cyclops Posted April 18, 2005 Share Posted April 18, 2005 Ok after a couple months of just messing around with grip stuff, I've finally decided to take it seriously. I have the CoC #1 and #2. I'm very close on the #2, about 1/4" from a close. My goal is to close it within a month, and then on to the real grippers. Although grippers have suddenly become a little less important to me because I found something much more fun...bending!! I just bought about 32 feet of 3/16" HRS from Home Depot and cut several pieces to see where to start from. Now I'm wishing I had gotten some 1/4" also, but oh well. I easily bent two 7" pieces, one 6.5" piece, a 6" piece, and two 5" pieces. Well, the 5" ones were fairly tough. So I guess I'll be working out with 5" pieces for a bit. I'll probably also order some 1/4" stock from www.onlinemetals.com which I just found. Much cheaper I'm trying to find a place in Boston that I can get a bucket of timber ties from (Home Depot didn't have any that I could find), I understand those are great to work with. Or if anyone knows of a website I can order them from, that would be great! My fiance thinks I'm crazy for doing all this, too bad! Sometime within the next week I'll be making a PVC Blob, and get some lead shot, and start throwing that around. Should be fun. For right now I'm doing pinch grip stuff with a cinder block, and trying to lift my 35 lb kettlebell by pinching the handle. Yeah it's ghetto, oh well. I'm not completely sure how I'm going to be training all of this, probably a few days a week doing different aspects, and one day where I just fry my hands and forearms with all of it. But any suggestions are more than welcome, because I don't really have much idea of what I'm doing. Oh and I can't get KTA because I'm on a Mac and have yet to find a program that will open ebooks. Anyone with any insight there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 19, 2005 Author Share Posted April 19, 2005 Tonight I did a big set with the grippers. Closed the #1 for reps, then negs and holds on the #2, then more reps with the #1 to finish my forearms off. Dexterity balls in a few minutes (I seriously need to buy some bigger ones soon). Skipped going to the gym today because of the marathon. It was nearly impossible to get to my gym, even though it's only a block from me, because the marathon went right by my place. I'll just shift this week's lifting schedule by one day so I'm not skipping anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turtlefiend Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 Tonight I did a big set with the grippers. Closed the #1 for reps, then negs and holds on the #2, then more reps with the #1 to finish my forearms off. Dexterity balls in a few minutes (I seriously need to buy some bigger ones soon).Skipped going to the gym today because of the marathon. It was nearly impossible to get to my gym, even though it's only a block from me, because the marathon went right by my place. I'll just shift this week's lifting schedule by one day so I'm not skipping anything. ← Hi, I'm jeffrey. I'm in the same boat, just starting out. I like to do strapholds along with all the other stuff. I dont claim to know what I'm talking about, but I probably enjoy them the most. You should try them. Good luck with the 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 19, 2005 Author Share Posted April 19, 2005 Cool thanks man. I'll try them out next gripper session. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GatorGrip Posted April 19, 2005 Share Posted April 19, 2005 I just bought about 32 feet of 3/16" HRS from Home Depot and cut several pieces to see where to start from. Now I'm wishing I had gotten some 1/4" also, but oh well. I easily bent two 7" pieces, one 6.5" piece, a 6" piece, and two 5" pieces. Well, the 5" ones were fairly tough. So I guess I'll be working out with 5" pieces for a bit. I'll probably also order some 1/4" stock from www.onlinemetals.com which I just found. Much cheaper First of all welcome to the Steel Brotherhood thats mortal enemy is the Straight Steel Serpent it must be bent or coiled. Word of advice get the phonebook out and look for Steel Supplier or even Welding Supply but most of all just run out of that Home Depot screaming like your head is on fire and your ass is catch'in! The hardware stores rape you on steel for what you pay for a 3" , 4" or 6" piece of any steel Usually for the same price or less you can get anywhere from 20' foot of the smaller diameters 3/16" to 1/4" and thicker stuff usually comes in 12' foot or more for probably less than what you are buying it for at the hardware store give or take buck. Bending is one of the most addictive things I know of and I am an addictions counselor by day and nails worst nightmare at night. GatorGrip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 20, 2005 Author Share Posted April 20, 2005 Thanks for the welcome and advice, Gator. I'll be looking for a decent steel supplier pretty soon because I'm wanting to try some tougher steel. Today, bent a few nails. Two 6", one 5.5", and two 5". All 3/16" hot rolled steel. The 5's were a good bit easier this time. Hopefully soon I'll get some thicker steel to start working towards. Went to the gym today. I'm not even going to mention the weights I used. Let's just say my lifts are even weaker than my grip. I just started lifting not even 2 weeks ago though, so I'm not expecting anything spectacular. I did 3x6 of each: bench, skull crushers, and dips. I was going to do close grip benches instead of the dips but at that point the bench was taken and I was really pressed for time. Tomorrow may or may not be squat day, it depends on how much sleep I get tonight. This part of the semester is ridiculous, as I'm sure you guys know. If I don't work out tomorrow I'll just shift my schedule by one more day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
diesel Posted April 20, 2005 Share Posted April 20, 2005 Went to the gym today. I'm not even going to mention the weights I used. Let's just say my lifts are even weaker than my grip. I just started lifting not even 2 weeks ago though, so I'm not expecting anything spectacular. You went didn't ya? that is spectacular enough, in my book. expect it all, and it will be yours. Look forward to hearing about your gains. keep it up champ. DIESEL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 20, 2005 Author Share Posted April 20, 2005 Thanks bro. I guess it is better than most people do, but I always kinda laugh to myself when I'm loading the plates. I know I'll get stronger though, I'm very hard-headed and when I make a goal for myself I don't let anything get in the way of accomplishing it. Sure there may be breaks, but I always come back to finish. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 21, 2005 Author Share Posted April 21, 2005 Today was squat day. 3x6 with 180 lbs (which is also my bodyweight). Good mornings, 3x6 with 90 lbs, calf machine 3x6 with 250 lbs. I figured I might as well list the weights I use, I'm not trying to impress anybody . Tomorrow is military presses and such. Haven't done grip yet, but in just a bit I'm going to do some pinch stuff with my cinder block. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 23, 2005 Author Share Posted April 23, 2005 The gym was fun today. Military Press - 3x6 90 lbs Dumbbell Shrugs - 3x6 75 lbs per hand Cleans - 3x6 90 lbs One arm dumbbell snatches - 3x10 50 lbs Some gripper work, but my hands are feeling weak today so I'll let them rest. I'll get the weights up eventually. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigT Posted April 23, 2005 Share Posted April 23, 2005 cyclops...keep going man, you'll see are you goals lifting, #2, and everything else with time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 24, 2005 Author Share Posted April 24, 2005 Thanks Big T. I know I'll get where I want to be eventually, it's just the waiting part that sucks. Made a softball pinch thing today. I really like it. I attached some chain to it and hung my 35 lb kettlebell from it. Just practiced lifting it and holding it as long as I could. I think this will be good stuff. Also bent a few 3/16" nails. Two each of 6", 5.5" and 5". No problem. Next time I get steel it will definitely be 1/4", but I'll probably keep some 3/16" handy to warm up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 27, 2005 Author Share Posted April 27, 2005 (edited) So I was told today I'm supposed to count the bar in the weight I lift. I always heard you weren't. What's the verdict? (REALLY dumb newbie question, I know). So, counting the bar for the two bench exercises I did: Bench press: 2x5 @ 135 2x5 @ 155 1x5 @ 165 Close grip bench: 5x5 @ 135 Lat pulldowns: 1x5 @ 110 2x5 @ 130 2x5 @ 140 5x5 dips and chins bodyweight Squats tomorrow. My favorite! EDIT: Forgot the important stuff! Got 1/8" from closing the 2 today, which kinda pissed me off even though it was basically a PR. I KNEW I'd close it today, and then I didn't. It's my short-term mission. Within the next week, I'll hear that beautiful click. Very soon... I did lots of negatives with the #2 (don't have a #3 yet) and overcrushes with the #1. I'm ordering the #3 in just a sec, and probably an in-betweener to work towards after I close the #2 this week. Should I go with a HG or a BB? And which model if HG (I have the chart for the others)? Also lifted my softball thing with a 35 lb kettlebell attached a few times, but my hands were pretty toasted at that point from the grippers. Edited April 27, 2005 by cyclops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 27, 2005 Author Share Posted April 27, 2005 UPDATE: I read a post a few minutes ago about stepping on the gripper 100 times or so to season it, so I tried, and after about 40 times I tried and it closed fairly easily. The thing is, the handles got over 1/2 narrower. They were about 2 7/8" and now they're 2 3/16. Big difference. My #1 is about 2 3/4 and it's not even that much harder than the #2 anymore, which makes me worried that I messed the #2 up. I guess maybe because the #1 is so much wider, I dunno. Thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 28, 2005 Author Share Posted April 28, 2005 Uh...got that last post mixed up. I meant the #2 isn't that much harder than the #1 anymore. But I'm not so sure. It's different because it's narrow, but it still feels s good bit harder than the #1. For now I'll assume I didn't mess it up until I have reason to think differently. Anyway, today was a good day. Squats 5x5 @ 225 Good Mornings 3x5 @ 155 (messed up on one rep and hurt my back so I didn't do any more) calf machine 5x5 @ 290 various core stuff I'll add more weight to the squats next week definitely, probably not the Good Mornings. I don't really care if I do or not with the calves. Grip: lots of closes on both #1 and #2 grippers, no real routine, just trying to compare the two 1 - 6" 3/16 HRS 3 - 5.5" 3/16 HRS 1 - 5" 3/16 HRS Cake. Steel shopping this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted April 30, 2005 Author Share Posted April 30, 2005 Here's yesterday's workout: Military press 1x5 @ 115 lbs 4x5 @ 135 lbs Shrugs 5x5 @ 205 lbs Cleans 5x5 @ 135 lbs One arm dumbbell snatches 1x5 @ 50 lbs 4x5 @ 60 lbs Didn't do any grip. Today is deadlifts and nail bending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muscle Turtle Posted May 2, 2005 Share Posted May 2, 2005 question.. what are you trying to accomplish with your lifting? oly lifting? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted May 2, 2005 Author Share Posted May 2, 2005 (edited) I don't have any particular things I'm trying to accomplish, just to get stronger. I'd like to do more strongman type stuff later down the road once I get stronger, but for right now I'm just starting out (been lifting only 3 weeks) so I'm keeping it kinda basic. I do like doing the cleans and snatches though, so I added those in. Once I'm not living in a studio apartment in the middle of Boston I'll be able to start building a home gym to do more of the strongman stuff I'm not able to do right now. Forgot to update the other day: Deadlifts: 5x5 @ 205 lbs Bent over dumbbell rows: 5x5 @ 60 lbs each hand Rowing machine thing: 5x5 @ 120 lbs 5x5 chinups bodyweight only gripper work, softball pinching (35 lb KB attached) Edited May 2, 2005 by cyclops Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyclops Posted May 5, 2005 Author Share Posted May 5, 2005 YESTERDAY: Bench 1x5 @ 135 4x5 @ 155 lat pulldown 1x5 @ 120 4x5 @ 140 5x5 dips close grip bench 5x5@ 135 Three 2-minute rounds of boxing a heavybag. Lots of gripper stuff. I ran some very cold water over my messed up #2 and put some oil on it (as per Sybersnott's advice) and it made it somewhat more difficult. I can still close it though. I have a #3 and #4 coming in the mail soon. I'll probably get a BBSM but I figured I might as well get the #4 while I'm getting the #3. TODAY: Squats: 1x5 @ 205 1x5 @ 225 3x5 @ 245 (felt easy even though it was a PR, more next time) Good mornings 1x5 @ 135 2x5 @ 185 0x0 @ 0 I'm not good at these. Pause squats 1x5 @ 135 4x5 @ 205 These things are hard. Or I'm a wimp. Calf machine 1x5 @ 240 4x5 @ 290 3 rounds of boxing a heavybag. While I was doing the Good mornings, this guy came up and was like "Are you doing squats?" "No, they're Good mornings." "Oh. I was thinking, damn, those are the ugliest squats I've ever seen." Grip: 2 sets on each hand of softball pinches with my 35 lb kettlebell, 10 secs each 6 sets per hand of towel rollups 3 squeezes each hand on IM #2 gripper...hands were too tired to close it dexterity balls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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