Chuck's Grip Log

[The Chuck]

Wed night:

Handstand pushups with pullups right after each set:

Handstands: 4,3,3,3,2,2,1,1,1 18 reps

Pullups: 8,6,6,6,4,4,2,2,2 36 reps

100 BW squats

10 pullups

20 pushups

10 pullups

20 pushups

100 BW squats

I had more planned but had nothing left, didnt sleep well the night before and work killed me during the day.

Thrusday:

Grippers: Pulled all 7 grippers out for the first time in a while

'06 Trainer: 5 reps each hand

'06 #1: 5 reps each hand

'03 filed #1:5 reps each hand

'03 #2 : Closed it twice with the right, almost twice with the left, 10 second negatives for 3 more reps

RB240N : 5 10 second negatives each hand

RB280 : 3 10 second negatives each hand

'06 GR8 #3: 2 10 second negatives each hand ,these were painfully fun, havent done much with this gripper yet.

Formulator:

So close to a goal last night, gonna get it next week:

Ext: 5lbsx10, 7.5lbsx10, 10lbsx10, 12.5lbsx10, 15lbsx10 woohoooo Gonna add 2.5lbs to all these numbers next week.

Flex: 25lbsx10, 30lbsx10, 35lbsx10, 40lbsx10, 45lbsx8 damn close again, next week!

I'm looking for suggestions on my gripper program, I purchased KTA a while back, but enjoy my other grip stuff so much I don't know if I can avoid it for that long.

[The Chuck]

Tonights fun:

Handstand pushup/Pullup ladder(pushups followed right after with pullups):

Handstand: 6(PR),4,4,3,3 20 reps

Pullups: 12,8,8,6,6 40 reps

10 minutes of ab work: Power Wheel, hanging leg raises, L sits, etc

Pullups: 13, 10, 7 20 reps

Pushups: 26, 20, 14 40 reps

Legs:

100 BW squats

20 squats with 44lb dumbell cleaned in each hand

100 BW squats

20 squats with 36lb kettlebell cleaned in each hand

[The Chuck]

Formulator:

Ext: 7.5lbsx10, 10lbsx10, 12.5lbsx10, 15lbsx10, 17.5lbsx6 Gonna be a few weeks til I hit 10 here

Flex: 25lbsx10, 30lbsx10, 35lbsx10, 40lbsx10, 45lbsx10 Got it this week, adding 5 lbs to each set next time

25lb Block weight:

2x10 high pulls each hand

2x5 high pulls by the face each hand

20 reps loading/unloading to a 12" box each hand

Tried some times holds, best I got after all the other stuff was about 1 minute with my right hand

Right hand much stronger with the block weights than the left.

#1 gripper

20 reps each hand

15 each hand

10 each hand

5 each hand

[The Chuck]

Last night:

Added as much as I could handle to my 25lb hex, lifted 40lbs with both hands, very happy.

Tonight:

Vbar, I tried this fresh to see what my maxes were for each hand.

Left hand: 190 lbs

Right hand: 200lbs Both weights are PR's for me. Gonna have to do much better than this for BBB

Pinch, sort of. I turned my Vbar sideways and used two 25lb plates as my pinch apparatus, measured just under 3 inches, pretty wide for pinch lifting. I only managed 110lbs, weak lift.

After those awful numbers, I picked up my formulator hoping for something good.

Flexion: 25lbsx31 reps, hit the goal, going to 30lbs next week

Ext: 7.5lbsx24 reps, added 2.5lbs this week, gonna take a few workouts to hit 30 here.

[The Chuck]

I've been away for almost a week at beautiful Deep Creek Lake, Maryland for a vacation, only posted a couple times over the week. Its time to update!

July 15:

Videotaped me bending a Blue

Before that I warmed up with two yellows, followed it with another blue and two more yellows

July 16: Formulator(yes, I took it with me)

Flex: 30lbsx25 reps, 30lbs x 20, 30lbs x17 The pump is intense from this

Ext: 7.5lbsx25 reps,7.5x17, 7.5x 15

July 17: Mountian Biking!

11 miles of mud, rocks and hills with my younger brother and dad. Walking was tough for a day or two....

July 18: Whitewater rafting on the Yough river.

3-4 hrs of paddling, lots of class 3's, couple of class 4's, my wife almost broke her nose with her paddle....

July 19: Formulator

Flex: 25lbsx34 reps, 25lbsx20, 25lbsx20

Ext: 5lbsx35reps, 5lbsx25, 5lbsx20

July 20, Last night if you're keeping track:

My blobs from Tarheel were waiting for me when I got home the lake. Holy crap are these silly looking.....I'd never seen one in person before. The 40lber really wants to come off the ground, but the 47.5 is gonna take a while. I think Im gonna set up some pulleys to help deload them and get to work for BBB.

I went right into some Vbar after this, I gotta get my numbers up here. Got a couple PR's then did some volume, my hands are killing me.

170lbs Left/Right

180lbs Left/Right

190lbs Left/Right

195lbs Left/Right PR on the left!!

200lbs Left/Right PR on the left!!

205lbs Right PR

207.5lbs Right PR

Volume:

5x150 lbs both hands

5x160 lbs both hands

10 minutes of sledge work, all directions

25lb Hex weight fun:

Deadlifts

1x10 each hand

25lbs + 5lbs

10 each hand

25lbs + 10lbs

10 each hand

5 more each hand by the face, this was tough with 10lbs extra

[The Chuck]

July 21:

Handstand Pushup/Pullup Ladder

Handstand: 5,4,4,3,3,1 20 reps

Pullups: 10,8,8,6,6,2 40 reps

100 BW squats

Normal Pushups/Pullup ladder

Pullups: 10,10,9,6 35 reps

Pushups: 20,20,18,12 70 reps

100 BW squats

July 22: Short workout, we have house guests.

Formulator

Flex: 30lbsx27reps shooting for 30, then adding 5 lbs

Ext: 7.5lbsx28reps shooting for 30, then adding 2.5lbs

20 rep squats with 160lb sandbag

Tore a couple decks of cards for my mother-in-law, she still thinks Im weird for some reason....

#2 timed holds, all-out overcrushes, both hands: 20 sec, 15 sec, 10 sec

[The Chuck]

Last night's workout:

Handstand Pushups:5,2,1,1,1 10 total Felt very unstable/weak upside down today, wasn't happy with it

Pullups: 10,4,2,2,2 20 total

5 minutes running my stairs, 13-14 steps, 6-8laps/min

Since the handstand pushups weren't working today, I went for some military, had to get my shoulder/overhead work in.

Military, 44lb thick handle dumbells: 10,9,8,7,6 40 reps

Pullups: same numbers, 40 total reps

If you can't tell, I love pullups(max of 15 right now, 2 reps with 70 lbs extra)

20 rep squats with 160lbs bag

Went for 15 pullups after this, only got 12 reps

Total presses: 50 reps

Total pullups: 72 reps

I finished off right before bed with some #2 overcrushes, 3 reps at 15-20 sec with each hand

And for vanity's sake, I've added a picture of my fat self so you know who to laugh at when I show up at BBB2

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ccarns.rm/de...dnm=d02bre2.jpg

You can see my blob-deloading setup along with some other odd stuff in the background.

[The Chuck]

Yesterday:

Blob/Blockweight

I picked up a 40lb and 47.5 lb Blob from Tarheel a week ago. As soon as I first touched them I knew they wouldn't be leaving the ground without some help somehow. In the above picture I posted, you can see my blob deloading setup. I set it up for only the big blob as I might as well get used to the size. I also have a pair of 25lb hex weights from a 50lb DB I cut up. Although I can lift the 25lb with an extra 15 lbs hanging from it, I couldn't budge the big blob until I effectively made it weigh 20 lbs by putting 30lbs of offset weight on the setup. Well, having said all that, here's todays work:

5x15sec holds with Blob-30 both hands

5x1 25lb hex, by the face, high pulls both hands

5x5 25lb hex, skinny side, high pulls both hands

10 minutes of sledge stuff, all directions, whatever felt good

Formulator:

Ext: 5lbx10, 7.5lbx10, 10lbx10, 12.5lbx10, 15lbx5

Flex: 25lbx10, 30x10, 35x10, 40x10, 45x5

Grippers:

5x20reps Trainer, both hands

1x10 reps, #1 both hands

5x5 reps #1 both hands

20 rep squats with sandbag, starting to really feel these after 3 straight days, trying to finish off the week.....

[The Chuck]

Pullups/Pushups

Did some weighted pullups, 2 minutes between sets

5 reps BW

5 reps BW+20 lbs

5 reps BW+30 lbs

5 reps BW+40 lbs

5 reps BW+45 lbs

The last rep at +40 lbs and the last two reps at +45 lbs were tough, doing 5 reps with 70 lbs is gonna take a long time...

Some plain old pushups, 5x20 reps

More pullups

1x14, 1x11 had to get a total 50 reps to match the 100 pushups

And, of course, 20 squats with the sandbag.

[The Chuck]

I though Id try to hit some bending, but I obviously wasnt rested enough after last nights pullups to get through anything but three yellows. Apparently that meant it was time for HUGE PR's on the Vbar for some reason. Previous best lefty was 200lbs, 207.5lbs with the right.

Vbar today

180 Left/Right

190 Left/Right

200 Left/Right

202.5 Left PR

205 Left PR/Right

210 Left PR/Right PR

215 Left PR/ Right PR

220 Left PR/Right PR

After this I stopped screwing aroung and laid 240lbs on for my last right handed attempt, you can see the results here:

Lemme know how my form is!

I'm not sure why the success today, I think it was my timing and hand position. Before I would take forever getting my hand where I wanted it, today I just grabbed the bar and pulled. Im also grabbing the bar higher, maybe its putting my hand and arm in a better position.

I also officially stole a pony clamp from work, after I had one the welders tack a bar on to one handle so all four fingers can oppose my thumb now.

5 sets of 10 reps, spread over the day.

Grippers, high volume

T 40 reps each hand

#1 15 reps

T 30 reps

#1 10 reps

T 30 reps

#1 10 reps

[bencrush]

Great vbar stuff Chuck! Nice is an understatement when you can get a PR that big in a week or less. I am the opposite of you. I take my time to take my grip and set my fingers, almost like setting a gripper, then twist my hand until my elbow is aligned with my crotch. Then I lift. I also grab the bar as low as legally allowable.

[The Chuck]

Pretty laid back weekend for me, had to finish up and hand in the remaining assignments for my online college class so I concentrated on that. During the day friday I played with my kettlebells while taking breaks from deciphering electronic circuits and such.

Saturday, took my wife to the airport and continued onto Baltimore to hang out with some old friends. Took my grippers, decks of cards and some nails with me. I did some 2-3 finger closes of the trainer and #1, tore two decks and bent a couple yellows and a blue.

Sunday, had to get my formulator work in even though I still had homework to finish:)

Ext: 5x10 reps with 10 lbs

Flex: 5x10 reps with 35 lbs

Followed by a couple timed holds with my kettlebells(36lbs each), they're kinda light so I was going for 3 minutes at time. Did a couple sets of that.

Gonna get back into things full bore tonight with pullups, handstand pushups, etc. I also ordered a couple Rb grippers from Dale, hopefully theyll arrive before my grip work tomorrow.

[The Chuck]

Handstand pushups laddered with pullups:

Handstand: 4,3,2,1 10 total

Pullups: 8,6,4,2 20 total

Rested a couple minutes, then went for more pulllups, of course, laddered with pushups

Pullups: 16(PR), 10, 10, 8, 8, 8 60 total

Pushups:32, 20, 20, 16, 16, 16 120 total

80 pullups is the most Ive done in a workout for at least the last couple years, feels good to get my numbers back up. I'd love to hit 5x15 reps again.......

Followed all this up with 20 rep squats with the 160 lb sandbag and wearing the 20lb scuba belt for a total of 180lbs, most Ive ever squated, but Im normally a BW squat guy, so I'm happy.

[The Chuck]

Aug 1:

Gripper work

#2: Two full singles with each hand, minimal set, within 1/8" on both hands for the third single

#3: Five 10 second negatives, I was able to hold it to within 1/4" with my right for 5 seconds, maybe 2-3 seconds on the left

240N: Five 10 second holds at 1/8" to 1/4", I really like this gripper, its my goal for BBB2.

Thumb, 3x5reps with pony clamp

Timed hangs from pullup bar, 1 min, 45 sec, 45 sec

My hands hurt.....

Aug 2:

Short workout tonight, my wife got an early flight back from Dallas and I only had a little time. Did two exercises, some handstand pushups and weighted pullups.

Pullups: 8 reps BW+45lbs, new PR by one rep, getting closer to 10 reps, videotaped the set

Handstand pushups: 6 reps, they felt easy after the pullups. I went for 7 but only got halfway up.

Off to the airport......

[The Chuck]

Last night, Aug 3rd

Blob, Hex weight, Formulator, thumb

Blob: Used my blob de-loader again today,took 5 lbs off, this time its 47.5-25lbs. I did five 10 second holds at full deadlift. I then grabbed my 40lb blob and with a little pressure on my thumb from the other hand, was able to fully lift it. I think Ill be able to get this by BBB, I hope.

Hex weight: 25lb hex+ 10lbs

2x10 reps dead lift, both hands

5x10 second holds, both hands

Formulator:

Ext: 10 lbs 15 reps, 13 reps, 11 reps

Flex:35lbs 15 reps, 13 reps, 11 reps

5x5 reps with Pony clamp, both thumbs worked

[The Chuck]

Its Monday, which means pullups/pushups

Weighted pullups: Goal here is 5x5 with BW+45lbs, then 50lbs, then 55lbs, etc(you get the idea)

2 minutes rest between sets

5 reps BW+20lbs

5 reps BW+25lbs

5 reps BW+30lbs

5 reps BW+40lbs

5 reps BW+45lbs

Followed with 2 sets of pushups, 30 reps, 20 reps(hindu pushups, working on my shoulders)

Back to a normal pullup, pushup ladder

Pullups: 10 reps down to 1 rep 55 reps

Pushups: 20 reps down to 2 reps 110reps

All these pushups were done with my hands on my kettlebell handles to get some chest stretch and work some stabilizer muscles. I did one or two sets without the bells and slammed my chest into the floor thinking I had several more inches to go.

Totaled 80 pullups and 160 pushups

Did some BW squats while doing dishes, 200 reps total, 60 reps, 50 reps, 50 reps, 40 reps

[The Chuck]

Tuesday:

Did some grippers and block weights.

Grippers: Greased the groove during the day at work with the #2

Right hand, 5 sets of 5

Set 1: two closes, three forced closes

Set 2: two closes, three forced

Set 3: 1,4

Set 4: 1,4

Set 5: 5 forced

Left Hand, 5 sets of 5

1: 2,3

2: 2,3

3: 1,4

4: 5 forced

5: 5 forced

Blob:

Blob47.5-25lbs Did 5 10 second holds with each hand

25lb hex+10lbs: 5x5 deadlifts each hand

25lb hex: played around, high pulls, tosses, etc til hands didnt work anymore

Really long workday on wednesday, no workout.

Last night did some Formulator, Grippers

Formulator:

Ext: 15lbsx5, 10x10lbs, 10lbsx10

Flex: 50lbsx3(PR!!), 45lbs x8, 40lbs x8

Doing that 50lbs first crushed my flex numbers, usually I can hit 45lbs for 10 reps.

Grippers:

Rb240N: did 10 reps of 20 second negatives each hand, 10 seconds of holding it shut as far as possible followed by 10 seconds of letting out as slow as possible. Earlier in the day I closed this gripper to within 1/4" which is also a PR

2006 #3: 5 reps of the same negatives, gonna try this first next time, I had NO power after the 240N negs.

Paul, you were completely right about having to hit some harder grippers, I feel much more in control of the #2 when I close it now, and I'm starting to get double reps on it. Feels great!

I also got a surprise from my wife, a package for Functional Handstrength with two Dennis Rogers DVD's, Crazy but powerful and his Phonebook ripping dvd. Watched both last night, he was way too calm with that nail and rag stuck IN his hand.

[dansweeney]

Hi Chuck. A few quick questions. Am I just really weak or are you kind of a freak? You bent a bunch of Yellows and a blue the first time you ever bent? And you "tore a few decks" of cards as part of your workout? I can barely kink a yellow and Im up to 30 cards tearing. I guess its about progression, but it seems like you started way ahead of anyone that I know about.

Dan

[The Chuck]

Its Monday, Pullups and pushups!

I went for a 5x5 with BW+45lbs in pullups. Got SO close, but missed the last rep on the 5th set.

So I got 24 reps, still a PR, but that last rep missed made me mad, next time!

I left the 20lb belt on for some pushups, 4 sets, 10 reps, 15 reps, 13 reps, 12 reps 50 total

Rested a couple minutes, went back in for a ladder of pullups and pushups.

Pullups followed immediately by pushups then 2 minutes rest:

10-20-2, 10-20-2, 10-20 30 pullups, 60 pushups

4 sets of 50 squats, 35 BW squats followed with 15 squats with two 36lb bells, 2 minutes rest between sets.

Im done for.......time for some water

[The Chuck]

Dan, I think I did well off the bat with bending due to a couple of reasons: I had been using my formulator and sledge for a couple months, wrist strength is one of keys to bending. Also I do a LOT of pullups(by my standards anyway), which I think helps DO bending, I stink at DU. The cards I tear arent hard decks by any means, they are Paulson casino cards, Ive read about folks tearing 70 of these cards at one time. Look back through my log, I dont do much of anything out of the ordinary.

[The Chuck]

Did some Vbar and Formulator last night

Vbar

175 L/R

200 L/R

220 L/R

225 L(PR)

230 L(PR)/R

235 L(PR)

240 R

245 R (PR)

250 R (PR)

Even though I got some PR's, my hands didnt feel strong at all, but I can finally start knocking some goals off in my sig.

Formulator:

Ext: 15lbsx10, 12.5lbsx10x2, 10lbsx10x2

Flex: 50lbsx3, 47.5lbsx7x2, 45lbsx8

The ext was tough, but bearable. Never again will I do that many reps with that much weight on flex. I didnt injure anything, but man is my forearm SORE!

I also put together my thickbar yesterday, 6 ft piece of 1.875 steel bar and 4 shaft collars. Weights fit nicely, Ill never bend it, and it cost less than $100. Weighs about 55lbs with no weights. Pics at that link:

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/ccarns.rm/de...dnm=e01dre2.jpg

[The Chuck]

I got my introduction to two new things last night, Thickbar lifting and Deadlifting. I can't beleive I waited so long to try either. You can see a pic of my thickbar in my last post. My stock of Olympic plates is rather low so no really hard weights, but it turns out that was a good thing. My back is feeling my puny deadlifts, its sore, but in a good way. Truly shows one of my weak points.

DO Deadlifts, 140 lbs

1x10 reps, 2x5 reps

Clean and press, 110lbs

1x10

Military Press, 110lbs

1x10 reps

3x5 reps

Bent over rows, 140lbs

3x5 reps

I really likes all these movement, they are here to stay in my workouts!

[The Chuck]

Grippers and Thickbar

Warmed up with a couple closes of my T and #1 then went into some negatives.

3 10 sec negs with #3

10 20 sec Negs RB240N

3 10 sec negs with #3

Both hands worked equally

Followed up with some Timed holds on thickbar

110lbs 1 min

115lbs 1 min

120lbs 1 min

I also have a severely filed old #1 I hadnt used in a while, did a set of 10 with each hand.

[The Chuck]

Had a slow couple of days as I wanted my back to be rested for yesterday. I went up to Baltimore, met up with Dan Cenidoza, Luke Whippo, Johnny Steel, Starkmann and a few others for my first taste of strongman training. I gotta say, I loved it and am looking for a huge tire to flip around!

Some of yesterdays fun:

Tire flip(700-800lbs, not sure) I ended up flipping it maybe 10 times total, tire had great tread so grip wasnt an issue. Doing it in the grass was tough sometimes, gotta watch your footing.

Farmers Walk(~150lbs per hand) Maybe 100ft total, standing up was the hard part, need to work on my deadlifting more.

Deadlifting, I did 275lbs with a mixed grip on Luke's axle, by far a PR.

Stonelift: The lightest sphere he had was 245lbs so I went after that one, I got it off the ground a couple times, lapped it once and almost stood up with it. John said he would make me a 175lb stone for a decent price, gonna take him up on that. The surface of the stone really tore up my forearms, gotta toughen up!

Other stuff, played with Dan's big kettlebells, some grippers, log press.

Thanks for the good time, guys!

[The Chuck]

Last Night, short workout, still recovering from sunday

Axle Pressing 5x5 110lbs

Rope Pullups 5x5

Squats

20 reps BW

5 one leg squats with each leg

20 reps with 36lbs KB's

Some core work and called it a day.