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Riccardo Magni - Level 1


Bill Piche

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The GripBoard Proudly Certifies:

Riccardo Magni

*************

GripBoard Mash Monster Level 1

This certification is granted by The GripBoard as an independent third party with no ethical or commercial conflict of interest.

The Mash Monster Gripper is one of a limited number supplied and controlled by The GripBoard.

The gripper is closed with one hand under strict and uniformly ethical and authenticated conditions.

This momentous feat was demonstrated on video to assure it will be valid for posterity.

 

 

Official Mash Monster Video

 

Name: Riccardo Magni
Age: 45
Height: 6' 3"
Weight: 234lbs
Date of Feat: May 30, 2020

Witness: My Dogs
How Long Grip Training:  5 years
Current Grip Training Program:  3 days per week of grip and 4 days per week of bodybuilding

Other Training Info: 3 days per week of grip and 4 days per week of bodybuilding
Other Info: High school science teacher and coach
Acknowledgements: Thanks to my family and friends that have supported me during this process. I’m just getting started.

 

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Riccardo Magni, the 117th man in the world to close the Mash Monster Gripper - Level 1

 

 

Could you tell us a little about your background in lifting?

I have been lifting weights for a long time.  I started in high school to help my basketball game.  I had no idea what I was doing but it was better than nothing.  After two years of playing basketball in college, I started doing track and field.  I thought that I would be a high jumper but my coach made me a thrower.  I was terrible at first but I really liked it.  Fast forward two years later and I had gained 100# and was captain of the team and an All-Conference Shotputter.  I then moved to California and was exposed to a bunch of Olympians.  Let’s just say that raised the bar several notches.  I continued to throw and then tried powerlifting, strongman, and Highland Games.  All need lifting to be good, so I have spent a lot of time in the gym.

How did you get into grip training?

I was training for strongman with Odd Haugen.  He quickly noticed that my best event was the Farmer’s Walk and immediately suggested that I begin competing in grip contests.

You are now a GripBoard Mash Monster, what would you recommend to those aspiring to close this gripper?

Buy a bunch of grippers!  There are lots of different methods that work.  Everyone responds differently.  There is no one “right way” to get stronger at grippers.  But in general, it seems like the best people at closing grippers are very strong guys.  There are also probably many people that would be willing to help new lifters achieve their goals.

What does your current grip routine look like?

I am currently training grip 3 days per week.  2 are gripper workouts and one is a thick bar workout.   

How has your grip routine changed since you first started training your grip?

Yes, my routine has changed significantly.  On Jan 1, 2020 I had a heart attack.  On January 7, 2020 I had open heart surgery and 5 artery bypass operation.  I had arteries taken out of my left arm and veins taken out of my left leg, so I actually had 3 operations in total.  My first gripper workout was at the one month mark, February 7.  Tanner Merkle “inspired” me to try to close a gripper.  The result of my little test was a TNS of an IronMind #2 (107#).  This at least gave me hope that I could return to a decent level of strength.  I did not think that I would be closing the MM1 within 4 months of that workout. Since my chest was sawed open, I still can’t really deadlift, but the grippers don’t seem to be causing me any problem.  So I decided to make 2020 the year that I focused on grippers.  It is going really well so far.

There seems to be a significant variation in the frequency of grip workouts among trainees. Have you experimented with workout frequency and its effect on your training?

Of course I have experimented with workout frequency and recovery.  I also coach several people and talk about training with a number of friends.  This is a very important thing for me.  Factors include age, type of work, stress levels, diet, other exercise levels, and sleep.  I also love training.  The key for me is to put my energy into what I need to work on, not necessarily what I want to work on.

What are your favorite grip exercises?

Double overhand axle deadlift and grippers.

What kind of starting routine would you recommend for a trainee new to grip training?

This is very complicated because it would depend on what their goals were and if they had plans to compete.  The whole thing needs to be fun and exciting or else people get frustrated and give up.  It also really depends on what equipment they have and how much time they want to put into the sport.

Who do you most admire in gripdom?

I have a lot of friends all over the world that compete and participate in grip and armlifting.  And I have been blessed to have many people support me after the heart attack.  But the people that have spent the most time helping me are Carl Myerscough, John Machnik, Adam Glass, Odd Haugen, and Tanner Merkle.  These guys are all phenomenal athletes and great human beings as well.

If you were to start over again with your grip training, what would you do differently?

I wouldn’t do anything differently because I have learned from various mistakes that I have made in the past.

What do you believe is the most difficult grip exercise?

This is going to be different for different people.  Big handed people may love Blobs and hate grippers and vice versa.  I find the stub to be very challenging. :(

What are some of your personal bests in grip exercises?

The MM1 is the hardest gripper that I have closed so far, so that is a PR there.  My best Apollon’s Axle DOH DL is 175kg/385#.  My best on Rolling Thunder is 93.5kg/206.1#.  My best on the Silver Bullet is the #4 for 5.35 seconds.

What do you believe is the most common mistake made by new grip trainees?

Probably maxing out too often for Instagram.

What do you consider to be the greatest grip feats of all time?

There are lots of great grip feats.  It is too hard to just name a few...

Do you have any parting advice for readers?

I think that this is a great sport to get involved in.  It can actually turn your life around.  The whole idea of setting goals and working to achieve something is very measurable.  In grippers, the concept is simple.  Squeeze and close.  It certainly isn’t very complicated.  And the gripper is either closed or it isn’t.  I like the feeling of closing a gripper that I couldn’t close the first time.  It is fun and exciting.  I am taking my bad genes (my father and both grandfathers died of heart attacks) and turning a negative into a positive.  I am driven to close more of these grippers this year.  Tune in to see what happens!

 

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