The blob and the thumb

[bseedot]

Because of the massive size of the Blob, I don't know that I'll ever be able to pinch it without endangering my thumb.  When people were playing with the Blob on Sunday, after the British Grip Champs, someone (Steve?) mentioned that one may be able to hook only the first knuckle of his thumb around the edge of the Blob, thereby allowing the four fingers on the other side to grab more surface area.

I tried this the other night, without actually trying to pick up the Blob (if that makes sense).  I just wanted to see how that hand positioning would feel.  I clasped my first thumb knuckle around the edge of the Blob, pressed my other four fingers as far down the other side as I could, and began to pinch.  I felt a sharp pain in my thumb and I believe that this thumb positioning is exactly what Brookfield was talking about in MOHS.  I'm glad that I didn't go into a full attempt straight-away.

For the size of my hand, my thumb was open way too far- and I would imagine that most other peoples' thumbs would be as well as my hands are average in size.  So do take serious care when pinching very wide objects and I would never pinch very wide objects explosively.  The postion of the thumb is too vulnerable to injury.

BC.

[Roark]

BC,

Can this be right? There is a debate going on about

hand size/thick bar, and since some here do not think

hand size is relevant in thick bar, isn't the blob another

form of thick bar?  

[paul valpreda]

BC,

I don't own a blob, but I do perform a similar lift. I take five ten-pound metal Olympic plates and perform pinch-lifts with them. I am very careful to warm up thoroughly before attempting all five plates. By warming up, I don't feel any unusual thumb strain. Do you happen to know the measurement of your hand? I think this is a great lift and I have built significant strength from it. I believe in being careful too as hand strains seem to take a lot of time to heal. I'd just start by practicing with something thinner than the blob and gradually work up to it. If you can get as much hand on it as you say, I definitely think it's possible to lift. Just be careful working up to it.

[terminator]

BC,

Can this be right? There is a debate going on about

hand size/thick bar, and since some here do not think

hand size is relevant in thick bar, isn't the blob another

form of thick bar?  

Anyone who says that hand size is not an issue with the Blob or other thick objects is fooling themselves (or they have suction cups on their palms).  Certain people regardless of how strong their grip is may never be able to lift a full size blob, it's just too darn big.  I think that's why it took John Brookfield a while to master it, he had to train the hand in a disadvantaged leverage position, even risking thumb injury as BC points out.

It's kind of like asking how many pullups a 3ft tall person can do with a chinup bar 7 feet off the ground with no ladder, my guess would be zero.

[Roark]

Pat, stop being logical and stop it this minute!

[jimwylie1]

Joe

Having large hands undoubtedly helps in any kind of thick bar lifting or pinching.  

If you have small hands you just have to do what you can with what you have.  However, the small handed will struggle to lift a blob.  Those of us with larger hands just have to apologise for the fact

[elizabeth talbot]

A larger hand is OBVIOUSLY an advantage to any thick bars or indeed the blob. But of course you do have to be strong as well. Strong thumb and fingers + large hand = Thick bar Daddy!

David

[supersqueeze]

This is an excellent post!!

David Horne gave a full set of measurements for the 50# blob. If anyone has a 40 or 45 pounder, would you please measure it and post the results? David's blob measurements can be found under the "Jim Wylie - Two big lifts ..." thread.

Mike M.

[HAMMERHEAD]

Hand size is important; however, just because you have large hands doesn't mean they are strong, that's something you need to work on.

I wouldn't say a blob is another form of a thick bar.  To pick up the blob or any block weight you are using a pinch grip directly over the top.  When lifting  a thick bar like a Turk or Inch Dumbell, your fingers are wraped as much as possible around the bar and your hand supports the weight as opposed to pinching the weight.   I do think there may be some carry over between the two types of training.

-HH

[Roark]

And just because you have hand small hands doesn't mean they

are weak. We are talking of potential development here, I

think.

Regarding whether a blob is a thick bar apparatus, if we

are speaking of a one hand deadlift, which is usually what is

discussed in regard to a blob, then certainly it is a form of

very thick bar. The reason your hands can encircle more of

the Inch than the blob is the blob is thicker.

If a poll were issued here and somehow board members could

be granted larger hands, it is my opinion that the great

majority would accept the miracle. Why? Enhanced potential

in regard to thick apparatus.

On the other hand, very large hands can be counterproductive

in grippers.

[bseedot]

My hand measures 7-3/4" from base to the tip of my middle finger.  I can just touch my thumb to my middle finger when wrapped around a 2" bar.  I have a pair of 35 lb. blobs and will be getting a 40's and 45's shortly.  I'll take measurements and post them at that time.

As far as whether or not the Blob is considered a thick 'bar' movement I suppose that that's just an argument in semantics.  Personally, I consider any thickbar work with a diameter of 3" or greater a 'pinching' movement, simply because my hand is opened to such an extent that it resembles pinching work more than bar work.

BC.

[supersqueeze]

Brian - When you get your 40 and 45 pound blobs please post measurements for all, including the 35. My hands are just a little smaller than yours and I would like to get a heavy York to work with and those measurements will help direct my purchase. Do you have any hex block wts? If so, how do you compare the "feel" of York vs Hex? I am currently using a 30 lb  Hex and it feels very comfortable in my hand, as far as width goes. I could probably go a little wider but not too much.

Thanks!

Mike M.

[OldGuy]

Paul, are you using anything to help keep the 5 plates together, meaning is anything put through the holes.

[apdwler]

I have a 37.5 york blobs, 1/2 of a 75. My rough measurements for it are 3.5 wide sloped to 5. The diameter is 7 3/8 and circum is 23 1/4. All measurements are rough. It was hard to decide exactly where to measure the narrowest width, due to the slope.  It's about 4 1/4 where you are likely to press with your fingers/thumb.

My hand measurement is roughtly 7.5. That width is doable. I reciently lifted them with both hands.

Its hard to compare hex/york. My hex don't have the slope, so that makes it easier. However, my yorks have a much rougher surface and that helps with them a lot.

Anyone know where to get cheap yorks? I'd like to add a 85 or 90...

All measurements are approximate and in inches.

[OldGuy]

Obviously the taper of the blob makes it more difficult to pinch. It should be possible to fabricate from wood a tapered pinch block of the same dimensions and taper as the 50 pound blob.

[Roark]

OldGuy,

Would ironwood be best? :p

[paul valpreda]

OldGuy,

I do pinch lifting twice a week. One of the sessions is done without anything through the middle of the plates. For the second session, I put a bar through the plates so I can add extra weight for a really tough hand workout.

[OldGuy]

Joe, I prefer tree woood, but in a pinch ironwood can be used.

[bseedot]

I hope to get some more York's tomorrow.  I'd like to get an 80, 90, and another 100 if they can give me a similar deal to my last purchase.  I'll be leaving town for awhile after that, but will post measurements for them all when I return.  Sorry, Mike, I don't have any hex blocks so I can't compare.

BC.

[Wade Gillingham]

My hand is 8.5 from the base to the top of my middle finger.  More importantly for the Blob, I think, is thumb length.  If I position my pinky and thumb at 180 degrees and press them down I measure 11 inches from tip of pinky to tip of thumb.  This definitely helps with the Blob and in fact I have layed the Blob on it's side and lifted it the long way off the ground to a standard height bench.  I wouldn't recommend that one if you are worried about thumb injuries!  As for hex vs. blob, one of the more challenging things I have done is to stand a 70 pound hex db (the whole thing not a cut off) on its end and pinch grip that - don't use the indentations where the weights are stamped.  To me that's harder than a blob.  As for thick bar lifting, big hands can also be a curse.  With a 2" bar they definitely help me.  I can just barely hook grip the Appollon's Axle.  Move to a 2 3/8" bar - like the rolling thunder, and all that cheating I am allowed to do with a 2" bar by wrapping my thumb around is gone and actually hurts me because my forearm strength isn't as developed as someone with a smaller hand that has lifted thick bars.  Just my 2 cents.

Wade

[Roark]

Wade, I have also stood hex dumbells on end, pinched

one in each hand, and performed timed holds. Also

have simply swung the bells fore & aft, and the momentum

at the forward point is very taxing.

Of course, 70 lbs is way beyond, I say, WAY beyond, my

level! That IS more impressive than a blob, partially because, as you pinch lift the top, the bottom bell wants to 'tilt'

which is not the case with a blob.

Well done!

[jimwylie1]

Wade

That’s interesting.  My hand length is just over 8” but the measurement between thumb and little finger is only 9.5”.  You must have a very long thumb, or maybe I just have a short little finger….

[Wade Gillingham]

Yes, I have a long thumb and like I said, I can spread my thumb and pinky out to 180 degrees.  I can easily palm a basketball with just my thumb and pinky.  One thing I forgot to mention, the big hands/thumb does help with thick pinching but I think it actually hurts me with thin pinching.  When I tried the old style ironmind pinch block I was terrible at it - the new (thicker) one fits my hand much better.  Also, pinching 3 - 25's is easier for me than 2 - 45's (maybe that's the case for everyone?).

Wade

[bseedot]

That's incredible pinching Wade!  It's clear from your competition results that you're still one of the best with a bar greater than 2" in diameter, but I see what you're saying about bars 2-3/8" and greater.  Shouldn't it be the case though that if you regularly worked with bars greater than 2", thereby improving your forearm strength,  that that would make your 2" thickbar lifts (where you can use a hookgrip) even that much better?

Although my hands are rather average in size, I am much better at pinching thicker objects as well.  I much prefer pinching with my 4x4 wood block than my 2x4 block.

Hmmm... I just measured my hand length from thumb to little finger and it's 9-5/8".  Now, I've seen your hands, Jim, and I would have never guessed that mine would be bigger than yours no matter how they were measured!  Perhaps I have a larger than average hand base (palm).  And perhaps this is what makes pinching thicker objects easier for me than pinching narrower objects.  Wade?  Do you have a large palm as well?

BC.

[jimwylie1]

I'm pretty average at thin pinches and the 50mm pinch apparatus used in the iron grip champs probably isn't the best width for me (but that's not an excuse ).  I have lifted 3 10kg plates in the past but have never been able to pinch 2 45's so perhaps your theory holds true about large hands and thick pinches.

Wade, have you ever considered running Richards Sorins grip gauntlet? I think you could be the man