T's Log

[T Sands]

Well fellas I have been lurking for some time now. I have spent many hours reading logs, conversations, accounts of feats in competition, and the like. I have a few minutes each day that I spend at work checkin' the board, and then I go about my day until I get curious about what is new and go read again. It is time for me to show my face and start to be challenged by the greats, hopefully.

I have decided to go ahead and start a record of my training mainly in order to track my progress over a longer period of time than my shady memory banks will alllow. I am pretty good with numbers, but not time periods, so I think that this log will help me remember what is goin on.

So a little about where I am now as I start my log. I have been training grip for a few years, but not seriously until a few months ago. Sean first showed me a gripper probably about 5 years ago, and the Trainer was a beast for me. I would give it a try every now and then and it was a while before I could close it consistantly.

One of my buddies and I got into a little challenge to close the #2 to see who would do it first and that is when I started to see some progress. It was a few weeks later that we were both nailing it.

Since moving to Missouri after graduation from The Ohio State University, I have moved into a little farm house SE of KC and am lifting in the 24'x24' garage just out back. I have a weight bench, barbell, olympic weights, Blobs(30, 35, 40, 45, & 50), COC'c (T, fT, 1, 1, 2, f2, ez3, f3, hard 3, 4, new 4), pony clamps, & a few sledges.

I am hoping to find some fellas in the area to train with...tmmicklabs is close so hopefully we and others can get together.

Workout:

10.28.2004

All sets are successful with right and left hand unless otherwise specified and I

will try to mention difference of difficulty.

T 10x1

30 blob 5x1dl

T 10x1

35 blob 5x1dl

T 10x1

40 blob 5x1dl (5 total attempts, only successful with right 3 times, left 0)

Levering (10 lb. head, hand about 6 in. from head)

#1 5x1

fT 10x1

#2 3x1 (left, 1/2" away)

f2 5x1 (left, 1/2" away)

ez3 5 close attempts, none either hand (right about 3/8", left 3/4")

hard 3 - in choker - crush x 5 for max movement (down to 3/8"ish right, left )

#1 5x1

fT 10x1

My wife tried to get me to do Pilates. Didn't happen as I am the most inflexible person that I know. I need to stretch more.

That looks hard to read but I am going to put things in order they were done so I can also track how that affects my progress. I will probably not put as much detail in () next time just abreviations for my own records.

[dannyboy]

good luck to you.

a training log is a good idea, im not saying it HELPED my training but in a sence it has.

[bencrush]

T, hello and nice start. You've already got some good gripper strength. Keep it up. Do you do any no set work?

[T Sands]

Ben,

Yes, I usually try to do all my T and #1 reps no set. On the others, I try to do a shallow set so that I don't get dependant on that deep set. I still use the deep set from time to time on the #3 and #4 as well as practicing no sets with them. I have to set a little bit more with my left as it isn't yet coordinated enough, just have to train it though. I can no set my #2 with my right but I am trying to get my hands even so I am backing off just slightly on my right and going real hard left.

Side note... you are from Kansas right. Well I just moved to KC from Ohio. I read a post you sent to Travis from Harrisonville about maybe getting together sometime. Let me know if something works out as I would like to meet some guys out here in the Grip world.

Thanks for reading and feedback is always welcome!

T

[T Sands]

10/31/2004

I usually don't work out on Sunday but the grippers were just laying there asking to be played with. I need to put them back out in the garage and out of the living room.

T 5x1

#1 5x1

fT 5x1

#1 5x1

#2 3x1

f2 3x1

ez3 3x1

hard3 3x1

f3 3x1

Looking foward to more volume on Tuesday.

Also, going to experiment with Blobs/Grippers:

Go hard on blobs at beginning of workout then to grippers for November.

Go hard on grippers at beginning of workout then to blobs for December.

See if there is any impact. If no noticable difference consider extending time of observation to 3 months. Let me know if you see a trend and I don't.

Thanks for reading,

T

[JasonL]

Pilates is great for core strength and mobility. Great for the back..Want to get rid of back pain, do pilates ))

[T Sands]

Jason,

Thanks for the tip. I do have nagging in my back, nothing to stop me, but just very annoying. I will have to spend some time with my wife doing pilates sometime. My back could use the stretching and flexibility. Probably help in keeping from injury as I get back into deadlifts, squats, and overhead press.

Thanks for reading and replying,

T

[T Sands]

Well, after a week of flu-like sickness threw a little kink in my training, I was able to get back on the horse Saturday night for a little warmup and goal gripper mashing with some fresh hands, as I was only able to pick my grippers up and look at them let alone squeeze them all last week. Good news... I ripped on my ez3 and "click." That is a nice little sound. That was my first ever #3 close, but I have no intention of certifying just yet as this is such a weak #3. I bought it to be a 2-3 tweener so it is a boost of confidence when you can close just one more of your grippers. I still have a long way ahead of me to knock down the #3, but I am ready to get back to work.

Saturday 11-06-2004

#1 - 5x1

#2 - 3x1 (left 1/4"-1/2")

ez3 - 1x1 (left 3/4"-1")

f3(hc) - 3 crush and holds (didn't close just working #3 crush)

f3(hc) = filed 3 in hose clamp

That was all I had. I was itchin to grip. More to come this week. I feel great.

T

[jariley]

hey man,

this is great....keep it up seeing as it's been a while since your last post (12 days). I have had a hard time keeping up with grip work since I've been out here....I use all my motivation elsewhere and I have none to spare for my own ventures. haha. Well, T, keep it up......I'll try and call sometime.

[T Sands]

Since I moved all my gear into the basement all the blocks are 68 degrees instead of 30 so I am more tempted to go down there more.

11-24-2004

blob30 alternating dl 1 set, 5 reps

blob35 alternating dl 1 set, 5 reps

blob40 alternating negs, 5 reps

blob45 alternating negs, 3 reps

blob50 alternating negs, 3 reps

T 20 reps eh warmup

#1 x 10 eh

#2 1 solid click and hold 8 sec left, PR, no right

huge blood blister on right hand gives reason to focus left for a few days

11-25-2004

blob30 alternating dl 1 set, 5 reps

blob35 alternating dl 1 set, 5 reps

blob40 alternating negs, 5 reps

blob45 alternating negs, 5 reps

blob50 alternating negs, 3 reps

T 20 reps eh warmup

#1 x 10 eh

#2 x 2 left, no right

T

[T Sands]

11-26-2004

T 20 reps eh warmup

narrow pinch 40 lbs 1 set, 5 reps

blob30 alternating dl 1 set, 5 reps

blob35 alternating dl 1 set, 5 reps

blob40 alternating dl 1 set, 5 reps right, alt negs 1 set, 5 reps left

blob45 alternating negs, 5 reps

blob50 alternating negs, 3 reps

#1 x 5

#2 x 1

#3 negs x 3

#4 negs x 2 right

T

[T Sands]

11-29-2004

T 20 reps eh warmup

blob30 alt dl 1x5

blob35 alt dl 1x5

blob40 alt dl 1x5 right

blob40 alt negs 1x5 left

blob45 alt negs, 1x5

blob50 alt negs, 1x1

#1 x 10

#2 x 3

#3 choker close attempts 5 eh, got 2 with right

T

Edited December 1, 2004 by T Sands

[T Sands]

12-1-2004

T 10 reps eh warmup

blob35 left dl 5x1

blob40 right dl 5x1

blob50 alt negs, 3x1

#1 x 5

#2 x 3

#3 3 attempts eh, nothing to speak of.

T

[T Sands]

I am confusing myself...

5x1 = 5 singles, rest as needed to get 5 singles

alt 1x5 = 1 right then 1 left, then repeat no rest

sorry to confuse the fellas that are reading this.

T

[bencrush]

T, great job on closing your #3! I would definitely like to have a grip get together soon. I'll check my schedule and let you know.

[T Sands]

Ben,

We should plan a KC area Grip Get Together for the guys in the Kansas-Missouri areas for some time in Jan/Feb.

It would be cool to meet some of y'all as I am new to the area.

T

[pdoire]

Nice job with that #3 Congrats!!

Nice log too!!

[T Sands]

Thanks for the encouragement fellas.

Ez3 is a just a step on the path though.

I am one of the lucky ones to have that elusive 2.5-2.7 gripper that we want Ironmind to make.

The 2004 #3 gets closed from time to time in a hose clamp but still hovering around 1/2"-3/4" on it, time to get busy!

Taker easy guys and thanks for reading!

T

[T Sands]

12.3.2004

T x10 eh warmup

35 blob - L 5x1

40 blob - R 5x1

50 blob - 3 negs eh

#1 - 5x1 eh

#2 - 3x1 eh

#3 - 3 negs eh

choker #3 - 3 crush attempts

[T Sands]

12.6.2004

T x10 eh warmup

#1 - 10x1 eh

#2 - 4x1 eh

#3 - 3 negs eh

choker #3 - 1 crush attempts

#4 - noset squeezes...not far, just working on start strength for momentum.

Softball Pinch Lift - (I have the weight loaded using a rubber strip so I stop it before it hits the ground)

20x8 eh

25x8 eh

30x8 eh

35x8 eh

T

Edited December 8, 2004 by T Sands

[T Sands]

12.7.2004

Took my #2 and ez3 to work for the day.

#2 R

1x10

2x6

3x4

5x3

#2 L

1x3

3x2

7x1

ez3 R

10 set attempts (varying from 1/8" to 1/2" throughout day)

10 no set attempts (varying from 1/2" to parallel throughout day)

ez3 L

5 set attempts (varying from 1" to parallelish throughout day)

5 no set attempts (varying from far and further)

T

[T Sands]

12-8-2004

Wow, who knew trying to take pictures with a gripper closed in one hand and a digital camera in the other could be so hard.

That was a workout...

Anywho, I think I got a few good ones of me closing the #2 each hand, but my #3 pics didn't quite capture the max that I am capable of but the goal is to kick its butt not just squeak by, so it shows me that I have to work harder.

I also got a pic of my blobs, which is pretty good because it shows the differences from 30's up to 50's.

Workout equivilent:

#1 5x1 eh

#2 3x1 eh

ez3 5 attempts right

#3 5 attempts right

filed3 5 attempts right

T

[nickr104]

Get Liz to take the pics. I had andrea tape my sm close video. She did good!

Hopefuly I will have my cam will be out of the shop by the 18th and we can get a video of you closeing that 3. By the way could you pm me your new addy in KC. thanks man.

Edited December 12, 2004 by nickr104

[T Sands]

12/13/2004 thru 12/17/2004

With all the shopping, undecorating, cleaning, & getting ready to go back to Ohio for the Christmas Season, I don't have a lot of time to train this week.

I think this is a good thing going into the Gripmas Carol. I don't think that I will be able to match any of the feats that go down but I am looking forward to some huge PRs. I am definitely as strong as I have ever been and with some huge dudes yellin at me and gettin me goin!

I think that some calm before the storm is a good way to describe this week. We'll see.

T

[T Sands]

I forgot to mention what I am doing...I am just doing some low reps with my trainer and #1.

On Monday, after a little warmup, I gave my ez3 a few good squeezes just to see where I was...1/16", no chalk. Hopefully with the camera rolling I will knock it down and if I get rollin, give my 2004 #3 a whirl, I think that it is within reach on a good day. Just have to decide who is stronger and prove it.

T

Edited December 15, 2004 by T Sands