Using a vice grip to postition the gripper for negatives

[Guest Russell Latterman]

I recently started doinging a lot of negatives with my #3.  I first seasoned it by closing it about 40 times in a vice grip and holding it shut overnight.  I did all this to make sure my progress was accurate.

 I found that I can get WAY closer to closing the #3 when I do negatives than when I try to do a full range close, which makes sense. I use a vice grip to hold the gripper to about 1/4 in. away from being closed.  This is similar to the steel triangle trick that was mentioned on another post.  The vice grip is positioned at the very top of the handles so I can still hold the gripper in my hand.  If I'm using the #3, I push it shut from there with both hands and then hold it with one.  I can hold it to 1/4 in. with my right hand and 1/3 with my left.  I was surprised that I could get that close because I can barely close the #2.  AT BEST I can ALMOST get the #3 down to 1 inch closing it the normal way.  If I'm doing negatives with the #2, I just use one hand.  I start pushing it shut from the 1/4 inch point until the vice grip falls off, then I complete the close.  I manged to hold it fully shut with my right and left hand (freaking easy with my right).  Being able to at least hold the #3 semi-close to being shut has imrproved my confidence.  Once I can get five reps out of the #2, I'm going to order a #4 and start doing negatives.  I'll also probably start doing strap holds this way, since a full range isn't needed for them anyway.  Has anyone else ever used this vice grip technique for doing negatives?  This reminds me of Supergrip's method of drilling steel bars into the ends of the handles.  This way I don't have to modify my gripper at all.