Jake Brooks Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Today I was having lunch after comming in from the woods (Deer Season OH). I was sitting in my mom's coffee shop eating a sandwich and supprise supprise the topic of grip came up. This man in the corner joined in and began talking about Jack Johnson, a local retired blocklayer. Now I know Jack personally and I he is one hell of a man , but what this old man told me still impressed the shit out of me. He told me that as a young man he worked with Jack a couple of times and he said Jack used to lay 16 inch cement block two at a time. Jack would have his laborer bring him two block end to end, so that the two together would be 32 inches long, then grab (pinch) the two in the middle pick them up and set them at the same time. Now this might sound easy but trust me its not...I tried it shortly after I left the coffe shop, and some people on this board colud probabbly even do it, but think about doing it all day every day as fast as your laborer could bring them to you! Even at 60+ years old Jack has a handshake that could bring most modern gripsters to their knees! Man I love stories like that and I just had to share it with you guys! Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cunny Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Do you mean the Building Breeze blocks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Jake, That's great! I love hearing those stories as well. And it's even better when you know the guy. Where is you're mom's coffee shop? I drive a truck through Nelsonville just about every Friday. I may have even stopped there a few times. Is it the one on Rt. 33 just as you are getting into Nelsonville? Anyway, nice story, buddy. I'd like to meet this old guy. I have a lot of respect for the old guys who paved the way for us. Dave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Blocks here are heavy concrete blocks rather than cinder or breeze blocks. I have worked with bricklayers who had truly massive forearms and huge thick hands. http://wujidomartialarts.com/pics/99YPBreak_smaller.JPG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Brooks Posted December 4, 2004 Author Share Posted December 4, 2004 Sixgun, My moms coffee shop is located on the downtown square, one block away from the Rocky Outlet Store. If you are at the stoplight in front of rocky look opposite from the Rocky building and you will see it. The name is FullBrook's Cafe named after my great uncle Sam Fulbrook. Thats cool you drive through my hometown every friday, I just spent the whole week there Deer Hunting, had a blast. This is corny but there is no place like home! Next time you are through Nelsonville Stop in and introduce your self to my mom Miki, she will fix you up a little something to get you the rest of the way home. She will give you something with so much caffeine that you will have to take a Vivarin when you get home just to "come down"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
underdawg Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 My father-in-law said he and his dad used to lay brick with a guy that could put a brick in a shovel and lever the works off the ground one handed. Try it sometime, very tough. I have done the two block pinch before, but all day? Ain't no way. That's just manly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 Brick layers, block layers, etc...are just freakin strong. My uncle Al has been a bricklayer since he was 17 and he's in his 50's now and he's just nasty strong. He's not buff and doesn't have any visible abs or bulging veins but hands are just rocks and pretty much a giant callous. My Dad was giving him crap one time because Al snagged this girl's pantyhose with his palm rubbing on her leg. My Dad told me when Al was in his 20's him and his buddies would work out and just have crazy impromptu challenges. For example, in the middle of a workout they would see who could one hand shoulder press a barbell loaded with 100lbs for the most reps or see who could curl their bodyweight for the most reps (cheat curls I'm sure) then just go back to their usual workout. Anyway I love hearing the strength stories of yesteryear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
climber511 Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 We have an ole boy here in town who trimmed trees all his life - not using a bucket truck but climbing the tree or ropes. He holds one of those huge chain saws with one hand and uses it like a toy and he's 50 now. His forearms look like snakes under his skin - big snakes! I don't think most of these guys probably have the 1 rep max strength of the trained gripster but do NOT try to keep up with them working all day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Dockery Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 Love these stories! I worked for a landscaper here in Hilliard to pay my way thru college. He trimmed trees like Chris describes, hook the chainsaw to your belt, monkey your way up into the tree, then run the chainsaw one handed. I was playing around on lunch break a couple years ago trying to lever a 16 pound sledge Dave had (more like trying to not hit myself in the face with it). Dave walks over, "What are you trying to do?" Grabs the sledge and levers it, "What's tough about that?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 Jake, I will do just that! I'll try to stop in the next week or two. Do you Know Sean "Doc"? I think he lives in Hillard. Sean, That's cool about the guy with the sledge. Didn't I hear a while back that you also can lever a 16#er? Dave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Dockery Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 Heavens no! I can lever a 12 pound sledge on a good day, and not very strictly. A 16 is still a long way off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted December 4, 2004 Share Posted December 4, 2004 That might be what I heard. I was thinking, "You The Man". You still are though in my book. Dave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Brooks Posted December 5, 2004 Author Share Posted December 5, 2004 Yeah I know Doc, he lives right around the corner from me. As a matter of fact we train together sometimes. You should come to Hilliard and train sometime. Jake Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted December 5, 2004 Share Posted December 5, 2004 Jake, I talked to Sean last night. I guess he is going to come out and start armwrestling with me a few times a month. I live about an hour from you guys at least and I work two jobs. A full-time job through the week and I drive for another company on the weekends. I also live on some acreage and I always have something to do there, so I am very carefull with my time. But I like to pull on Saturdays sometime around 3-6 pm. If there is no one to pull with, I do my Saturday Armwrestling DB work that I post on my Workout thread. If you guys want to come out and beat up on this old man's arm, you're more than welcome. I'll show you guys what I know and we can have some fun as well. Dave... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jake Brooks Posted December 5, 2004 Author Share Posted December 5, 2004 man oh man that would be awesome. I will get together with sean and we will work something out. I would love to learn how to arm wrestle properly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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