Just getting started

[Guest mikebyoung]

I guess I am just introducing myself. I am a complete novice and may be pestering some of you for information.

 I am 37, never really lifted wieghts,always been the skinny guy getting sand kicked in his face.

 I have been a plumber/pipe-fitter for the past 12 years.

 A close friend showed me his new C.O.C.#1 grippers. He had been working with them for a few weeks or so. He asked me to try it. I picked it up and mashed it 6 times. He was impressed,I don't know if this was impressive or not. He lent me John Brookfield's book. I read it that night.

I was instantly hooked.

 Now,three weeks later I have built a training routine for myself.

 I can close the #2 (not easily), I use a 2" wrist roller, I train with a pinch block, and this weekend added  8 pound sledgehammers. (No way I can lever these things yet...training with an axe I have)

  Hope I haven't bored you with my long newbie post. I am just very excited to find this place.

[Guest baldy]

Hello Mike, glad to have you aboard. Your occupation lends itself well to grip training, since you are always handling / twisting pipes of different ODs. That is probably why you are starting with a strong base. Also, you having access to various pipes will help when you build different grip tools (thick bars and farmer's walk implements are easily built from pipe).

Sounds like you are on the right track with the movements you have chosen (crushing / pinching / wrist roller / levering). Read all you can and check out other people's workout logs for ideas on new movements.

Most importantly, have fun with it. Set goals for yourself and then meet them.

[Guest mikebyoung]

Thanks,Tim.

  As for setting goals...what would be a reasonable timeframe for shutting the #3 after just shutting the #2?

  I know there are alot of variables here. But if one was serious about his training...what should he shoot for?

[Tou]

Welcome Mike,

For some, it takes 2-3 months after the #2. For others, up to two years. I'm in the latter categorie as I still pai my due on the #3. I got it about the same time of the year last year. I came close by the end of summer, put it away for a while (don't ask me why) and lost a lot of strength. Now I'm getting back on the #3 and I shoot for september 1st. Still have 3/16 - 1/8 to go. That last little part is the hardest.

Good luck in your training.

[Guest baldy]

Mike, Tou hit the nail on the head. Everyone and every gripper are a little different. Some people just pick a #3 up and slam it closed (Ken Brown, and apparently Phil Pfister) with no gripper-specific training. This is very rare. Others have been working on it for more than 2 years and still aren't close. It just depends. You might want to set both long term and intermediate goals. For example, you want to close your #3 eventually. Maybe even a #4 eventually. In the meantime, you might work on getting consistent with your #2, or closing a BBM or equivalent gripper (in between #2 and #3). Then once that is done, you might work on dominating that gripper (closing it anytime you want). Then work towards the #3, etc.

I can't tell you a timeframe from my own experience, because I have not closed my own #3 yet.

Also set goals for the other stuff, even if the grippers are your first priority. Set goals for all areas of grip / wrist work you do. It is a little easier to see results on some thing (like pinching and wrist rollers) that you can go up in small increments. You will be able to add weight on your roller often. You should be able to add either time or weight to your pinch block often too. Pinching is something that comes very very hard for me, I can't tell you how happy I was the first time I pulled 35's. Those are examples of goals.

Pay attention to new movements that you have never tried too. David Horne just explained one that most of us probably haven't tried (bearhug deadlifts), I am about to go try that out properly. Jim Wylie just matched a world record in the 1" vertical bar lift, I don't think MOHS covered that either. That is a HUGE weight he pulled (over 500 lbs). He said it meant a lot more to him to do that than when he closed his #3, and I can see why. Until you try all the different grip movements you don't know which ones come easy for you and which ones don't.

Hope that makes sense.

[underdawg]

glad to have you aboard.  this is definitely the place to learn about grip training, some of the best in the world can be found on the board.  as far as the #3 goes, these other guys are exactly right.  i got mine a couple of months ago and i still have to strain till my eye bug out just to force it closed  ???