Clay Edgin Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Ig Challenge Aftermath! Thought I'd start the ball rolling by first thanking Kevin Meskew and Odd Haugen for putting together and running a great contest full of fun and lots of feats of strength. They are both class acts and really good guys. It was greating seeing Gorilla Hands and Porkbone again, and great meeting Meat Loaf and Michael B too. Going into the contest and knowing what I could about the other guys, I had figured that Gorilla Hands was going to be my main competition in the contest but I could not count out "The Freak Factor." What is TFF? TFF is what happens when a guy who does not visit the gripboard and is not otherwise well known shows up and turns out to be freaky strong. TFF materialized in the form of a 5'10", 260lb man named Dave Tharp from Big Bear. I will dedicate a paragraph to this beast below. We left Salinas at 4:30 a.m. and got into Northridge at about 8:45. After scoping out the gym and later meeting Kevin, we helped set stuff up and we rolled the Inch bell into the back of the contest area and I had my bag of grippers and the dyno handy. People started filing in for the strict curl comp that was to happen right before the IG comp and then Gorilla Hands and Porkbone walked in. Porkbone had chosen to play the role of photographer and cameraman instead of competing and was there with his new Sony minicam that was about the size of cassette tape! We left the gym for a minute and upon walking back in I saw a long haired guy in a Meat Loaf shirt tugging at the Inch bell. Sure enough, it was our own Meat Loaf with his lady. Michael B came in a little bit later and we all chatted for a while. The strict curl comp was cool and my training partner Shawn got to be one of the judges. The biggest strict curl, which was by Dave Tharp, was 178lbs. Another guy got within 5lbs of the American record for his age and weight and curled the weight but he moved his shoulders off the wall so it was no good. So, we're in the back of the room looking at blobs and the Inch bell and chatting about all you guys behind your backs ( )and Tharp walks up and fully deadlifts my Inch bell without any tilt to lockout *quickly*. I mean, this could have been a high pull if he bent his elbow. He had MY attention! I introduced myself and we chatted for a bit. Tharp is a #3 closer and repped a hard 3 at the contest 7 times. He also pulled 212lbs on a brand new RT handle at the comp and did 50lbs on the IM hub I believe. He finished 2nd overall in the contest. After the contests, he was playing with the blobs and fully deadlifted the 50lb blob several times and managed to get the Inch to knee level with no tilt. He did admit to owning an Inch bell and blobs of his own and says he works grip once every week or two, so it wasn't like this was his first time touching the implements. VERY impressive though. He also pulled 223lbs on Porkbone's dyno. Just a freaky strong and cool guy. He has 8" hands. Oddly enough, the guy who took fourth place is a CEO for an accounting firm...here in Salinas! I have never met the guy before. I think he is in late 40's/early 50's. Pulled 140-something on the dyno, hublifted 65lbs (and just missed 70.5!), and pulled 172 on the RT I think. If he didn't pull 172, it was 167. We exchanged contact info and will be getting together sometime soon. Gorilla Hands and Meat Loaf did well but I cannot remember everything they did, so I'll let them fill you in on that. I managed to do pretty well. We used the new rules for the grippers and I shut a hard 3 that way. Tharp also closed the same 3. To break the tie, we did reps on it. Tharp did 6 or 7 reps and I almost had 12, all of which were open up to at least 1" and the first few were really wide. Took a lot out of me. I pulled a 202lb RT, which is a PR for me using a new implement and not tilting the handle. Did 52.5lbs on the hub easily, but failed on my last attempt at 62.5lbs because it was too much. Got it to hover above the ground to about sock level but lost it. I am not positive, but I think the placing went like this: 1. Clay Edgin (hey, that's me!) 2. Dave Tharp 3. Gorilla Hands 4. Michael Corlett 5. Shawn Littleton 6. Meat Loaf (not sure) 7. Don't remember the guys name - William something After the comp, Porkbone brought out his dyno and I pulled a couple huge PR's, despite the fact that my forearms and hands were toast. More later as I am just dog-ass tired. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Thanks for the report Clay. Sounds like an awesome time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Congratulations on winning a contest Clay. Good report also. 'TFF' is a great explanation of the unexpected freak that sometimes shows up.You should Trademark that name. What did ya get?a trophy?prize money????Just curious. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Piche Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Thanks for the report! Good stuff! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted March 16, 2004 Author Share Posted March 16, 2004 Thanks. I got a cool trophy of a guy deadlifting and a different medal for each event that I placed in. We each also got a hat with the event logo on it which is cool. And I got a plaque to hang on the wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Dave Tharp - 1998 Ironmind COC list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Loaf Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Yeah...so there I was...screwing around with the INCH bell when I heard a voice and there was Clay Edgin himself. He was very kind and seems like a great man along with being very strong! I couldn't stop staring at his man-paws (built from closing the #4 gripper no doubt). I think that my continuous screwing around with the INCH and the blobs kinda took the edge off of my hands as i did not perform anywhere near my best on the grippers or the rolling thunder in the actual meet. The hub lifting was scary because i have never lifted a plate by the hub before and i didn't want to be embarrassed...i pulled 40, but failed twice on 42 1/2. i probably could have done it had i tried the 42 1/2 with my left hand, but nerves prevailed and i forgot to try it that way! Odd HAugen was a very generous soul...seemed very fatherly and i thought he was really great! Big strong dude, too. It was great meeting porkbone, gorilla hands, and the other gripboard guys. I can't believe that old dude did like 60 something on the hub!!! Well, bythis time next year i'll be kickin ass at meets...maybe i'll do some PL comps too (using no equipment, of course). Well, i at least did real good on the fourth unofficial event...timed farmers hold. 180 lbs in each hand. Funny...180 on a rolling thunder felt like a small automobile...but 180 in each hand in the farmers hold felt like nothin! Lesson learned...don't do a huge bend a few days prior to a meet and don't try to lift the INCH right before a meet... I was nervous, but all the guys were real generous and were great sports about everything! Good thing i didn't stay for pizza...i ate a whole pizza with my fiance later that day....man, my farts coulda turned goat piss into gasoline... holy moly!!! MEAT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat 74 Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Congrats Clay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terminator Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Good stuff guys! Clay, you are a big son of a gun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2strong Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Congratulations to all ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Love the report Clay! And congratulations to all the competitors! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted March 16, 2004 Author Share Posted March 16, 2004 Meat Loaf, we were ALL messing around with the Inch and blobs before the contest, as well as closing some grippers for fun so don't give me that BS! After the meet, we decided to load up and find a Subway. Pastrami and meatball sandwiches went down as easily as PR's that day. Good thing you didn't go farting in that tiny-ass hotel room we had. It was probably only about 15x15, and with 6 of us in there it felt a lot smaller. What was really cool was when Odd came over and played with the Inch bell and the blobs. He lifted the Inch really easily and hoisted the 40lb blob. Before the comp, I tried lifting the 45lb blob in my right hand and squeezed so hard that I managed to bruise my thumb tip and I felt that bruise every time I lifted the hub. Even bled a little bit under my thumbnail. That 50lb blob will get some air next we meet! After the strongman comp I'm doing this coming Saturday, I'm going to be hitting the cardio and dropping some unneeded fat. My "winter coat" hasn't come off yet and it's almost spring! The FW hold for time event was harder than I thought and after having only eaten a banana and half a power bar since 5:00 a.m., my arms were shaking after even picking up the implements. The handles were very slick which was cool. Meat Loaf did very well on them, beating me by two seconds I think! Today, my thumbs, wrists, and forearms are dead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Loaf Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 (edited) yeah i know everyone was playing before the meet, but before you even introduced yourself to me, i had been screwing with the inch for like 20 minutes...maybe i just need more endurance. I was really frustrated that i didn't do better in the rolling thunder cause ive liftd a lot more at home... oh well...ill work on my endurance! maybe im just making excuses. but still...for me, the inch lifting kicked my ass! i had so much fun though and even accomplished the goal of getting the INCH overhead (albeit it took 2 hands!) It's seems so much harder cause it's a lot wider than a normal barbell! sorry about your thumbs, clay! my forearms are pretty fried, but they don't feel awful. they feel a deep, peaceful soreness. im gonna start training grip on thursday, but my next workout is a back workout on saturday...im gonna see how it feels and if it feels good, im gonna try to deadlift 600. i hope i don't need an ambulance afterwards... hey i wish i had some of those farmers walk implements at home or at the gym. i felt like i could do like a million more pounds on them (not for timed holds..but to pick them up and walk)!!! Clay, what kind of competition are you doing on saturday (what kind of lifting)? MEAT p.s. Clay, do you think that Odd could have gotten the INCH overhead with a clean/push press? and other p.s. who was the guy with you? the guy who looked like a smaller version of you? bald, 23 years old, long think goatee and left earrings? is he on the gripboard? LOAF Edited March 16, 2004 by Meat Loaf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted March 16, 2004 Author Share Posted March 16, 2004 Given Odd's grip strength, I wouldn't be too surprised if he could clean it with one hand. Probably could press it too. But that's a long way for a heavy ass dumbbell to fall by accident so I am glad that he didn't try it! The comp this Saturday is the Northern California Strongest Man. I expect to get soundly thumped. I won't be trying to lift at all this week and would rather sleep for the next 4 days. The other guy with me was my training partner Shawn Littleton. He will be on the board soon. He lifted the 50lb blob on his first try! What a punk, huh... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terminator Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 Minor observation: Subway is the official food of Gripboard gatherings....I smell an endorsement deal.....or something else Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Piche Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 I'd like to hear what David (Gorilla Hands) thought of the whole contest as well from his perspective and competing in the various events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 I could be wrong but I thought I read about Tharp on an armwrestling site somewhere. Does anyone know if he pulls? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amaury Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Congrats to all ! Odd Haugen seems to ba a nice guy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mac Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Nice Report Clay. Congrats All!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Piche Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 I'd like to hear what David (Gorilla Hands) thought of the whole contest as well from his perspective and competing in the various events. I'd like to here Gorilla's report too. How about it Dave!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted March 18, 2004 Author Share Posted March 18, 2004 Whoa, Bill, you have an unnatural fascination with Gorillas! Last week you were superimposing Heath's face onto a gorilla (we don't even WANT to know what you're doing with that picture now) after posting several other gorilla pictures, now you're practically stalking Dave! Dave is not an actual gorilla, and he is happily engaged to a nice girl. ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austinslater Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Piche Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Whoa, Bill, you have an unnatural fascination with Gorillas! Last week you were superimposing Heath's face onto a gorilla (we don't even WANT to know what you're doing with that picture now) after posting several other gorilla pictures, now you're practically stalking Dave! Dave is not an actual gorilla, and he is happily engaged to a nice girl. ... Dave has some good philosophical posts, but then we he competes in a contest we don't even hear what his thoughts were on that! I really like these contest reports. There's nothing like competing on the platform and you often learn the most about yourself, etc. and can pass on some gems usually to others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gorilla Hands Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Sorry Bill. Haven't been hiding. I saw this thread a few times then ignored it for other threads. I mainly don't posts on the contests because I have alot to say and report.....then get lazy. Simple as that. There was alot to talk about though. Still Lazy to do it I'll post up a full unbiased and ethical promotion of myself later tonight. I will have the time. The suspense shall build Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted March 18, 2004 Share Posted March 18, 2004 Dave, I am an old silverback gorilla myself what kind are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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