For The Guys Who Haven't Closed The #3 Yet. (like Me)

[TheBoneOrchard]

I posted a little blurb in the "newbies post here" a while back but I just wanted to give a little more info about me and maybe get other guys who are about my level to do the same.

Sort of a how we are doing and where we are on the road to the #3 thread.

Me:

I have had my CoC grippers for a long time (ordered while in college back in 1996) and only ever closed the #1, then a few months ago I picked them up again, found this site (isn't it great!) ordered a few new grippers (1.5, a new 2, 2.5, a new 3, a 4 and some Beef Builders) and started training again.

When I started back up I was doing some sets of 1-5 with my #1.5 about three nights a week when I had time at work. Doing maybe 300 some closes a week like this for a about two months, that got me to where I could just barely close my #2 if I was lucky. Closed it for the first time back in December after telling myself I would get it before New Years. (I actually closed it twice to show some friends new years eve)

From there I started really trying to learn all I can about grip training and closing grippers, and I am now about a week and a half from finishing the KTA program for the first time. (with the goal being to get really consistent with my #2) I know you are not supposed to do any extra grip work while doing it but I couldn't resist taking my BBM to work a couple nights ago to play around with all night. (I work 11pm to 7 am) Now honestly my BBM feels a bit easier than my #2 but I was very suprised and excited that I closed it for 16 singles throughout the night.

So, I defiantly feel like I am getting stronger and closing the #2 has given me a lot of motivation and a new feeling that I really can progress beyond what a "normal human" can do.

Now, what about you other "middle sized fish" of the gripping world?

How is it going?

How are you training?

What are your immediate goals and how do you plan to reach them?

Hearing from guys who are about the same level as me is a great motivation, knowing you all haven't destroyed a #3 and beyond yet, and also knowing we can get there together!

Charles

P.S. Here is my first video of me closing the #2, it is a bit grainy because it was done on a regular digital camera, not a video camera.

P.P.S. I know I am getting stronger because that video took five closes in a row just to get a video I was sort of happy with. (I still can't quite do it with my left yet though)

[superfeemiman]

My current training is focusing on dominating the #2. I do a lot of singles on it and click-rep sets. I know doing KTA or negatives would probably help me get to harder grippers and help me on the #2 at the same time, but I rather just train like this for now and then start pulling out the good stuff like KTA when I can no set the #2 or get it for a few CC reps. Plus, my skin will hopefully be a little more stronger for it.

My long term goal isn't really to close the #3, it's more like trying to get as far as I can with the grippers. Of course I want to close the 3 though.

My next short-term goal after the #2 domination is going to be closing my HG300, which is like a 2.3 I think.

Even though 90% people who have closed the #3 were at that level that we are currently on, I'll admit it is nice seeing people currently at our level. It at least reassures me that I'm not as weak as I think.

Edited February 24, 2007 by superfeemiman

[MaverickBU]

I'm relatively new to focused grip training, about 3 or 4 months under by belt, and have recently closed the #2 for the first time.

My main focus is and has been overall strength training, but grip training has become equally important. The hardest part so far has not been the workouts themselves, as I'm progressing quickly, probably a result of the base in strength training. The problem is learning my recovery rate. I hit the #2 for single attempts and hard negatives in each hand when its gripper time and that has my hands sore for up to 5 days now. Luckily, I've learned frmo my other training that too much work is worse than not enough, so I'm patient. Hopefully as I train more my workload capacity will increase.

I lift a super heavy (never more than 5 reps unless I'm doing endurance work) on an upper/lower split 3 days a week, intense cardio twice a week, and I split my grip up over 3 days now, if my recovery complies. I've really taken to heart the comments of many of the vets about being well-rounded in my grip training, so I think all aspects are accounted for. I try to separate wrist work from hand and finger work so that I can still train grip frequently without impeding THAT much on recovery. Right now I do heavy grippers and finger curls one day, wrist curls - rev wrist curls- and levering another day, and the final day is usually pinch and some phonebook tearing (think I'm gonna start working on a deck of card next). Relatively short, intense workouts, straight to the point, not much filler. As I get more comfortable, I'd like to add bending, blobs, and v-bar lifting to the mix.

I'm hooked, and I'm setting no limits for myself.

[GoJu]

I can't close the #3 yet, but I hope to by the end of the year, currently can only close the #2 on my right hand on a good day, close the HG250 with my left also only on a good day.

I'm going to be starting Bill Starr's intermediate 5 x 5 tomorrow, this is the whole routine:

day 1

squat 5 x 5

bench press 5 x 5

power clean 5 x 5

2 sets of hypers

4 sets of decline situps

day 2

squat 4 x 5

incline bench 4 x 5

deadlift 4 x 5

3 sets of hanging leg raises

day 3

squat 4 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 8

bench press 4 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 8

power clean 4 x 5, 1 x 3, 1 x 5

dips 3 x 5-8

chins 3 x 8

triceps 3 x 8

biceps 3 x 8

I will be gripping 2 or 3 days a week, doing 5 sets of BFN"s on the #2, 5 sets of negative crushes on the #3, and 5 sets of TNS closes on the #1, plus wrist curls and extensor bands, hoping to dominate the #2 completely where I can close it with either hand any time I want and maybe close my HG300 as well. after this cycle, which should last approximatly 9-16 weeks, I'm going to incorporate more all around grip work like Rolling Thunder, Pinch Blocks, Sledgehammer, Wrist Roller, and maybe some Bending along with grippers.

[TheBoneOrchard]

Thanks for the replies guys, I will definitely be watching to see how you guys progress. Good luck with all your training.

Goju, that looks like a solid workout. Right now, I am just doing the kettlebell workouts from the book Enter the Kettlebell aside from grip stuff.

I had back surgery two years ago and also moved into a smaller place so I had to get rid of a lot of weights, but I am getting to the point now where I would like to ease back into lifting some.

Charles

[suruppak]

I just started grip training a month or so ago, and ordered some grippers, the T, #1, and #2. I can close the #1 seven times, and I cannot close the #2 at all, so right now, that is my goal.

The hardest part for me has been resisting the urge to overtrain and play with the grippers everyday!

Then, it is very ego crushing to have my cousin come over (who does not train grip at all) and slam my brand new #2 closed with each hand. I'm trying to get him interested in training grip, because he obviously has great genetics for it!!

[pcyzajg]

I'm still a level below you guys- currently in the middle of KTA with the aim of dominating the #1. Can close regularly with the right but still 1-2mm away with the left, so frustrating Have only had my grippers since november last year and only started working out with them regularly since the beginning of january.

Anyway, KTA is great and can't wait to see the gains when i'm done. Then it will be a period of low intensity (compared to KTA!), do more pinching, levering etc, and then back on it with the aim to close the #2. Aim to have it closed by July- can get it down to just below 1cm at the moment.

I will close the #2, and if my body permits I will keep it going for the #3 which is way in the future. I expect i don't quite have the phisique of most of you guys on here, being only 5'7" and 145lbs, but i am determined!!

Cheers for taking an interest in the newbies

[superfeemiman]

I'm still a level below you guys- currently in the middle of KTA with the aim of dominating the #1. Can close regularly with the right but still 1-2mm away with the left, so frustrating Have only had my grippers since november last year and only started working out with them regularly since the beginning of january.

Anyway, KTA is great and can't wait to see the gains when i'm done. Then it will be a period of low intensity (compared to KTA!), do more pinching, levering etc, and then back on it with the aim to close the #2. Aim to have it closed by July- can get it down to just below 1cm at the moment.

I will close the #2, and if my body permits I will keep it going for the #3 which is way in the future. I expect i don't quite have the phisique of most of you guys on here, being only 5'7" and 145lbs, but i am determined!!

Cheers for taking an interest in the newbies

If you are a beginner expect to make some fast gains if you persist. It's amazing to me to think that about 5 months ago I couldn't close the #1 at all, and now I can easily no set it and CC rep it 14 or so times. Hopefully in a half a year I'll be able to do that with the 2.

[wscorpion]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to this board and pretty new to griptraining as well. I recently bought the CoC #3 and got the #4 as a birthday present (don't ask me why :p)...

I haven't closed the #3 but i'm hoping to do so within the next couple of months. What i'm doing now is doing 1 max attempt per hand per day, every day.

I squeeze the thing as far as i can with one hand, then assist with my other hand and close it a little further, and then hold it for 10 seconds.

Sometimes i do this with the #4 as well (got it now, so why shouldn't i use it ).

I've noticed a good progression over the last couple of weeks, so it seems my technique is working. However, as i said, i'm pretty new to griptraining, so any other suggestions to improve my results are welcome

It's not that easy and quite expensive for me to order CoC #2 since they don't sell it here in Holland, so i'm also playing with a fitness-gripper from the local fitnessshop, but of course that thing is nothing compared to the CoC ones..

Thanks for your time!

Regards,

Mark

[Autolupus]

I'm in between #2 and #3 have managed a close on the #2.5, here's a link to my first gripper vid!

http://www.jumpcut.com/view?id=BAFB5C48DA0...F3686&type=

[pdfk20]

Hi Guys,

I'm new to this board and pretty new to griptraining as well. I recently bought the CoC #3 and got the #4 as a birthday present (don't ask me why :p)...

I haven't closed the #3 but i'm hoping to do so within the next couple of months. What i'm doing now is doing 1 max attempt per hand per day, every day.

I squeeze the thing as far as i can with one hand, then assist with my other hand and close it a little further, and then hold it for 10 seconds.

Sometimes i do this with the #4 as well (got it now, so why shouldn't i use it ).

I've noticed a good progression over the last couple of weeks, so it seems my technique is working. However, as i said, i'm pretty new to griptraining, so any other suggestions to improve my results are welcome

It's not that easy and quite expensive for me to order CoC #2 since they don't sell it here in Holland, so i'm also playing with a fitness-gripper from the local fitnessshop, but of course that thing is nothing compared to the CoC ones..

Thanks for your time!

Regards,

Mark

Mark,

I would be very careful if i were you with this sort of training that you are currently doing as it could easily lead to injuries which suck!

Max attempts and forced negs are great for building hand strength but should only be done if there is a strong strength there already (say after a couple of months of light training) and secondly the amount you are doing to me doesn't look like you are giving yourself long enough to recover, if you want to continue with this form of training i would strongly recommend you cut back to 3 sessions a week, you will find with longer recovery time your hands will get stronger.

Good luck with your training,

Pete

[MalachiMcMullen]

I have been seriously training on grippers since january but have consistently worked my forearms in the past. On a recent #2 attempt(1 week ago) I got it down to less than 4mm from closed. I'm concentrating now on getting the 1.5 for 5 CCS reps, once I get that I will attempt the #2 again, unless I feel great one day . For the last week I've been taking my severly filed #1 and 1.5 with me everywhere and just doing closes, anywhere from 2-3 up to 20 in an hour. I think it's been working because I can now close the 1.5 whenever I pick it up and couldn't 2 weeks ago. I've never used chalk, I've tried chokers and I've tried forced negatives but I didn't like them.

[Autolupus]

...and here's my effort on the #2.5:

http://www.jumpcut.com/view?id=0A88DEF2DA2...AA2000423CF385C

...hopefully get a choked close on the #3 by the end of the year!

[JustinH]

I first got my CoC #1 a few years ago or so and was able to close it right away. I continued to work with it until i was able to close it about 25 times with my right and 20 with my left. I then ordered a #2 (not too sure when) and after about a week I could close it. I really got into a lot of the grip related exercises like: pinching, sledge levering, hub lifting, rolling thunder type instrument, bending, etc.

About 6 - 8 months ago I stopped doing any grip exercises until someone bought me the #2.5. Soon after I got it I started doing plate holds with my grippers and recently closed my #2.5. I would like to close the #3 and possibly certify on it when I'm able to close it as easy as I can currently close my #2.

[mbcx6pmw]

Hail to the middle-sized fishosaurs!

Got the #2.5 down to about 1mm on Monday. Ok, so it was in a choker, but progress is progress!

Going to do negatives on the #3 and overcrushes on the #1.5 for a while then come back to it.

[superfeemiman]

Hail to the middle-sized fishosaurs!

Got the #2.5 down to about 1mm on Monday. Ok, so it was in a choker, but progress is progress!

Going to do negatives on the #3 and overcrushes on the #1.5 for a while then come back to it.

Nice!

[Mlstrass]

Another "middle of the road" guy here.

I was doing 1 gripper workout a week for around 30 minutes, pretty high volume. At least in my book. Was making decent progress, but decided to cut the workout in 1/2 and perform it 2 times per week. So less volume per workout but more frequency. Workout is very basic:

Warm-up: white, green, yellow bands x 15 each

Tx7, #1x3, #1.5x1

2-3 attempts with goal gripper. RH = #2.5 LH = #2

1 NEG with BBSM

OC with filed HG250x3

#1.5x10-15

Entire workout takes about 15-20 minutes and doesn't leave my hands dead. This is the main reason I changed it up as I lift 2 times per week and some workouts my grip was fried and I could barely hold the bar for deads.

Yesterday's gripper workout I closed the #2 LH for all 3 attempts. I closed the #2.5 RH 1 out of the 3 attempts and first closed it last week, so I'm slowly progressing.

How many of you guys workout? How many only train grip? IMO it makes little sense to have a BIG grip and not be strong and healthy all over. Also I believe it helps your overall gripper strength as your entire body gets stronger.

One thing that "jumped" out at me is pinkegobox using KTA with the #1 as your goal gripper. IMO you're getting ahead of yourself, using such an advanced routine when you should be working on building some base strength first.

Nice to hear from other "mortals" out there. Keep grinding those handles....

[mbcx6pmw]

Yeah there was a thread a week or two back where everyone was basically saying your grip will never be as strong as it could be if you don't work your whole body. It's sometimes hard to work out where to fit everything in though. I train full body twice a week at the moment, based around squats on monday, deads on thursday. I'll do 'max' grippers between sets of squats, something like warm up, attempts on #2.5, few singles on the #2 (daren't call these overcrushes just yet!), reps on the #1.5 and maybe a few inverted closes. Both hands are fairly even. Then I do what I feel like at the end of my thursday workout, usually either just a few overcrushes on a #1 or #1.5, or fairly high reps on a T or #1. Obviously these aren't max strength after deads.

I recently got KTA, but am going to hold off on starting it just yet as I'm still trying to develop all-round strength rather than just focussing on grippers. I'd agree its probably not a routine for beginners. A few sets of low to medium reps on a gripper that's tough, but you can close, 2-3 times a week should do fine to start with.

[Autolupus]

I normally train BW/Rings and powerlift style weights.

My bests are 165kg squat, 110kg bench, 200Kg deadlift.

I'm currently post op(Bankart), so will take a while to get back into it. Pre op/accident could manage HSPU+20kg for 10 or so, 1RMX for pistols would be about 40kg.

Here's one of those unusual occurrences, a pic of me when I'm not too smooth/fat!

http://www.jumpcut.com/fullscreen?id=1D3E7...&type=image

[Mlstrass]

Same here as I do 2 whole body workouts a week. 1 hour total including warm-ups and 10 minutes of HIIT for cardio. I do grippers at work at the end of the day as it's just easier to be consistent.

I have pretty much every grip toy there is, but really use them much as it's just not that important to me at this time.

At the end of my workout I'll do the following: 1x15 on Formulator, 1x15 on PEGII, & 1x10 on my pinch machine. Other workout I finish with: 1-2 sets on a 2 3/8" wrist roller & 1 10 sec hold on a Holle DB. Only takes me 2-3 minutes at the end and I do higher reps, so the weights are lighter and I don't need a warm up.

For me it seems as if "less is more" as I was doing about twice as much grip training a while back and not making any better progress. As I've gotten older my philosophy has become: do the least amount of training required to make consistent gains. It seems to be working so far.

Trust me at the end of a workout I'd much rather play with my grip toys then do cardio, but at 42 cardio needs to be a priority.

Also that's "crazy" doing grippers between squats. LOL I only rest 60 seconds between sets, so it wouldn't work for me, but I've seen others say they feel strongest doing it that way.

[lifesnotfair]

I normally train BW/Rings and powerlift style weights.

My bests are 165kg squat, 110kg bench, 200Kg deadlift.

I'm currently post op(Bankart), so will take a while to get back into it. Pre op/accident could manage HSPU+20kg for 10 or so, 1RMX for pistols would be about 40kg.

Here's one of those unusual occurrences, a pic of me when I'm not too smooth/fat!

http://www.jumpcut.com/fullscreen?id=1D3E7...&type=image

Don't ever make me watch another picture of a guy in underwear again!!

That said, that's kinda how I wanna look, maybe bigger, but not that much bigger... I'm gonna work out just based on food, not even protein shakes or anything.. still gotta get rid of some fat that I have.. I don't want a 6-pack or anything, but wanna lose the "love-chains" as they call it. Hopefully I'll look like that eventually.... with the difference that my picture would be harier, therefore manlier. *cough*

[Autolupus]

It's not underwear, it's a pair of mizuno tracky bottoms!

[lifesnotfair]

Fruit of the Loom, For The Win !!

[superfeemiman]

I personally don't do any full-body work right now, though I've of course done it before, but I usually quit way too soon. I plan on doing some once summer's over as then I'll have lot of money. The main reason I don't do ANY right now is because I don't have any equipment besides 2 dumbbells and barbell, not even a bench. Another reason is because when I do it I want to do it as best as I can... meaning I want to have a great diet, which is kind of hard to get into for me right now.

Yeah, I know those are just excuses, but I won't tell you otherwise. I'm a lazy bastard.

[mbcx6pmw]

For me it seems as if "less is more" as I was doing about twice as much grip training a while back and not making any better progress. As I've gotten older my philosophy has become: do the least amount of training required to make consistent gains. It seems to be working so far.

Yeah that's a good approach. Any more than you can fully recover from is at best a waste of time, at worst you can go backwards. I'm still kind of feeling my way in this respect. It's always tempting to add an extra exercise here and there.

Also that's "crazy" doing grippers between squats. LOL I only rest 60 seconds between sets, so it wouldn't work for me, but I've seen others say they feel strongest doing it that way.

I definitely feel stronger this way, due to the adrenaline / testosterone / whatever. Whether it's just a temporary effect, or will translate to bigger gains due to allowing me to work harder I don't know.

I won't post any pictures of me in my undies as I don't want anyone to lose their lunch