Strength, Support, And Pinch Focus

[Mikael Siversson]

Got the v-bar video up in a 6.5 meg windows media player format:

http://www.gripfaq.com/gb/20051210v-bar.wmv

I also made it brighter so the detail comes out better.  Feedback is very welcome and highly encouraged.

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Your technique sucks big time. Your are setting the bar way too far out towards the end of the fingers. Set it in the palm instead, where there is more skin surface area. Basically, you are setting it across the fingers and then you wrap the palm around it. Instead you should set it in the palm and then rap the fingers around it. Also try experimenting setting it at an angle. Very little seasoning on that bar by the look of it. Use lots of magnesium during the seasoning process.

[Scott Styles]

Thanks for the feedback Mikael. I will try doing it that way on Saturday.

I tried seasoning the bar at first, but the chalk kept falling off and made a huge mess. I lift in my bedroom and got tired of cleaning it up, so I've opted to let the bar season as I use it for now.

[Scott Styles]

12-13-2005 - Workout 15 of 20 - Playing: Ozzy's Tribute Album to Rhandy Rhoads

I felt stronger today. I think I'm on the right track that I was over doing the stress on my thumbs. I would love to at least get to 3x5x195 (3 25s a side) for my last partial dead workout. It might be possible.

Warm Up: Wore my gloves for 5 minutes while setting up for the workout.

Levering: Using my 6lb sledge, number indicates inches from the head of the sledge my thumb is minus 1. Same sets and reps for both hands.

Front Lever: 5x10, 5x13, 5x13

Rear Lever: 5x17, 5x20, 5x20

The rear levers felt especially easy. I will take these up to 21 next time. Because of the thumb stress issue, I am dropping overhead levers for now.

2" partial deads: 5x85, 5x135, 5x180, 4x180, 1x180

My hands felt stronger today. If I hadn't kept trying to get the 5th rep on the 2nd set, I probably would have done better on the last set. My thumbs feel like they are coming back but not quite there yet. I am really looking forward to having a metal bar with a consistent surface. I will stick with 180 next workout.

FBBC V-bar

I played around with the positioning my hand like Mikael said. I made a number of attempts at it. The best I did was to get 140 up lefty. Something else that made a difference for me was standing right over the bar when trying to lift it. So instead of lifting up, I lift back. My skin is a little puffy near the top of the palm, between my ring and middle fingers. The tip of my middle finger also appears to be getting some stress. The pain is still far less than I was initially experiencing.

5 chances left to get stronger before the end of the year. I'm feeling pressure...

[Scott Styles]

So now I've got a knot like feeling in my left forearm and it hurts to even set the trainer in my left hand. I hope this feels better by morning. I think I might be done with v-bar.

[Scott Styles]

I was able to shut my BBM left handed last night. The forearm is still a little stiff but feels like it is going to be fine by next workout. I've never felt anything like that before and I didn't like it.

[Left Side]

Geez Scott you organize your whole life into these percentage compliance lists, you could try and relax it a little.

Just quit the cola, for example, cold turkey now, and don't even bother keeping track. Every time you have an opportunity to drink pop just don't do it, no exceptions, ever. It's way more hassle free than keeping track of how many times you've caved in in the last week and trying to rationalize them.

And screw ice tea, drink water.

[Scott Styles]

But then I wouldn't get to analyze data or play with my PDA...

I do drink 1/2 to 1 gallon of water a day. The iced tea is a way for me to alter my habits without feeling deprived. For some reason it just takes 1 16oz bottle a day to allow me to resist the free "all you can drink" of soda at work. There's free booze too, but that's only for after hours. I never would of believed it if I didn't see it myself.

[bencrush]

Great and consistent work Scott! Enjoy the log as usual. No one has you beat on details.

I also got your Hard #3 the other day. Hefty bastard. I already told you that it is a bit harder than my Easy Elite, which is really crazy.

Banged around on it for a bit. And banged it a couple times for you buddy!

[ruffhans]

scott,..very outlined good stuff.

i just want to share from one bro to another some things i tried for energy.

i have struggled with strength and energy before also. i follow a simaler diet as you,..but the only thing i include is tuna and samon, and organic beef. but i dont see any less strength when i dont eat the meat. i do notice it if i do not get enough fruits and vegies and water. my problam is carbs! so i switched to a whole orgain bread made with sprouts,..very long lasting in terms of energy. i also found out that i have been zapping my own energy for the last 4 years by wrong thinking and worrying. maybee relaxing a lill would be better,..taking your mind of workingout. soemtimes when i worry about getting stringer i zap my body and lower my emune systam and in return get sick. but when i take the "no big deal" aoroach,..i seem to get stronger just fine.

agian ,..just passing along my personal things i have struggled with,..this may not be your problem.

also hope you got my pm,..hoping to get to know you a bit more, sounds like we have alot in common. keep up the great work.

[Starkmann]

bread made with sprouts? What is the brand name, I wouldn't mind trying this out.

[Scott Styles]

Ben, about time someone beat on that #3. It deserves it!

Ruffhans, probably good advice. I do try to relax. The reason I write down my recovery factors is so I don't have to think about it. My whole job is basically creating and managing lists of information, so one more is no big deal. Each day I just try to do what is on my checklist. Once every 2 weeks I look at my spreadsheet and think about the results for what I put in to things. Got the PM, just been busy.

[Scott Styles]

12-17-2005 - Workout 16 of 20 - Playing: My tired fiance asking when I'll be done so she can nap

Progression! I like it.

Warm Up: Wore my gloves for 5 minutes while setting up for the workout.

Levering: Using my 6lb sledge, number indicates inches from the head of the sledge my thumb is minus 1. Same sets and reps for both hands.

Front Lever: 5x10, 5x13, 5x13

Rear Lever: 5x17, 5x21, 5x21

I'm going to repeat the front levers for at least one more workout. I'm beginning to think about moving the weight up. The rear levers were very strong righty. Left wrist struggled a little at the end of the last set, but got the rep. Sticking with this weight one more workout.

2" partial deads: 5x85, 5x135, 5x180, 5x180, 4x180

I felt mighty today. My hands are responding much better to less stress on the thumbs. When I designed this workout, I had no idea just how stressful thick bar work is on the thumbs. And today, on my new 2" FBBC solid axle, even my fingers were tingling. I think I may not be counting the barbell as heavy as it is, but without a scale I choose to err on the side of understating my weights.

FBBC V-bar

The spot in my forearm that hurt after Tuesday's workout was tingling a little during the lever work. I decided it was best to leave these for another day.

New Equipment

Yesterday at about 9am, I got an email from John at FBBC letting me know my new 2" solid axle should be arriving at my parent's house in the afternoon. 11 day turn around time on a 70lb+ custom barbell - that's good service.

So I call my parents and tell them to let me know as soon as it arrives. Finally I hear from them at like 7pm, Fed Ex delivered it to their next door neighbor. Luckily he's a good guy and lets them know he has it. My dad goes over to get it, thinking he'll just carry it back, and the guy says "no, it's too heavy." Then he proceeds to load it in the back of his pickup truck and drive it next door. Now this is a barbell!

I got it from my parents this morning and spent the whole day looking forward to lifting on this beast. I don't have a scale, so I'm not sure what it weighs. The FedEx package says 75lbs, so after subtracting the weight of the cardboard tube, I'll figure 70lbs. Just owning it makes me feel more manly. Lifting on the thing is a dream compared to the PVC. It stays put when I place it in my rack and my skin doesn't slide all over when I sweat just a little. I get to focus on just lifting the bar instead of worrying about optimal friction. I am very, very pleased with this purchase. It's also temporarily satisfied my need to buy more grip toys.

4 chances left to get stronger before the end of the year. I'm feeling pressure...

[Scott Styles]

Attending to Recovery - Workouts 13-16 (Microcycle 4) Results: 88% compliance

Ah, I like having Excel calculate these numbers for me. It's a bit more motivational too. As time progresses, I see my score for the microcycle rising.

Environment

1. Keep the humidifiers at home and work full: 14/14 - 100%

2. Wear gloves to bed: 13/14 - 93%

3. Wear gloves when outside: 14/14 - 100%

4. Grip message boards max of twice per day: 3/14 - 21%

5. Get 7.5 hours of sleep: 104/105 - 99%

I'm now wearing the gloves at night with no issues. It must have been the soap from Walgreens giving me that rash.

I totally got my sleep on track, I'm not really sure how / why it happened. I think it's because I haven't been getting my computer out at night when I come home from work. Lately, I've also been having a drink in the evening every other night or so...

The internet is still an issue. I just like using it. I can't even say that I tried to limit it after the first few days. I did avoid tastes great, less filling debates for the most part. I'll see what happens in the coming 2 weeks.

Active Recovery

1. Do finger extensions: 13/14 - 93%

2. Play with dexterity balls: 13/14 - 93%

3. Do ROM exercises with my shoulders: 12/14 - 86%

4. Do contrast baths the 2 days following a grip workout: 4/8 - 50%

5. Do yoga the day following my grip workout: 0/4 - 0%

I did better on the contrast baths this time. The ones I skipped, my hands didn't really feel like they needed it too much. Also I was being lazy. The yoga item is still outstanding. I'm hoping that once I have less work to deal with, I will be able to make this more of a priority. My joints are beginning to let me know I have ignored it for too long.

Diet

1. Eat each of the following per day

1.1 Flax Cereal: 11/14 - 79%

1.2 Beans: 10/14 - 71%

1.3 Yogurt or Cottage Cheese: 12/14 - 86%

1.4 Seed Mix of Pumpkin Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, and Brazil Nuts: 13/14 - 93%

1.5 Lettuce: 7/14 - 50%

1.6 Celery and Carrots: 12/14 - 86%

1.7 Fruit, 1 or 2 servings: 14/14 - 100%

1.8 1 Serving of Soy - 11/14 - 79%

1.9 NEW 1 12oz cup of milk - 6/7 - 86%

2. Drink iced tea in place of soda where practical: 14/14 - 100%

7 weeks since any soda. It's habit at this point, but I'll keep tracking it for now.

I didn't eat my lettuce last week. I normally chop up 2 heads of romaine lettuce on Sunday evening and eat that through the week. I just didn't feel like it last Sunday. This week I got 2 bags of pre-cut lettuce from Peapod instead. It cost me an extra $5, but if that's what it takes to get me to eat my veggies, so be it.

I added in the serving of milk as a result of my nutrition course. For the coming two weeks, I will be splitting up my soy into 2 servings, one of soy milk and one soy patty. Basically drinking the soy milk is easy and I like eating soy patty sandwiches. I'm testing the practicality of doing berry+soy milk smoothies this week. Ideally I'd like to have one every day and add a daily serving of berries to this list.

My latest nutrition course raised an interesting question on my flax cereal. It basically said that since cereals are cooked, the special properties of the omega-3 fatty acids are eliminated. A different nutrition course I read from the same company recommends the cereal as a good source of omega-3s. It's also plastered all over the cereal box. I'm not sure what to believe. Once I get it figured out, if it turns out the cereal does not provide the omega-3's, I will be attempting to use the berry+soy smoothies to deliver them.

I was looking at supplementing my diet after finishing my course. Supplements are big $$$$, especially quality ones. So, I decided I'd ignore my food budget and just start buying what I feel would ensure my success eating well. Groceries were $91 this week. I think they will end up at $100 when it is all said and done. I currently have $80 a week budgeted, but can afford to ramp it up to $100 if needed.

Once I have this balanced out, I will look for the deficiencies in my diet. Right now, I'm thinking I will end up taking a multi-vitamin. I'm still not sure about creatine or glucosamine. They do make a vegan glucosamine, but I have no idea if it is "good".

In Summary

I'm pretty happy with the results of this microcycle. The internet is a bit of an issue, but for now I appear to be a functional internetaholic. They key is to keep my computer put away at night and, apparently, to drink a finger of bourbon in the evening.

I am enjoying optimizing my food and think it is a good thing. I do love to eat. I'm almost totally better from when I got sick over Thanksgiving and have avoided stressing over the latest product roll out at work. I'm learning to prioritize and work at a reasonable pace. Delivering some insurance software to meet a somewhat arbitrary date isn't worth my health. I don't even have any options in the company.

[Starkmann]

wow, seven weeks and no soda. Grea job man. I can usualymuster three or four then have some. Keep it up. The owrkout overall is great. Keep going man.

[ruffhans]

great work scott!

starkman the bread with sprouts is called jeremiah

also try to find heidelberg bread it is very good. i read you should only buy bread that has 3 to 5 ingredients. anything else and you dont need it in your body.

[Scott Styles]

12-21-2005 - Workout 17 of 20 - Playing: Birtney Spears DVD

Not my best workout. I pushed last night's workout off to this morning because I was feeling kind of beat up and I am working from home today. Didn't really help.

Warm Up: Wore my gloves for 5 minutes while setting up for the workout.

Grippers: 5xT; 5x#1

Just trying to work some blood into my hands and wake everything up. I wasn't feeling the enthusiasm today.

Levering: Using my 6lb sledge, number indicates inches from the head of the sledge my thumb is minus 1. Same sets and reps for both hands.

Front Lever: 5x10, 5x13, 5x13

Rear Lever: 5x17, 5x21, 5x21

Again, strong righty, struggling a bit lefty.

2" partial deads: 5x85, 5x135, 3x180, 2x180, 0x180

WTF? This was like the complete opposite of Saturday's workout. My strength just wasn't there. I've been eating and sleeping well. Saturday was my best deadlift workout in weeks. No idea what is going on here. I guess I'll try again this coming Saturday. Maybe I can only do deads 1x a week or something.

Misc

I was kind of pissed, so I did some random stuff. Cleaned and pressed 75lbs on my thickbar a couple times. Closed my T and #1. Missed my #2 by a mile. Carried my 20lb blockweight around. Then the 25lber. Deadlifted the 2.5" dumbell I have loaded with 70lbs. Made a mess tearing some cards. Just aimlessly gripping things in an effort to relieve my frustration.

3 chances left to get stronger before the end of the year. This plateau angers me.

[tmmicklabs]

Scott,

I hereby proclaim you as the Gripboard Supernerd of the Year.

Congrats buddy.

Edited December 21, 2005 by tmmicklabs

[Scott Styles]

Travis, I am honored to accept the award of Gripboard Supernerd of the Year and will do my best to continue with the nerdification of grip. I will pursue continuous improvement of my grip workouts using Deming's Quality Cycle in hopes that one day my successes will open all my fellow grip brothers to the power of the Plan, Do, Check, Act spiral.

------------

Today's crappy workout has been bugging me, especially because it correlates with a general funk I've been in over the last few days. Thinking about any behaviors that have really changed, the only thing I can identify is I've started exploring the world of premium bourbon and having a nightly drink.

Well sure enough, a little research shows that drinking before bed screws with your sleep pretty well:

http://sleepdisorders.about.com/cs/alcohol/a/nightcap.htm

http://www.jrussellshealth.com/alcsleep.html

Apparently you sleep more, but it's crappy. I'm pretty sensitive to getting enough / quality sleep, so things are making sense to me now. The fact that I fell asleep in my post workout bath confirms the problem. Sleep deprivation symptoms have been rampant the last few days, I just didn't know to look for them, since I have been sleeping 7.5 hours a night.

This is a shame, cause I just got 2 $30 bottles of bourbon last night. Guess I'll have to limit the night time drink to once or twice a week. It looks like I might be able to get away with a daily drink not screwing with my sleep if I have it with lunch...

[Starkmann]

I have heard similar but I have also heard of people doing the same thing for years. I always figured it was hype. You know anti-alcohol groups just looking for another excuse. Sounds like that's not true a all. Looks like your meticulous documentation is paying off to some degree.

I think the lunchtime bourbon is an old ritual that is just waiting to be reborn. Who knows, maybe you'll start a trend. Which is good cause you'll need to find a new job ;-)

[Scott Styles]

I wouldn't of believed it if I hadn't experienced it. But sure enough, last night I had zero drinks. I only slept 6 hours. I feel the most rested I have all week. My ability to focus is through the roof.

On another thread, I've been thinking about my next grip cycle. I've decided not to go to the Michigan Grip Champs this year, so my next cycle will be bending specialization. I'm also going to seriously pursue the yoga. My workouts are going to look like this:

Do Yoga DVD

Bend double underhanded

Wrist Roller

I may throw some block weight work in there depending on how tired I am. I know at first the yoga leaves me hurting, but I haven't done it consistently for a long enough time period to know if I ultimately get used to it. This will be either a 6 or 8 week cycle, I won't know for sure until I finish my first microcycle.

[Scott Styles]

Supplementation

For whatever reason this morning I was motivated to work out the details of my supplementation program, or rather, what I should take.

Here goes:

Omega-3's: I think my flax cereal is cooked below 350 degrees, preserving the ALA from the flax. However, I should still have a source of DHA in my diet. Enter DEVA Vegan DHA caps. Month supply is $16. The DHA comes from algea. I can see value in supplementing with this daily.

Creatine: The only sources of creatine in the diet are meat and fish. It can be synthesized from other amino acids. Vegitarians are one of the groups most likely to benefit from Creatine supplementation. 2 Month supply of NOW Sports Vegetarian Creatine Monohydrate is $20. Seems cheap compared to the complaining I've heard about price. Looks like a definite win for a 2 or 3 month cycle when I'm focused on strength.

Glucosamine: DEVA offers a Vegan Glucosamine HCL derived from corn. Month's supply is $18. I would be getting it as an investment in long term joint health. It needs to be taken 3 times a day , and I'm not certain as to whether or not it holds value for me.

What is interesting to me here is that it turns out all of the vitamins and minerals essential to health that my diet puts me at risk for being deficient in, I am getting plenty of. Everything I could take is to optimize health or strength, not prevent a serious nutritional deficiency.

So the decision remains to be made, is it worth the money? I dunno. I did decide to add a daily soy milk+berry smoothie to my regular food intake. That brings my weekly food bill to $100. So I'm looking at tacking $12 a week on to that for supplementation. I'll let it roll around in my head for awhile.

[Starkmann]

Would you mind telling more about the yoga. I have heard there are various types and focuses. I are you working on strength, flexibility, conditioning or some others.

I'm just curious.

[Scott Styles]

I took a continuing education course on yoga for renewing my ACSM cert. It came with a DVD that combines yoga and Pilates. The author (Linda M. Christy) is big on balancing that body via strengthening and stretching movements. Seems like a good idea to me.

[ruffhans]

looking good scott! you sure are a detailed man!

i have been doing tia chi and i love it. my wife had a palaties dvd i do now and then and i feel it is the best workout i have ever done. there is something about useing your body to get a workout that free wieghts cant do.

[Scott Styles]

12-24-2005 - Workout 18 of 20 - Playing: Siamese Dream by the Smashing Pumpkins

I felt excited for today's work out. A good sign. Of the 3 days since the last workout, I only drank on one of them. Here goes:

Warm Up: Wore my gloves for 5 minutes while setting up for the workout.

Levering: Using my 6lb sledge, number indicates inches from the head of the sledge my thumb is minus 1. Same sets and reps for both hands.

Front Lever: 5x10, 5x13, 5x13

Rear Lever: 5x17, 5x21, 5x21

I'm going to take the rear levers up to 22 next workout.

2" partial deads: 5x85, 5x135, 5x180, 3x180, 3x180

These went a better today. I'm still a little shocked that the night cap was screwing my sleep up so badly. I hit upon an interesting trick on the 3rd set. I think I can take some of the load from my thumbs onto my fingers if I try to flex my pinky towards my wrist after grabbing the bar. I will get 3x5x180 on these on my new bar before the end of the year. 3x5x185 sure would be nice. Maybe this trick will give it to me.

FBBC V-bar

My ineptitude on this impliment continues to annoy me. I failed on 140 again trying to use "proper" technique. Made something deep in my forearms start to hurt again too. I decided to hell with worrying about optimal hand position. Then I just did a bunch of lifts at 105, grabbing the bar over the top and pulling on it like I would if I didn't go to the gripboard. I'll see where this takes me.

Prior to the workout I was wondering if this should be my last workout of the cycle, seeing as I am on vacation and all. Now I am looking forward to the final two workouts, which is a good sign. I spent last night writing up an entry on wrist rollers for Gripfaq.com and am excited to begin my next cycle, which will include serious attempts on the wrist roller.

2 chances left to get stronger before the end of the year. Feeling Hopeful...