Afghani-grip

[bender]

Well, here starts my first work out journal. Today I packed up "the Blob", about 40lbs of nails, a 12 pound sledge, a 40lb Hex head, 3 grippers, 5 dex balls, 5 pony clamps and 12 decks of cards (along with a jug of protein powder and supplements) into a tough box with my name painted on it. It's going by rail sometime next year to "an eastern seaport" and then by Ship to Pakistan and then by truck to Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, where I'll meet up with it next year.

I have 1 year in an office, 7 days a week, 12 hours a day. Nothing but weight lifting and grip training. Oh yes... And some Intelligence work and Army stuff. Briefings, analysis, products, updates, battle tracking and the works.

For the record, I do tip my hat to all the Infantrymen who'll be on patrol, outside the wire. I was one of these guys, and I hated the soft-skill dudes who did nothing but lift weights. I paid my dues. I feel I earned the right to be a Loggy.

Goals:

1). Lift the dang blob, for real, for time. Full deadlift. ( I budged it, but then got sidetracked with other goals...).

2). Bend the Red. (I've kinked the sucker 4 times now, but got sidetracked with other goals...)

3). See my abs. (This one will be the hardest to achieve!).

I feel the first two are almost guaranteed to happen. With focus and motivation, it should almost be simple to achieve. The third is going to suck. No beer. No wine. No late night snacks... (There is a pizza place, a burger king, chicken place, and many others on post... Some people will come home fat. It always happens).

My work outs will be the standard routine that I started with: Run/cardio twice a day 6-days a week, lift weights and combat conditioning 4-6 days a week, train grip all day, everyday. Sunday = no physical activity. Eat beef. Drink milk.

Here’s my plan, broke down by phases based off of accomplishing goals:

Grip training phase 1: Primary focus on the sledgehammer and the blob.

Grip training phase 2: Lift the blob, focus on bending and Grippers.

Grip training phase 3: Bend the red, focus on MM grippers.

Here it goes. I'm ready. I won't start posting progress until "sometime next year" when I get in country.

[dubthewonderscot]

Bender is back!!!

Looking forward to you missives. Be safe my man!

[Scott Styles]

Cooool. I'm looking forward to this log.

[Left Side]

Bender I'm glad to see you back.

I would say train hard and have fun but I know that with you they are givens.

[Clay Edgin]

Be safe and train hard out in the desert!

[supermagnamon]

Just kick some @$$ and be safe dude. I can't wait to see more posts on your log. From time to time, I still read your page on geocities.

[Left Side]

And give us some videos in your gallery, I want to see some blob lifting.

[bender]

Ok… Phase Zero is “Base Building”.

Here’s the stuff I’ve learned so far.

Grip is partially based off of the toughness of the hands. Hands can’t take the force of a #3 (or higher?), then you can’t close it. Hands can’t take the force of bending a G5 (or higher?), then you can’t bend it. Hands can’t take the force of pinching a blob (or better?), then you can’t lift it.

In my case, I’ve always found this pain or risk of injury, to be part of the limitation to achieving my goals. This comes from my blob training and having days where it feels like my thumb may slide off. It comes from bending days where I tear a quarter-sized chunk-o-skin out of my hand. It comes from my #3 attempts now, where all I feel is skin slipping in my palm. The force is there, but the strength of my skin is lacking.

Oh how I envy manual laborer who need not worry of such trivialities.

Part of phase Zero is conquering this weakness. I’ve posted of this a few times in the past, but I’ve been doing “Iron Palm” training. Some call it crap, some think it silly, but I’ll say it’s effective and right on for obtaining grip goals. I call them my “smack’n rocks”, a denim bag of 1” river rock, and a denim bag of split peas. Smack until bored. Repeat. The result is weird. An interesting transformation of the hands. It may also speed recovery from increased blood flow...

There are obviously dudes on this board who are much more accomplished than I, a mere #3 closer and G5 bender, who have no need for this training. For me, it’s important. I know my weaknesses, and I know I need to overcome them.

The second part of Phase Zero is assisted crushes with a gripper I can’t handle. I’m going to use the #4 and just go for it. F’ my hands. The intent is to damage the flesh, so it rebuilds itself. The second part is getting back into bending a 60D a few times a day, just to get the hands burning again. I need to work on the palms of my hands. Of all things, the skin slippage is the worst for me. The final part, and I’d appreciate some help here, is the toughness of my thumb from pinching.

I know the dedicated grip guru’s will say “just pinch more”, but my thumb has some serious pain when I’m training my pinch to the max. Pain as in “my thumb will slide off if I keep on pinching”. I don’t know how to overcome this besides with volume training. Just train the bastard to like it. I know of know other way. Suggestions are welcome.

The last piece is my bench / dips. Work has been ABSOLUTLY KILLING ME! I'm a primary brigade staff member now. Not like my internet days of being a basic-training XO... I also bought my first house, and it’s been sucking up my time and energy. I can’t get to a real gym and get some real gym time. I have a deadlift platform at home, and I can do cardio and some light lifting at work, but I haven’t been able to get serious with some crushing strength. I’ve noticed I can’t do double Timber-Tie bends, as I can’t feel the strength in my chest where it used to be when I was working out with my North Carolina powerlifting buddy. The same goes for G5’s. A WHOLE bunch of it is chest strength. Must get stronger. Must hit the gym. Pushups don’t matter. Must do heavy benches and heavy dumbbell work.

That’s the plan for Phase Zero, until I leave and go into Phase one.

I’ll post a video when I can do the RED/45lb hub/#3/blob montage. Just a matter of time.

I remember back in 2002 when I thought that a RED/45lb hub/#3/Blob lift was absolutely out of this world. Things change, and so does the human body when properly stimulated and allowed to recover fully.

Dang. I forgot to pack my mittens… I’ll have to carry them on me when I deploy.

Work out for tonight will be no-set #2's and #4 assisted closes.

Bent a few 60D's at work today.

Current program is 3-days a week cycling, 3-days a week elpitcal trainer. (Knee's went to hell again... Can't run) 3 days bench/back/shoulders, 3 days arms, abs, legs.

Has any one tried one legged dumbell deadlifts??? I'm a sucker for not trying them earlier.

Must build up the base.

[GatorGrip]

My Brother in Arms I will keep you in my prayers during your turn in the sand box.

I pray for strength and comfort for your Grip Goddess (Mrs. Godfrey) that she can make it through her days and nights without you while you are gone there but that your love grows stronger during your separation. My wife and I have been there buddy and we know from personal experience that a year is a long time depending on the deployment, but we made it and so will you two. Plus it sounds like you already have your goals set and expected work load in the proper perspective.

God Be With You My Sir, and let those seasoned Sergeants help you get the mission done. Trust your good NCO and he will make your boots more bearable to be in, especially come OER time.

You first inspired me to start bending as BENDER but as a fellow soldier you have gained my respect.

MOVE OUT and DRAW FIRE and THROW GRENADES - High Speed- Low Drag Captain

HOO-AH!!!

GATOR U.S. Army Retired

[bender]

Send out your thanks/prayers to SSG William Cunningham, my right hand man. This is his 9th time out in 17 years of serive. There are days when I'm late to briefings and ask him "tell me what I need to say", and then I blow away the COL with "cool stuff" from 30 seconds of whispering with SSG C.

SSG C. used to do one arm presses with 125lbs, then his back went out. He's curious about the whole grip training thing... He's got potential. Strong dude. 42 years old. Much stronger than I.

Should be a good deployment. Hats off, again, to the dudes of the coalition forces who won't be safe and sound behind 3 layers of wire.

Hoo-ah!

[bencrush]

Very nice to see you back Bender! Your website had a huge influence on me. I used to read it weekly for quite a while. Be safe man.

[FrankyBoy]

Nice to have you back Eric!

Lets see your abs!!

[climber511]

Keep your self safe and sound - work hard and all your goals will come in time. I managed to lift in the jungles and you'll do it in the desert. Stay safe soldier.

[bender]

Lets see your abs!! 

I'm going to regret posting that goal... But it's true. I have no shame. I'm going to focus part of my time towards function, and part to form. I'm sorry if I offended any of the god's of grip, steel, or strength...

[FrankyBoy]

No, no thats a fine goal!

Actually I should make that one to mine very soon also.

Btw: how do you plan to bend the red (style, pads)?

Do you want to cert also?

[honk]

Wow, bender is back.

Your great homepage inspired me to start bending.

[Left Side]

Bender do you still use your weird bending style, or have you jumped on the double overhand bandwagon?

When I first started I bent like that, but it killed my hands and I had to switch.

[supermagnamon]

Bender, how are you progressing so far?

[ruffhans]

bender awesome man good to see you back!! your one tuff cookie! i am a levering man myself and recently was passed along to your site,..great stuff!

about the hand tuffening. i did this for awhile and noticed some results. i dont know if you can have a small pail by your desk or not, but i use to take a small handfull of rocks once or twice a day and rubb, squeeze, and move them inbetween my hands to make them ruff and build up calisis.<-----bad spelling.

i didnt try to do any excersises with the rocks but just rubb them in and agianst my hand very hard untill sore and raw. i also glued a piece of 50 grit sand paper to my handle of my 12 lb sledge to build ruffness in my hands.

maybee you can give it a try. my thought is ,..if you cant go out to the blue colar/ manual labor work,..then bring the blue colar/ manual labor to you! while you at your desk, take a few mins at a time to rub something in your hand that is hard on the skin.

this may be alot to bother with but i thought i wouold pass it along.

take care man!

Edited December 23, 2005 by ruffhans

[bender]

Sunday morning, we flew to Maine, then Ireland, then Turkey, and now 20 hours later I'm in an MWR tent in Kyrgystan? There's a tent next door with a full gym. A squat rack! In a few days, Afghani-grip training will begin (among many other things). I feel good, I feel strong, and I've been eating clean for... about 36 hours now. The grip training will begin with in the week.

I still bend "weird" style. It's the only thing that feels right.

[Left Side]

Right on Bender, looking foward to reading the log.

And I can't wait to see a red bent Bender Style!

[bender]

I finally got that box that I packed up 3 months ago! Soldiers were unpacking the boxes from the shipping containers, and I was in my office. Some one showed up and politely requested that I go to the unloading area and move the box my self… I got a back pack and opened the box and unloaded it my self piece by piece. Luckily, there’s room in my office to set up my grip tools just like I did a few years back. I regret not bringing more grippers, as no set #2 closes are fairly simple.

I also need to build a ply-wood platform for the block weights as there’s a cheap stone floor in the office. One drop will split the crumbly tile.

Bad news… Taking time off from serious grip training is bad… I had trouble lifting my 40lb hex, only lifting it a few inches. I used to hold it for time with 12.5lbs added to it…. The blob feels impossible again. The sledge still feels strong, but I failed to bend a 60. In the past, I’ve found that this strength comes back fast and I’m looking forward to it.

In the gym right now, I’m just trying to adapt to the elevation. Lots of cardio and high reps squats. I’m also sticking to total-body splits with high reps to re-gain my previous level of fitness. I’m doing (or trying to do) sets of 20- squats with just 135. I get winded after 14 each time. It’s brutal. I expect drastic strength jumps once my cardio comes back.

For the first time in my life, I’m sticking to an awesome diet too. Meat, fruits, vegetables, milk, and minimal carbs. I expected to feel weaker but instead feel really energetic and healthy. (and there's no beer here...) Even the stress from the deployment is gone. My other goal for the year is “no chocolate”. That one may be the hardest to achieve of them all.

It should be a good year.

[Alawadhi]

your strenght will come back fast. i'm sure.

[bender]

One of my roommates is a 400/400/400 power lifter who's training to compete in the upcoming Bagram power lifting competition. I invited him down to my office to play with my toys. He was amazed. Most strong guys are. He was humbled, and was interested in buying a Trainer.

I noticed my 60D bending is lacking. I noticed a lack of strength in my left wrist, and sensitivity around my left thumb. Only one answer to this: Sledge Training.

I started today’s work out with a lot of sledge levers using my left hand. I feel week, but I can also feel my self getting strong. I could feel both the week spot and the tenderness getting a good work out. I then used the sledge for the DO bending motion for sets of 3 sets of 6 with each hand. I noticed muscle failure come fast. A sign of being out of bending-shape. I followed it up with sledge tosses.

My XO loves the 12-lb sledge lever to the nose. He’s telling every one about it and request I perform the feat each time he stops by my office with some one new.

After the sledge, I did 2x10 block weight pick ups. Just a hard grab and a short lift. I again noticed muscle failure coming on quick. I need to train more. I need to get my volume and hand-health back. I followed each set with no-set #1 gripper closes. My hands were tired from the blocks, so it felt like the right weight. I finished it all off with 3x5 sledge rotations. Again, I noticed I fatigued quickly.

It’s time to build the base. Lots of sledge play. Get those wrists back! More block weights, high volume short intensity grabs. Grippers are still just for fun and cross-training. Must get blob… Must bend RED…

I also need to get my chest strength back. Luckily, tonight is squat/bench night…

---later---

Feeling week, I went back for another round of the 40lb hex, #1 gripper and Sledge. I finnished this one off with large-pony clamp pinky-ring closes. Ouch...

[Left Side]

Glad to hear you've got your stuff and are able to get training again. Kill that red bender!