Clay Edgin Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 Grip is taking a backseat to dropping some weight. When your 3x shirts are getting too snug, it's time to hit the treadmill. Got a gym membership at a place that has racks, 100lb plates, and chalk hand prints on all the bars, so I can do all my lifting there before work. I'm bringing some grip toys to the gym to train with after my regular lifting. For my lifting, I'd like to start hitting the 5x5 stuff again. I'd like to get good at 3 lifts - deadlift, overhead press, and power clean. The cleans are mostly for explosive strength and conditioning. Lifting twice a week, and an "outside" training day on the weekend sometime doing farmer's walk, stone lifting, and sled dragging. For the grip stuff, I'm going to work on 2 hand pinching (the gym has excellent plates for this), thickbar work, and some grippers. Okay, enough talk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedd Johnson Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 Your hands will love the down time. Your heart will love the change of focus. -Jedd- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted October 11, 2004 Share Posted October 11, 2004 Oh....if only I could find a gym like that in my area Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 12, 2004 Author Share Posted October 12, 2004 Now I remember why I hate morning workouts. Some people's bodies are like a sports car - they can go from zero to working out in 5.6 seconds. Mine is more like a train. Give me a few hours to get up to speed and then I'll lift. I have to remember this. I feel like a puss not going for a 1RM everytime I lift but I would like to get better conditioned. Bent over rows 135x20, 135x10, 185x15, 185x15 Standing press 45x20 wide grip behind the neck to warmup, 135x15 done strict Shrugs 225x20, 315x20, 365x12 3" FBBC dumbbell rows (not including weight of empty dumbbell since I don't know much it weighs) 70x5, 90x3, x3, x3, x4® x 3(L) Two hand plate overpinches 90x5 pinches and holds until the plates came out of my hands. Also got 6-10's together on a 2" pipe I brought and used that as a centerpiece for 2 hand pinching like you would do with the 2-45's. I loaded 2 more tens on each side, bringing the total weight to 100lbs. Since the pipe's diameter is a bit too small to do this easily, I had a problem with the 10's on each side of my fingers sliding into my hand. I will have to get a better pipe for this. I figure that if I can get 120-140lbs on this lift, then I should be good for 6-10's in either hand. Today sucked because I couldn't get 5-10's even with a pipe through them with one hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankyBoy Posted October 12, 2004 Share Posted October 12, 2004 Hi Clay, good to here you're working out in a gym. Are you doing cardio training too? Don't forget: The most important muscle is still your heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foggymountainmuscle Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 Clay, no lift is a better heart conditioner than the dumbell clean and press. A dumbell clean and pushpress would probably be even more cardio intensive come to think of it. Anyway, do those in the 12-15 range and your conditioning and pressing strength will soar. I do the clean with all my press work, even thickbar press work and I think it transfers to better strength gains than pressing alone would. Any Olympic lift done for reps is some intense cardio really. High rep squats and deadlifts ala Super Squats style will get you huffing and puffing in a short order. Jogging when you could be walking has helped my condition too I feel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 13, 2004 Author Share Posted October 13, 2004 Thanks for the info. I have loved dumbbell C&P ever since reading them in the Dino Training e-newsletter and trying them at the gym. Next time I hit the gym, which should be Thursday, I will see what I can come up with for 12-15 reps. Probably not more than a pair of 60's though, at least until I regain some strength. Did some gripper work tonight. I no-set the easy stuff and worked choker closes attempts with the BBSE and RB300. Attempts being the key word. The 300 is like a solid #4 and the SE is like an easy #4. I could get the SE down to 1/8" a couple times in the choker and held it shut with the other hand. I barely managed to shut my new #3 in the left hand like this. I guess I need to relearn how to explode into those choked gripper closes again too. Going to do something stupid with my #3 this weekend. I'm going to chop off 1/2" from the bottom of each handle, which should increase the strength significantly. I don't think I will have a hard time getting my hand on the shortened handles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 (edited) Couldn't sleep so I came out to hit the grippers and Inch. The Inch went up 6" no tilt in the right and a couple inches lefty. I have very little thickbar endurance and once I get a few shots at the Inch I am done doing anything productive with it. So I moved to the grippers and wanted to give my new #3 some more action Grippers: HG200x5 #3x3 ®, 0 L #3x1 ®, 1 L BBSE Attempts: -3 attempts, all under 1/4". (best one in gallery) -12 choker squeezes - 8 full closes BBSEx3 reps in choker (PR) #3 attempts in choker: 6 attempts, 1 close Felt real good to close the gap on that BBSE after failing miserably with it last time. Tore a deck of cards, then a deck with a layer of duct tape, then a deck with 3 layers of tape. That initial tear with the tape is MURDER on the fingertips, but I guess I just had faith that it would tear at some point. I like the duct tape tears because the individual cards don't disintegrate as you go. Edited October 15, 2004 by ClayEdgin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Squats tomorrow. And lots of tricep work. And then more squats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 BBSE for 3 reps...now that's a crush Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danegarreau Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Clay, do you see anymore strongman competitions in your future? your a super strong guy. Good luck in dropping the weight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Thanks Dane. Northern California's Strongest Man is happening again in March next year and I might try that if training goes well. Any overhead work I do is slightly hindered by this pain in my shoulder/neck that I earned from bending. Note I said "earned" - I worked hard to hurt this much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted October 15, 2004 Share Posted October 15, 2004 Clay, As big as you are ? and as freaky as your grip is? I think you could quit grip entirely and NOT lose much at all.Maybe even get stronger in some areas. I've said this before but you 'freaks' will,IMO,get stronger hands just by making your overall body get stronger. Increase your body strength and IMO your hands will get stronger also. I don't think this would be true for everybody. I'd definitely do the clean and press.Rock bottom Front squats and then some wider stance 'power'back squats. Some deads,farmers deads and some partial deads.Snatch pulls and/or upright rows. Maybe some heavy incline presses?You don't want sagging man boobs and the heavy inclines strengthen and add mass to your delts.IMO,inclines are more usefull for your goals than bench. For your (so called)assistance work? IMHO,you could train like a bodybuilder- and probably make some considerable strength gains and add some muscle mass. I'd hit bis and tris HEAVY. Heavy Hammer curls may(indirectly)maintain or strengthen your grip. I'm not a freak in the grip department.A basic 'ham and egger' or blue collar genetics but I can Do more Rolling THunder now? than when I actually was training the Rolling THunder. Same goes for the other gentlemen around here. Body gets stronger...hands have become stronger.....for some folks.IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 15, 2004 Author Share Posted October 15, 2004 Thanks for the tips Tom. Based on what you can press on an incline bench and that fact that you recommend them, can we assume that you no longer have sagging man boobs? haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 16, 2004 Author Share Posted October 16, 2004 10/15/04 I forgot what it felt like to hobble out of the gym with my lower body destroyed and my clothes soaked in sweat. First time squatting in like 6 months so I knew my legs were in for it. Skwats: 135x8, 185x3, 225x3 (hamstrings started aching at this point), 275x3, 315x3. Holy moley. Push press: 135x10, 185x5, 225x3, 265x0 Get this logic - I haven't done this lift in several months, but I try for a 10lb PR. Stranger things have happened. Side press with dumbbell: 50x6, 60x6, 70x6 each arm These are a great exercise and pumped a lot of blood into my shoulders and it felt goooood. One hand dumbbell snatch, lower bell, & push press: 100x2 snatch, 5 PP each hand 110x2 snatch These are also a great exercise. I have to move the bell 8' 6" from the ground to overhead and even on the 110lb snatches I was jumping off the ground. Great for cardio if I do lots of them back to back. RT: 110x3, 155x2, 200x1, 225x1 (matches PR on this older handle) 2 hand overpinches: 90lbsx4 ten second hard pinches new #3x3 no set reps, opening all the way. Could have done more, but I was in the mood for triples tonight where possible. Also got it shut in the left which is hit and miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 110# dumbbell snatchs - what do you snatch with a regular bar? Also what kind of diet plan are you trying in your weight loss quest? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 16, 2004 Author Share Posted October 16, 2004 The diet plan is about cutting out sugar and flour. I've never tried maxing out on a snatch on a regular bar. I'm still not real confident about my shoulder flexibility when it comes to catching snatches Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 , can we assume that you no longer have sagging man boobs? haha ← I'll just say my tits don't hit the floor when I get out of bed in the morning ....and incline/delt development makes front squats easier to balance and less painful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonL Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 Great for cardio if I do lots of them back to back. Dumbell snatches are great and tell me about it about cardio. One workout I did 50 reps with a 50pd DB, I could not walk for a week!! and I could not breath after this workout )) awesome stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Loaf Posted October 20, 2004 Share Posted October 20, 2004 (edited) Ya man. Snatches will whoop your ass. I could imagine they are great for getting in shape/losing weight fast. For whatever reason, I have always been able to do more weight on a barbell snatch or clean than on a dumbbell. I have no idea why, though. Clay, time to burn off those turkeytits! Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press Incline press xoxox MEAT Edited October 20, 2004 by Meat Loaf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 20, 2004 Author Share Posted October 20, 2004 If you call me turkeytits in person, I'm going to kick you square in the ovaries! You're going to have a boot-shaped bruise across your fallopian tubes. Yes, tonight is the night for incline presses, rack pulls, power cleans, and more dumbbell snatches. If my quads feel good enough, I will do some wide stance squats. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meat Loaf Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 (edited) Then I'll make sure to wear some ovary armor when i call you turkeytits. How about Thundertits? like Thunderlips from Rocky 3? The Hulk Hogan character? You're the one who started it with the bonerbreath stuff! Do unto others.... Lemme know how you did on the power cleans. God Bless bro! MEAT Edited October 21, 2004 by Meat Loaf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 21, 2004 Author Share Posted October 21, 2004 Given the option, I guess I'd rather be called turkeytits although I do bear a striking resemblance to the Hulkster when I get a nice fake tan. 10/20/04 Quads near the knees are still sore from squatting last Friday(!) so I did some rack pulls instead of full deadlifts. I, taking a page from Meat Loaf's log, opted to wear thick soled shoes so I could bitch about my shitty pulls. And shitty they were! Power Cleans 135x10, 185x8, 225x3, 245x2 Thick soled shoes got in the way and made the bar farther away. Rack pulls (6" ROM) 225x3, 425x3, 625x2, 715x0x0x0, 675x1x1 Thick soled shoes got in the way and made the bar farther away. Grip isn't a problem on these rack pulls, it's my back strength that is. If I'm ever going to be the world's strongest secretary, I really have to work harder. Incline Press (aka "Loaf Lift") 135x10, 155x8, 185x7 Shoulder felt "funny" doing these. And my thick soled shoes got in the way. I can feel those turkeytits melting and giving way to manly pecs. Soon I will be a man like Meat Loaf. Funny story - last time I tried the incline press I started with 225 and got stapled with authority. With no spotters around this time either, I opted to play it safe Dumbbell Snatches 50x10 each hand, 100x1 each hand See comment above about shoes. Side press 50x5 each arm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clay Edgin Posted October 21, 2004 Author Share Posted October 21, 2004 Also gripped a bit afterwards. Gave the Inch dumbbell a ride for a few inches before it made its way to the ground. Popped the Blob up a few times but nothing higher than 3". I played with 2 hand pinch and worked up to 185 which matches my previous PR on this setup. Also managed to scoot 2-45's all around my back patio. I took a crack at the chopped #3 I modified last weekend and got it down to 1/4" with the right hand and barely broke parallel with it in the left. Then I spent a good 10 minutes doing some partial pulls (only a few inches off the ground) with 2-45's using one or two fingers from each hand. Getting them up with the pinky and ring from each hand is easy now. I feel like my thumb is making a good connection with the plates, but it is my fingers that are the weak link, or maybe I haven't figured out a good technique yet. It's kinda cool to be on the edge of these feats and working at them all at once. It would make my year if I managed to do all of them in one night! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarudriller Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 If I'm ever going to be the world's strongest secretary, I really have to work harder. You saw that, huh? All in fun Clay, I'd kill to be half as strong as you.... Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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