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Emans Road to the #3 - Starting from Scratch


eman

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Just a brief history on where I am starting at. I started grip training about 10 years ago when I was 30 and purchased a COC Sport, Trainer, and 1.5 at the time. I remember it taking me about 2 months to shut the 1.5 and then another 3-4 to get the 2. I purchased a RB180 and a COC 2.5 and a Tetting GM and progressed over the next couple years to where I could shut the 2.5 but never got around to the GM it felt like a brick (Although Vogt closed it very easily - no surprise there). Then life got busy and the grippers collected dust and I sold everything a few years back.

However I always wanted to get the 3 under my belt so here I am starting over. A few weeks ago I bought a Heavy Grips 150,200, and 250 and started playing around with them again. The 250 is just barely out of reach and my best guess is it is slightly harder than an average 2. The 200 has a very narrow spread and is very easy only a little harder than the 150  and the knurling is overall a bit too smooth in my opinion on the Heavy grips. Also the spread on all 3 grippers vary a lot as much as one handle width from each one.

Today I got 3 of the Grip Genie grippers in the mail the 3,4,&5 . Two of them are rated, the #4 is 113lbs and it has a wider spread than any of the HG and maybe wider than a COC and the 5 is rated at #144.

The knurling is very sharp on the GG and nice and the handle diameter is smaller than a standard gripper (I haven't check with calibers but it just feels smaller?) I could easily shut the #3 it is on par with a CoC 1.5 and the 4 is just out of reach for me at 113lbs - So I would estimate I am somewhere around the 110 mark in grip strength at the moment. My left is considerably stronger than my right hand.

Now I'm 40 years old and have a desk job and do nothing really in terms of working out. So I am working on a play to get back in shape and drop some extra weight. I've got some work to do to add approx. 50 lbs to my hand strength to cert on the #3.

Today I was so close on the GG #4 that I probably tried it 25 times off and on throughout the day and my hands feel like jelly now, so I'll likely rest on Sunday and see how I feel about a workout on Monday.

Good luck to everyone and Stay Safe,

Eman

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- HG250 1,x,x (I've shut this a couple times now but last night was easily the best I could grind the handles)

- GG5 x (10mm short) 113lbs

* both on left hand (right hand has a pulled muscle at the moment)

GG4  - 6 reps

HG200 - 10 reps (narrow spread)

 

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Hi very interested in your blog and see your evolution! 5 months of training for my part with a maximum one day of great form at 116 rgc but rather an average around 110 as you so obviously il will read you carefully!

 
Edited by Maiche 25
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Good luck on your quest for the 3. Ive switched to gripper focus this pastt month and im doing the same. I will close it of it kills me.

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mcalpine I feel the same way - I'm going to close the #3 for sure

My goal is to improve 3-4lbs every month which should have me closing even the harder rgc rated #3 by 10-12 months at the latest.

I'm very close on the left hand on a 113 rgc rated gripper and I currently can't close grippers on my right hand due to soreness but it is not far behind my left.

I'm a lefty naturally which is actually a slight disadvantage on grippers...

I also have a custom grip machine on the way that I plan to use to supplement my gripper work along with weighted pull-ups (by weighted I mean lifting my fat ass above the bar🤣)

 

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Good luck!  I'll be following along.  I'm somewhere around 120-125 RH and 100-105 LH.  My GM is almost 20lbs higher than my 2.5.  It's on par with a weaker #3.  Choker training helped me progress the fastest before.  I'm currently building a base before I start choker training again.

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Adam,

Funny side story about the GM before I sold all my grip gear a couple years ago I had a 2.5 that I could close but the GM was still really hard and I couldn't get near closing it. Johnathon Vogt CoC 3.5 and #4 closer was in the area and stopped by my house and I asked him what he thought about it and he closed it with two fingers and said it was on par with a #3 (geez talk about taking the motivation out of someone!)

I used choker's as well to help me get the 2.5 under my belt, at the time Jordan Reichester ( I think) was doing alot of this and I believe I bought some grippers from him and some IM Tugs as well. Choker work is brutal on the hands though!

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On 8/26/2020 at 1:36 PM, eman said:

mcalpine I feel the same way - I'm going to close the #3 for sure

My goal is to improve 3-4lbs every month which should have me closing even the harder rgc rated #3 by 10-12 months at the latest.

I'm very close on the left hand on a 113 rgc rated gripper and I currently can't close grippers on my right hand due to soreness but it is not far behind my left.

I'm a lefty naturally which is actually a slight disadvantage on grippers...

I also have a custom grip machine on the way that I plan to use to supplement my gripper work along with weighted pull-ups (by weighted I mean lifting my fat ass above the bar🤣)

 

Im the same man. Want improve at that sort of rate. I have a 126lbs coc 2.5 on its way from Cannonpowerworks. I cant wait to try it. 

Thats a cool machine. 

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On 8/15/2020 at 11:18 PM, eman said:

Just a brief history on where I am starting at. I started grip training about 10 years ago when I was 30 and purchased a COC Sport, Trainer, and 1.5 at the time. I remember it taking me about 2 months to shut the 1.5 and then another 3-4 to get the 2. I purchased a RB180 and a COC 2.5 and a Tetting GM and progressed over the next couple years to where I could shut the 2.5 but never got around to the GM it felt like a brick (Although Vogt closed it very easily - no surprise there). Then life got busy and the grippers collected dust and I sold everything a few years back.

However I always wanted to get the 3 under my belt so here I am starting over. A few weeks ago I bought a Heavy Grips 150,200, and 250 and started playing around with them again. The 250 is just barely out of reach and my best guess is it is slightly harder than an average 2. The 200 has a very narrow spread and is very easy only a little harder than the 150  and the knurling is overall a bit too smooth in my opinion on the Heavy grips. Also the spread on all 3 grippers vary a lot as much as one handle width from each one.

Today I got 3 of the Grip Genie grippers in the mail the 3,4,&5 . Two of them are rated, the #4 is 113lbs and it has a wider spread than any of the HG and maybe wider than a COC and the 5 is rated at #144.

The knurling is very sharp on the GG and nice and the handle diameter is smaller than a standard gripper (I haven't check with calibers but it just feels smaller?) I could easily shut the #3 it is on par with a CoC 1.5 and the 4 is just out of reach for me at 113lbs - So I would estimate I am somewhere around the 110 mark in grip strength at the moment. My left is considerably stronger than my right hand.

Now I'm 40 years old and have a desk job and do nothing really in terms of working out. So I am working on a play to get back in shape and drop some extra weight. I've got some work to do to add approx. 50 lbs to my hand strength to cert on the #3.

Today I was so close on the GG #4 that I probably tried it 25 times off and on throughout the day and my hands feel like jelly now, so I'll likely rest on Sunday and see how I feel about a workout on Monday.

Good luck to everyone and Stay Safe,

Eman

Good luck man. I am also working towards closing the #3. I will be following your log to keep my motivated.

Wish I had as many toys as you though🙂

Thanks, Steve

 

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Just a quick update - My HG250 which I think is roughly 110 rgc I can now close with both my Right and Left. I still have some knuckle soreness in the right hand, limits my ability to work grippers as much on the right hand.

My goal gripper the Grip Genie rgc 113 is still just out of reach on my left and right by 5-10mm.

I just got my grip machine on Friday and since I sold all my weights a year ago (I'm improvising for now and have about 60lbs on and it's pretty nice) Mine is a little different than the one in the video above, so I will include pics soon. I have noticed that my forearms get a good pump from using it and my right hand does not hurt when using it, not sure if this is because of hand placement on 1" bars or the lack of overall weight. I would say that the 60lbs of weight feels more like closing a gripper close to a 1.5 coc or 90lbs rgc, which may not make sense but I attribute to the fact that your hand is under constant pressure from the start to the finish on the grip machine.

I'm considering using it for a month exclusively and not touching grippers to see if I make progress on my goal gripper as there seems to be some difference of opinion on whether or not it helps crush strength on grippers or not? Since I don't do any other lifting exercises it seems like a fairly scientific test...if I can resist the urge to hit the grippers as well.

Hope everyone is doing well and making gains!

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  • 1 month later...

Another Update - Can't believe it has been 1 month already but progress is being made

I recently started Cadence Based Training last week and just did 1 workout on week 2. I would highly recommend everyone give it a read and consider trying it out and props to Jedd for his youtube motivation.

The volume really isn't any different than what I was currently doing but the key for me is in the holds. Previously I  would just train to close grippers but I am now focused more on closing the gripper and holding for time and on the last rep really giving it all my effort to smash those handles together. (If you do this right your hands will feel like garbage the next day) I try to really get a pump in my forearms which is not easy to do with grippers alone.

My HG250 RGC 110ish is noticeably easier for me to close with both hands and last night I held it shut for close to 20 seconds.

My GG4 RGC 113 I have gotten closes on both hands but remains a goal of mine to really dominate before I find a harder gripper as a "goal gripper"

My workout has been primarily with one gripper a GG3 (rgc 85 lbs) and last night a HG200 (rgc ? but under 90lbs) and I do 3-4 sets of 5 reps holding the 1st for rebs for 1-2sec  and the last rep for as long as I can >10 sec if possible

I rest approx 3-5min between sets.

I have also mixed in a little bit of speedwork with the GG3 where I just do a single from a wide set and try to close the gripper as fast as possible.

I am also still using the grip machine with 125lbs but only once a week for 20 reps with both hands for a 2 to 3 sets and a few singles for controlled negatives nothing dangerous. I don't believe the hands get as fatiqued with the grip machine but the forearms sure do. (This may be due to the bars being 1" in diameter)

I'm almost 41 years old so I have to really rest for 2-3 days between workouts or my hands just won't recover. I don't know if any of you have experienced this but there are days I can pickup a trainer and just know it isn't going to happen.

The 2.5 is my next goal gripper I will probably purchase something in the 118 rgc range and the low to mid 120's.

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4 hours ago, eman said:

Another Update - Can't believe it has been 1 month already but progress is being made

I recently started Cadence Based Training last week and just did 1 workout on week 2. I would highly recommend everyone give it a read and consider trying it out and props to Jedd for his youtube motivation.

The volume really isn't any different than what I was currently doing but the key for me is in the holds. Previously I  would just train to close grippers but I am now focused more on closing the gripper and holding for time and on the last rep really giving it all my effort to smash those handles together. (If you do this right your hands will feel like garbage the next day) I try to really get a pump in my forearms which is not easy to do with grippers alone.

My HG250 RGC 110ish is noticeably easier for me to close with both hands and last night I held it shut for close to 20 seconds.

My GG4 RGC 113 I have gotten closes on both hands but remains a goal of mine to really dominate before I find a harder gripper as a "goal gripper"

My workout has been primarily with one gripper a GG3 (rgc 85 lbs) and last night a HG200 (rgc ? but under 90lbs) and I do 3-4 sets of 5 reps holding the 1st for rebs for 1-2sec  and the last rep for as long as I can >10 sec if possible

I rest approx 3-5min between sets.

I have also mixed in a little bit of speedwork with the GG3 where I just do a single from a wide set and try to close the gripper as fast as possible.

I am also still using the grip machine with 125lbs but only once a week for 20 reps with both hands for a 2 to 3 sets and a few singles for controlled negatives nothing dangerous. I don't believe the hands get as fatiqued with the grip machine but the forearms sure do. (This may be due to the bars being 1" in diameter)

I'm almost 41 years old so I have to really rest for 2-3 days between workouts or my hands just won't recover. I don't know if any of you have experienced this but there are days I can pickup a trainer and just know it isn't going to happen.

The 2.5 is my next goal gripper I will probably purchase something in the 118 rgc range and the low to mid 120's.

Congrats on making progress. Your going to have your gg4 closed easily when its time to test your max.

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18 minutes ago, Hopefully said:

Yeah I experience that all the time. I can usually feel first thing in the morning by making a light fist if I'll have a good workout later or not. And also sometimes I can feel resistence from an easy gripper during warm up, which shouldn't happen. If I'm in shape I don’t feel anything.

Sometimes I wonder if going purely by cues such as this would be the best thing to do, but when they don't happen for weeks it's hard to determine.. 

I feel the same. I have a set of 3 Strength Shop grippers that are super light, probably like CoC T. Sometimes when I'm warming up, the hardest of the 3 will not feel good at all, almost make myself embarrassed lol. Usually then it will be a rubbish workout. I guess it's the same for any lift, if warmups feel heavy then you are probably not fully rested.

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