Tour De Coc

[spahn ranch]

This is where I'll scribble down notes related to my CoC quest.

I got my first CoC's a couple of days ago; the #1 and #2. I've had an ISG for almost a year, but only used it once in a while and the results have been skimpy as expected, going from ~140ibs to just shy of 170 in this time.

¨

CoC day 1: Closed #1 in L&R hand out of the pack. While I certainly did move the #2, it must have been a full inch away or so.

CoC day 2: Repping #1, but the knurling eats my skin so bad I can't stand the 6th rep. To my great suprise, the #2 is only 1/8" shy of closing in R hand; still almost half an inch or so in L. Did 2 negatives with #2 in L&R.

CoC day 3: Slapped on a strip of carpet tape on the outside half of each handle of the grippers, for skin protection. Having read IM's "4 week plan", I warm up on the ISG and proceed with 9 reps of #1 in both hands. Tha plan says nomore than 9, so that's it. This is going better than I expected when I ordered these CoC's. Closed #2 in R hand; a good long overcrush really. Still 1/4" away in L.

I didn't think I would close the #2 anytime soon, and had no particular plans for any gripper beyond it. But now I will just go ahead and get the 2.5 and 3. Unfortunately, I'll have to await first payday and then shipping. But indeed, what I have will suffice excellently until then; if anything I'll concentrate more on foundation rather than rushing fist first into injury. And I've got a L hand PB to break.

NB, I've felt absolutely no ache or pain in my hands and arms since CoC day 1.

Later, dear log.

Thomas

Edited July 19, 2007 by spahn ranch

[spahn ranch]

I trained according to IM's "4-week plan" with my #1 and #2 last week, but mostly with my ISG, since the #1.5 would be my 2-9 reps CoC at the moment. While I did 2 reps already last week with the #2 in right hand, being a TSG greenhorn I'd rather ease into the high intensity with the #1.5.

I did two allround hand and wrist workouts last week, basic training exercises. After the last of those, I took 3 days completely off because my left arm was just too beat up and tired. Back into the gripper workout today, I note progress with a first time #2 CCS shut in left hand and #2 TNS shut in right hand. Repping the #1 is now a fairly trivial task, whereas I couldn't get past 9 reps with it in the left hand last week. I stopped at 22 reps in both hands, could have done more but decided to take a 5 minute break and try the #2 in the left hand instead.

Getting the ISG last year, I thought nice now I'll never need 5 or 7 TSGs. Exactly 2 weeks ago I got the #1 and #2 to satisfy my curiosity, and I wish I had sooner; I'd have been working my grip more too. The ISG is boring, doesn't feel as good as these CoCs, and it hurts my left hand middle finger. A CoC emits a positive little 'click' sound when shut; the ISG doesn't. A CoC looks good on the coffee table; the ISG doesn't. I'll get the Trainer along with the #1-#3 CoCs for warmup, so I can put the ISG in the closet.

Edited July 30, 2007 by spahn ranch

[pdfk20]

Great progress already, keep it up!

[lifesnotfair]

Your reasons for liking grippers over ISG are pretty funny!

Good work!!

[spahn ranch]

Cheers, guys.

I just placed an order for a #1.5 and 2.5; planning to keep it simple for some time yet, and more basic training. Most likely getting a #3 not very far down the line and hit KTA.

I'm not kidding. The ISG is a dry hump Two long weeks until I get to tame the #1.5 now. Later!

[spahn ranch]

New CoCs arrived today, much earlier than expected. It turns out the #1.5 is right in the range for left hand work, maxing out at 8 reps today. Right hand work is now on the #2, maxing out at 4 reps. Left hand TNS'd the #1.5, and naturally I had to attempt the #2.5 MMS in the right hand; the real grizzly effort for this day: I was a full 1/4" from closing it, but it wasn't a terribly good MMS. Not straight out of the package, but a long way from seasoned, and not quite done complaining about the attempt because I didn't have any chalk. So, today I went and got a block of chalk, and that's that. Back to work.

Noted: The #2.5's spread is slighlty larger than that of my #1-#2, and no denying it's a tough gripper. But it doesn't quite feel like a cold solid rock for the RH; not the end of the road, I think.

[spahn ranch]

#2.5 MMS closed in right hand. *Roar*. Well ok, the aluminum wasn't ground down or anything like that afterwards, but the ends made contact to count for one rep, and holding it shut felt ok too; no pain.

Moving up from MMS to CCS rep work with #1.5 in left hand now; same with #2 in right hand soon. Still no luck TNS'ing the #2 in left hand.

So far I have to say that results are beyond my expectations, and from relatively little work in time measured. Sticking to the IM "4-week plan", keeping it simple; although throwing in single personal best attempts ad lib when I feel like it might be there. Sent out for #3 and Trainer.

[egg_uk]

your progressing very well, keep up the good work, and congrats on the 2.5 close.

[spahn ranch]

Thank you; yes, will do now.

[spahn ranch]

The IM "4-week plan" entails 1-3 sets on a gripper I can close min 2 but max 9 reps. The variance of MMS and CCS and the .5 increments in CoCs looks to be quite sufficient for hitting this rep interval. The credit card now resides in the same drawstring bag as the grippers and a block of chalk.

Yesterday my right hand just barely managed 9 reps MMS #2; left hand no problem with 9 reps MMS #1.5.

Moving up to CCS today, and I bumped the rep ceiling again, could have done a couple more than the 9 reps CCS #2 in right, #1.5 in left. This repping might have drained my right hand; I felt encouraged to go for a CCS attempt on the #2.5 but it failed. Some other day.

Switched from CCS #1.5 after two sets to MMS #2 in the left hand; managed 2 reps, so the left hand is now going to spend a lot of time with the #2. A left hand #2 TNS close is high on the wish list but compared to MMS and CCS in left and MMS/CCS/TNS in right, slow in progress.

[spahn ranch]

Well, I'm just having my first dip days, where my CoC strength is weaker than it was before.

Tuesday 7th the #2.5 fell MMS; Wednesday rest day; Thursday 9th was probably my strongest day so far, didn't quite manage to CCS the #2.5 but that was after I had repped the #2 CCS like it was a long smooth and casual warmup set.

Grinding halt: Friday 10th I was slightly weaker with the grippers than the previous day. Did a "basic training" session after the CoC sets. Felt pumped yesterday Saturday 11th during which I rested from grippers but chest crush seasoned the #2.5. It's had approximately 100 closes now, and I was looking forward to CCS attempting it. Thought today might be my #2.5 CCS day, but hey was I wrong about that. After warmup I managed 1 measly #2 CCS.

Decided to call it a mistake to even pick ut the grippers on this day; bailed out of the training, looking at a couple of rest days ahead now.

[spahn ranch]

Change of workout "routine"; the 4 weeks on the 4-week plan were up, and I switched to something I picked up from a book I just read. Not infinging on copyrights, but suffice to say that the meat and potatoe of it is what worked for a #4 cert guy and his #3 cert bros.

First I made a range of plastic cards in increments of 5mm from 10 to 45. I know you really don't need to see the

pic

, so how can I resist posting it.

Also went into the closet and digged out some of my old juggling gear: heavy balls for dex work. They're 800g and 73mm (manufacturer says 75, but they're 73). They have a grippy surface, and they won't dent the floor when dropped; anyine looking for alternative dex balls, you'll find them at a lot of juggling shops.

UK Manufacturer.

I'm going for a 3-4 gripper sessions per week, to see how that works for me. A session is relatively short but intense; each attempt is a dead on 100%, save for technical foul ups due to lack of setting experience. Setting for different widths is still a bit of hit or miss; strangely my left hand gets consistently good sets and my right struggles with sets, whereas with no-set my left is pretty bad and my right can't miss.

I've got the IM Expand Your Hand Bands, and throw the into right after the gripper session is ended. I don't know if anyone else is doing negatives with the bands, but that seems to work for me; in three band sessions I've gone from struggling with the green to almost fully expanding the yellow -- still on negative with the yellow though.

So, to the routine. I've done it three times now and they're listed below. I probably wont update this log with every single session, but rather the PR ones or whenever I wish to vent gripper related frustration. They're all in my book though, down to every single attempt.

Aug 19

warmup

white band: 12 L&R expands

#T: 5 TNS L&R

#1: 5 TNS L

#1.5: 5 TNS R

work set R

#2.5 - 20mm spread - closed

#2.5 - 25mm - 1-2mm off

#2.5 - 25mm - 4mm

#2.5 - 25 - 4

#2.5 - 25 - 3

#3 - negative

#2 - 30mm spread - 5 OCs

work set L

#2 - 20 - closed

#2 - 25 - closed

#2 - 30 - closed

#2 - 35 - closed

#2 - 40 - 1

#2.5 - neg

#1.5 - 30mm spread - 5 OCs

Bands: Green 3x12 expansions L&R

Adjusting the spread for next workout, implementing the rule to depending on feel go for 4-6 closes in each hand, of which one is the negative. The 4-6 is a set of 100% singles attempts with a couple of minute between each attempt. L&R, paus, L&R, and so on. Whenever a gripper is closed each time at a certain spread throughout the session, the spread for that gripper in that hand is increased one increment (5mm) on the next workout day. The plan is to move up one (that's one half actually) step on the CoC ladder when a gripper has been CCS closed on each attempt in a session. That's 5 cconsecutive closes, with the couple of minutes paus between each.

Aug 21

warmup

white band: 12 L&R

#T: 5 TNS L&R

#1.5: 5 TNS L&R

work set R

#2.5 - 20 - closed

- 20 - closed

- 20 - 4

- 20 - 6

Quit due to headache. Fairly poor session.

#2 - 35 - 2 OC

#2 - 30 - 3 OC

work set L

#2 - 35 - closed

#2 - 35 - closed

#2 - 35 - closed

#2 - 35 - closed

#2 - 35 - closed

Quit after making the 5th close which was merely done for the sake of knowing I did it so I could move on to 40mm spread.

#1.5 - 35 OC

- 40 - 2 OC

- 45 - OC

CCS - OC

green band: 12 exp L&R

yellow: 3 negs L&R

Aug 23

warmup

white band: 10 L&R

#T: 4 L&R

#1.5: 3 L&R

Trying to see how little warmup I can get away with.

work set R

#2.5 - 20 - closed

#2.5 - 20 - closed

#2.5 - 20 - closed

#2.5 - 20 - closed

#2.5 - 20 - closed (so, made the 5 consecutive closes but 25 will be a good challenge now)

#3 neg (felt pretty good, but closing it in R even with a deep set will have to come in due corse; nothing I could achieve in the very near future)

#2 - 30 - 5 OC

work set L

#2 - 40 - closed

#2 - 40 - closed

#2 - 40 - closed

#2 - 40 - closed

#2 - 40 - closed (easy, and I expect to crush 45 in 5 consecutive next session)

#2.5 neg

#1.5 - CCS - 5 OC

green band: 8 L&R

yellow: 4 negs L&R

white: 12 L&R

Notes for next session:

warmup

white band: 10

#T: 6

#1: 4

#1.5: 2

work sets

#2.5 at 25mm in R

#2 at 45mm in L

green band: app. 6-10

yellow: 5-6 negs

P.s. At this point I can't tell which will come first for me; #2.5CCS in R or #2.5MMS in L. Doesn't matter, but I like the fact that my left hand isn't miles behind the right.

[spahn ranch]

Aug 25 work sets

RH

#2.5 - 25mm spread - 1mm off

#2.5 - 25mm spread - 1mm off

#2.5 - 25mm spread - closed

#2.5 - 25mm spread - closed

#2.5 - 25mm spread - 1mm off

#3 - neg

#1.5 - CCS - 5 slam shut OC's

Notes: three 1mm off attempts on the #2.5, and I think at least part of the reason for failure is down to technique. Third attempt felt the best. Adding one or two 25mm spread warmups on the #2 next time.

LH

#2 - 45mm spread - closed

#2 - 45mm spread - closed

#2 - 45mm spread - closed

#2 - 45mm spread - closed

#2 - 45mm spread - closed

#2.5 - neg

#1.5 - CCS - 5 fairly furious OC's, but not as slammed as in the RH.

Notes: all atempts closed; moving up to CCS next time. The #2.5 neg after the five #2 closes started out as an MMS attempt, but the #2.5MMS close isn't happening quite yet.