dubthewonderscot Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 Well I was at an event over the weekend where a bunch of friends were coming together from around the state. A couple knew of the GracieBell and asked that I bring it up. I casually set Gracie out on the ground with some small blobs..a 25, a 32, and a 40. A couple of things...1. it's amazing the type of crowd this stuff draws by the non-gym/non-lifters that hang out and watch. Kids, women, old men...and everyone inbetween would hang out and watch guys give them a go. All smiling and talking about it. There was a real buzz. I had probably 45 guys try the Graciebell,..and 7 got her up. The stats 1. 49 year old carpenter, probably 5'10'' 240, big thick hands...a big strong dude. Got it up and said...Whats up with this one? 2. 52 year old farmer, probably 6'3'' 250, big think hands...farm strong dude ...Had a plate of cake in his left hand, picks it up with his right...never spilled a crumb..says "thats neat, got a bigger one?" 3. 24 year old arborist, 6'4'' 182, average sized strong hands, hard working guy, not overtly strong. "worked hard to get it both right and left...failed a few times got it a few times." 4. 20 year old land scape business owner, 6'3'' about 260'' (freak I'll talk about more later) asks how high you have to pull it and damn near cleans it to his right shoulder, just didn't take his elbow under. Gets ir righty and lefty. 5. 23 year old, older brother to the guy before, but 5'8'', 170...commercial construction foreman, gets it right and left. (this one shocked me) 6. 27 year old matrial arts instructor, probably 6 foot 210, fails righty, gets it lefty...real ugly but gets it. 7. 44 year old lieutenant colonel, who works at the Pentagon. Fails to get it with a normal grip, but gets it up thumbless twice. Probably 6'2'', 185. the 20 year old, used to be about 308 with a 34 inch waist. Got in a car wreck..broke his neck, and loss nerve innervation to his right side and dropped down to 204 pounds before they figured it out. His atlas was pinching his spine. He is now back to 260, but a long recovery back. He is a freak. Used to do tree work, climbing up trees at 300 pounds, can do a flag, has outrun me on a football field. Has never worked out with weights. I hope to get him to a grip contest someday. None of the guys above have ever been lifters, and are all clueless about the grip strength community. it was a fascinating watch. I wish i had an inch there as well, i think 3 of the guys could have gotten it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 Great report Weldon! I love hearing about these kind of things. One of the best things I saw at the Arnold was the beast of a man that casually picked up the 180# Slater bell and then set it back down like it was no big deal. Reached down like he dropped something, wasn't even in good athletic position. His friends had no clue, he had no clue, and the vendors were too busy selling t-shirts to notice. Freaks among us that's for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IROC-Z Posted March 22, 2010 Share Posted March 22, 2010 I've often wondered if the people who can randomly complete these lifts are able to do so because they don't realize the significance of what it is they are doing. Those who actually realize how difficult the lifts are, probably end up psyching themselves out a little bit and then failing at the lift. The people who don't know any better don't have to battle that mental demon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisJames Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 There certainly very strong men and women walking aound not realising their potential , especially in grip strength. One of the guys i teach judo to pinched 5 x 5 kg plates first time he tried , works putting fencing into ground and pyle driving on a "grundy". Biggest wrists and thick hands i have ever seen on a man were on Sultan Rakmanov (spell) gold medalist olympic games weightlifting. He could pinchgrip 2 x 25kg plates easily and put 50 kg plates on an olympic bar using pinch grip. Great photo of him with Jamie Reeves in one of the old Milo mags, makes Jamie look like a teenager and he's ex world strongest man. I believe Sultan was also an aikido master aswell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 Great report Weldon! What are the stats on the Gracie Bell again? I must be mistaken because I thought there were several different weights floating around. I thought I lifted one of your creations (awesomely well built by the way) at one of the Michigan grip contests and that it was Zach's bell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubthewonderscot Posted March 23, 2010 Author Share Posted March 23, 2010 (edited) Gracie is 146lbs with a 5 inch handle that is the same width as the inch. .23somethin or other. there are by my count 4 of them in circulation, Derek in AZ, Chris Rice, and Doc all have one, as well as myself. with a monster Gracie residing with grip refugee Chris Mathison that weigh 181 lbs. I think Incindium (jesse) has one of these as well, however i only made his handle, and cannot say for sure as I didn't weigh the globes.<br><br>http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images§ion=viewimage&img=8224<br><br>the mathison bell is on the left, and inch on the far right, there are two gracies and another inch in the middle.<br> Edited March 23, 2010 by dubthewonderscot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted March 23, 2010 Share Posted March 23, 2010 Thanks Weldon. 146lbs is a stout lift! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joefrey Posted March 24, 2010 Share Posted March 24, 2010 Thanks for this great report. It must have been amazing to see those lifts! It's like founding rare old coins in a flea market and the owner doesn't even know their real value !! That's really awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malice Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 2. 52 year old farmer, probably 6'3'' 250, big think hands...farm strong dude ...Had a plate of cake in his left hand, picks it up with his right...never spilled a crumb..says "thats neat, got a bigger one?" That is awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Knight Posted March 31, 2010 Share Posted March 31, 2010 Gracie is 146lbs with a 5 inch handle that is the same width as the inch. .23somethin or other. there are by my count 4 of them in circulation, Derek in AZ, Chris Rice, and Doc all have one, as well as myself. with a monster Gracie residing with grip refugee Chris Mathison that weigh 181 lbs. I think Incindium (jesse) has one of these as well, however i only made his handle, and cannot say for sure as I didn't weigh the globes.<br><br>http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?app=gallery&module=images§ion=viewimage&img=8224<br><br>the mathison bell is on the left, and inch on the far right, there are two gracies and another inch in the middle.<br> We weighed Derek's Grcacie at Aaron's house and it hit 160lbs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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