British Iron Grip 2007

[mobsterone]

You can arrive then (I should be up) - but I wanna kick off between 1100 and 1200. Because of the numbers of lifters, number of events and time constraints I'll be getting Nick to keep things moving as fast as we can. That still means 16 lifters with 4 attempts and five events plus rests.

Because we rent and operate from the space there will be little need to do anything other than weigh in and sort out trophies etc.

One final thing - chairs - please bring a folding chair or similar to sit on as we only have enough benches etc for about 8 or so to sit down.

[The Mac]

Steve,

If you do need a hand setting up early let me know - I can get there any time after 8am.

[mobsterone]

Come early anyway (9 ish). But as we work out of there all the time setting up will take five minutes.

[The Mac]

Well, I will be stocking up for the day at Asda anyway on my way past, so that's perfect for me.

[CoC#3]

Thanks, one more question mate

What grippers are calibrated and ready for use and what do they rank as?

[mobsterone]

I don't have a list handy but we will be using David Horne's set.

[mobsterone]

Update to TTWC and One hand lift rules:

One hand lift

"Foot spacing is optional, but may not change once the lift begins.

Heels and toes may rise"

and TTWC...

"a 1 second pause must be adhered to at the beginning when the

knuckles touch then the referee will give a LIFT or CURL signal''.

As you know the above has been mentioned and debated and I brought the linked posts to Nicks attention. Nick favours a stricter lifting style and asked me to post the above. I took some time yesterday to adapt to the no moving of feet style in the one hand lift (I was lifting and pulling back and this meant a backwards step but also more weight lifted). I have been using the stricter style on the TTWC.

I appreciate that this may well mean slightly less weight lifted on maybe one movement (no 300-kilo TTWC's I expect) but isn't too much of a problem on the 1 hand lift.

Nearer the time I'll repost the rules (print off a few copies for the day) and of course if you want to ask the Ref / Nick questions regarding your style etc do so now or on the day.

Finally there is 13 days or less to go and so it is unlikely that you will all add much strength - the work you'll have been doing for months will have done that. What will happen now is a few kilos may be added as you do the lifts as they should be done again and again.

My personal plan is to double up some sessions over the next week or so and then reast for at least 3-4 days before the 19th.

Lets have a good days lifting - good luck!

[mobsterone]

British Grip Championships 2007 rules, points etc final reminder

Events running order.

1. One Hand Grippers

2. Two Hands Pinch Lift

3. One Hand Vertical Bar Lift

4. One Hand Lift

5. Table Top Wrist Curl

Bonus event.

6. Rolling Thunder world record attempt

One Hand Grippers

Competitors will set the gripper down to a 20mm gauge that is provided to measure the gap before the close. You will hold and apply the gauge yourself. Once the gripper is set, the other hand must be kept away from the gripping hand, arm and gripper. The grippers are the only event that does not operate on the rising bar principle. If you fail to close a gripper, you can attempt a lighter one on the next attempt. Competitors will be called in the order they appear on the recorder's sheet. Each time they are called, they will make one attempt with each hand.

Two Hands Pinch Lift

The width of the pinch apparatus is adjustable to suit different hand sizes. Before the event starts, you will be given the opportunity to try it and find your best width. The smooth-sided, adjustable-width disc is held on a 2” thick metal rod by a pair of collars. Extra weights will be added to the outsides. The top of this is grasped with an overhand pinch grip (with no further than a 3” gap between the index fingers) and lifted until the end of the bar touches a horizontal stick placed at 16.5” from the floor. There is no referee’s signal. You do not have to be erect upon completion. You must lower the weight under control. If the outer discs accidentally touch the stick before the bar itself, referee’s discretion will be used to judge whether the correct height was attained. Pinch gripping the discs using an unorthodox underhand grip will not be allowed.

One Hand Vertical bar Lift

The weight will be positioned between the lifter’s feet. The lifting hand must be no further than 5 cm from the top of the hand to the top of the bar when the lift commences. No locking of the thumb is allowed. The lifter will raise the bar until it is a minimum of 5 centimetres off the ground and then lower down again without loosing the grip. The lifting hand must not touch the legs or body.

One Hand Lift

The One Hand Lift or ‘the fundamental test of a man’s bodily strength’ as declared by the famous strongman W. A. Pullum, certainly was, and still is, a demonstration of massive power.

The apparatus will be a 1-inch thick handle attached to a bar by an adjustable chain. No hook grip can be employed. If the handle or chain touches the leg this is not a cause for failure. The bar is then lifted at least 5 cm above the floor (measured from the lowest point of the underside of the set up which is often slightly inclined during a lift) and then lowered down again without loosing the grip. No wrist straps of any kind allowed. Foot spacing is optional, but may not change once the lift begins. Heels and toes may rise.

Table Top Wrist Curl

This lift is only a partial movement (top range) and therefore it affords a greater poundage possibility than the full-range wrist curl.

An Olympic Bar is used for this lift. Stand behind the table, with your forearms flat on it (palms upwards), holding a barbell that has been handed to you. A 1-second pause must be adhered to at the beginning when the knuckles touch then the referee will give a LIFT or CURL signal The referee will then signal ‘curl’, for the lifter to commence the wrist curl the ref will have seen that at least one knuckle from each hand is touching the table. The lifter will curl his hands off the table (using wrist flexion), keeping his forearms on the table at all times. The knuckles and hands have to come off the table before the referee will give the down signal. The lifter may use an ordinary grip, hook grip or thumbless grip. If the bar rolls out of the hand, with the fingers no longer touching the bar, the lift is failed. The bar must rise evenly: an uneven extension is also a failure.

One Hand Rolling Thunder Lift

For this event the Rolling Thunder handle from IronMind is used. This handle is attached to a loading bar by an adjustable chain. Grasp the handle with one hand (a normal or thumbless grip is allowed) and lift the weight clear of the floor. No contact with the stationary part of the handle is allowed. The handle must stay roughly parallel to the ground and the lifter finishes with his body erect. Hold aloft till you receive the referee’s signal and lower it under control. The fingers of your lifting hand are not to be wedged against your thighs. You are allowed to steady yourself by pushing off on your leg with your non-lifting hand.

IronMind's rules and records on the Rolling Thunder.

Scoring System

As from now (March 1, 2007), in the UK we will be using a new scoring system. Well not new really, it is the one the Germans have been using for their comps. So instead of all the constant messing around with updating co-efficients, now it's just a simple maths formula.

Here's an imaginary contest.

Lifter A gets 145k

Lifter B gets 137.5

Lifter C gets 95k

Lifter D gets 88k

The top lift gets a 100 points. The formula for the rest is, their lift (lifter B = 137.5) x 100 divided by 145 (top lift) = 94.82

Lifter A has 100points

Lifter B has 94.82

Lifter C has 65.51

Lifter D has 60.68

Address is Unit 1, 5a Hopewell Street, Gloucester GL1 4HG

Guests are welcome but I'd like a £2.00 donation and will provide a cold or hot drink or two. Please bring a folding chair with you as seating is limited.

We have a lot of athletes - 16 in total with 5 main events and 4 attempts each. So that the day is not too long I will want the pace kept pretty quick. I want everyone weighed and signed in by 11am and subject to a run through of the rules and look over the equipment plan on kicking off shortly after (no later than 12). Ideally we will want to be done by 5 and no later than 6 (and off to the pub for a well earned beer ).

Sponsors and those helping with the event include but are not limited to: FBBC (prize package on it's way), London Kettlebells (they told me they have loads and are handing out the prizes for me), The Whey Consortium (space, weights, equipment and more), several anon doners (cheers lads and lasses), Ironmind (RT handle and pin) and Thorsten Moser (3 x RB cert grippers). Dunkster made the TTWC platform we will use (fits snugly in the power rack). I have am waiting on some t-shirts to arrive (1 each for the athletes and 1 for each of the refs/helpers). I've also ordered a set of scales today with my last few competition pennies and will be using either a few of David's or Laine's Ivanko plates to check the scales and calibrate our own for use on the day. Finally David Horne is, as usual, allowing us use of his calibrated grippers. Thanks one and all.

Edited May 9, 2007 by mobsterone

[welshdragon]

British Grip Championships 2007 rules, points etc final reminder

Events running order.

1. One Hand Grippers

2. Two Hands Pinch Lift

3. One Hand Vertical Bar Lift

4. One Hand Lift

5. Table Top Wrist Curl

Bonus event.

6. Rolling Thunder world record attempt

One Hand Grippers

Competitors will set the gripper down to a 20mm gauge that is provided to measure the gap before the close. You will hold and apply the gauge yourself. Once the gripper is set, the other hand must be kept away from the gripping hand, arm and gripper. The grippers are the only event that does not operate on the rising bar principle. If you fail to close a gripper, you can attempt a lighter one on the next attempt. Competitors will be called in the order they appear on the recorder's sheet. Each time they are called, they will make one attempt with each hand.

Two Hands Pinch Lift

The width of the pinch apparatus is adjustable to suit different hand sizes. Before the event starts, you will be given the opportunity to try it and find your best width. The smooth-sided, adjustable-width disc is held on a 2” thick metal rod by a pair of collars. Extra weights will be added to the outsides. The top of this is grasped with an overhand pinch grip (with no further than a 3” gap between the index fingers) and lifted until the end of the bar touches a horizontal stick placed at 16.5” from the floor. There is no referee’s signal. You do not have to be erect upon completion. You must lower the weight under control. If the outer discs accidentally touch the stick before the bar itself, referee’s discretion will be used to judge whether the correct height was attained. Pinch gripping the discs using an unorthodox underhand grip will not be allowed.

One Hand Vertical bar Lift

The weight will be positioned between the lifter’s feet. The lifting hand must be no further than 5 cm from the top of the hand to the top of the bar when the lift commences. No locking of the thumb is allowed. The lifter will raise the bar until it is a minimum of 5 centimetres off the ground and then lower down again without loosing the grip. The lifting hand must not touch the legs or body.

One Hand Lift

The One Hand Lift or ‘the fundamental test of a man’s bodily strength’ as declared by the famous strongman W. A. Pullum, certainly was, and still is, a demonstration of massive power.

The apparatus will be a 1-inch thick handle attached to a bar by an adjustable chain. No hook grip can be employed. If the handle or chain touches the leg this is not a cause for failure. The bar is then lifted at least 5 cm above the floor (measured from the lowest point of the underside of the set up which is often slightly inclined during a lift) and then lowered down again without loosing the grip. No wrist straps of any kind allowed. Foot spacing is optional, but may not change once the lift begins. Heels and toes may rise.

Table Top Wrist Curl

This lift is only a partial movement (top range) and therefore it affords a greater poundage possibility than the full-range wrist curl.

An Olympic Bar is used for this lift. Stand behind the table, with your forearms flat on it (palms upwards), holding a barbell that has been handed to you. A 1-second pause must be adhered to at the beginning when the knuckles touch then the referee will give a LIFT or CURL signal The referee will then signal ‘curl’, for the lifter to commence the wrist curl the ref will have seen that at least one knuckle from each hand is touching the table. The lifter will curl his hands off the table (using wrist flexion), keeping his forearms on the table at all times. The knuckles and hands have to come off the table before the referee will give the down signal. The lifter may use an ordinary grip, hook grip or thumbless grip. If the bar rolls out of the hand, with the fingers no longer touching the bar, the lift is failed. The bar must rise evenly: an uneven extension is also a failure.

One Hand Rolling Thunder Lift

For this event the Rolling Thunder handle from IronMind is used. This handle is attached to a loading bar by an adjustable chain. Grasp the handle with one hand (a normal or thumbless grip is allowed) and lift the weight clear of the floor. No contact with the stationary part of the handle is allowed. The handle must stay roughly parallel to the ground and the lifter finishes with his body erect. Hold aloft till you receive the referee’s signal and lower it under control. The fingers of your lifting hand are not to be wedged against your thighs. You are allowed to steady yourself by pushing off on your leg with your non-lifting hand.

IronMind's rules and records on the Rolling Thunder.

Scoring System

As from now (March 1, 2007), in the UK we will be using a new scoring system. Well not new really, it is the one the Germans have been using for their comps. So instead of all the constant messing around with updating co-efficients, now it's just a simple maths formula.

Here's an imaginary contest.

Lifter A gets 145k

Lifter B gets 137.5

Lifter C gets 95k

Lifter D gets 88k

The top lift gets a 100 points. The formula for the rest is, their lift (lifter B = 137.5) x 100 divided by 145 (top lift) = 94.82

Lifter A has 100points

Lifter B has 94.82

Lifter C has 65.51

Lifter D has 60.68

Address is Unit 1, 5a Hopewell Street, Gloucester GL1 4HG

Guests are welcome but I'd like a £2.00 donation and will provide a cold or hot drink or two. Please bring a folding chair with you as seating is limited.

We have a lot of athletes - 16 in total with 5 main events and 4 attempts each. So that the day is not too long I will want the pace kept pretty quick. I want everyone weighed and signed in by 11am and subject to a run through of the rules and look over the equipment plan on kicking off shortly after (no later than 12). Ideally we will want to be done by 5 and no later than 6 (and off to the pub for a well earned beer ).

Sponsors and those helping with the event include but are not limited to: FBBC (prize package on it's way), London Kettlebells (they told me they have loads and are handing out the prizes for me), The Whey Consortium (space, weights, equipment and more), several anon doners (cheers lads and lasses), Ironmind (RT handle and pin) and Thorsten Moser (3 x RB cert grippers). Dunkster made the TTWC platform we will use (fits snugly in the power rack). I have am waiting on some t-shirts to arrive (1 each for the athletes and 1 for each of the refs/helpers). I've also ordered a set of scales today with my last few competition pennies and will be using either a few of David's or Laine's Ivanko plates to check the scales and calibrate our own for use on the day. Finally David Horne is, as usual, allowing us use of his calibrated grippers. Thanks one and all.

What is the date of the comp Steve?

[David Horne]

May 19th

[pdfk20]

Not long to go now, getting excited.

[mobsterone]

I've 4 more back to back sessions and then 4 days rest... phew!

[CoC#3]

For me 5 more intense sessions then complete rest for a few days!

[David Horne]

Good luck to all in this final run up - no injuries!

David

[CoC#3]

Good luck to all in this final run up - no injuries!

David

Thanks David.

[The Mac]

I can only echo David's words and wish all competitors the best - train hard, remember to save that do-or die effort for the contest, rest well and kick ass next Saturday!

[David Horne]

Very true Chris. If you're not strong enough now then it's too late. Better to hone the technique now, and rest.

A major skin loss now would not be good!

David

[The Mac]

Incidentally, a word to the wise for those who have not visited WHEY HQ before - the street signs in the area are not particularly good, in fact the clearest street sign for Hopewell Street that I found is at it's opposite end. I checked Googlemap before I set out, and I am usually pretty good at directions (though don't ask my ex girlfriend about that) but I wandered around for a good ten minutes before I found the right place. It did not help that a few streets over there was a very similar looking (though more run down) facility that COULD have been the right one.

Of course, everyone will now find the place like it's lit up with a green beacon, but c'est la vie.

[Hubgeezer]

I had not even thought about directions. I may never make it there. I better figure that out in the next couple of days...

Hubgeezer

California

[welshdragon]

Steve are there anyplace`s left in the comp or is it to late?

[mobsterone]

Sorry but too late. I had a cut off date of the 19th of last month. I did that so as to get all the funds in for everything we needed to get for the competition (trophies alone were close to $300 at $275.00 plus £30.00 customs fee grrr T-Shirts, equipment etc etc). Besides none of the shirts would fit

You can still compete in the open Rolling Thunder competition - Laine Snook wants to have another go at raising his world record. This event will be held at the end of the day and most will have been lifting all day so someone fresh woud be great.

For those that don't know Welshdragon is 367lbs Dale Norris and is a freak! 800lbs squat etc etc Big boy - BIG.

One of our helpers is Loz / TT and yesterday he pulled an easy - very easy 704lbs deadlift. Nick McKinless is the main ref and we have others helping on par with these guys. Our space is very old school and full of strongman equipment.

Edited May 11, 2007 by mobsterone

[welshdragon]

Iv sorted transport now mate so hopfully me and anthony will be there to watch and learn - Iv decided to compete in grip now aswell - its the one thing I can train hard at the moment since my injury and I think if Im going to compete in the future Ill push myself on grip like I should wich should help with my strongman comps!

Im also thinking of getting into bending to!

[David Horne]

Dale,

Glad to see you have some short term goals now after that bad injury.

Some extra grip strength definitely won't hinder you in the strongman comps when you get back into them.

David

[The Mac]

I would think that it is only a degree of conditioning and your grip that is holding you back from the very highest levels of sucess at Strongman Dale. I've followed your training for a good while over at SDF and it is great to see someone who realizes what they have to do to improve.

[mobsterone]

Iv sorted transport now mate so hopfully me and anthony will be there to watch and learn - Iv decided to compete in grip now aswell - its the one thing I can train hard at the moment since my injury and I think if Im going to compete in the future Ill push myself on grip like I should wich should help with my strongman comps!

Im also thinking of getting into bending to!

With the strength you have in other areas it could be very interesting to see what you can do. Might be my cue to retire after winning this year....