Clay Edgin Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 Take the cards idea one step further - when you got the cards crushed between the handles, use your other hand to grab the bottom of the deck and tear it in half! Two exercises in one! haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Clay, I LOVE the idea! I must get to work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 10-11-04 Decided to do something a little different today. Wanted to work on inverted gripper closes, but with my usual table no set closes. Very hard method for closing grippers. TNS-store bought gripper-10 TNS-#1-1 TNS-Cert SM-1 TNS-#1-Inverted-11 reps total TNS-HG200-Inverted-1 TNS-#2-Inverted-7 reps total (First time to close the #2 inverted) TNS-HG250-Inverted-2 reps total ***PR*** TNS-PDA262-Hose Clamp-Inverted-2 reps total TNS-Narrow HG250-Inverted-attemptX1 TNS-Filed #2-Inverted-attemptX1 TNS-Cert SM-Inverted-attemptX1 Terribly hard to no set close an inverted gripper. At least in my opinion. Getting the right groove is so awkward, but I'm sure in a few weeks it will feel normal to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
austinslater Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Ben Ive messed with these too and I think they do transfer over to a traditional no set. Plus at the least, its something different for your hands and that cant hurt. Great job on the 250 inverted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Thanks Austin. I can't imagine the power it would take to close a #3 this way. Unthinkable almost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankyBoy Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 Nice idea Ben! I've to check that TNS inverted thing. But I seriously doubt that I can close a #2 that way. Of course I already closed a #2 inverted but don't ask for the setting depth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankyBoy Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Ahh, its good to have underestimated myself this time. To close a #2 that style isn't that hard. Now I have to check my Cert-GM. Ben, do you remember if Warren denies inverted closes in his cert. process? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Franky, good job on the inverted #2 close! If I remember right, Warren told me that the inverted method is not allowed. I may be wrong though. Matt V or Jeff P would probably know for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 10-13-04 I decided to take my PDA262 out of the hose clamp. Reason being if I can close it 400 times over the course of a workout (duh) I should be able to close much higher in the hose clamp. I put the PDA280 in the hose clamp instead. Like I've said before, it's a good workout just getting the damn gripper in the clamp. Not to mention closing the beast. TNS-PDA262-25 reps total ***PR*** PDA280-Hose Clamp-15 reps total I'm getting a bit stronger on the close portion. Soon I'll put my #3 or my Cert GM in it and see where that leads. And for those that don't have PDA grippers, I'd rate the PDA262 at 2.5 or close. The PDA280 is about 2.8 or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octogen Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 Nice idea with using the playing cards to measure the depth of your close. I got shown almost the same thing a couple of weeks ago at the kettlebell certification. Pavel Tsatsouline is going for a #3 close and his method is to use a stack of small coins wrapped in tape (so they stay together) and close the gripper on them and hold the stack a bit like a straphold. When you can consistently hold the coins for 10 singles in a workout then you remove a coin from the stack and repeat. The one advantage i can think of with the coins is that they don't compress at all unlike the cards. I'm going to try this method with my #2 and see how I go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 Octogen, thanks for the tip about the coins. I might try that myself. I kind of like the idea of no compression to factor in. I am a big fan of Pavel and I am aware that he's a powerful guy. I have to admit that I'm a bit surprised to hear that he's training to be a certified COC. From reading so many of his books, I have inferred that he would treat the development of a specialized strength (such as grippers), with little to no true athletic carryover, as frivolous and not "functional." But of course to someone wanting to certify on the grippers, "functional" means getting stronger on the grippers. It will be cool to see his name on the list of newly certified though. Might draw some more grip converts to the fold. Of course, we could get rid of the middle man and just get a group of GripBoard luminaries (Wannagrip, Heath, Rick, Clay, Tommy, Steve, et cetera) to drive around in a white van and grab people off the street to "reeducate" them about grip. I will rent the van. Who's interested? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted October 17, 2004 Share Posted October 17, 2004 10-16-04 It's been 3 days since my last "official" gripper workout. I have that in quotation marks because it seems like every time I come home I see my girlfriend's grippers just sitting there on the table. Begging for me to squeeze them. Just a little. So I do. And a little sometimes turns in to 100+ reps with the #1. And although that's a relatively easy gripper, I think it is probably putting a little more stress on my recovery system than I need. So I've been trying to leave the little grippers alone and focus on my goals with the heavier grippers. TNS-store bought gripper-15 reps total TNS-#1-5 reps TNS-#2-1 TNS-PDA262-1 PDA280-Hose Clamp-set @ 1"-205 reps total ***PR*** On one of the above sets I closed the PDA280 for 10 consecutive reps. Niiiiice. My set strength is definitely coming up a bit. I remember when it was (honestly) hard to close an average #2 in a clamp. Once. And it hasn't been that long ago. I'll have to get a new hose clamp or another tool to tighten the one I have. I stripped the head a bit when tightening it down on the PDA280. On to a higher gripper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted October 18, 2004 Share Posted October 18, 2004 10-17-04 Did a little bit of gripper work just to iron out the kinks. TNS-#1=25 reps total Felt really good and wanted to squeeze the daylights out of the Cert GM...but I somehow resisted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted October 25, 2004 Share Posted October 25, 2004 10-20-04 I was in Republic, Missouri attending a Defensive Tactics Instructor school from the 18th to the 22nd. Had an absolute blast and met some great people. How does this relate to my grip training log? Glad you asked. I had the pleasure of meeting a man in his mid 50s. Big guy, around 260+ and a full contact MMA fighter. One of the Instructor Candidates in my class told me about a friend of his "who could probably close the #2. Or higher." I've heard that before, but was intrigued and met him at the IC's personal MMA school. He thanked me for bringing the grippers after I brought them out and laid them out in order of difficulty on a bench. A small group of onlookers gathered around because it was during a break in a kickboxing class. Milt is the guy's name. Milt proceeded to slam the Trainer shut. Then slam the #1 shut. Then he picked up my easy #2 and slammed it shut. Then made a nice sincere comment about the gripper being "pretty hard." I pulled out my brand new #2 (thanks Billy!) which is definitely a top 5 hardest gripper that I've ever tried. He closed it handily. I finally let him rest a bit and let him try my PDA280. He got about 1/4" from closing it. And that was after all the other gripper closes! The day before going down to Missouri, I put my Cert GM in a hose clamp. I could at least MOVE it...but only down to a 1/4" or so. Blah, blah, blah and now to the point. I closed it for 2 singles on the 20th with a couple of witnesses present. I didn't expect to, they just wanted to see how close I could get the handles. Milt managed to move the handles a bit, which was WAY more than most of the fighters and OCs could do. Now I guess I can extend the range on the hose clamp. And see where that gets me. Still pumped though about being able to close that bastard, even if it was only an inch of movement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankyBoy Posted October 25, 2004 Author Share Posted October 25, 2004 That guy has some serious hand strength obviously. A little bit of training and he could kick our butts I guess. Congrats on closing that sucker, Ben. Wow, can't wait to focus on this game. Still one week to go. I did two or three attempts lately, one after missing my MM1 replica by around 1/16" (using a set of course). I got the GM (no-set) down to about 1/4"-1/8". That was by far my best attempt on it. Still a long long way to go. But thats whats making this game that interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 Just some unstructured gripper work for the last week or so. Went to see my sister's brother again for a few days. He's still getting stronger, but strangely still unable to close the brand new #2. He closed my easy #2 for reps. Got his #2 to less than 1/16". Probably 5 different times. I couldn't believe the last bit just wouldn't shut for him. He also got his new #3 to parallel which is a hell of an accomplishment for a guy who can't close his #2 yet. He had a pre-Halloween party last night and the grippers were tested to their limits by a couple dozen people. One guy who makes pizza (kneading) closed the #1 with both left and right hands. No one closed the #2. A very small female pornstar (costume-but very believable ) closed my Trainer with ease. Then got the brand new #1 to less than 1/8". She probably weighs 100 pounds or slightly less. I got to talking to her and in reality she's a massage therapist. That makes sense. She grabbed my hand and kneaded it a while and her strength was actually shocking. Her thumb strength was out of this world for a person of that weight. I honestly think she could pinch (2) 25s with one hand. I won't be able to put that to the test though because she's from Iowa. Good times... I was sitting in the background at the party, as is my custom. I was also dressed in a sumo costume. So apparently everyone underestimated me. I was asked to close grippers all night long by various unsuspecting people that usually had failed on the #1. Seems that my future brother-in-law failed to tell them that I play with the grippers a bit. I wasn't trying to be a dick, but I did get a bit tired of the "well you close it then" crap. The first couple of people that asked me to close it I told them that I didn't want to. A few walked away, and a few of them challenged me with something along the lines of don't be a pus--. Then I started playing along with an innocent "I'll give it a shot, but I already use one from Walmart" line. Their surprise usually ranged from badly disguised rage to outright shock. Then rage again when they decided that it was all just a "trick." When I'm asked what the "trick" is, I almost always bluntly reply, "Strength." I told them I considered that about as derogatory as asking a man who can bench press 500 pounds what the "trick" is. The trick in his case as well is STRENGTH and a lot of it. A couple of times I was actually asked to take off my costume so they could "see my muscles." Maybe one of the strangest things I've heard lately...but there are many things vying for that title. When I finally took off my costume after a few hours of burning up in it a couple of smaller guys (and a few ladies) accused me of being "an asshole." I was interested what would make a small group of people decide to band together and call me names...so I pryed the info from them. They apparently thought that since I looked like I worked out that I had tricked them. I told them that outward muscular appearance sometimes doesn't have anything to do with grip strength. They weren't buying it. So I reminded them that THEY were the ones who approached me and challenged me to the gripper showdown. That final reminder swayed the two ladies. They left peacefully and resumed mingling. The next turn of events blew my mind. The two guys-now standing shoulder to shoulder-told me in slightly hushed tones that they "might kick my ass-since I think it's so funny." I remarked sarcastically that they might want to both grab one of my wrists-to hopefully double their chances of not being beaten senseless by that hand! Funny stuff. Hmmm...challenged to a grip test...then a fight. How the hell does that work? I'm used to being challenged by inmates, not "normal" people. So unfortunately I found it funny. So did Tim (brother-in-law). He's a pretty big guy himself. And it was his house. He took great offense to the two idiots pseudo-challenging me to a fight. He kicked them out. They stood out on the curb (at midnight) screaming for me to come out and "get my ass kicked." God Bless Those Too Stupid To Know Better. I have never had anything to prove. And did not go outside to fight with two drunk idiots. What a proud moment in my life if I had though...beat up 2 drunk guys...who when put together on a scale weighed 50 pounds less than I do...in other words, ridiculous. Bit of a ramble at this point, but I had not experienced this degree of anger in reference to the grippers before yesterday. Tim didn't know these two guys, they were dates of two ladies his wife knows. I would like to clear this little mess up with them in more sober times. Sober for them. I don't drink. I'm not pissed at them, I'm still just amazed at their antics. I might actually start to refuse accepting these little challenges at parties. It's not worth someone getting hurt over. Anyone else had something similar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itch85 Posted October 31, 2004 Share Posted October 31, 2004 sounds like a good party Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted November 1, 2004 Share Posted November 1, 2004 10-31-04 Just got a filed #2 from Austin and James G. It is a great gripper. A little bit easier than the filed #2 that I already have. Very smooth all the way to the close though. Pulled it out of the box and put it on the counter. Picked it up-table no set closed it for 7 consecutive reps first try. Then I continued to slowly grind out reps on it all night long. TNS-Easy Filed #2-220 total reps My hands were getting pretty sore by this point...still had plenty of strength left, just creeping up on the area where my skin starts to fall off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankyBoy Posted November 1, 2004 Author Share Posted November 1, 2004 My first SERIOUS training will be in about two days or so. 10-31-04Just got a filed #2 from Austin and James G. It is a great gripper. A little bit easier than the filed #2 that I already have. Very smooth all the way to the close though. Pulled it out of the box and put it on the counter. Picked it up-table no set closed it for 7 consecutive reps first try. Then I continued to slowly grind out reps on it all night long. TNS-Easy Filed #2-220 total reps My hands were getting pretty sore by this point...still had plenty of strength left, just creeping up on the area where my skin starts to fall off. ← Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted November 4, 2004 Share Posted November 4, 2004 11-4-04 Another 12 hour night shift to do with as I please. Grippers, of course. TNS-Hard Filed #2-100 total reps ***PR*** This filed #2 is at least a 2.5 in difficulty. Probably over double the number of reps of my previous PR. And my hands were RAW! This gripper is pretty unforgiving. I had a guy who's closed my easy #2 try this one out, just to see what he would rate it. He barely got it to parallel. So I'm pleased with this humble progress. I gave the Cert GM a ride about midway through my assault on the filed #2. Got it to about parallel as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan McMillan Posted November 4, 2004 Share Posted November 4, 2004 You are sick Ben Jon@han Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted November 5, 2004 Share Posted November 5, 2004 Thank you Jonathan. It's a sickness and a welcome friend all wrapped up in one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itch85 Posted November 5, 2004 Share Posted November 5, 2004 i really cant get over the volume you are doing ben its mind numbing, but keep going man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted November 6, 2004 Share Posted November 6, 2004 Thanks for the kind words Itch. Some on the Board have told me that the high volume workouts I do aren't doing me any good. Their argument is that I do not have a high one rep max, at least gripper-wise. Meaning I usually can't close a #3 or a GM. That is absolute crap in my opinion. They are correct that I don't have a huge one time crushing grip...but I am building myself at least a respectable level of crush endurance, not to mention the mental tenacity required to keep doing rep after rep when your hands are raw. Especially by focusing on the table no set reps. I am still wrestling and fighting with people at work (Jail) and I'm STILL getting stronger in that regard. I am able to hold on to people harder and longer. That includes clothing, limbs, even hair on some occasions. And of course that doesn't mean that I'm just statically holding on to people for dear life. I'm dynamically stronger in the hands than I've ever been. For some strange reason even my thumb strength is improving-even with no work on pinch gripping. About the only real grip oriented work I do is grippers. I'm still a DT Instructor for my county and attend seminars and training related to differing tactics and concepts. Lately I've been told, usually surreptitiously and before the actual instruction begins, to "attack me like this..."(remember the wonderful In Living Color episode with Jim Carrey as a karate instructor?) Word has gotten out at training classes that if I'm scheduled to be a "practice dummy" the instructor of the class won't be able to release my grip with anything less than breaking some bones in my hand or forearm. I'm not trying to be a dick at these classes, just inject a little bit of realism into them. A person, especially a motivated drug user, won't always let go when hit or twisted a certain way. It's obvious to most of the Board members that all men are not created equal in the grip strength department especially. If I had a dollar for every time I've heard a comment like, "Grab my wrist as hard as you want to...Not THAT hard!" I'd have $2. I guess the moral of all this is that I'm now unconcerned with whether or not I'm ever able to close a #3, the Cert GM, or for that matter, ANY gripper heavier than the ones I currently play with. To some that might stink of giving up, or even worse of remaining in stasis. I will still train to close a bigger gripper, I just won't let it run my life or turn my training into training. I still consider what I do "fun." That's how I think I'll keep it. Even if it means I will remain among the modestly strong, rather than the insanely strong. And if you've read all this your patience is something you won't have to train any time soon. Hopefully now that I do not seek it, it will come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankyBoy Posted November 6, 2004 Author Share Posted November 6, 2004 Easy training to night, since I want to participate at the GBB. Did a warmup with the #1 and the #2. Then 5x1xGM 1x3x#2 Filmed those 5 attempts (GM) and 3 closes (#2) GM Attempts (~5Megs) Check out the second one, Ben. Hope you do care now. Do you compete at the GBB VII, Ben? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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