Swindon Grip Champs

[The Mac]

I was going to wait a few before posting this, but after viewing such a fine competition yesterday I am still caught up in all the excitement!

I am going to put on and promote a Grip Competiton in Swindon in early December. I have a number of different venues in mind (I may have mentioned elsewhere one of them is the STEAM Museum at the old GWR works in Swindon) - I am in "negotiation" stages at the moment, and probably won't have a yea or nea for a good few weeks yet, but I am happy to simply book a venue if they fall through. I am wanting to model the events on the British as closely as possible, eg.

1) Grippers

2) Pinch

3) V-Bar

4) One-Hand lift OR One-Hand Barbell Deadlift

5) Table Top Wrist Curl.

I have a few ideas on visual cues and judging aids ie. use of lasers to judge height in V-Bar & One-Hand lift, use of a "daylight projector" for putting up blow-by-blow scores for competitors and fans alike.

The main purpose of this post is to get an idea of interest and to hear what you as a potential competitor/spectator wants to see (and yes, I am working on the beautiful trophy presenters and million-pound first place prize ). Mobster mentioned in the thread for the British Championships about Novice classes or a Novice only event - is there interest in that?

In any case, there are nearly seven months to go, so please let me have any comments.

[CoC#3]

I'm definately interested mate. If it goes ahead as planned i'll compete.

With regard with what i would want to see as either a competitor or spectator as a competitor i look for fair/competent judging, not too much 'hanging around' and updates on the score throughout. If food can be provided throughout that's a bonus and is great but it's not necessary. I don't care if the plates are calibrated or not personally. As a spectator i would like to watch interesting events i.e. ones that involve big weights. For example on Saturday the one hand lift was the crowd's favourite IMO. If you want to attract the general public and spread interest in grip include something they can relate to (as per my thread) like steel bending.

If needs be i can lend my grippers to help you.

Lol, as for trophy presenters anything female with double D size + is fine ha ha

oh yeah... yuk at the idea of another TTWC lol lol...

[David Horne]

Chris,

Great stuff, this is what is needed, more promoters.

When you have details send me them and I'll put it on my site.

If you need any help give me a pm or you can even call me or whatever.

David

[Mike Betty]

I would be up for a trip up to swindon the strongman goes dead in the winter so it would be nice to have a goal.

[pdfk20]

I would be really keen to compete in another grip competition, IronGrip really gave me an urge to do more , more , more!

My thoughts second that of Sam, i am very anti- TTWC largely because i a dodgy left wrist, but it wouldn't put me off from competing if it was an event, as i would work on getting most of my points in the other events. I'd like to see a bomb lift or RT lift as one of the events.

[The Mac]

Thanks for the replies so far guys, keep'em coming.

David,

Thanks for your kind offer. I've picked Steve's brains over the last few weeks (actually, I asked him one question and spent three hours listening to his answer ) and would certainly like to discuss this with you at some point.

RE the TTWC,

As a member of the broken wrist club myself I know what you guys mean about it. However, I would really like to include an event that tests wrist strength - Weaver stick would be an alternative but as per Sam's point I too prefer to see big weights moved. Plus there is the consideration that to measure both hands would/could stretch out the event even longer.

[jimwylie1]

As a member of the broken wrist club myself I know what you guys mean about it. However, I would really like to include an event that tests wrist strength - Weaver stick would be an alternative but as per Sam's point I too prefer to see big weights moved. Plus there is the consideration that to measure both hands would/could stretch out the event even longer.

You could stick reverse bending in - a great test of wrist strength, a quick event, easy to judge (all prerequisites for a good event) and it worked well in Germany. Thumbless rolling thunder is another option as it also requires a strong wrist.

[CoC#3]

Any form of bending is a great test of wrist strength - plus again i think spectators would like to see something like that.

Since many of us will have inch dumbells in the next few weeks, these could be available for use in a contest. Thick bar (for me anyway) is definately about wrist strength - my lower forearms are extremely sore after playing with the millennium. The competition could be along the lines of whoever can pull the inch higher wins - as in the arnold 2005 - where mark henry won by doing a one handed clean! Just an idea and again it looks impressive IMO.

As for weaver stick or levering, because of the small weights used is very boring to watch. People will generally find even a 60d nail bend much more impressive than levering to nose a 14lb sledge even though the latter is a lot, lot harder.

[Andy]

Chris,

I'd be up for that. I second (third, fourth?) the comments about the TTWC. While it is a good test of wrist strength, I still can't turn my left hand palm-up after Saturday - feels like a sprained wrist.

Thumbless Rolling Thunder went quite well at the 2005 Champs so that lift is worth considering.

[mobsterone]

As per my log I only practiced the TTWC as it was done this weekend a max of 5x. The rest was all grip neutral (as my wrist wanted to go I let it) using dumbbells and full range work. I find that whatever my two hand DB w/curl total is I can double that for TTWC and add 10%+. This stops the problems many have had.

[dunkster]

I'd be up for it as a good mid way goal to next years Iron Grip. Keeps you focused, and I plan on gaining a good bit by then.

[CoC#3]

Chris,

I'd be up for that. I second (third, fourth?) the comments about the TTWC. While it is a good test of wrist strength, I still can't turn my left hand palm-up after Saturday - feels like a sprained wrist.

Thumbless Rolling Thunder went quite well at the 2005 Champs so that lift is worth considering.

hope you're ok mate! rest it!

[mbcx6pmw]

I've been thinking since saturday, what about doing the TTWC with a 3" bar

Whether it'd be any safer I don't know, but it would mean you couldn't put the weight down towards the heel of your palm, which would reduce the weight used.

[CoC#3]

I've been thinking since saturday, what about doing the TTWC with a 3" bar

Whether it'd be any safer I don't know, but it would mean you couldn't put the weight down towards the heel of your palm, which would reduce the weight used.

TTWC with a 2'' bar is easier on the wrists. Infact i'd go far as to say any form of wrist curl is easier with a thicker bar. Never tried it with a 3'' bar but it sounds like real fun!

[CoC#3]

Mac, any more info yet about this contest?

[The Mac]

Short answer is no, nothing concrete as yet. For a more detailed explanation, please see below....

DATE: Saturday 9th or 16th December

LOCATION:

STEAM Museum: Had a few problems at my original preferred venue due to my previous contact up and leaving. Nevermind, have spoken to someone else, and they are getting back to me with a rate - from discussions we have had this will pretty much be prohibitively expensive without some serious sponsorship.

Outlet Village: Visited the centre last weekend and walked around with someone from Centre Management and have a great location picked out - near the doors, at an intersection and right in front of an old 5-ton crane from when the place was still a railway shed.

According to the Rep it is probably too early to book this now - apparently part of the tenant agreement is that the shops have first dibs on any events in the run upto Christmas.

This would be a cracking venue - the place would be packed in early/mid December, there's ahuge food court just round the corner, ample parking, probable media involvement etc. I have to contact them formally to see what can be arranged.

Brunel Centre: This would have similar advantages as above, but just not as cool.

SPONSORSHIP: I am trying to get the company I am currently working for interested enough to foot the bill - however, if you've ever worked for a large company you'll know that the bigger and more sucessful they are the longer anything seems to take (which surely is not how they got that way in the firstplace?). This is causing some problems - some venues would be more willing with a big sponsor, and the sponsor would be more willing with a bigger venue etc...

I have almost certainly secured the services of a company to film the whole thing.

EVENTS: As mentioned, the events willdepend on the venue. If I get a "Public" venue, Iam intending to run events more along the lines of a strongman comp (ie. max, reps,some sort of medley ie. the MGC) to get the crowd into it.

If I end up having to get a smaller "closed" venue, I pretty much intend to run the established format ie. Grippers, Pinch, V-Bar, some kind of one-hand lift/deadlift and then the TTWC. In any event I would like to have a charity event like Steve has mentioned in the past - ie. put 2 quid in a bucket and see if you can do "X". This could be a decent fund raiser in a public venue.

Much will of course depend on how many people are interested, as I doubt I will get any kind of substantial sponsorship if only a handful of people are involved.

In any event, I will confirm what is going on with plenty of time for a decent training cycle (ie. 12-14 weeks before the event, or the end of August). My ideal outcome would be to run both kind of events at different times (ie. regular smallish events and a larger one occasionally).

[The Mac]

So, as above, who else is interested?

[mobsterone]

The date sounds ok to me. Put me down.

[pdfk20]

Im in.

[Andy]

Me too.

[David Horne]

Good to see. I hope people support this!

Remember, no promotors = no contests.

If Elizabeth and I are not busy doing other things we may come down and help out.

David

[The Mac]

Good stuff Guys - will keep you all updated as and when things become concrete.

[CoC#3]

Thanks for the update Mac.

[the spr]

did the uk champs this year first comp enjoyed hungry for more i'm in would like to see a RT lift also i think a novice group should be included

Edited June 14, 2007 by the spr

[The Mac]

Well, it won't be the show piece I was (naively) hoping to make it but this is still going to go ahead - I will post up the details later this weekend. Hopefully it will be something people will enjoy and go out of their way to come to in the future.

The more good quality comps we can put on the better, would like to eventually see the day where some kind of grip comp is going on most weekends - even on an international board such as this there are often many weeks that go by with nothing.

Edited August 31, 2007 by The Mac