opnsysme Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 I love to train grippers and blobs with chalk, I have naturally sweaty hands when I get into lifting, so I find a great benefit while using it. Though due to an accident my plastic container with my chalk fell to the ground and exploded into a white dust. So I have been in search for more to satisfy my dependency, but to no avail. Now I know IM sells it but its $9 plus $7 for shipping and that to me is really expensive for chalk. I have checked local stores to no avail. Then last night I stopped by and Academy(sports/outdoor store) hoping to find chalk. So I walk right over to the weight dept and ask. The guy says "sure, we got that stuff down the bike aisle next to the pool sticks on the left" but I heard "sure we got its on the bike , blah, blah, blah" so I took off to the bike aisle and sure enough there it was in all its glory. They had big cones, about 2 pounds or so of chalk, and it was only $3.49!!! Oh happy day, I thought about buying all 3 cones, but I decided not to be greedy and just took one. Proceeded with the rest of my shopping and headed to the check-out. I get home , change as fast as possible and get to the garage, I finish my regular workout in anticipation for my blob work. I unwrap the cone and figuring I had enough to spare LATHERED, COATED, my hands with my new chalk, went promptly over to my little blob(47 lbs) and grabbed held , squeezed and lifted. No sooner did the upward pull and my hand flew off like grease lightning!! What the @!@#$ , so I grab it again off my other and slid!! I was so mad then like a ton of bricks it hit me, that is the rest of the guys statement "by the pool cues" so I laughed and called it a night. What a dope, oh well. At least now I have a great practical joke I can play on unsuspecting people. Hopefully my haste being shared here will save the hearts of a few grippsters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eli72 Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 if you want chalk try a outdoor/climbing store or a sporting goods/gymnastic store Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubthewonderscot Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Matt, Great story! On the chalk thing. I bought a big box of it from Academy and it has lasted for quite a while. 8 bucks. Want me to buy you a box and you can pick it up when you get back up here to Fort Worth? Or I could ship it to you. As light as it is, it would probably be pretty cheap. I'll check at lunch to see if they still have it. W Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opnsysme Posted January 26, 2005 Author Share Posted January 26, 2005 That would be great Dub, thanks. Let me know, I've been meaning to get back up there anyway, time for another mini contest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorfinn Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Mind if tag along next time? -Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opnsysme Posted January 26, 2005 Author Share Posted January 26, 2005 Of course not!! We'll have together and plan a trip Thor! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyle Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 lesson learned eh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjkd12 Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Ha, as soon as you said by the pool cues I shook my head. Then when you mentioned the chalk was a big cone I actually laughed out loud. Nice story. Crush it up and put it in a similar container and pass it to friends as a practicle joke. It would be funny to see guys dropping things they can normally pick up with ease. -Ryan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Paul Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Have you tried REI? I haven't looked there, but they might be a good candidate. I also wonder if you could get some from a "real" gym, like Hyde Park. I've never been inside, but the few times I've driven by I saw lots of iron and no chrome. It might be worth a shot. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aeroman Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 what about trying chunks of drywall/sheet rock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opnsysme Posted January 26, 2005 Author Share Posted January 26, 2005 Aeroman, isn't sheetrock limestone? I would have to grind it down real fine as too not cut myself. Jason Paul, Is Hyde park in Austin? Or REI, I've seen REI in Houston. Where do you live? If you don't mind me asking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Paul Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 I'm also in Austin. Hyde Park Gym is on Guadalupe I think, somewhere between 35th and 45th I believe. You can't miss it. It's they gym with the giant muscled-up arm sticking out of the front of the building. Ah, here's their website. Hyde Park Gym It's hard to tell if it's a "real" gym. Although there appears to be training with chains going on, they've got bodybuilding photos all over the walls and have been visited by Lee Labrada. There is an REI up north near 360 and MoPac. Here's a link: REI in Austin I've never even looked for chalk, but I would probably try REI first. I'm not sure if the gym would stock chalk. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king crusher Posted January 26, 2005 Share Posted January 26, 2005 thats funny. i also knew when you said the cone chalk for pool you were doomed. now maybe if you train to pinch WITH THAT CHALK and do it everything will be easy as pie. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggymountainmuscle Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Chalk is too hard to find considering it's the most basic of all desposable gym equipment. Gyms that do not allow chalk make me angry, it basically says: do not train hard or lift anything heavy. I bet more stores would carry chalk if most gyms weren't so anal about using it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Matt, I used to get all my chalk at various Rooster Andrews sporting good stores when I lived in Austin. There's one at Lamar and and Ben White, as well as one on 183 up towards Cedar Park. Hyde Park could be considered a "hard core gym", but the word is that the owner caters to bodybuilders and doesn't care for powerlifters. The couple of times I worked out there I could feel the glare of disapproving eyes on me. Chalk and baby powder were strictly forbidden. It's a shame, really. Ten years ago they had all of the Iron Mind grippers and a Titan's Telegraph Key available for the patron's use. My favorite gym was Big Steve's, but Steve Helton sold the gym. I wonder if it's still open for business. It was on South Lamar, just north of Oltorf. Steve was a great guy. A crusty ol' Christian country boy who was benching in the mid fours in his mid fifties, at a bodyweight of only 220, back in the mid eighties. Man that's a lot of "mids". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolf Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 I'm reading this thread, stunned. Practically every sporting goods store in Finland seems to carry chalk, and you guys can't find it anywhere. That must suck big time. Maybe it's just like Michael said. Rolle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 When I lived in the states, you could get magnesium carbonate chalk blocks at most pharmacies. I'm not sure what the medicinal use was, but it was cheap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmainlands Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Once,finding myself chalkless and in a pinch (no pun intended) I stopped by a bowling alley on the way to the gym and bought a rosin bag. Although not as good as chalk, it was pretty decent and actually left less residue around than chalk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
denver Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 REI carries chalk in the climbing section. I have found several varieties of chalk at every REI that I have been to. They also sell it for cheaper than a lot of climbing specialty stores. I buy gymnastic block chalk in the 8 block boxes (although you can buy them per block too). If you pay more than $1.50 per block you are probably paying too much. This will last you a while. Also, REI and other climbing stores sell a product called Super Chalk which contains a mild drying agent. However it is significantly more expensive and has a finer grain to it which I do not like as much. I enjoyed your story and I hope this helps. Colter Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opnsysme Posted January 27, 2005 Author Share Posted January 27, 2005 Thanks everyone, and special thanks to Jason Paul. He sent me the link to an REI that is on my way home!! Being new to a town isn't so bad when you have contacts like this on the gripboard. So I bought 2 blocks last night, they were only $1.05 a piece, I alsmost thought about asking if i could open them and go try it out !! Now the other "fun " part is trying to return the pool chalk and explain that is was the wrong kind??!! Can you imagine the expression of the teeny-bopper at the register after this story? Good times! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Paul Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 You're welcome - and I'm glad to hear you found the chalk. I didn't think of Rooster Andrews. I think that one is still on Ben White & Lamar, and there's a pretty big one on Guadalupe too, also somewhere in the 35th - 45th street range, but possibly farther north. Wow, if the REI is on your way home, you must have quite a commute! Hate to hear about Hyde Park Gym frowning on powerlifters and chalk. I never got a chance to go to Big Steve's, but always wanted to. I think it's still a gym, but I don't know how serious it is. Jason Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
opnsysme Posted January 27, 2005 Author Share Posted January 27, 2005 Ya unfortunatly I work up at Dell, and its about a 40 minute drive, but its better than what I was doing California-1:15 minutes each way!! I would like to check out Hyde park sometime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Chalk is too hard to find considering it's the most basic of all desposable gym equipment. If you ask any successful gym owner, the most disposable thing in a gym are its members! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thorfinn Posted January 27, 2005 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Hyde Park Gym looked okay to me when I scoped it out about 5 years ago. But, it is really catered to BBers. Not that BBers are bad. They do have squats racks, and I think one platform. They do not want you to drop weights (as in OLs) but, have no problem if you do them. But, I did get a response like this when I asked "If you can not get it up in a controlled manner then you are cheating yourself..." Something like that and yes, he was a BBer. Steve's Gym is gone...It is now South Austin Gym...Do not know much about it except all I see are machines and areobic stuff from the street. The downstairs area looks to have some grappling going every so often. I would Imagine someone teaches BJJ or etc. It used to be all one place not sure now. -Keith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stew2 Posted January 28, 2005 Share Posted January 28, 2005 I found a great connection for chaulk my 4yr old daughter takes gymnastics and the coach that owns the gym buys his buy the 50#boxes he sells it to me for $4 abox with 6 blocks in each box. Pretty hard to beat that price BTW my daughter trains grip with me sometimes she can hold the horizantal bars better than any of the other little kids .thats my girl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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