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New Guy Looking For A Good Starting Point.


sideburns

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Hey guys! Been reading around a little bit, and I am going shopping today to pick up some stuff for starting with my grip training.

First off I should tell you the basics about me I guess...

I'm 5'7" 135 lbs. 17 years old and have been weight-training for 2 years...but mostly my regular workouts since November.

I can deadlift 200lbs for about 5 reps...but after taht I drop it.

I first got interested in grip after seeing that only 5 people are certified to close the ironmind #4. I'm intrigued by things that people call impossible, and I would like to at least close the #3 one day.

Anyways....I bought a set of Heavy Grips. The HG100 all the way to the HG300. I can close the 100 for reps...and can mash the 150 for 1 or 2 consistently.

Anyways...

Today I am planning to go and buy some stuff to train pinch and some steel for bending.

Are blobs the best for training pinch? I was thinking that they're a little expensive...being just under a buck a pound for cast dumbbells...my idea was to get a piece of 4x4 timber, and attach an eye-hook to the bottom and attach plates with a rope...would I be missing out on anything?

Also, for a guy who's never bent anything before...do you think I'd be able to bend a white nail? I am going to pick up some steel today, but I dono if I should maybe try to get something lighter than the white nail...or if I'd be able to do it. Also, where would I be able to pick up cordura wraps? Do they sell them at normal sports stores?

Thanks so much for the help, I know taht's a lot to ask...but hopefully you guys don't mind directing a noob in the right direction.

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Welcome to the board man, lots of info here as everyone who is a member will say. :D

If you already have experience in weightlifting, you should be able to bend a white nail to start with. Note that steel varies however, so even if it is CRS and of the same dimensions, the steel you are getting could be harder or stronger.

Blobs are a lil different than a block of wood, but I started out pinching on wooden blocks, so I don't see why you couldn't do that. I'd suggest getting short chunks of 2", 3", and 4" blocks to pinch lift. If they are not entirely smooth, sand them a little bit. You will find yourself lifting the most on one of these widths, for you I'd guess off the bat it'd be 2".

Do you participate in any sports?

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Welcome to the board man, lots of info here as everyone who is a member will say. :D

If you already have experience in weightlifting, you should be able to bend a white nail to start with. Note that steel varies however, so even if it is CRS and of the same dimensions, the steel you are getting could be harder or stronger.

Blobs are a lil different than a block of wood, but I started out pinching on wooden blocks, so I don't see why you couldn't do that. I'd suggest getting short chunks of 2", 3", and 4" blocks to pinch lift. If they are not entirely smooth, sand them a little bit. You will find yourself lifting the most on one of these widths, for you I'd guess off the bat it'd be 2".

Do you participate in any sports?

No, I don't play any sports actually. I've always hated most sports actually...

I used to run, but got bored of it. The only sports I like..involve engines. (other than lifting)

I got into weightlifting/bodybuilding, because I was pretty sick back a while ago and got skinny and wanted to do something about it....haven't looked back since. I am addicted to it.

Basically, what I'm going for is to have pure strength in my grip....be able to bend crazy stuff and close crazy grippers. All out strength. I wanna one day be able to tear a deck of cards and all that kinda cool stuff. Just be able to say that I can do things a normal man can't...

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Understandable I suppose. Well, to start with, I guess you could work with your grippers, do some pinch lifting on a variety of widths, and maybe do some bending too. You might want to start out with some wrist work instead of bending, to get your wrists used to being under strain. Levering is the favorite wrist exercise of most benders on the board. Barbell wrist curls are great too.

Edit: Oh yea bro, what kinda lifting do you do now?

Edited by unseenbeat
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Understandable I suppose. Well, to start with, I guess you could work with your grippers, do some pinch lifting on a variety of widths, and maybe do some bending too. You might want to start out with some wrist work instead of bending, to get your wrists used to being under strain. Levering is the favorite wrist exercise of most benders on the board. Barbell wrist curls are great too.

Edit: Oh yea bro, what kinda lifting do you do now?

My current routine looks like this.

day 1:

Back/bicep

Deadlifts

wide grip lat pulldowns

close grip seated rows

alternating dumbbell curls

decline alternating dumbbell curls 60*

reverse barbell curls

day 2:

chest/tricep/shoulder

Benchpress

dumbbell flyes 60*

overhead tricep extensions

kickbacks

cable pushdowns

lateral raises

shrugs

bent over reverse flyes (I dono the right name)

days 3:

Squats

leg press

leg extensions

seated leg curl

calf raises (on calf sled)

Right now I do my day 1/day 2 workout alternating whenever I can get to the gym...usually 5x a week, bit busy this week, but day 1 today is in the plans. Then day 3 (legs) I usually do only once every week or every 2 weeks, because it takes me a long time to recover (I push hard), and I have a job involving standing up and walking all day.

EDIT: What would be an ideal sledgehammer to buy...I was thinking of picking one up actually...

Edited by sideburns
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OK...so I am about to go out and get what I need.

On the list is enough steel for 50 white nails/10 green/5 yellow...just in case I can somehow bend them soon...

(have the 4x4 and eyehook)

a sledgehammer

Now...I gotta know...what kind of sledge should I be getting? How long..how heavy? What's a good one to start with?

anything else I should be getting?

Edited by sideburns
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you will find the jump between the white and the green to be small and between the green and the yellow to be much biger. Get more greens :D

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EDIT: What would be an ideal sledgehammer to buy...I was thinking of picking one up actually...

7 pounder. use tape to mark different hand positons up the handle to give a range of difficulty

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you will find the jump between the white and the green to be small and between the green and the yellow to be much biger. Get more greens :D

Thanks a lot. Maybe 30 then? I live in Windsor...so there's no shortage of steel lmao...I can always swing by and pick up more later.

Also...for the steel...I'm looking at peerless steel's website...and it says "carbon steel"...is that what I'm looking for? Cold finished carbon steel?

EDIT: It's C-1018 in case you need to know

EDIT: What would be an ideal sledgehammer to buy...I was thinking of picking one up actually...

7 pounder. use tape to mark different hand positons up the handle to give a range of difficulty

How long of a handle? Longest possible?

Edited by sideburns
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Yes, that's perfect steel, and you might as well just get some long lengths of 3/16", such as 3' foot lengths and such, and cut it to what you want.

Whatever length 6 or 8 pound sledge you can find, it really doesn't matter, though I suppose the longer the better.

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Yes, that's perfect steel, and you might as well just get some long lengths of 3/16", such as 3' foot lengths and such, and cut it to what you want.

Whatever length 6 or 8 pound sledge you can find, it really doesn't matter, though I suppose the longer the better.

Thanks a billion...that's what I needed to hear...

I'm probably gonna get them to cut MOST of them into "nails"...but I will probably get a couple 3 feet sections so that I can cut them later into whatever size I need to mix it up a little...

Thanks a lot, you've been a LOT of help.

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EDIT: What would be an ideal sledgehammer to buy...I was thinking of picking one up actually...

7 pounder. use tape to mark different hand positons up the handle to give a range of difficulty

Buy as big of one that you can find and afford. 16 pounds will be OK, 20 would be better. You make it heavier or lighter by moving your hand farther or closer to the head. Wrap the sledge handle in hockey (white) grip tape and mark the tape in 1 inch increments. That way you can keep track of your progress. :cool

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EDIT: What would be an ideal sledgehammer to buy...I was thinking of picking one up actually...

7 pounder. use tape to mark different hand positons up the handle to give a range of difficulty

Buy as big of one that you can find and afford. 16 pounds will be OK, 20 would be better. You make it heavier or lighter by moving your hand farther or closer to the head. Wrap the sledge handle in hockey (white) grip tape and mark the tape in 1 inch increments. That way you can keep track of your progress. :cool

I just got back...the biggest I could find was the 12lb...but I ended up with a 6. I'm pretty sure it'll last me a while...it's really long, so lots of leverage.

Any vids of levering? I still don't totally see the exact motion.

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Should check out Benders webiste for levering exercises and pictures and a lot of other great stuff on bending, block weights, ect. (member of the board- http://www.geocities.com/ltgodfrey/home.html

Also get a 50lb dumbell and cut off the handle for pinching (should be about 40cents a pound or less.

I started bending by buying the 3ft lengths of 3/16" HRS from Home Depot. Buy the round and the square and those should get you started..If you can get to 5" 3/16" square that is a good start.... Good luck!

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