Scott Styles Posted December 20, 2005 Share Posted December 20, 2005 I'm sure if you email weightlifters warehouse they will work something out with you regarding the money order. I doubt Ironmind has anything that special with their go really grip machine. Filing a gripper basically means you shave 1/8" to 1/4" off the inside edge of one of the handles so that the gripper closes further. The idea is you are training "Beyond the Range" by closing the gripper more than normal. So when you close an unfiled gripper, you have the strength to really smash the handles into each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelegraphKey Posted December 20, 2005 Author Share Posted December 20, 2005 Ah, I see. Thanks, Scott. BTW, what size & weight are those balls you're twirling in your avatar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Styles Posted December 20, 2005 Share Posted December 20, 2005 They're 4lb shot puts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelegraphKey Posted December 20, 2005 Author Share Posted December 20, 2005 (edited) That's pretty impressive. The first time I saw your avatar I hadn't received my L2 Dex Balls from IronMind yet, and when I first got them & saw how small they were compared to those, I thought NO WAY I'd ever be able to do that. I'm fairly comfortable with the L2 Dex Balls now, and I really would like some bigger ones. But I can tell it would be a real, real challenge. I, for one, don't usually think the muscles in my hands would need so much practice & warming-up just to get used to the L2 Dex Balls, but when I first began playing with regular-size Chinese relaxation balls (weight ~ maybe 4 oz?), I couldn't rotate them clockwise in my Left hand (the direction you have those 4 POUND shots going!). It took me many tries before I could get my inflexible pinky finger to push them over properly (while my right hand, being right-handed, easily did this the first time). When I finally got the L2 Dex Balls, it took me a few attempts to get them rotating both directions in both hands. Then I tried to rotate them without touching; this, as you probably imagine, took quite a few more tries. It really is quite a good hand workout/active-relaxer to rotate them without touching. Now when I get warmed up I can even do the over-unders & under-overs. But I still can't do even the smaller ones palms-down. Do you know of anyplace to mail-order 3-4+ lb shots? I've tried & I know I can't buy them anywhere in the town I live. Edited December 20, 2005 by TelegraphKey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted December 20, 2005 Share Posted December 20, 2005 But man, ever since Sybersnott wrote that the other day, the idea has been growing obsessively in my head about how much I want a 2-hand grip machine... ← Stop FLOUNDERING around about this!! Get it... it'll be the best purchase you'll make in terms of grip strength. Go to the Weightlifter's Warehouse website and email Bill Ennis and ask him if you can get it through a money order (chances are you can). Credit card orders just make it simplier and faster, that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelegraphKey Posted December 20, 2005 Author Share Posted December 20, 2005 (edited) I appreciate your being hard-ass, it's motivating & it's also amusing, but in seriousness, I'm not "floundering." I live in northern Alaska. I'm one of the strongest guys I know around here (even with a military base nearby), including grip strength. Clearly, then, we don't have all the immediate resources many other guys do. This is all stuff I'm learning about. I tend to ask a LOT of questions, so I understand if that drives other guys crazy. But even though I ask a lot of questions, I'm still a goal-driven s.o.b. and, by hook or by crook, I usually get my goals, even if it takes years (instead of days) to get them. Thanks for the tip re: Bill Ennis. I will do that right now! Edited December 20, 2005 by TelegraphKey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janne Posted December 20, 2005 Share Posted December 20, 2005 (edited) Ah, I see. Thanks, Scott.BTW, what size & weight are those balls you're twirling in your avatar? ← T_Key, we all can't have balls that size. On a serious note though, forget the set and just master the gripper. Energy focused on setting grippers could be well spent crushing them. Edited December 20, 2005 by Janne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelegraphKey Posted December 20, 2005 Author Share Posted December 20, 2005 Janne, Yeah, it's always amusing no matter what everytime I encounter talk of "handling 4 lb balls" etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janne Posted December 20, 2005 Share Posted December 20, 2005 Janne, Yeah, it's always amusing no matter what everytime I encounter talk of "handling 4 lb balls" etc. ← So, in your circle of friends, you encounter a LOT of talk about ""handling 4 lb balls""? Just kiddin', of course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelegraphKey Posted December 20, 2005 Author Share Posted December 20, 2005 Naw, dude, just on this board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janne Posted December 20, 2005 Share Posted December 20, 2005 Naw, dude, just on this board! ← It sounds like you were the only one talking the avatar. Cheers, dude and forget the set. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Styles Posted December 20, 2005 Share Posted December 20, 2005 I think the Level II Balls from Ironmind are actually 0.6kg Javelin Training Balls that have had some sort of coating applied to them. You can see the product here: http://www.vsathletics.com/product.php?xProd=499&xSec=84 The shots I have are from the same company: http://www.vsathletics.com/product.php?xProd=460&xSec=80 It took me a lot of practice to get to the point where I could rotate the IM Level 2 Balls clockwise/counter clockwise without touching. Moving up to the 4lb shots wasn't that much harder. Just a little bit of practice and stretching the hand. I actually have found that as I got better, rotating the balls clockwise in the left hand is a lot easier than rotating them counter clockwise. I find myself wondering if I could do 6lbers, but as I haven't really found much training benefit from the shot rotations, I don't want to spend the money. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janne Posted December 20, 2005 Share Posted December 20, 2005 It took me a lot of practice to get to the point where I could rotate the IM Level 2 Balls clockwise/counter clockwise without touching. Moving up to the 4lb shots wasn't that much harder. Just a little bit of practice and stretching the hand. I actually have found that as I got better, rotating the balls clockwise in the left hand is a lot easier than rotating them counter clockwise. I find myself wondering if I could do 6lbers, but as I haven't really found much training benefit from the shot rotations, I don't want to spend the money. ← Scott, how much has the shot routine helped your grip strength? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Styles Posted December 20, 2005 Share Posted December 20, 2005 I just played with them a bit. I think the lighter balls are good for hand health. The shots just aren't heavy enough to really stress the grip. More of a trick than a training tool IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelegraphKey Posted December 21, 2005 Author Share Posted December 21, 2005 IronMind uses the term "Active Rest" and so far I've found this is about right. When I'm sitting watching television or whatever it's great to space out & rotate the Dex Balls. I have Snowballs too, and rubber bands for extensors, even a PowerWeb (like rubber bands, but can do both flexion & extensors). I feel the Dex Balls are the best thing so far for relaxing my hands (other than heating cream or ice). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelegraphKey Posted December 21, 2005 Author Share Posted December 21, 2005 Scott, Wow, just looking at that vsathletics site you gave the link for -- the shots are way cheaper than the IM Dex balls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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