Training for the #4

[Bob Lipinski]

For all you guys training for the #4, what are you doing? Are the PDA grippers comparable to the COC grippers? I haven't trained with the grippers for a while, but I'm thinking about starting up with them again.

I bought a BB Elite a little while back but gave it away. It was way to big for my hands- I could close my #4 further.

[RiotGrip]

Bob,

I'm not training for the #4 (not yet anyway!) , but I do know of some who are.  Have you tried strapholds? or Severe negatives on a plate loaded grip machine?  I know that the BB elites can be wide, but did you try setting the gripper, or does that not help much?  Magnus Samuelson can reportedly hold the #4 closed if he cheats it closed, and can crush it down to a 1/4 inch--and I believe reps and timed holds are all he's done to train crush(his methods may not work for the "average" CoC though).  Also, I do own a PDA calibrated gripper, and it is an excellent gripper, that would be a very reasonable option for someone like yourself.  I'd recommend a PDA gripper between 460-500 in-lbs to serve as a midpoint between a #3 and a #4, but that figure might be a bit low, some of the certified CoC's may have a better idea of a go between range.  Hope this is helpful.

[Bob Lipinski]

Thanks.

Actually, I have to set the COC's very well because of my relatively small hand size. There was no way I could set the elite right.

I have heard about the strapholds, and also about the nagatives. I've tried to do negatives, but I can't seem to get the gripper closed any further than I can normally. Don't have a plate loaded machine, might look into that. The PDA grippers sound like the best bet for me though. So they're the same size as the COC's?

[Tou]

David Horne said that the PDA grippers were the same width as COC, even shorter to fit in small hands (like mines too).

To train for the #4, negatives seems to be a must (according to those who train for it which is not the case for me). Negatives is better on a grip machine than on a gripper because you can put the weight you want.

You can do it Bob. If you puts the same intensity in it than in your powerlifting workouts, no one doubts that it'll be yours.

[Bill Piche]

The PDA grippers are not shorter.  The handle span is not super wide, but it is consistent per a spec.  So, they are better for those with smaller hands.

[Bearcat 74]

I say strapholds.  I have got jack chit from negatives.  Actually I take that back, I have gotten weaker while doing them.  I do not have a grip machine so I do not know anything about that.  From what I hear, they are the way to go.  I say do some strapholds with a #3.  

As for the PDA's, if your going to order high IP's, you'd better not want them anytime soon.....

[Guest baldy]

What do you mean weaker on negatives? The only way to train is twice a week with heavy negatives! (Just kidding).

Bob, I have small hands and the PDA gripper I got feels great in my hand. It is noticeably smaller (less widely spread handles) than my IM #3 and #4, and close inspection shows that it is slightly more narrow than my IM #1 and #2. It feels great in my hand, and I will order more when the time comes (when I get strong enough). I don't have to laboriously "set" it perfectly with my off hand, it almost fits correctly by itself.