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Close vs. sweep of grippers


RSW

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I know that grippers mainly test the closing strength (especially if you "set" them), but isn't it sweeping strength that we use in the real world ?  I mean isn't a strong hand shake, or crushing a potato a measure of the sweep rather than the close ?  What good is the closing strength for aside from closing grippers ?

        I realize that Joe kinney and John Brookfield have tremendous sweep strength, but I think training on the grippers alone is just going to emphasize closing strength.  Especially strapholds which isometrically train the close.

Robert

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From my limited experience, the hardest grippers require you to have a decent sweep just to get the things set properly.

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If you're trying to close a tough gripper, then you would need to work on your sweep.  A decent grip machine will help you with this.  I'm working my sweep now on my BBE which has a wider than normal handle spread, and on my G-Rex.

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A decent grip machine will help you with this.

          I noticed that training on the Gripinator is doing a lot for my sweep.  I am eagerly awaiting my BTR handle to train the close in the "secret weapon" range.  Unlike the grippers, the machine is almost as hard to close at the beginning of the sweep as at the close.

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Don't take this the wrong way, cos anyway that gets you there is ok, but those that shut it - for the most part - didn't worry about sweep etc. Way too much detail for me - I just pick them up and shut them. I never ever, with my won or anyone elses - when I have shut them - looked at how they were set. Not when I started and not now.

So... objections aside, make sure that when the gripper is in your hand all your mind is set on is shutting the #### thing!

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mob,

You mean to tell me you can put a SHUT gripper in your hand (even a #3)?

Well.... if everyone could do it the way you do it, then we wouldn't be here discussing it.

I myself don't worry about the sweep either with my other grippers UNTIL I have the #3 in my hand.  Then it becomes a whole other ballgame.

You have to get the gripper to the closed position, and that's what we're talking about, right?  Work your sweep, Robert.  Anything else is B.S. and you want a "complete" grip, not just one that is strong in one area and weak in all others.

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I wonder why I said 'don't take this the wrong way' and still get the response you gave me   :crazy

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The first CoC's even those before me including Manfred H and Richard S didn't think of sweep, they didn't ask 'are there grippers with the handles lower on the springs', they never thought to have John at PDA test or age them, they just squeezed and squeezed and one day shut the grippers.

Please don't spend too much time obsessing on the detail and forgetting to work hard. Ok?

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Of course, if you are naturally strong you don't really need to think of anything. To bench press 200 pounds I had to do little else but get under the bar and push on a regular bsis for a couple of months. Same thing with the grippers, I was naturally good at them and all I really needed to do was squeeze the #2 and #3 until I finally closed it.

If you are looking at maximizing your potential however, such an attitude (ie don't think about it, just lift) will eventually lead to stagnation. Comparing Sorin or Manfred to the average guy is like saying "You guys are making this all to complicated, Ed Coan squatted 550 at 165 pounds and 16 years old, he didn't have to worry about correct form or planning his training".

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Or Paul Anderson squatting huge weights at 19 years of age!

Just saying, "Hey, forget about it... don't worry about it"... that doesn't help someone who is less advanced than you are.

For some guys, the grippers are easy.  For others, not so.

The "sweep" will be there whether or not you care about it.  If you're one of those guys that can't pull the gripper shut, then you should be concerned about your sweep.

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Guest RobbyTooSlobby

I am not sure some times wheather the grippers help my actual hand shake strength or not.  I do have small hands and what not but sometimes I will shake someone of larger proportions than myself and i know they can't close the grippers that i have but they still have a pretty good handshake grip.

Still working on my strength though.  Not to your guys levels yet.  When I get there I may have a different opinion.

For you certified guys I was wondering if you can tell that you have such a stronger grip than most other people from just shaking hands?

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Regarding hand shake strength. I know that it's always been the mark of a man and thats why we obsess here the way we do (me included) but I also remember a couple of things...

1. People like Paul A etc would never shake the hand offered with full power as they were aware of the strength they possesed. Imagine being able to crush the hand offered. Pretty soon no one would want to.

2. Bods like PA etc would in fact be described as having a very light, almost effeminate handshake. I for one don't grab the hand offered, stare the other in the eye and shout 'yerr going down mutha!' Not even with other gripmen.

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I for one don't grab the hand offered, stare the other in the eye and shout 'yerr going down mutha!' Not even with other gripmen.

Oh man, that is too funny. LOL. I think that I will try that on my boss Monday. I will have to eat an Alka Seltzer tablet so I can froth at the mouth when I say it to him.

Bloodshot eyes would be a nice touch too...

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