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Pinch set-up question


Cannon

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When I watch Flask or 1HP vids, often the best guys do quite a bit of fiddling in hand placement.  Seemingly starting with the thumb and then landing the fingers a certain way. 

@Daniel Fleming @Squeezus @Jedd Johnson @kodyburns @acorn  I didn't tag those guys for any reason except they are strong on the lifts and are active at the board.  I'm interested in anything that anyone has to say :)

When I set up, there is a general feel that I'm going for... but I don't know WHAT I'm doing.  I don't have a plan or a best practice. 

That's the root of my question here.  WHAT are you guys doing? 

Making sure you're behind/ahead of a midline?  Making sure your thumb web lands in a certain spot?  Making sure that your thumb is in the same plane as a certain finger on the other side?  Making sure your thumb/fingers are as deep as possible?  Making sure your thumb/fingers are even?  What? 

I know "everyone is different" and has different hand shapes, etc.  Throw that out.  I'm literally asking what are YOU doing.  What are you making sure is a certain way? 

If you feel like sharing, I would appreciate an education here. 

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I’m placing the thumb where it’s most comfortable and then stretching my hand skin across the front of the Flask to get the skin taut and get as much skin on the implement as possible. 

That would be my guess as to what others are doing, too, but I’m interested to hear what everyone else’s cues and aims are.

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30 minutes ago, Tom Flesher said:

I’m placing the thumb where it’s most comfortable and then stretching my hand skin across the front of the Flask to get the skin taut and get as much skin on the implement as possible. 

That would be my guess as to what others are doing, too, but I’m interested to hear what everyone else’s cues and aims are.

I have a little information on this in my Grip Well and Jedd has a whole DVD devoted to it.

Edited by climber511
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I shoot for specific web positioning, thumb angles and relationship to hand position, preloading skin tension for thumb and fingers and specific palm pinch and fingers positioning. Also amount of hand wrist flexion and twist, elbow position and arm pre-flex. Not to mention frictional aspects of specific chalk application and skin prep. When all the details line up big numbers happen. When they don't the numbers are a bit less big. It's all about the details and testing them until you find the right combinations of factors to get your best numbers. It took me the better part of a decade to get everything dialed in and figured out.

- Aaron

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2 hours ago, climber511 said:

I have a little information on this in my Grip Well and Jedd has a whole DVD devoted to it.

Jedd mentioned his Grip Authority database too which sounds like a wealth of knowledge.  I might have to consider that.

Headed over to your Grip Well segment right now!

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For me it's about getting my thumb in the right position (feels comfortable, not necessarily low or high) then building tension in my palm by putting pinky on first, then one finger at a time.

Once thumb is on, I keep constant tension on it until after the lift. When adjusting fingers, tension comes from my arm pushing thumb towards the flask.

I grab pretty well on center, but if I pull some chalk off it could be either direction a bit, haven't noticed that changing things much.

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I dig the thumb tendon close to the webbing as hard as I can into the implement than stretch my other fingers as far as they go on the other side or the implement.  I try to get a slight wrist flexion because I feel like this allows some of the weight of the implement to "sit" on the tightness/stretched skin of my fingers.  Then during the lift I focus on pushing each segment of my fingers as hard as I can driving the implement back into my thumb while trying to think about having a slight wrist flexion.

Btw this is so nice to see a post about actual training and not some grip drama or some other dumb shit .

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But, but, but... everyone is different! 

 

No, but seriously:

 

It really depends on the implement, but there are a few things that I look to do on every pinch implement, regardless of width, texture, etc. 

Get a good skin stretch: Like most people are saying on the post, it really helps to set the thumb first then stretch your fingers over the implement. For me, I try to emphasize stretching my index and middle finger over it first then deviate my wrist towards my thumb side to get more of my callous line from my ring finger and pinky finger onto the implement.

Wrist flexion: Engage wrist flexion to dig your thumb into the implement as hard as you can. You'll notice on thinner pinch, this will also slightly hyperextend your fingers but allows you to get a lot of extra power out of your finger tips.

Ride the lightning!: This is one thing that works for me on every lift, not just pinch. The second you get a good skin stretch, pull that bihhh up! Not only does waiting too long tire out your hands and wrist, it also puts a damper on the stretch-shortening cycle.

 

Best of luck, Matt! Hope this helps.

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15 hours ago, Cannon said:

Jedd mentioned his Grip Authority database too which sounds like a wealth of knowledge.  I might have to consider that.

Headed over to your Grip Well segment right now!

Also, as someone who has been a member of TGA for a year now, I can't begin to emphasize how big of a difference it had made on all my lifts. I would HIGHLY recommend it!

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