British Iron Grip 2007

[CoC#3]

Jose glad you enjoyed it mate. You did very well.

[Hubgeezer]

I hope I don't bore folks reporting so long after the contest, but I am on vacation and doing this from a hotel room.

Steve did a great job putting on an excellent production. It was very smooth - - - top competitors, good lifts, an appreciative crowd, steady and strong officiating, competent weight loading/changing/setting up, and efficient administration.

I am most thankful of being permitted to participate in another country's event, thank you. It was a wonderful part of a good vacation. My wife attended the last 25% of the contest. She is not a grip fan, and for those of you who have never met Steve, but have read his posts, she didn't know who he was (this was shortly after she arrived), and pronounced him a "nice guy" to me. When are "nice guy" the first words ever used when someone meets Steve?

Comments concerning the competitors:

David Horne. Someone decides that morning to compete, and wins? Sick.

Chris James. The way he was ripping the Vertical Bar off the ground was unlike anything I had ever seen. Explosive. Hopefully his arm will heal. Hopefully his job is secure and his "sympathetic boss" is not a problem.

Steve Gardener. Near the end of the competition, he yanks 330 off the ground? After the competition, he almost closes the #4? He lifts the Mllnm Bell to near lockout? With all due respect to David and Chris, Steve deserved to win. Oh well...

Jose and Jorge. After 3 of the 5 events, I was ahead of both of them on points. Hah! That didn't last once the events that required more than grip strength kicked in. I don't think I have ever seen someone almost fail at a weight, and then come back and do more again, and again. Damndest thing I ever seen. Jose's Wrist Curl at the end was awesome. Two very strong fellows, no doubt about it.

Andy Christie. Hey Chris Rice, if you are reading this, he makes you and me seem sloppy. He is 49 years old, and knows exactly what he can do, the right weight selection, the right sequence, and then hits PRs. Yep, when he turns 50, perhaps the 3 of us can compete somewhere neutral. Perhaps an AOBS side show in 2008...except for that crowd, we would not really qualify for geezer status.

Sam. American Gripsters, Sam is the real deal. He just turned 18, is clearly having a good time, is a cheerful fellow, and he IS STRONG. If he stays in this sport, you will hear lots more about him.

My personal performance? I had my joys and disappointments:

Grippers. Hey, I closed the #3, relatively easily, on my 53rd birthday. It doesn't get much better than that, seeing as I just closed my #3 at home 8 days prior to that for the first time. Nick said I was "1/2 a millimeter" from closing the Super Master with my left, rated at 2.46. I guess I was only a 2.42 level that day.

Plate Pinch. Absolutely, positively, my sloppiest moment of the 6 or 7 contests I have entered. After my first attempt (very easy lift) I was thinking about what I was going to do for my 3rd attempt as I was pulling the 2nd attempt. Missed it, and then missed the 3rd, and the 4th. One lousy lift on an opening weight. You have to take every single attempt like the whole game is on the line. I am still pissed about that, and I don't understand how I could have done something that stupid.

Vertical Bar. I was happy with what I did. I have done Vbar in 3 contests now, but this was the first time I was in one where both hands were contested. I have never missed an attempt in this event in a contest. There is more still in the tank on this one. What a great sport for someone my age to say something like that, eh?

One Hand Lift. Despite Steve and David's urging to change my approach (I was pulling from a lower position than anyone in the contest) I stuck with the style I chose. I was terrified of injuring my back, and was unwilling to risk injury by trying a new style (for me) in the middle of a contest. I was okay with what I did.

Wrist Curl. Another lesson for others to learn by: Greed. I did 110, went to 125, did 145, all fairly easily, and then...got greedy. For my last attempt, I tried 170. Not 160, not even 165, Noooooo, 170. It didn't work. As Dirty Harry Callahan said in the 1973 film Magnum Force, "A man's got to know his limitations"...

Oh yes, I liked the choice of events. Sure, the Table Top Wrist Curl and One Hand Lift need overall strength, or wrist strength, so what? If someone were to proclaim those 5 events to be the future Official Grip Events for future competitions, I would say, "Okay".

If you have hung in here and read all of this, thanks for the patience.

I hope to see you folks somewhere else in the near future. Thanks again.

Hubgeezer, California USA

aka Mike Corlett

[mobsterone]

Steve did a great job putting on an excellent production. It was very smooth - - - top competitors, good lifts, an appreciative crowd, steady and strong officiating, competent weight loading/changing/setting up, and efficient administration.

Steve Gardener. Near the end of the competition, he yanks 330 off the ground? After the competition, he almost closes the #4? He lifts the Mllnm Bell to near lockout? With all due respect to David and Chris, Steve deserved to win. Oh well...

The smooth running was down to the loaders and ref and having David's extra equipment on hand.

I neglected to mention the four in my write up. I honestly thought I had it touch but Sam says 'a papers width'. I'm more annoyed that I might have gotten in during the gripper event and had strength for an attempt after. The Millennium... 2 x if memory serves and that was just showing Sam some tips. Again no practice whatsoever prior to the event - maybe spillover from the RT work??

[CoC#3]

Yea Steve that was as close to closed as it could have been without touching if you like. A deeper set and you'd have got it i think! Very impressive still though mate, as were the millennium pulls.

[jl441]

Congratulations, all of you.

Mike, you did #3 in front of crowd. Big congrats!!!!

[Hubgeezer]

the highlight for me was sam's mum slapping his face before the grippers

That was good. Does anyone have that on video? It is worth posting.

My turn was right after Sam's. I was not sure that the group was going to "get" my deadpan delivery as I selected my gripper and said, "Sam, keep your mother AWAY from me!"

Judging by the howls of laughter, I think they did.

[mbcx6pmw]

Nice write up Mike, it was a pleasure to meet you.

I've uploaded a few pics and vids into my gallery. We took far more on the day but most came out blurred for some reason, perhaps all the chalk dust in the air

[viper]

didnt expect david horne to win! i guess the injured back got better - awesome stuff though, 113kg two hand pinch is STRONG

shame about the injuries with chris as well as sam - always next year

something im not understanding is how horne won, because i dont understand the points system - looking at it in terms of placings an lowest score wins:

Steve

- two 1st

- two 2nd

- one 3rd

total = 9 points

David

- one 1st

- three 2nd

- one 3rd

total = 10 points

Steve would win with this scoring system, but obviously its scored a different way, nice world record for the one hand lift though >ive never done it but 330kg sounds like a bit of weight haha

[mobsterone]

No and as per usual even though the scoring system is explained in this very thread you didn't look!! Go back a few pages and read how the system works (not the first time I've told yer eh??).

I'm flattered that under yours I could have won but the truth is I lost the overall on V-bar. I won grippers - no problem and had more. Pinch I was up against a record holder and 98 was all I had on the day (99.3 a few weeks before). V-Bar just felt heavy on the day and yet I got the British record a few weeks before (150 odd on the day 173.5 4 weeks before). One hand lift I won out right with a new all time as well as a total weight lifted. TTWC - there might have been another 10, possibly 20-kilos more and even though David looked off when he did 200 he looked back on when he went up. If you look at David's weights he was not that far behind me when I won and enough ahead when he won to play the percentages. And of course it was very, very close.

Chris James was very close on grippers - 2nd with David 3rd I think. CJ was well down on pinch (80+) but was slamming on v-bar and 165 was pounded just before the injury. On paper his one hand lift would have been good as would his TTWC. It would have meant a very close top three.

[viper]

No and as per usual even though the scoring system is explained in this very thread you didn't look!! Go back a few pages and read how the system works (not the first time I've told yer eh??).

I'm flattered that under yours I could have won but the truth is I lost the overall on V-bar. I won grippers - no problem and had more. Pinch I was up against a record holder and 98 was all I had on the day (99.3 a few weeks before). V-Bar just felt heavy on the day and yet I got the British record a few weeks before (150 odd on the day 173.5 4 weeks before). One hand lift I won out right with a new all time as well as a total weight lifted. TTWC - there might have been another 10, possibly 20-kilos more and even though David looked off when he did 200 he looked back on when he went up. If you look at David's weights he was not that far behind me when I won and enough ahead when he won to play the percentages. And of course it was very, very close.

Chris James was very close on grippers - 2nd with David 3rd I think. CJ was well down on pinch (80+) but was slamming on v-bar and 165 was pounded just before the injury. On paper his one hand lift would have been good as would his TTWC. It would have meant a very close top three.

its not that i dont look! im gonna look through the entire thread from start to finish now, but ive went through about 10 pages an found nothing >my computer is messed up, the internet cuts off all the time / does not let me watch video, see a lot of photo's, links often dont work, pages dont come up in full etc this is most likely the reason why / if you have told me how the system works before, sorry about that, my memory has never been good

seems like it was a run away top 2 with you and david, an im sure i could have came nowhere close to either of you if i had got everything right or not, but according to my training numbers i would have been a clear 3rd, unless i seriously messed up etc - i had thought i would most likely be able to get 5th or so at best at this point >competing next year for sure

[mobsterone]

What you need to do is come and watch any similar event. There should be a few opportunities. If myself or any of the other athletes have time we can show you more in 5 minutes than 10 pages of internet reading. Consider it research. Then once that's done sign up for an event say 12-16 weeks after and have a go. Do NOT expect to do that well (it'll be a bonus if you do) as it'll still be a learning experience but (as per Sam) you'll have a very good indication of where you are at and where you stand for the future (he may well do very well).

[CoC#3]

Yeah definately Steve. I learnt an aweful lot at the comp but I didn't do as well as i expected. Viper has good all round strength from what i've seen but until you try the actual equipment you have no idea. And my advice to you viper if you are planning on competing is to work on the grippers with the block in! This screwed me on grippers (i didn't train it instead i went on training grippers how i have always done) and took me down to just a #3 with each hand!

[mobsterone]

I never use the block either - except during actual competitions. Indeed Nick commented on how I ought to practise. That said I don't set them as deep as many again except during competitions.

[viper]

id like to come down an train with ya before next years brits if i can mobster? because i would learn a lot from you as well as to train on some contest equipment, an maybe have a bash as the bells too

what block? i thought it was just mms set? ima check the rules again..

maybe you cant know exactly what you would be able to do without training on the specific equipment no, but obviously if your doing the actual events you can get a rough idea

im only not decent all around because of my pinch, best is 72.5kg so far, but its most likely cuss ive not really done it much as yet - grippers, one hand lift, an v-bar would all be ok for me, ttwc would be semi ok but painful

edit - ahh 20mm gauge >ill make one, cheers

Edited May 23, 2007 by viper

[mobsterone]

Lifts done is isolation mean nowt to putting a 7 or 8 hour, 5 event 4 attempts day. Ask any of the lads from the weekend. Even Mike C who calls himself a Geezer and works in an office becomes a different animal when competing. I'm guessing it's why he likes doing it. Take it from me that I saw he become more and more determined as he got nearer to the end of the day.

72.5kg on the pinch is, at best, reasonable. All of the lads here do more - a lot more. Sam will tell you (if you read his log off site you'll see what he did) that he had written how we wanted a 83-kg pinch to become 100 in the 8 weeks he had to the competition. Didn't happen. I've read how you are very sure you have the ability to do extremely well. No talk - proof. Chris James says next to nowt and does extremely well. I used to be full of wind and piss and did ok on single events but had my arse handed to me at the end of the day. It's taken me a long time (7 years) to learn and slowly move up to top 10 in the world in all round competitions.

Right now you are doing well only at the things you enjoy doing and train properly. Training those you don't like equally as well and becoming a good all rounder is on a different level from doing what you like.

Training with me? No problem. PM me dates and if I am training grip those days we will do some work. Most Saturdays I coach several local lads through fitness sessions and occasionally that's after my own training and before the lads that do strongman arrive. Remember though that Nick McKinless trains with us - has done 109 kilos pinch, TT trains with us - done 94-kilos, H does 80, Dunkster - does 80 odd and so on. That's just pinch work. So three of us will warm up with your top weight and ALL of the lads can do more - even Mike does 77+ and was touch and go with 80 recently.

[The Mac]

The event rules and contest scoring system are explained on page 13 of this thread.

[viper]

Lifts done is isolation mean nowt to putting a 7 or 8 hour, 5 event 4 attempts day. Ask any of the lads from the weekend. Even Mike C who calls himself a Geezer and works in an office becomes a different animal when competing. I'm guessing it's why he likes doing it. Take it from me that I saw he become more and more determined as he got nearer to the end of the day.

72.5kg on the pinch is, at best, reasonable. All of the lads here do more - a lot more. Sam will tell you (if you read his log off site you'll see what he did) that he had written how we wanted a 83-kg pinch to become 100 in the 8 weeks he had to the competition. Didn't happen. I've read how you are very sure you have the ability to do extremely well. No talk - proof. Chris James says next to nowt and does extremely well. I used to be full of wind and piss and did ok on single events but had my arse handed to me at the end of the day. It's taken me a long time (7 years) to learn and slowly move up to top 10 in the world in all round competitions.

Right now you are doing well only at the things you enjoy doing and train properly. Training those you don't like equally as well and becoming a good all rounder is on a different level from doing what you like.

Training with me? No problem. PM me dates and if I am training grip those days we will do some work. Most Saturdays I coach several local lads through fitness sessions and occasionally that's after my own training and before the lads that do strongman arrive. Remember though that Nick McKinless trains with us - has done 109 kilos pinch, TT trains with us - done 94-kilos, H does 80, Dunkster - does 80 odd and so on. That's just pinch work. So three of us will warm up with your top weight and ALL of the lads can do more - even Mike does 77+ and was touch and go with 80 recently.

i actually dont often train grip lifts individually, so a contest day would not be a whole lot different than a training day for me personally, it would just take longer an probably have less volume an more rest - just the way i train, i suppose its cuss after working all day long using my grip in a job like i have, doing a quick grip sesh aint much

ill probably wanna come down later on this year then, cheers - strong grip guys ya got there! i dont know of anybody that does any grip training around here

p.s im working on me pinch!

Edited May 23, 2007 by viper

[Hubgeezer]

i actually dont often train grip lifts individually, so a contest day would not be a whole lot different than a training day for me personally, it would just take longer an probably have less volume an more rest - just the way i train, i suppose its cuss after working all day long using my grip in a job like i have, doing a quick grip sesh aint much

In theory, a grip contest is a lot easier than a tough workout. After all, there is less weight lifted in total, you go to complete exhaustion in an intense workout, and the rest between events in a contest is longer. If you talk with anyone who has ever gone 100% in a grip contest, why are their tendons, muscles, and ligaments more fried for several days after a contest than after the toughest workout they put themselves through? I don't know, I am not a scientist or a psychologist. Ask that question of the competitors of Saturday's contest, and I bet every one of them did not feel "fresh as a daisy" the day after the contest. Or two days after the contest. Or three.

In a workout, when you start to lift a weight, but decide your hand setting was not right, you readjust your grip. Do that in a contest, and you get a zero for that lift, so you will be sure to set it better on your next attempt.

In a workout, when you choose a weight too heavy, you simply lower the weight and make a go at it. Do that in a contest, and you will get a zero for the series, as most events have a "rising bar" rule.

In a workout, maybe you ate your favorite breakfast cereal that morning and are feeling just dandy as you begin your workout. In a contest, maybe you slept in a hotel that night (or drove 300 miles that morning) and had breakfast in a strange place. You didn't have your normal 6:30 am bowel movement, and every time you squat down to grab that vertical bar, the thought goes through your mind that after this event is over, you need to go into that bathroom with the scary looking toilet to sit down for a few minutes to take that dump that didn't happen the way it did 350 out of the last 365 6:30 ams you have experienced. That thought goes through your mind just as you were adjusting your hands, and whoops - -you get a zero on that lift. Not fair? Why did you start to pull it up then - - sorry, next lifter please.

It is hard to explain exactly how workout lifts are different than competiton lifts, but trust me, they are.

Hubgeezer

Edited May 23, 2007 by Hubgeezer

[climber511]

"Andy Christie. Hey Chris Rice, if you are reading this, he makes you and me seem sloppy. He is 49 years old, and knows exactly what he can do, the right weight selection, the right sequence, and then hits PRs. Yep, when he turns 50, perhaps the 3 of us can compete somewhere neutral. Perhaps an AOBS side show in 2008...except for that crowd, we would not really qualify for geezer status." Mike said

Mike - I don't know Andy but perhaps he has a longer competition history compared to us - or just has better control of sticking with his plan better maybe. I've made several "beginner" mistakes and should know better by now but I still make them - maybe someday I'll learn. I suppose when pigs fly maybe. The world's full of strong geezers and almost geezers - I'm always happy when some "youngster" does well in an open competition like you and Andy did; even if Andy is just a kid. Hopefully in some small way we "geezers" can encourage people to believe that life is not over as you get a few years on you.

Congrats on the competition #3 close - I'll get your results put up on the Masters Records list shortly - great job!

[CoC#3]

In theory, a grip contest is a lot easier than a tough workout. After all, there is less weight lifted in total, you go to complete exhaustion in an intense workout, and the rest between events in a contest is longer. If you talk with anyone who has ever gone 100% in a grip contest, why are their tendons, muscles, and ligaments more fried for several days after a contest than after the toughest workout they put themselves through? I don't know, I am not a scientist or a psychologist. Ask that question of the competitors of Saturday's contest, and I bet every one of them did not feel "fresh as a daisy" the day after the contest. Or two days after the contest. Or three.

Yeah. Even now my hands aren't back to normal. Yesterday i wasn't feeling great with grippers, the closes of the MM1 were a lot harder than usual! Thick bar strength is back to normal though.

[Andy]

"Andy Christie. Hey Chris Rice, if you are reading this, he makes you and me seem sloppy. He is 49 years old, and knows exactly what he can do, the right weight selection, the right sequence, and then hits PRs. Yep, when he turns 50, perhaps the 3 of us can compete somewhere neutral. Perhaps an AOBS side show in 2008...except for that crowd, we would not really qualify for geezer status." Mike said

Mike - I don't know Andy but perhaps he has a longer competition history compared to us - or just has better control of sticking with his plan better maybe. I've made several "beginner" mistakes and should know better by now but I still make them - maybe someday I'll learn. I suppose when pigs fly maybe. The world's full of strong geezers and almost geezers - I'm always happy when some "youngster" does well in an open competition like you and Andy did; even if Andy is just a kid. Hopefully in some small way we "geezers" can encourage people to believe that life is not over as you get a few years on you.

Congrats on the competition #3 close - I'll get your results put up on the Masters Records list shortly - great job!

Haven't been called a kid for a looooong time! Does achieving 50 automatically confer geezerhood on me? as far as being super organised and in control - sure doesn't feel that way! I dropped two of my pinch attempts because I didn't spot that the apparatus was front-loaded, which doesn't suit me at all. Duh. Still, enjoyed the competition and it was fun battling with Mike.

[Hubgeezer]

Haven't been called a kid for a looooong time! Does achieving 50 automatically confer geezerhood on me?

In the United States, there is an organization called AARP (American Association of Retired People). When you turn 50, somehow they find you and mail you an invitation to join the organization. It is the biggest political lobbying organization, by far, in the US. So, yes, as far as the Gripboard goes, we automatically enroll all members to geezerhood when they hit 50.

[climber511]

Andy - yes - achieving the ripe old age of 50 will turn you into an official "geezer". A noble stage in life. Membership is small but elite .

[viper]

"Andy Christie. Hey Chris Rice, if you are reading this, he makes you and me seem sloppy. He is 49 years old, and knows exactly what he can do, the right weight selection, the right sequence, and then hits PRs. Yep, when he turns 50, perhaps the 3 of us can compete somewhere neutral. Perhaps an AOBS side show in 2008...except for that crowd, we would not really qualify for geezer status." Mike said

Mike - I don't know Andy but perhaps he has a longer competition history compared to us - or just has better control of sticking with his plan better maybe. I've made several "beginner" mistakes and should know better by now but I still make them - maybe someday I'll learn. I suppose when pigs fly maybe. The world's full of strong geezers and almost geezers - I'm always happy when some "youngster" does well in an open competition like you and Andy did; even if Andy is just a kid. Hopefully in some small way we "geezers" can encourage people to believe that life is not over as you get a few years on you.

Congrats on the competition #3 close - I'll get your results put up on the Masters Records list shortly - great job!

Haven't been called a kid for a looooong time! Does achieving 50 automatically confer geezerhood on me? as far as being super organised and in control - sure doesn't feel that way! I dropped two of my pinch attempts because I didn't spot that the apparatus was front-loaded, which doesn't suit me at all. Duh. Still, enjoyed the competition and it was fun battling with Mike.

what do you mean by front loaded?

[ObsceneJester]

Viper,

It's when you put more weight on the frontside of the pinch apparatus.