Roark Posted January 9, 2002 Share Posted January 9, 2002 This morning at the gym, a young man named Kevin wanted to try my grippers. With no warmup: In order, he smashed the trainer with a loud click. Then the #1 easily. Then I said 'This will stop you' and handed him the #2. Well, it did stop him ABOUT 1/16" AWAY FROM HANDLE TOUCH! May have been closer than that- another man witnessing the attempt said he doubted a thick piece of paper could have fit between the handles, and that's how it looked to me too. So I loaned him the #1 and the #2, gave him some training tips and told him I think he will shut the #2 within a week if he does not overtrain. This same young man deadlifted my Inch handle loaded to 120 the first time he ever tried it! He is a farmer and used to heavy work, but other than that no grip specialization. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underdawg Posted January 9, 2002 Share Posted January 9, 2002 that's incredible roark. i remember how difficult the number 1 was the first time i tried it, and to think that someone with no prior training on them slammed the handles shut easily. not to mention how close he came on the 2. you've got to give it to those farm boys though, they're tough. they typically have more strength than most of us could ever hope to attain in all our time in the gym. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeff Roark Posted January 9, 2002 Share Posted January 9, 2002 Joe that must be a 20in-lb #2 you got there... He,he,he,he.... just houndin' you old buddy! When my little brother got back from working on the railroad in Texas this past summer, he could slam my #1 and almost get the #2. I also watched him lever a large sledge down to his nose and back up pretty easy. brookfeild calims hard manual labor is one of the best grip tools... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted January 9, 2002 Author Share Posted January 9, 2002 I have closed a #2 once in my life and cheated by holding the spring with the other hand, so when your brother or my friend skips along and plays with these items, their 'starting points' are something that took me years to reach. No wonder you called me 'old' buddy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeff Roark Posted January 9, 2002 Share Posted January 9, 2002 Dang it Joe! you are a Roark through and through. I'd love to meet you. I'm guessing you'd argue and fight to the death. We'd have a hoot. I know where there is more Roarks than you can shake a weaver stick at and if you ever come my way let me know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2002 Share Posted January 10, 2002 A "thick" peice of paper huh? Well how thick? It has no meaning to us if we don't know the exact measurements! 1mm? 2mm? Just kidding. I personally love knowing how much weight is moved on any lift. I take it to the extreme by weighing the plates I use whenever I am at a gym. The ones at my house are of course "calibrated." At my school, the "45's" I've measured have been within a range of 43 to 52. People think I'm nuts to weigh plates, then I show them the differences and boy are they surprised. Sometimes they claim that the scale must be broken... That's a BIG difference. Two people could be squatting "405", but one of them is doing 387, while the other is doing 461. That's a 74lb difference. Many people won't increase their squat (at that level) by 74lbs in a year. I've only weighed tha bars a couple times, and they were always accurate. Who still thinks it doesn't matter? Michael Falkov Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest DavidHW Posted January 10, 2002 Share Posted January 10, 2002 QuickGrip: A group of us at our gym once took about a dozen 45s we work with on a daily basis and weighed them. Not one weighed 45 lbs. Two were under 40, and at least one was 56 lbs. I stopped having many a bad day in the gym when I started making sure my weights were accurate before proceeding with max or near-max lifts. On the subject of No. 2 closings, I had a young guy at my gym close my No. 2 cold; he was one of those strong-handed auto mechanics. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 10, 2002 Share Posted January 10, 2002 There are two guys at my high school so far who have almost closed my #2. One of them is a Junior who is about 6'5" and maybe 300lbs. The other is a rock climber friend of mine. He is a Senior, about 5'11" 160lbs. The first guy does a lot of weight training, and is one of the top 3 strongest people at the school. The second guy doesn't do any weight training, just rock climbing. Both came to that last half a millimeter or so without setting the gripper. I tried to explain how to do it, but no one seems to understand... whatever... The second guys step dad has been rock climbing for over 20 years, he didn't even come close on my Trainer. He is a small guy, maybe 5'4" or so , and couldn't be more than 115, maybe less. But you would think he would do better. It turns out my friends real dad also just had a naturally strong grip. So it appears genetics for strength in the hands vary more than any other bodypart in an untrained person. So we've got more understanding, but where does it get us? Sigh.... Michael Falkov Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Schmitt Posted January 10, 2002 Share Posted January 10, 2002 Both came to that last half a millimeter or so without setting the gripper. I tried to explain how to do it, but no one seems to understand... whatever... What do you mean by setting the Gripper? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 11, 2002 Share Posted January 11, 2002 Positioning in the hands. Michael Falkov Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted January 11, 2002 Author Share Posted January 11, 2002 The young man who almost closed my #2 gripper the other day, tried it again and said he may have closed it, but could not be positive, so I told him to keep at it until he was positive then we would watch to verify it. This is a young man, 33, with no grip experience except using big wrenches on the farm- as a matter of fact after he almost closed the gripper the other day he worked on a combine at his farm for six hours, and really FELT the impact of having to strain against the gripper! Urged him to not overtrain. I predict he will get it by month's end. He has no appreciation for where he is starting in the scheme of things! I told him many people require several months or longer to close a #2, and he probably had it to within the width of 1/16" or so, on a day when he was working his legs and was not at all warmed up in the hands or arms. I may have motivated him to keep trying toward the #3 or something similar. Will keep you posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest baldy Posted January 11, 2002 Share Posted January 11, 2002 A guy where I work closed the #2 on first try. My training partner had brought in a #1 to use at work and this guy closed it no problem. He talked some smack to my training partner that he would close a #2 just as easy. My training partner didn't own a #2 at the time, so he asked me to bring mine. I did, reminding that guy he promised he would close it (I reminded him in front of his entire team). He started to backpedal a little ("naw, I didn't say I was SURE I could...") but to my shock, he closed it. He then said "that's not a #2", but turned the gripper and saw the stamp. He used no chalk, and probably even had some oil on his hands (we work in a production machining area, lots of oil). This guy doesn't do anything physical except look for the remote control or get off the couch for another sack of Cheetos. Our job entails only light manual labor, so I can't attribute it to that. We went to high school together and he never was exceptionally strong or big. I had an IronMind catalog sent to him and told him about PDA's grippers, maybe he will pursue it. I have invited him over to try out my stuff numerous times but he hasn't shown any interest. Like a lot of guys, he wants to BE strong but doesn't like the process of getting there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted January 31, 2002 Author Share Posted January 31, 2002 It was January 11 when my friend first wrapped his hand around my #2, and with each hand was able to bring it within 1/16" or so (hard to tell, but it wasn't closed). So I loaned him the #1 and #2 and asked him to keep at it. Tomorrow will be three weeks, and he told me earlier this week that he has not managed it yet- he thinks perhaps once but could not be certain. Now I understand what the board members mean when someone offers, "Well, I'm within a quarter inch on the #3, it won't be long now". And then others respond with the unwelcome news that it could be weeks or months until closure. The only way some of us can foresee success is to begin believing in reincarnation because there is not enough time left in this life! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nathan Say Posted January 31, 2002 Share Posted January 31, 2002 I got a T a #1 & a #2 for christmas & came within 0.5cm of closing the #2 right away & haven't improved much since. I've started doing strapholds though & the #1 feels easier already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueshadow Posted January 31, 2002 Share Posted January 31, 2002 Now I understand what the board members mean whensomeone offers, "Well, I'm within a quarter inch on the #3, it won't be long now". And then others respond with the unwelcome news that it could be weeks or months until closure. The only way some of us can foresee success is to begin believing in reincarnation because there is not enough time left in this life! That's so true Roark! In my case with that darn #2! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted January 31, 2002 Share Posted January 31, 2002 I was able to close my #2 the first time I tried it , but had been unable to close a #2 belonging to a friend. I purchased the #2 together with a #1 and had not trained previously with grippers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiotGrip Posted January 31, 2002 Share Posted January 31, 2002 Roark, I can't understand how your friend still isn't sure if he closed the #2 if he came so close his first try. I closed the #2 exactly three weeks after I got it, and I was probably more than 1/4 inch away when I first received it. I probably would have closed it sooner than I did, if I hadn't attempted to close it on a daily basis. I think your friend must be doing one of two things. 1) attempting the #2 too often, and overtraining or; 2) not training at all and giving the #2 the occasional attempt. Maybe I'm wrong though, some people may have a lot of handstrength to start with and not respond as well or as fast to training as others do. I guess everyone is different. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted January 31, 2002 Author Share Posted January 31, 2002 I'll check with him to see what exactly he's doing. He has told me that he has been working on repairing his farm machinery which involved large wrenches and a pretty good workout in itself. I have suggested forced closings and making the gripper open his hand. It is not a priority with him, but I'll see how it's going and report back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted January 31, 2002 Share Posted January 31, 2002 Anyone who can close the #2 on their very first try.... and they have NO grip training experience at all - is a freak of strength. No question. :crazy :crazy I took all my grippers to work, and most of the people there could not even close the Trainer! Yes, I work around some fish-handed folks. When I showed them I could close the #2, they were astounded! Of course, I told them that I grip train, la la la, etc. Like RiotGrip, it took me about three weeks to close the #2. And that was NOTHING compared to the #### I went through for training on the #3. I'm convinced that if you train, and TRAIN HARD AND CONSISTENTLY.... the #3 will happen. Oh, and here's a question I'd like to ask EVERYONE: Q: Were you "grip strong" as a kid? Were you stronger than most kids your age while you were growing up? Cite some examples, please! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat 74 Posted January 31, 2002 Share Posted January 31, 2002 Q: Were you "grip strong" as a kid? Were you stronger than most kids your age while you were growing up? Cite some examples, please! Yes I was, in the lunchroom I was designated pop opener for the wussies that couldn't take the pain!! AARRRRGGGHHHHH I could also snap a #2 pencil, what wrist strength...... :hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Walker Posted February 1, 2002 Share Posted February 1, 2002 When I first bought the grippers a year or more ago, I could close the #1 no problem but for only 5-6 reps, and I was about a half inch from the #2. I knew nothing about grip training, I was a powerlifter and this Ironmind mag. showed up in my mail one day and I was intriqued by the grippers. Once I started training hard again about a month or so ago, I closed the #2 in about 3 weeks. I have the #3 in my laser sight and I WILL crush it soon! None of my friends and family can crush the #1 except my 66 year old dad. Go figure. As far as being grip strong as a kid I was a "runt" to say the least. In sixth grade I weighed about 100 pounds soaking wet and when I graduated I tipped the scales at a whopping 165! I had really weak wrists from the multiple sports fractures. My top deadlift was 400 my senior year so what ever grip strength I had I got from pulling. Now I am 230 and I have improved my grip strength immensly. Funny thing is my brother is a mechanic and has worked hard labor his whole life. His hands and forearms are thick and muscular. Over Christmas I handed him the #1 and it stopped him cold. I cant wait to mash the #2 for him when I see him later this month!! When the #3 goes-I will send multiple pictures and video to him to RUB IT IN!! Rick Walker :hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP Posted February 1, 2002 Share Posted February 1, 2002 ha rick, at 14 i weighed 119 and i graduated at about 140lbs. i was able to crush the 1 for 6 on my first workout with it... i can now rep the master but the 3's still awhile away... oh yeah, and now i weigh about 180... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the swiss Posted February 1, 2002 Share Posted February 1, 2002 I think all this closing hard grippers without any training at all is most of the time an illusion. I too have a friend who was within 3mm of closing my #2 first try. but this guy is a logger, plays tennis a lot, and mountain bikes a lot too. so? most of my friends have manual jobs, and I do not consider they have no grip training. I mean these guys have been daily training their grip for a long time! There might be exceptionnal people who do no sports, work in an office, and close the #2 right away, but I think either they have done some kind of training in the past, or they are the occasional exception (?). When I started training my grip, I had been climbing for 3 years a lot (couldn't close #1, though ). who hasn't ever trained his grip in some way or another?? train hard david Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted February 1, 2002 Author Share Posted February 1, 2002 Saw Kevin at the gym this morning. Yesterday he worked his grip using Hammer Strength grip machine. Then he worked all day on his farm machinery. Then he walked into the house, saw the #2 sitting on the counter, picked it up and slammed it shut so that a 'click' was plainly heard. He is planning to buy some grippers soon. He's getting into the grip mentality! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted February 26, 2002 Author Share Posted February 26, 2002 Kevin tells me that he has now closed my #2 on three separate occasions, but cannot yet do it at will. He has ordered the 1,2, and 3 from Ironmind, and will return my grippers when his set arrives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.