Whos currently the best "all round" grip athlete

[OldGuy]

Thick enough to be the thickbar daddy. I know there are biker bars, but where are all the thick bars ?  

[Bill Piche]

Is thre a link to the vid of mark lifting the bell to the table or am i really thick and missed a post?

:0

As Roark pointed out in another post....

The GripPage is a SUB-SITE of the Mother Ship.  There's a hint for you.

[Bill Piche]

Mark Henry would probably have all the records if he wanted to.

[paul valpreda]

Thank you Wannagrip! Those are my sentiments exactly. I'm glad someone else can see this in him. This statement is made with no disrespect to anyone else.

[Bill Piche]

Thank you Wannagrip! Those are my sentiments exactly. I'm glad someone else can see this in him. This statement is made with no disrespect to anyone else.

All you need to do is watch the video clip and as David points out the way he picks up the inch like it is NOTHING...OFF HAND and gently sets it down on the head table.

[Mjoynt]

When did Mark Henry close the #3?  Did he do it unofficially?

[Roark]

Not sure of the date when Henry closed the 3, but he did

it right handed and left handed, upright, and inverted. I

believe Terry Todd witneessed the closings, but that apparently was not good enough for certification.

[paul valpreda]

Again, more disrespect shown toward Mark Henry. Why doesn't he get the credit he deserves?

[mobsterone]

This is not disrespect. When Chris James attended an OHF dinner a while back (the year he won an award for bravery I believe) he had a No 2 CoC in one hand and a CoC 3 in the other. Malcolm Whyatt, OHF commitee member on the one side and me on the other. So he squeezes while we chat and the grippers, as they are apt to do, make a creaking noise. I look down and he has both handles in the paralell position. Malcolm, later on, says that Chris had shut the grippers but he hadn't and that's why he has never claimed he has and why - respect or otherwise - there is a means of getting certified which doesn't involve enthusiastic managers or coaches.

[Guest Harlan Jacobs]

No mater what Mark has done, he has to go by the certification rules  just like everybody else.  I have not seen any disrespect.

[paul valpreda]

What does it take to be a "judge"? He has performed #3 closures in front of credible people!

[mobsterone]

You obviously think Mark is the man, both from your postings and responses. But there is a way to get it down properly and you ask Randall, he'll tell you and you follow that.

Once it's done its done.

No arguements and no unintended 'disrespect'.

Chill

[Guest Harlan Jacobs]

I have no doubt that he can close the #3. But if we have to do the pictures, so does he.

[Guest Euclid]

Does Mark Henry just do grip training as an afterthought?  Had he even trained with an Inch replica before the dinner?  Don't tell me he cleaned the replica on his first time ever laying hands on it!

[mobsterone]

I have an article from Terry Todd on the training done by Mark, so yes he did train for it.

[Roark]

Euclid,

ironhistory.com for July 5-18, 2002 contains history

on the Inch, and an email from Terry Todd offering

details about Henry and the Inch.

[Tom of Iowa2]

I saw a lot of posts about Mark Henry so i though I'd throw this in (after I double checked with someone else)While on the discussion of the Inch Dumbell Phil Pfister cleaned and kicked it up and pressed it at the Arnold.The athletes were on stage and that included Mark Henry.There was a $1000 prize to see who could Pull it the highest.Henry pulled it the highest but at that time could not shoulder it(so he must have sone some practiceing)Pfister worked up the crowd and then pressed it over head.By kicking it up he wasn't eligible for the $1000 bucks but he became second man(in recent times) besides Kaz to press it over head.Word is Jim Lorimier(sp)payed pfister a grand anyway.Kaz also congratulated Kaz on stage.

Also i was told by someone (who used to talk to Phil) that Phil had spent 3 or 4 days with brookfield learning to bend steel and learn other grip /bending techniques.He knows a lot of techniques that he rarely displays or talks about .Ask Brookfield.I think he also won one year(beauty and beast) with a 265lb rolling thunder?But lost the next year to Bartl(i may have reported this part incorrectly but he has a heck of a Rolling Thunder and would be much better if he focused on it?)

My point is that Phil is often considered the best grip in the sport of strongman(until recent illness) and like HENRY could be considered as one with TONS of potential!(like Henry)

By Phil pressing the INCH at the Arnold(when Henry apparently couldn't)showed he has PERHAPS as much grip potential as Henry(not the Brute strength)and if HE put his mind to it would be right up there!?

[Tom of Iowa2]

The above about pfister was from a very reliable(mature)source who was AT the Arnold.

I also read on the Internet that Jesse Marrunde kicked it up and pressed it in front of many witnesses at a Pro Strongman contest/This was after Pfister at the Arnold but before Henry did it.However i didn't talk to anyone that actually witnessed Marrunde...but i tend to believe it.

Also I know Henry did it WITHOUT a kick up which makes what he did more spectactular but others Pfister and Marrunde(i think)could probably trainup to it also?

I think Phils huge hands have just as much potential as Henrys.I admit i've never shaken Marks hand but Phils does not appear as thick or puffy as marks and perhaps in some things this might be an advantage.

My wrist is over 8"and my hand  just a smidge over 7 3/4-not huge- by any means but Phils(wrist/hand) just made me look like a 7 year old kid and he controlled(without any effort) my arm like I was a puppet.I think he could really be a great gripper in disguise as a strongman. :hehe or at least has almost Henry's potential?

[Roark]

Tom of Iowa2,

Again, No ONE has yet cleaned and pressed the Inch or

a replica of it; some have push-pressed it. Big difference.

I was in the audience at the Arnold, and though I was too

ill to guest pose, managed to witness what was reported

in ironhistory.com Mar 1-7, 2002.

Also, Phil performed a continental, not a clean, and

briefly touched the bell with his other hand, but instead

of obeying David Webster's instruction to end the

attempt, Phil continued (one tends to allow Phil to do

what Phil is intent on doing) and wowed the crowd with

a dazzling display of brute strength. Kaz also used the

continental, not the clean.

So Henry remains the only man to have cleaned and push-

pressed an Inch. I am ignorant about Jesse's attempt.

[Tom of Iowa2]

Ok,thanks,didn't know the term 'continentaled 'was used when talking about dumbells.(Thats what i mean he 'kicked it up').I always just thought 'continentaled'was specifically used for barbell lifts.My mistake on the terminology.(learn something new everyday)

Yes i knew it had been push pressed only....There is a big difference in what I can military press and push press too

My point was NOT taking anything away from Henry just bringing some attention to Phil.Phil was the second person to push press it AFTER kaz did it.Since there was such a big 'hub bub'over Kaz continental cleaning the Inch and push pressing it I thought that Phils accomplishment was at least up there with Kaz?

Also there is a possibility that Marrunde did it AFTER Kaz and Phil and that he MAY(not confirmed but easy to believe if you have ever seen Marrunde compete-he is explosive speed and power incarnate-with a grip!)have push pressed it before Mark did it.

So Mark was possibly the fourth person in modern times to push press it BUT(and very significant)the ONLY person to clean and push press it.

While the subject on that thread lead many to agree that Henry could be one of the best in the grip world "if he concentrated on it"(something said to that extent-don't know how to bring up quotes from another forum 'topic')I think Phils grip is up there with Marks.Unfortunately i understand that phil is pretty ill and losing weight.

[RSW]

I think Mark could handily press the Inch.  He push-pressed it because he was recovering from a tricep tear.  Bud Jeffries repped it with each hand, but needed two-hands to clean it.

[ChrisJames]

I believe I was the second man to push press the Thomas Inch dumbell overhead and the first to push press the original.  This took place at the Oscar Heidenstam dinner awards in front of dozens of witnesses.  

Chris.

[Tom of Iowa2]

That is important to know.It IS a pretty significant achievment.

So perhaps?It's Kaz,Chris James,Pfister,(possibly Marrunde),and thenHenry would have been the 4th or 5th(depending on Marrundes attempt) to have push pressed it.However,Henry would have been the FIRST to 'clean'and push press it without the continental style.

Apparently Bud Jeffries has the ability to actually press it(and has with both hands) with both hands.(not push press)But is unable to clean it or continental clean it.

Does this sound about right?

Maybe splitting hairs here but it seems like quite an accomplishment to me! and some questions about the order it was done in.

[Tom of Iowa2]

whoops...and Chris James is the only man to have push pressed the original.

[Tom of Iowa2]

Jeff,

You mentioned Henry walking with the 400lb farmers implements.True.But again if Henry is considered as a top grip so would Pfister.He beat Henry in that event at the Arnold-which doesn't mean he has a better grip but.....

(I think it was actually 408# in each hand?)

One also has to wonder how good of a grip Brad Gillingham would have if he specialized?