RGC Ratings Tips

[AdriaanRobert96]

So I just got myself an RGC Device from Arm Assassin Strength and I’d appreciate any advice or small tips and tricks I should think of when rating to get the beat rating possible..

Also how many times to rate a gripper before establishing a RGC.. etc etc.. 

Appreciate you!

[Cannon]

Not a process, but some tips:

1) Start with a clean and oiled spring to hope for a repeatable rating. 

2) Know what your weights weigh. You cannot assume a 45 plate is 45 pounds. 

3) You cannot have anything invested in the result. Accept the number and try to replicate and verify that result. 

4) Put at least 30 reps on a new gripper. If the gripper will lose any spread, that usually happens on the first rep, but work it through about 30 with oil to make sure you are in a stable place. 

5) The most common mistake with false high ratings is a subjective opinion of when the gripper is closed. Ideally you want handles that are effectively touching but not adding any extra weight. The moment the handles actually touch it is possible for the rating to spike with no observable change to let you know you’re pinning the handles together. This is probably one of the hardest parts that takes experience. It’s hard to get a false low result because you can just see that the gripper is not shut.  

6) Don’t deal in decimals. 

7) Retest your results before publishing. If you get predictable results most of the time, and have an errant odd result then you cannot trust any of your results. Check your process until you understand the odd result. By odd I mean maybe you rated a gripper at 150 and next time it was 154. If you can’t identify in your process why that happened then you cannot trust any results. 

8] Understand that a rating is one piece of information. Pounds at the close. That’s it. There are many other elements to how a gripper feels to close. 

If I think of more I will add them. 

[John Knowlton]

This is super cool thank you for the info. I will print this out and laminate it.

[AdriaanRobert96]

6 hours ago, Cannon said:

Not a process, but some tips:

1) Start with a clean and oiled spring to hope for a repeatable rating. 

2) Know what your weights weigh. You cannot assume a 45 plate is 45 pounds. 

3) You cannot have anything invested in the result. Accept the number and try to replicate and verify that result. 

4) Put at least 30 reps on a new gripper. If the gripper will lose any spread, that usually happens on the first rep, but work it through about 30 with oil to make sure you are in a stable place. 

5) The most common mistake with false high ratings is a subjective opinion of when the gripper is closed. Ideally you want handles that are effectively touching but not adding any extra weight. The moment the handles actually touch it is possible for the rating to spike with no observable change to let you know you’re pinning the handles together. This is probably one of the hardest parts that takes experience. It’s hard to get a false low result because you can just see that the gripper is not shut.  

6) Don’t deal in decimals. 

7) Retest your results before publishing. If you get predictable results most of the time, and have an errant odd result then you cannot trust any of your results. Check your process until you understand the odd result. By odd I mean maybe you rated a gripper at 150 and next time it was 154. If you can’t identify in your process why that happened then you cannot trust any results. 

8] Understand that a rating is one piece of information. Pounds at the close. That’s it. There are many other elements to how a gripper feels to close. 

If I think of more I will add them. 

Just the man I expected to answer this question!

Thanks legend, I will screenshot this and make sure I follow these steps very closely

[Cannon]

@AdriaanRobert96 

Did you rate anything?

[AdriaanRobert96]

8 minutes ago, Cannon said:

@AdriaanRobert96 

Did you rate anything?

Hey there pal, unfortunately I am still waiting for my device  UPS really suck here in Sweden, they’re all over the place..

Should’ve gotten it last Thursday, it seems like I’ll get it tomorrow or Friday.

Nonetheless I’ll make a whole new update post with the ratings on all my grippers from #3 and up when I get it.

 

[Scottex92]

On 5/26/2023 at 2:30 AM, Cannon said:

Not a process, but some tips:

1) Start with a clean and oiled spring to hope for a repeatable rating. 

2) Know what your weights weigh. You cannot assume a 45 plate is 45 pounds. 

3) You cannot have anything invested in the result. Accept the number and try to replicate and verify that result. 

4) Put at least 30 reps on a new gripper. If the gripper will lose any spread, that usually happens on the first rep, but work it through about 30 with oil to make sure you are in a stable place. 

5) The most common mistake with false high ratings is a subjective opinion of when the gripper is closed. Ideally you want handles that are effectively touching but not adding any extra weight. The moment the handles actually touch it is possible for the rating to spike with no observable change to let you know you’re pinning the handles together. This is probably one of the hardest parts that takes experience. It’s hard to get a false low result because you can just see that the gripper is not shut.  

6) Don’t deal in decimals. 

7) Retest your results before publishing. If you get predictable results most of the time, and have an errant odd result then you cannot trust any of your results. Check your process until you understand the odd result. By odd I mean maybe you rated a gripper at 150 and next time it was 154. If you can’t identify in your process why that happened then you cannot trust any results. 

8] Understand that a rating is one piece of information. Pounds at the close. That’s it. There are many other elements to how a gripper feels to close. 

If I think of more I will add them. 

A couple of tips now that I've done some rating of my own:

• For Cannon's tip number 5 you can use a feeler gauge to test when the handles touch (a piece of paper works fine too).
• If you have already measured some grippers and want to measure some more, make sure that you can replicate the first measurements on a couple of grippers. If your rig is not accurate with CPW numbers, at least you still have your own progression ladder to work with.
• Do this with friends if you can, someone to check your process almost always results in errors that you did not notice.
• Always wear hand and eye protection in case something goes wrong. If you can wear some boots as well.
• Always check twice the position of the end of the handle that is inside the RGC device, a little bit forwards or back can make a difference.
• Make sure the strap that pulls on the gripper handle isn't touching anything else.
• Wrap in tape the handle that goes into the RGC device to avoid damage to the knurling.
• All weight that hangs from the handle should be added to the RGC total of the gripper (carabiner, loading pin, strap, etc.)
• Immediately after getting an RGC for a gripper put a tag with the number attached to it, you don't want to get your results mixed up. Also write in paper (and then in a virtual medium of some sort) the result in case the tag rips or it is lost.
• Do not rate grippers in a rush, you need to take your time.

I think that is all I can think about. If I remember anything else I will edit this post.

 

 

[AdriaanRobert96]

5 hours ago, Scottex92 said:

A couple of tips now that I've done some rating of my own:

• For Cannon's tip number 5 you can use a feeler gauge to test when the handles touch (a piece of paper works fine too).
• If you have already measured some grippers and want to measure some more, make sure that you can replicate the first measurements on a couple of grippers. If your rig is not accurate with CPW numbers, at least you still have your own progression ladder to work with.
• Do this with friends if you can, someone to check your process almost always results in errors that you did not notice.
• Always wear hand and eye protection in case something goes wrong. If you can wear some boots as well.
• Always check twice the position of the end of the handle that is inside the RGC device, a little bit forwards or back can make a difference.
• Make sure the strap that pulls on the gripper handle isn't touching anything else.
• Wrap in tape the handle that goes into the RGC device to avoid damage to the knurling.
• All weight that hangs from the handle should be added to the RGC total of the gripper (carabiner, loading pin, strap, etc.)
• Immediately after getting an RGC for a gripper put a tag with the number attached to it, you don't want to get your results mixed up. Also write in paper (and then in a virtual medium of some sort) the result in case the tag rips or it is lost.
• Do not rate grippers in a rush, you need to take your time.

I think that is all I can think about. If I remember anything else I will edit this post.

 

 

Wow this is truly golden!

Never tought about the protection either, also addi g the carabiner, loading pin to the weight..

Thank you, I really appreciate you taking your times with this