matek's training log

[matek]

Shoulders are still a little bit sore, but DU/Reverse bending day. 
The order was a little bit different. 

DU bending - leather singles 
- CRS 7mm x 7"
- CRS 8mm x 7"
- CRS 21/64" x 7"
I clearly got it to 40+ degrees in one hit, so I didn't bother bending it further (this was already after the 5/16" hex). 

DU bending - leather doubles
- CRS HEX 8mm x 7" - hard batch
It's been months since I tried 5/16" hex because of my left wrist. This batch is definitely harder than the official hexabastard I DU bent (or the other 8mm hex bars I was able to bend so far). It took about 4 mins because of the breaks, this was quite a fight. Wrist is ok, the bar is not: 48 degrees. 
- 15 min ISOs (with some impossible bar)
This was the last thing I did today. It absolutely destroyed me, no power left after this. 

Reverse bending - leather singles
- CRS 7mm x 7"
- CRS 8mm x 7"
My first 5/16" cold rolled steel reverse! After last week's 7mm hex stainless, I had the feeling I could do this. Very off center, but 51 degrees within a minute, so ok. 
- CRS RECT 6mm x 9mm x 7" 
- CRS SQUARE 1/4" x 7"
- Stainless 304 7mm x 7"

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by matek

[Blacksmith513]

nice bending

[matek]

14 minutes ago, Blacksmith513 said:

nice bending

Thanks Joe!

[John Knowlton]

KILLER BENDS

[matek]

6 minutes ago, John Knowlton said:

KILLER BENDS

Thanks John!

[Stephen Ruby]

Huge bends! 

 

Arms looking ridiculous also. Do you do any specific forearm work or is the gains mainly from grip/bending? 

[Jared P]

17 hours ago, matek said:

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).

 

Thank you for the extremely detailed and informative answer! That gives me everything I needed to know about the choker options. Sounds like the CPW choker service is the best option, but also the most expensive, and isn't transferable between grippers. Next best sounds like the hose clamp, but it can get in the way of the fingers. Washer is the final option, the most finicky and inexact, but does allow full freedom of the fingers on the handles.

[Jared P]

Ever considered, in addition to smoothing out the edges with a file or something, covering the inside rim of the washer with something like duct tape or electrical tape that is softer than the metal, to avoid it scratching up the springs? Just something that came to mind.

[matek]

7 hours ago, Stephen Ruby said:

Huge bends! 

 

Arms looking ridiculous also. Do you do any specific forearm work or is the gains mainly from grip/bending? 

Thanks!
Looking forward to doing the 5/16" reverse again next week. And hopefully, I'll be less sore, so I can do more DU bends. 

I think it looks big from the sides mainly because my brachioradialis gains from neutral grip weighted pullups. But I'm trying to do some forearm/wrist recovery work (high-volume wrist curls, twist yo wrist, etc.) every week or so. 

[matek]

6 hours ago, Jared P said:

Thank you for the extremely detailed and informative answer! That gives me everything I needed to know about the choker options. Sounds like the CPW choker service is the best option, but also the most expensive, and isn't transferable between grippers. Next best sounds like the hose clamp, but it can get in the way of the fingers. Washer is the final option, the most finicky and inexact, but does allow full freedom of the fingers on the handles.

Yes, it's really up to your priorities. If you want to progress on one specific gripper/rating  slowly increasing the gap, then CPW's choker conversion service is the best for sure. Let's say you want to cert on the GHP #8, then getting a hard #8 with CPW's choker is a great way to progress (in my opinion, anyway). Btw, CPW's choker permanently modifies the gripper, but this does not mean it will be permanently choked. You can remove the choker easily; this is how I have used my Standard Fe for a while now. 
If you want a cheap option to choke any gripper and plan to leave it choked for a while, clamp is probably the best option. It can be troublesome to put it on, but once it's on, you don't have to worry about it for a while. 
If you want to choke multiple grippers but also use them unchoked, filing a washer is the best choice because of the easy swap. Also, using a clamp doesn't make much sense for adjustable torsion spring grippers (Standard, Silvis). 

3 hours ago, Jared P said:

Ever considered, in addition to smoothing out the edges with a file or something, covering the inside rim of the washer with something like duct tape or electrical tape that is softer than the metal, to avoid it scratching up the springs? Just something that came to mind.

Taping the washer is a good idea! I will give it a try, although the notch angles can be sharp, so I'm not sure how well the tape will stay. Also, if you do this yourself, keep in mind that this modifies the diameter.

[Jared P]

I just came across this video, in which this person had the interesting idea of using a carabiner as a choker.
 

Makes me think there are potentially more options which haven't yet been considered for a choking device.

[matek]

47 minutes ago, Jared P said:

I just came across this video, in which this person had the interesting idea of using a carabiner as a choker.
 

Makes me think there are potentially more options which haven't yet been considered for a choking device.

Using a carabiner is fairly common here for some reason. Getting the right size is the main issue. Sometimes I see these modified carabiners on local auction sites with pictures proving that it's good for a #2.5 or #3.
Btw I tried it once, but the carabiner I used was too big.

Edited March 21, 2023 by matek

[matek]

Beltless double overhand deadlifts - Fat Gripz original (blue, 2.25")
- 1x2 120kg/264.6lb
- 1x1 125kg/275.6lbs with 5 sec hold
- 1x1 127.5kg/281.1lbs with 5 sec hold
- 2x1 130kg/286.6lbs with 2 sec hold

Beltless thumbless deadlifts - Fat Gripz Extreme (orange, 2.75")
- 2x1 100kg/220.5lbs
- 1x1 102.5kg/226lbs
- 1x10 80kg/176.4lb

Beltless double overhand deadlift
- 1x1 190kg/418.9lbs
- 1x3 170kg/374.8lbs
- 1x5 140kg/308.6lbs

[John Knowlton]

killer deadlift

nice work, deadlifts are the best!

[Jared P]

22 hours ago, matek said:

Using a carabiner is fairly common here for some reason. Getting the right size is the main issue. Sometimes I see these modified carabiners on local auction sites with pictures proving that it's good for a #2.5 or #3.
Btw I tried it once, but the carabiner I used was too big.

Do you happen to know what kinds of tape/padding might be the best options beneath a hose clamp, to protect the knurling?

[matek]

3 hours ago, Jared P said:

Do you happen to know what kinds of tape/padding might be the best options beneath a hose clamp, to protect the knurling?

Just thicker duct tape (attached an older picture of mine). But a thicker medical tape like Leukoplast might be better because duct tape can be slippery. Btw if you tape the top of the clamp as well like me, it can't pinch your skin and stays in place. 

[matek]

60mm pinch block (GoG)
RH:
- 1x1 37.2kg/82lbs
Over 80lbs yaay!
LH:
- 1x1 34.7kg/76.5lbs
Both hands:
- 1x3 27.9kg/61.5lbs
- 1x1 33.4kg/73.6lbs
- 2x1 34.7kg/76.5lbs
- 2x1 35.9kg/79.1lbs
Failed one with LH. 

Blobs
RH:
- 10x1 KWN50 (50.5lb/22.9kg) slow, assisted lift
LH:
- 2x2 KWN40 (41.2lb/18.7kg) lift
- 8x1 KWN40 (41.2lb/18.7kg) lift with 5-sec hold

+did 5x12 pronation curls with this new wrist tool between the blob sets
What a great tool. It's waay harder on the wrist than just using a belt. With my right, it felt super good, but my left wrist didn't like it too much. 

 

[John Knowlton]

supper cool. did you make that wrist tool

[matek]

3 hours ago, John Knowlton said:

supper cool. did you make that wrist tool

No, I bought it. I think it's mainly for armwrestlers because it emulates toprolling. But it's just simply great for pronation, supination and radial deviation. 

[matek]

Grippers
RH
- 5x3 Standard Fe, RGC 134, MMS with a 3-sec hold on the last reps
- 4x1 Standard Ti adjustable, filed handle, set to RGC 135, MMS with 3-sec hold 

LH
- 5x5 and 4x3 U-shaped parallel gripper, 30mm, set to RGC ~128

+ extensor work with rubber bands

 

Edited March 23, 2023 by matek

[Douglas Carney]

Nice work!  What brand is the U shaped gripper?  Dimensions?

Just curious.

[Jermiah Merciconah]

2 hours ago, Douglas Carney said:

Nice work!  What brand is the U shaped gripper?  Dimensions?

Just curious.

They sell them for fairly cheap on Aliexpress, Silarukov also sells them but they're out of reach for most of us at the moment

[matek]

2 hours ago, Douglas Carney said:

Nice work!  What brand is the U shaped gripper?  Dimensions?

Just curious.

Thanks!
Length is about 20 cm, handle diameter is 20.2 mm, "spring" diameter is 10.1mm. Spread is about 30mm. The RGC I wrote is from a guy who measured his gripper (from the same seller), this is the lowest setting.

The brand is... well, there is a name, but it is irrelevant, because as far as I know, multiple "brands" are selling these on Aliexpress. As Jermiah said it's cheap. Shipping was free as well. Fun gripper.   

[Douglas Carney]

14 minutes ago, matek said:

Thanks!
Length is about 20 cm, handle diameter is 20.2 mm, "spring" diameter is 10.1mm. Spread is about 30mm. The RGC I wrote is from a guy who measured his gripper (from the same seller), this is the lowest setting.

The brand is... well, there is a name, but it is irrelevant, because as far as I know, multiple "brands" are selling these on Aliexpress. As Jermiah said it's cheap. Shipping was free as well. Fun gripper.   

Thank you @matek and @Jermiah Merciconah!

[Jared P]

That U-Shaped Aliexpress gripper is actually really cool. Might have to grab one of those.

It also made me think of an interesting idea: An adjustable gripper that can be adjusted for both strength AND closing distance (kind of like a dual purpose hybrid of the Standard adjustable grippers, and the custom Standard choker grippers). For instance, on that U-Shaped gripper, you could devise a way to adjust the distance between the handles in its resting position either through a moving pivot point near to middle/top of the "spring" itself, or on the top of the handles.

Such a gripper (adjustable in both strength and closing distance) would be tricky to design/build, but if something like that was ever made, I bet it would be wildly popular - and quite useful for training.