matek's training log

[matek]

8 hours ago, Blacksmith513 said:

Nice, yeah I love snapping even more than bending steel. There is some technique involved thats for sure, if I don't do it for a while I feel off groove. I like the chest crush, although it like to try strictly reverse snapping.. Maybe next thursday, ill try a reverse-reverse snap...  It really feels like a fight sometimes.

It feels strange, but a good workout for sure. Here is a video David Horne using this technique: reverse snap
 

[matek]

Grippers

RH
5x5 Standard Titanium adjustable set to RGC 126 MMS
3x1 U-shaped parallel gripper 30mm set to RGC ~147 with 4-5 sec hold

LH
4x7 CPW x GG4 RGC 115 CCS
1x5 U-shaped parallel gripper 30mm set to RGC ~128
3x1 U-shaped parallel gripper 30mm set to RGC ~147 

 

Edited March 12, 2023 by matek

[Blacksmith513]

11 hours ago, matek said:

It feels strange, but a good workout for sure. Here is a video David Horne using this technique: reverse snap
 

watching it now! How long did it take you to snap those? I did a 60d in like 4:30 on Thursday, but I'm pretty sure i've done them faster. There are guys that can snap nails in very few hit. 

 

edit again... Hes doing that with an 88k nail.... I'll try it on thursday morning if I have time with 60d spiral or G2 but it might literally take a half hour if I can even do it.

 

This is why I love bending, no matter how strong you are there are ways to make easy stuff more challenging if you get creative.  

Edited March 12, 2023 by Blacksmith513

[matek]

1 hour ago, Blacksmith513 said:

watching it now! How long did it take you to snap those? I did a 60d in like 4:30 on Thursday, but I'm pretty sure i've done them faster. There are guys that can snap nails in very few hit. 

Man, I have no idea. The bolt and nail were 5.3-5.4mm (a little over 13/64"), those were fast. The CRS bar was 6mm (~15/64"), took a few mins, maybe 3? But I was also using chest/face pull, not just the reverse-reverse. 
Good luck, I think you will like it. Based on my very-very limited experience: don't use corduras; go with suedes. You do not want any slipping there. Also, because of all the "opening" bend parts, I recommend doing it in wraps touching/almost touching (this is how I tried it as well).

1 hour ago, Blacksmith513 said:

This is why I love bending, no matter how strong you are there are ways to make easy stuff more challenging if you get creative.

Absolutely. The other day I tried to bend one of those nails with one hand unbraced . No luck, but at least it wasn't straight after all those weird attempts. 

[Blacksmith513]

You made me really intrigued.. Just bent snapped 4 60d timer ties and 1 G2 6x1/4..... None where to hard and I didn't go after it aggressively but it was a workout.

 

the 60d timer ties I can almost for lack of better works un-reverse and reverse, only on certain hits if I could find the leverage.  No way would i snap in Ironmind pads. 

It made me respect David Horne even more... I'll keep at it but it takes a lot to snap strictly reverse. 

[matek]

8 hours ago, Blacksmith513 said:

You made me really intrigued.. Just bent snapped 4 60d timer ties and 1 G2 6x1/4..... None where to hard and I didn't go after it aggressively but it was a workout.

 

the 60d timer ties I can almost for lack of better works un-reverse and reverse, only on certain hits if I could find the leverage.  No way would i snap in Ironmind pads. 

It made me respect David Horne even more... I'll keep at it but it takes a lot to snap strictly reverse. 

Nice!
Yes, only reverse makes it much more challenging! 

[matek]

The order was a little bit different, I did the harder stuff (of everything) in the first half of the session. 

DU leather singles
- CRS 5/16" x 6.7" - 1 hit
- CRS 21/64" x 7" - 1 hit
- C45 HEX 7mm x 6.7" - 2 hits
C45 hex is still a killer. 
- DR 5/16" x 7" - 1 hit
- DR 7.8mm x 7" - 2 hits 
Started to get tired, so took a 5-8 mins break. 
- DR 7.7mm x 7" - 1 hit
- DR 7.6mm x 7" - 1 hit
- DR 7.5mm x 7" - 1 hit
- DR 7.4mm x 7" - 2 hits
- DR 7.3mm x 7" - 1 hit
- DR 7.2mm x 7" - 1 hit
- DR 9/32" x 6.5" - 1 hit

Reverse leather singles 
- Stainless 304 HEX 7mm x 7.2" - 2 hits
Probably the hardest stuff I've tried so far reversing. 
- Stainless 304 7mm x 7" - 1 hit
- Annealed 35CroMo 7mm x 6.7" - 2 hits

All are above 40 degrees. 

Wrist Developer 2, suede singles, CROM spring
LH front
- 1x1 Level 13 (3-4)
PR, I'm glad I tried it.
- 1x4 Level 12 (3-3)
- 1x2 Level 12 (3-3)
- 1x6 Level 11 (3-2)
RH front
- 3x10 Level 10 (2-3)
- 1x4 Level 11 (3-2)
Both hand positions
- 1x12 Level 9 (2-2)

 

Edited March 13, 2023 by matek

[Blacksmith513]

11 hours ago, matek said:

Nice!
Yes, only reverse makes it much more challenging! 

I’m going to try and snap a few nails every Sunday.. I might use some 3/16 to build that reverse snap up.

[John Knowlton]

great bends 

[matek]

Masks are finally not mandatory in my gym, so I did some squats before thick bar (it's a great warmup anyway). I didn't squat for months because honestly, doing them in a mask is not very fun. Anyways, my legs and back were completely fine, but my shoulders hurt a lot. A safety bar would be so good... 
Beltless back squat
- 1x5 165kg/363.8lb
- 1x7 155kg/341.7lb
- 1x10 145kg/319.7lb

Beltless double overhand deadlift - Fat Gripz original (blue, 2.25")
- 2x1 130kg/286.6lb
- 2x1 125kg/275.6lb with 3-sec hold
- 1x2 120kg/264.6lb

Beltless double overhand deadlift - Fat Gripz Extreme (orange, 2.75")
- 3x1 100kg/220.5lb
The blue fat gripz was better than last week, but the orange felt off today. Maybe because I destroyed my thumb joint yesterday with the WD2/reverse bending. 
And I'm thinking about switching to thumbless deadlifts with the orange. I have a feeling DOH with this will interfere with my pinch/blob training. 

Beltless double overhand deadlift
- 2x1 182.5kg/402.3lb with 8-sec hold

Edited March 14, 2023 by matek

[John Knowlton]

great work on the Deadlifts

[matek]

21 minutes ago, John Knowlton said:

great work on the Deadlifts

Thanks!

[matek]

80mm pinch block (GoG)
Both hands
- 3x1 28.3kg/62.4lb
- 3x1 29.5kg/65lb
Dropped one with LH, but I'm satisfied with my progress. My pinch definitely improving since I started consistently training it. 

Blobs
RH
- 8x1 KWN50 (50.5lb/22.9kg) slow, assisted lift
LH
- 3x2 KWN40 (41.2lb/18.7kg) lift
- 5x1 KWN40 (41.2lb/18.7kg) lift with a 3-sec hold on top

+
I braced bent an 8mm 12.9 bolt cut down to 6.5" (sub 2")
It was as like expected; relatively easy kink (maybe like a 3/8" x 7" CRS) and a surprisingly tough crush for the diameter (like a 9mm x 6" hex maybe?). 

 

[DevilErik]

2 minutes ago, matek said:

80mm pinch block (GoG)
Both hands
- 3x1 28.3kg/62.4lb
- 3x1 29.5kg/65lb
Dropped one with LH, but I'm satisfied with my progress. My pinch definitely improving since I started consistently training it. 

Blobs
RH
- 8x1 KWN50 (50.5lb/22.9kg) slow, assisted lift
LH
- 3x2 KWN40 (41.2lb/18.7kg) lift
- 5x1 KWN40 (41.2lb/18.7kg) lift with a 3-sec hold on top

+
I braced bent an 8mm 12.9 bolt cut down to 6.5" (sub 2")
It was as like expected; relatively easy kink (maybe like a 3/8" x 7" CRS) and a surprisingly tough crush for the diameter (like a 9mm x 6" hex maybe?). 

 

Awesome session!

[matek]

1 minute ago, DevilErik said:

Awesome session!

Thanks! I'm happy to see some progress with pinching. With this new routine, my hands are basically constantly tired. But I'll take a two days rest in 2-3 weeks and attempt the KWN50 blob (I can actually cert on it with a video submission).

[DevilErik]

10 minutes ago, matek said:

Thanks! I'm happy to see some progress with pinching. With this new routine, my hands are basically constantly tired. But I'll take a two days rest in 2-3 weeks and attempt the KWN50 blob (I can actually cert on it with a video submission).

Being able to cert is awesome!

Your pinch is getting pretty strong!

[John Knowlton]

Great workout

[matek]

2 minutes ago, DevilErik said:

Being able to cert is awesome!

Your pinch is getting pretty strong!

Thanks man. Not there yet, but the tendency is promising. 

1 minute ago, John Knowlton said:

Great workout

Thanks John!

[matek]

Grippers 
RH
- 5x2 Standard Iron RGC 134 MMS, 2-sec hold reps
- 5x1 Standard Adjustable Tungsten set to RGC 175, set practice, 3 sec holds at parallel (or a little bit closer)

LH
- 5x1 CoC #3 unrated 27mm choked, 2-sec hold reps
The last set/rep opened a little bit before the 2 secs passed. 
- 3x3 U-shaped 30mm parallel gripper set to RGC ~128
- 2x2 U-shaped 30mm parallel gripper set to RGC ~128
 

[matek]

OHP
- 4x5 82.5kg/181.9lb
- 1x10 60kg/132.3lb

Weighted neutral grip pullups
- 4x5 36kg/79.4lb
- 1x8 20kg/44.1lb

Weighted dips
- 6x10 20kg/44.1lb
These were a little bit too easy. I will increase the weight next week, but I need to be careful because of my elbows.

Lat pulldown
- 3x8 127kg/280lb

Compound row machine (Nautilus)
- 3x17 110kg/242.5lb

[matek]

Grippers
RH
- 3x1 Standard adjustable Ti, filed handle, set to RGC 135, MMS, 5-sec hold
- 4x2 Standard Fe, RGC 134, MMS, 3-sec rep holds

LH
- 7x1 CoC #3, unrated, 22mm choked, 3-sec hold

+ some extensor band work

 

[John Knowlton]

Nice work,

[Jared P]

9 hours ago, matek said:

Grippers
RH
- 3x1 Standard adjustable Ti, filed handle, set to RGC 135, MMS, 5-sec hold
- 4x2 Standard Fe, RGC 134, MMS, 3-sec rep holds

LH
- 7x1 CoC #3, unrated, 22mm choked, 3-sec hold

+ some extensor band work

 

How well has that washer been working as a choker? Contemplating between that and a hose clamp for converting to choker grippers in the future.

[EmilBB]

1 hour ago, Jared P said:

How well has that washer been working as a choker? Contemplating between that and a hose clamp for converting to choker grippers in the future.

With a hose clamp you can adjust the width very easily, using a washer is more of a fixed width. However a washer gives you more space to fit your hand/fingers, whereas I can't use a hose clamp because then my hand can't fit on the handle properly.

[matek]

6 hours ago, Jared P said:

How well has that washer been working as a choker? Contemplating between that and a hose clamp for converting to choker grippers in the future.

Here is an extensive answer I compiled from my other posts in the forum about using M42 washers + some new info, and a picture. 

The main idea is to get a washer that would be too small to put the spring through with most of your grippers but file notches of different sizes to accommodate different spring diameters. With some grippers, even if I end up using the non-filed part or smaller notch (as it will be closer to 20mm), I still have to use the big notch to put through the spring. It is also essential to file a "bridge" between the notches because the 42mm washer (inner) diameter is just too small for some grippers, even at a closed position. 

Later I modified one more washer to accommodate more grippers, but to be honest, making one for a Standard adjustable is enough (I have four "settings" between 20-30). I have a Standard adjustable Titanium and Tungsten and now I use the washers almost exclusively with these grippers (edit: for my right hand. for my left hand, I still use other grippers, but I don't train my left seriously for grippers, I just do what's the most fun thing that day)

When filing, it is important to remember that a slight difference in the washer makes a huge difference in the distance between handles. Also, because hand filing won't be perfect, I recommend trying out the washer on both sides to get to the desired distance (mines also have 1-3mm differences depending on which side I use). 

Pros:
- Very cheap and very easy to put on (unless you want to choke something that is GHP10-tier)
- If you go through the filing process, kinda "one size fits all"
- Doesn't bother your fingers at all (unlike clamps)
- It will not deform, etc., no safety issues. Mine is made from medium carbon steel. 
- It will not damage the aluminum handles (unlike clamps)
Cons:
- If you don't go through the filing process, it is not very versatile. Btw, for some grippers (like the CoC #3), the washer fits the spring with the original diameter and will be good for parallel choking as it is. 
- It can scratch spring coating. Make sure the filed part is smooth to minimize this. But still, I do not recommend this approach to choke your favorite gripper. In that case, use tape on the aluminum handles + hose clamp. 
- Not very accurate (unlike clamps). It is tedious to aim for exactly 20mm or 30mm, especially on multiple grippers. 
- If the notch is very small, it is unlikely that the gripper will stay at the same notch after releasing a rep (shaking + we usually don't hold the gripper perfectly vertical). This means that sometimes you have to reset it for the next set. 
- Doesn't look as cool as CPW's choker grippers 

One thing to note is that choking to the same width using a hose clamp (at the top of the handles) and a washer (at the spring) is not the same. I would say to get the same "effective range" as with a clamp, the washer needs to be set to +3-4mm wider. This is just how torsion springs work. The higher you choke, the easier the start will be. In this aspect, Cannon's/Aaron Corcorran's solution (CPW choker conversion service) is the best. If the width is the same, that will be the hardest to start among the three solutions - given that your pinky doesn't slip down to the nut, essentially extending the gripper, which would make it easier (it happened with me a few times).

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by matek