Jump to content

Working On Getting That 45


Alex

Recommended Posts

My hub pinching way outclasses a lot of my other grip stuff, my only explanation for it is from when I had a lower back injury and had just received my Ironmind Hub in the mail that I ended up playing around with it 2-3 times a week for a few weeks that it started to jump along. Here's a pic of me hub-pinching a 35lb plate with two 2.5lb plates in it, I've done it with three before but today it just wasn't happening, much to my disappointment

http://www.brutestrength.com/forum/index.p...ype=post&id=735

There's also a video which was supposed to be a picture (my workout partner has a horrible time with anything that has more buttons than an ON/OFF) but it only really looks like I have a 35 there to me, so I'm not too happy with it either. You can see the video here:

http://www.brutestrength.com/forum/index.p...=22319&st=520

I'm surprised that it's jumped up as fast as it has, but I think a lot of it has to do with the training I did before and all the grip training that we do now (such as deadlifts with both palms inwards, power holds after our shrugs, farmer's walking, heavy-duty grippers, extensor bands, the rare plate pinching and Rolling Thunder work). My workout partner is doing pretty well with his too, he can almost get a 35. I've had other people at my gym try but the majority of them struggle with even budging the 25. Only one guy I know's done that and lifted a 35 a few inches, and he's an arborist so he's always climbing up and down trees and has some big mitts to begin with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry, the video link is off. You'll have to go to post #533 to see where I have it at. It's only a few seconds long because it was supposed to be a picture and not a video :laugh

Edited by Alex
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice, Hub lifts are so addicting! What ARE you lifting in that video? It's hard to tell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks! There was some extra plates on there, but since you can barely tell I'll just say it's a 35. I'll hafta try to get a better one but the pic at least shows it as it was, he took it right after that after I yelled at him for not being able to use the camera right :D

I actually just thought of another pretty good point that may be why it got up that fast, too: I work at a gym and I like getting the guys there to try out different things and encouraging them to do the important stuff (squat, deadlift, and overhead press specifically). Sometimes they'll ask me to show one of their friends how much I can hub-pinch, so by doing that at least once a day a few times a week can add up. Kind of like a Tsatouline "Greasing the Groove"-type thing.

Edited by Alex
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup, that works. Except my thumb has been sore ever since I started. Today is the first time it's not bad since I took off two whole days IN A ROW! Seems like forever.

What size is the hub? I mean in inches.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't know to be honest. I'll have to get the diameter, height, and make tomorrow at work if I can sneak away from the desk (usually can). My thumb's never been sore to be honest. Does it do that when you do your plate pinching?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't pinch plates yet since I only have a 5, 25, 35, and 45 and a bunch of plastic/concrete weight. I never really worked on my pinch until a couple weeks ago when I bought my Blob and started pinching hubs. I am probably just getting my thumb used to being used...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't pinch plates yet since I only have a 5, 25, 35, and 45 and a bunch of plastic/concrete weight.  I never really worked on my pinch until a couple weeks ago when I bought my Blob and started pinching hubs.  I am probably just getting my thumb used to being used...

That could be it. I know there was times when I first started that I could barely hold a pencil and write after working my grip out because it wasn't used to it. Luckily my semester was virtually over by then :laugh

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Couldn't get a chance to measure that plate yet, I was training a new guy virtually all of today and couldn't sneak away. I'm working tomorrow bright and early and working out right after, so it should be doable then.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a Standard 35-lb plate.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a Standard 35-lb plate.

Wow, like at work at Home Depot when I ask what size windows they have and they say "Oh they're standard size..."

Actually I think I have seen those and they are pretty much the same as my CAP plate, about 5" wide and 3/" deep. Tough.

I wish I had a 35#er that size but all I have is a 45 so I have to do "negatives" by bouncing it off my bed and trying to hold it.

Thursday I held it about three seconds or so after bouncing it up...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I cannot hub lift worth a crap, any suggestions?

The Ironmind Hub helped me out a good bit, but I think a lot of it had to do with training my grip in several different ways (grippers, farmer's walking, using a snatch grip for deads and shrugs, power holds, extensor bands, Rolling Thunder, plate pinching, etc.). I would do reps and timed holds with the Ironmind Hub, usually two sets max reps and for 10-second timed holds. That's what seemed to work for me.

And I can't bend worth a crap, so you've got me beat on that :D

Edited by Alex
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wish I had a 35#er that size but all I have is a 45 so I have to do "negatives" by bouncing it off my bed and trying to hold it.

Thursday I held it about three seconds or so after bouncing it up...

That bouncing idea is a really good one! I'll be buying a lot of plates for my home soon because I have the basic strongman package coming from Lance at BruteStrength.com so I'll need a lot for my log, farmer's, and sled. I'll hafta try that out :mosher

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Got the bouncing idea from Anuwbius. See here.

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?act=mod...cmd=si&img=2179

This is the way i've worked on hub lifts. The only other thing I try is lots of different hand positions like splitting fingers etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to hub with my index, middle and ring finger next to each other. Then I switched to just the middle and index next to each other. Got my 45 up right handed that way pretty easy. Weird thing is, that way does not work for my left hand as of yet, still practicing. I was lucky to have a 35 to start off with, but since my left is still lagging, I may try that bouncing off the bed idea for it, sounds cool.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One way to build your hub lifting is to use just your thumb and a few (or just one) finger with lighter weights.

For example, if your goal is a 45, take a 25 and do reps with your thumb and index finger pinching. If that's too heavy, work another finger in. Point is to keep strengthening the individual fingers as much as possible.

FWIW, I've found that my pinkie is the weak link. That's the one I try to force to do a fairer share of the work (you can do the lift with your thumb, index finger, and pinkie only).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like plate pinching with just my thumb and last two fingers, that seemed to help me out pretty good. Helped me with some of my gripper work too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Yesterday I lifted a 45 with 3-2.5# plates added by the hub. It was a standard brand plate. I was pinching but I used the side of my thumb rather than the thumb pad. So rather than being straight up and down (vertical) my thumb pad was almost horizontal...

Is this considered legal hub lifting?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, that's impressive either way!

I have no idea if Hub Pinching has been standardized or not, but if it is, I would guess that you "should" pinch just by all the fingertips. There's clearly large difference between grasping just by finger & thumb tips vs. using hand/thumb pad.

Still, 52.5 lbs. is quite an impressive feat.

On good days, I can take a 35 plate with a great hub & add 2-6lb db's (for a total of 47 lbs) & hold it for up for a few seconds with my stronger hand. But I still can't regularly pick up the one good York 45 around here.

As to finger position, the plate is divided into 3 segments, so I put index & middle in one, ring & pinky in another, and thumb in the 3rd section. Usually I try to rub index, ring, & thumb up against the dividing "walls" between each section, too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't say I used my thumb pad more like the side of my thumb. I guess the main advantage must come from the thumb being shortened by about the length of that first joint (from thumb tip to first knuckle.

Looking at other stuff I remember seeing a picture of Clay lifting a hub (in his card tearing article, I think? Clay help?) and my hand looks about the same.

I will say it is a LOT harder using the flat part or the thumb vs. the side...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

nice going!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yesterday I lifted a 45 with 3-2.5# plates added by the hub. It was a standard brand plate. I was pinching but I used the side of my thumb rather than the thumb pad. So rather than being straight up and down (vertical) my thumb pad was almost horizontal...

Is this considered legal hub lifting?

that is a great lift there was a discussion about this befor i think any way you can lift a hub as long as you grab only the hub is a good lift the boy lifting at richard sorins gym was doing it that way hubgeezer said thats a good lift and he is a specialist at this lift :mosher Edited by DAN PRAYDIS
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I saw that pic, didn't it almost look like he was doin' it v-bar style? Wish I could find that link again (hint-hint).

Makes me REALLY want to find a deep hub instead of all this 3/4" stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy policies.