maintain).

Having a wide variety of grip implements makes grip sport more interesting if you ask me. One guy might be the best on one pinch block but on another pinch block someone else might be better. Makes it more interesting.

IN MY OPINION! :)

Public forum... where opinions may be expressed, all may not agree, but all opinions may be respected. Also, they may be taken with grains of salt.

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41 minutes ago, Joseph Sullivan said:

Public forum

To be technical, it is a private forum with limited scope of discusison. The words of Wannagrip himself.

I would disagree about the tacky. If someone wants to use something other than chalk as a training aid and doesn't plan to compete, that's fine. It's GripBoard.com not GripSport.com or ArmLifting.com. We're all here for different goals. :)

Edited by DAVE101
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17 minutes ago, DAVE101 said:

To be technical, it is a private forum with limited scope of discusison. The words of Wannagrip himself.

I would disagree about the tacky. If someone wants to use something other than chalk as a training aid and doesn't plan to compete, that's fine. It's GripBoard.com not GripSport.com or ArmLifting.com. We're all here for different goals. :)

My point is, people put these questions up and get answers they don’t like and complain that the response they get is opposite of what they wanted. Every answer I give is genuine and with zero sarcasm when a question is asked. 

Edited by Guest
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I have tried Tacky (you can't lift nearly as much to my surprise).  I have tried everything I can think of to increase my pinch results.  I think I have perhaps experimented more than anyone I know.  All kinds of different surfaces - stickiness - tons of friction - no friction at all (grease) - if I could imagine it I tried it.  And I learned.  

Edited by climber511
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1 minute ago, climber511 said:

I have tried Tacky (you can't lift nearly as much to my surprise).  I have tried everything I can think of to increase my pinch results.  I think I have perhaps experimented more than anyone I know.  All kinds of different surfaces - stickiness - tons of friction - no friction at all (grease) - if I could imagine it I tried it.  And I learned.  

How much, would you say tacky adds to a lift? Probably would add most to the smaller implements? Say, the stub perhaps? 😉

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Joe - I have never tried tacky on anything except the Euro.  And there I lift less with tacky than without - the tacky wasn't strong enough to not slip - perhaps a very very stiff tacky would give better results?  I "think" (am pretty sure really) tacky would work fine on something like a Blob or stub etc where the weight is lower than the tacky is strong if that makes sense.  I only had one tacky - I know tacky for stones comes in different strengths but  I don't know what strength mine is.  I think tacky would add considerably to lighter weight implements.

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7 hours ago, climber511 said:

 

I have tried Tacky (you can't lift nearly as much to my surprise). 

 

I have never used tacky, but to make a similar comparison; my max on the 2.5” Trilobite is just a couple pounds less than my max on the 2.5” Crusher which is very seasoned. 

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