Strapholds: set and reps?

[Guest Hairyporkchop]

I've been doing strapholds in my effort to close the #2. After reading another thread I'm going to start doing them twice a week. After warming up, I try 3 holds with each hand, increasing the weight if I can hold it for 10 seconds, staying at the same weight if I can't, and I finish the workout by doing a forced close with the #2 and hold as long as I can followed by a slow negative. For those of you doing strapholds, what does your workout look like and how long do you rest between sets? Thanks in advance for any advice.

                                             JO'C

[Tou]

This workout looks perfect. Rest between sets as long as you want (I take at least 3-4 minutes).

[Nathan Say]

That's exactly what I do, except I do 4 holds & then 2 holds with the 2, but let go once my hand starts to open (no negative).

[Guest Hairyporkchop]

Thanks guys. I just read Tom Black's post and he is doing something similar so I guess I'm on the right track. Cheers.

                                    JO'C

[Tom Black]

I suspect that there are many ways of making strapholds work.  In the beginning weekly stages I found that I was underestimating the weights I could lift, and increasing the weight for the next set, but as I reached my peak this became harder to do.  I have begun training 2 guys at work (maybe up to three soon) during lunch break.  One guy (with good potential) went from 1/4" away on the #2 to a hairs width away in 3 weeks.  All with strapholds, and the basic workout that I have laid out.  He did the #2 close after the strapholds and with no chalk, so he could probably close it when fresh.  Also, he did almost all his straphold sets with the Trainer, not the #1, so this shows you don't always have to use the next gripper lower than what you are trying to close.

My 2nd trainee went from about 3/8" on the trainer to fully  closed with strapholds on a cheap gripper for 3 weeks.  He made a big jump due to technique changes, but even so he could not have closed the trainer at first even with proper technique.