“grip Master” Certifications

[AP]

“Grip Master” Certifications

This is something that I’ve had rolling around in my head for a while now. When I first heard of “Grip” it was all about achieving the title of “Captain of Crush.” Once you’ve delved deeper into the sport, you realize there are so many more dimensions to what it means to have a strong grip. There are so many different disciplines, crushing, pinching, wrist strength, thickbar, finger strength etc. but we don’t have any unifying system for determining what is a good grip. My goal for this wouldn’t be to determine who is the best, either in a particular event or in a range of events because we already have great ways to do these, namely Mash Monsters, top 50 lists and grip contests. And, recognizing that different pieces of equipment vary, I don’t envision creating bunches of different classes and trying to rank people in an exact manner.

Basically, I am thinking of a Grip Master Certification as a ‘black belt’ of Grip. It doesn’t say that you are the best, only that you have achieved across a broad range of events, and the certification is something fun for people to aspire to and work toward.

So, how would this work exactly? How do we decide if someone is a grip master?

My idea is that a person would have to accomplish a certain number of some of the classic grip feats. For instance, Perhaps they have to do 5 of the following; #3 close, red nail, 2 45s 1 hand pinch, 3 25s 1 hand pinch, inch dumbbell lift, 300lb v-bar, 45 lb plate curl, dinnie lift, etc. We can include or exclude events or make these as hard as we want but basically these are a set of impressive events. And I don’t think a person should even need to be able to do all of them just say 5 out 10 or 7 out of 12 or whatever. Not requiring them to do every event means that injuries or lack of equipment or short hands isn’t going to hold anyone back. Remember this isn’t meant to say that a person is great at everything grip it is really like 5 times Captain of Crush; 5 (or as many as we want) events about as hard as closing a 3.

It is about creating a meaningful title that includes the total grip package, “Captain of Crush” isn’t enough, Mash Monster is great but only applies to grippers. The Grip Master certification can be Gripboard owned, isn’t going to change even if a lot of people achieve it and is going to be a total test of grip. When someone completes enough events, they will provide proof and a nominal cert fee (maybe $10.) If they have provided enough evidence then they will be awarded the cert.

What does everyone else think? Is this an unnecessary cert, too much internet talk? Do we need to make it super hard to achieve? I think it’s important that it is hard but achievable by more than a small group of people, like a black belt. Should this kind of stuff just be limited to contests or maybe mashmonster/fatbastard certs? Should there be more feats required? 10 classic feats to be a Grip Master? I don’t know if anyone else agrees but I just think it’s a really cool idea.

[diesel]

i think it is a great idea. i am highly interested to see this develop further.

Not requiring them to do every event means that injuries or lack of equipment or short hands isn’t going to hold anyone back

agreed. i would think 5 out of 7 feats would be an appropriate number.

I think it’s important that it is hard but achievable by more than a small group of people, like a black belt

agreed.

[Trevor111]

great idea!

[Chrisx9118]

Good idea but a 45lb plate curl should be tossed out of there because i have never seen it done.

[Bob Lipinski]

Well, based on "sorta tough" feats,

-#3

-Red Bend or better

-Pinch 45's

-Blob lift

-300 pound v-bar

-16 pound strict lever

-350 pound double overhand axle dead

-Pinch 5 10's

-Pinch 3 25's

I don't know, I ran out of ideas there! All are about equal to a #3 give or take, the 3 25's and 2 45's might be a little above the curve.

[acorn]

This cert would be pretty cool. It might take awhile but I would be game for it.

- Aaron

[THOR]

It all sounds like fun to me, ive got four or five under my belt so that could be cool. One question though what was the ten bucks for, was it for the the cert in general and who would the money be sent too??

[Alawadhi]

Well, based on "sorta tough" feats,

-#3

-Red Bend or better

-Pinch 45's

-Blob lift

-300 pound v-bar

-16 pound strict lever

-350 pound double overhand axle dead

-Pinch 5 10's

-Pinch 3 25's

I don't know, I ran out of ideas there! All are about equal to a #3 give or take, the 3 25's and 2 45's might be a little above the curve.

I might change a little since it says grip MASTER. the #3 must be elite. red nail must be bastard. 16 pound lever must be 18. and the 5 10's MAYBE 6 10's since only little achieved it. and to lift 225 LB on a RT or lift the inch. all others are same. IMO.

[THOR]

The only problem with useing the six 5s is that sure your right not many can do it, but not because of thier strength but becuase of thier hand size. i can do five 5s but my hands just cant get around the sixth one, unless the fives are extremly skinny, but then that adds another variable to the challenge, or the idea of trying to keep the playing field equal to all. my friend has a dumbbell that weighs 150 lbs and they are all 5s and they are about a half an inch in size and i can grab 7 of them but there not your common 5lb weight so i guess that will have to be one more thing that you can think about while creating this challenge.

[Alawadhi]

Why not certifie on the thin 6 10's then? Or just lift 5 10's with 2 fingers.

[Wes]

Well, based on "sorta tough" feats,

-#3

-Red Bend or better

-Pinch 45's

-Blob lift

-300 pound v-bar

-16 pound strict lever

-350 pound double overhand axle dead

-Pinch 5 10's

-Pinch 3 25's

I don't know, I ran out of ideas there! All are about equal to a #3 give or take, the 3 25's and 2 45's might be a little above the curve.

I agree about the 2 45's. Tho' IMHO 5 10's are way too easy to be on there. The rest of the list looks pretty good

Edited October 2, 2006 by Wes

[Wes]

Why not certifie on the thin 6 10's then? Or just lift 5 10's with 2 fingers.

5 10's w/ 2 fingers is waaay easier than 6 10's. Look at the 6 10's list and see the grand total of 3 names!

[jlc]

Sounds awsome!

Maybe some kind of certificate and a T-shirt.

[Scott Styles]

IMO if the bending is "grip" master there should be DU or reverse options. Cool idea.

[RKlein]

i also like this idea.

i agree with uping some of the things though.

elite instead of #3

levering,18 instead of 16

higher v-bar

to make it more practical i would say you have to do them all instead of 5 out of 7 or whatever and not include the events where hand size is a big factor.

just my ideas

[AP]

i also like this idea.

i agree with uping some of the things though.

elite instead of #3

levering,18 instead of 16

higher v-bar

to make it more practical i would say you have to do them all instead of 5 out of 7 or whatever and not include the events where hand size is a big factor.

just my ideas

I think its important that its achievable and not just by a select few. This doesn't go along with the "Average man" thread, there are some tough feats on my orginal list and the list that Bob put up. Just the first three feats you put up, Ryan, would mean that no one in Michigan would be a grip master (and that's just the first 3 events, who knows what the others might look like?) despite the fact that you and Dave and Bob have all torn up some serious grip performances. If you did 5 Ryan Klein events you might be top 5 in the world, I don't know, maybe that's where we should set this certification at; But we were just joking awhile ago at the P&B about a fitness forum that has an elite classification - that no one is actually elite enough to qualify for.

Maybe the black belt comparision is silly, but 'Captain of Crush' used to be big, and used to mean that you had a strong grip. It was big and not just when it was exclusive, it was biggest when people were working toward the cert because they knew they could reach it too. I think if we take that idea, and expand on it, we can make a cert that is worth something and that people want to work toward. But it needs to be something that people can work toward and can achieve.

The reason you have them do only 5 of 7 or 7 of 10 or whatever is because some people don't like certain events or have injuries that prevent them from bending or levering or whatever. A classic, difficult lift like a dinnie lift or a big platecurl should count even if someone isn't great at v-bar or wide pinch. That's what I think anyway. The cert fee basically goes to support the gripboard or it could even go to the certification team just to pay for the work and time that it takes to review the cert.

What else? Anyone out there think this is a dumb idea, what can we do to make it better?

[Scott Styles]

Maybe tie it in with the event descriptions Bob has on US Handstrength? Rather than trying to spec out everything for the events, just set a bar for the already agreed upon events.

[Alawadhi]

i also like this idea.

i agree with uping some of the things though.

elite instead of #3

levering,18 instead of 16

higher v-bar

to make it more practical i would say you have to do them all instead of 5 out of 7 or whatever and not include the events where hand size is a big factor.

just my ideas

I think its important that its achievable and not just by a select few . This doesn't go along with the "Average man" thread, there are some tough feats on my orginal list and the list that Bob put up. Just the first three feats you put up, Ryan, would mean that no one in Michigan would be a grip master (and that's just the first 3 events, who knows what the others might look like?) despite the fact that you and Dave and Bob have all torn up some serious grip performances.

That’s the beauty of it. Less people to achieve to GRIP MASTER are better than a lot. Look how many people here in the gripboard have the title “grip master and legend”? Only two, Richard Sorin and David Horn. And how many have the title “thick bar daddy”? One only. If more than 20 or 30 people achieved it then it doesn’t deserve the GRIP MASTER title. IMO.

[AP]

That’s the beauty of it. Less people to achieve to GRIP MASTER are better than a lot. Look how many people here in the gripboard have the title “grip master and legend”? Only two, Richard Sorin and David Horn. And how many have the title “thick bar daddy”? One only. If more than 20 or 30 people achieved it then it doesn’t deserve the GRIP MASTER title. IMO.

I have to disagree with you here. Take a look at this list Ironmind By the end of 99 there were quite a few captains of crush, yet more worked for it and got it in 2000. even more got it in 2001. By 2002 the list was quite long but check out how many worked for it and got it in 02. Check out how many got it in 03!!? 2004 was on its way to being the longest year yet when new rules were instituted to slow the growth of the list. There were over 100 listed yet people were still working to be on that list. It was a big deal even though it wasn't exclusive.

People need something hard but achievable to be interested. How do you work toward becoming a grip legend? You don't. There's only 1 Richard Sorin, you can't be him. - (sure you can work as hard as you can, or try and beat a legend's record, but you are not going to replace the legend.)

Don't get hung up on the 'master' title, this is about generating interest like there was in 03 and focusing it to develop a more well rounded grip. Do you think that there is more or less interest in getting a black belt because a lot of people have them? What if Gripboard "Grip Master" certifications were as well known and as well respected as black belts? If you didn't know anything about grip, do you think "Grip Master Alawadhi" would motivate you to participate? Sounds good doesn't it? More exclusive isn't always better if you want to motivate.

[Jedd Johnson]

I think the gripper should be one of the mash monster grippers, and I think the red bend or bastard bend should be done in a style other than double overhand with thick leather wraps. Maybe reverse style with leather.

Six tens - you can't include that as a requirement due to hand size issues. 2-45s would be better suited to allow everyone a chance.

Rolling thunder of 225/inch seems reasonable.

I like the idea of using the title 'black belt of grip' or something like that, but Grip Master sounds kind of fruity to me. Maybe sultan of grip or something like that.

Very good topic.

-Jedd-

[handgripperman]

Sounds like a great idea to me.

[RKlein]

i like grippermania's idea but i think the ideas we are talking about would be better. grippermaina's cert is mostly grippers.

here are my ideas

-pinch two 45's

-maybe blob

-lever 16-18

-bastard bend

-mash monster 1-2? or maybe elite

-v-bar 315-325+

their are more but that is what i would like to see on the list for sure.

"would mean that no one in Michigan would be a grip master (and that's just the first 3 events, who knows what the others might look like?)" that's good, it would give us something to shoot for. honestly we are not that far off from doing all 3 that i mentioned. my vote is to make it hard. if you make it too easy you will also lose interest and it won't be respected. i don't think we need a long list either. maybe you could have a "lower belt" with easier tasks and a "black belt" for harder tasks. just my thoughts.

like Jeff said let's here some more opinions

[Alawadhi]

That’s the beauty of it. Less people to achieve to GRIP MASTER are better than a lot. Look how many people here in the gripboard have the title “grip master and legend”? Only two, Richard Sorin and David Horn. And how many have the title “thick bar daddy”? One only. If more than 20 or 30 people achieved it then it doesn’t deserve the GRIP MASTER title. IMO.

I have to disagree with you here. Take a look at this list Ironmind By the end of 99 there were quite a few captains of crush, yet more worked for it and got it in 2000. even more got it in 2001. By 2002 the list was quite long but check out how many worked for it and got it in 02. Check out how many got it in 03!!? 2004 was on its way to being the longest year yet when new rules were instituted to slow the growth of the list. There were over 100 listed yet people were still working to be on that list. It was a big deal even though it wasn't exclusive.

People need something hard but achievable to be interested. How do you work toward becoming a grip legend? You don't. There's only 1 Richard Sorin, you can't be him. - (sure you can work as hard as you can, or try and beat a legend's record, but you are not going to replace the legend.)

Don't get hung up on the 'master' title, this is about generating interest like there was in 03 and focusing it to develop a more well rounded grip. Do you think that there is more or less interest in getting a black belt because a lot of people have them? What if Gripboard "Grip Master" certifications were as well known and as well respected as black belts? If you didn't know anything about grip, do you think "Grip Master Alawadhi" would motivate you to participate? Sounds good doesn't it? More exclusive isn't always better if you want to motivate.

First to answer the bold words. I think Dr. Strossen changed the rule to make anyone achieve a COC hard and really make him captian of crush. He didn't want a million people on the list. Tell me who certified on a #3 after the rule changed (out of the pack #3)? only one.

And talking about the black belts I think 90% of the people owning a black belt in karate can't defend themselves in a real fight. So in reality they don't deserve a blackbelt. So is the grip master or sultan of grip or whatever you call it. I think only few people who are capable of excellent feats must get the title. IMO.

[jlc]

IMO comparing this to a blackbelt is good. Blackbelt dosen't

mean your have mastered the art, it means you have

put in some serious time and effort, you are

above average and a student (still learning) of the art.

[joeyg]

There are so many variables to this that people will just bitch.

What year is his #3?whats the mouting/width? are those 45's smooth? That guys used an old RT? etc, etc.

The idea is good, but I think it's too early in the grip game for it. There aren't enough people competing or competitions....

I read plenty of posts where people claim to do some pretty impressive feats (or even post video), but they aren't competing.

Instead of making titles and such, lets get more people competing. Vary the contests to accomodate more people (more hand size classes, novice divisions, etc).