North American Hand Strength Association(nahsa)

[MalachiMcMullen]

Lets put it all together guys right here in this thread. Rules, event lists, first regional divisions, a finalized decision on the next US grip champs/GGC and perhaps eventually membership info. Now is the time guys, Chad sparked talk with his threads now lets get together and finish this. It's obviously been a long time coming now and all that needs to be talked about has been so there is nothing left to do except have a handful of the guys from North America get together and set it up. LETS DO THIS GUYS

[mobsterone]

DO IT!!

[MalachiMcMullen]

These are the rules from Bob's US handstrength website copied and pasted, I have also added the rules he wrote out in one of Chad's threads regarding Bending rules and Thickbar.

General Competition Guidelines

A competition recognized by US Handstrength should follow these general guidelines:

1. More than three events in the contest.

2. Over half of the events must be from the generalized list of grip lifts, and all events must have a strong emphasis on hand strength. The contest must test at least three of the following categories of handstrength- Wrist strength, Crushing, Supporting, and Pinching. Competitions which do not meet above criteria may be approved through a vote by current promoters.

3. Competent and objective judging must be present.

4. No hook grip allowed.

5. Standard gym chalk allowed- No rosin, tacky, spray grip, etc.

6. No straps or wrist wraps allowed.

7. No more than 4 attempts allowed per event.

8. Each attempt can consist of a no longer than one minute period where the lifters may make as many attempts to lift the weight as they choose. This does not apply to timed events.

9. The competition should be announced at least 1 month in advance and open to the public.

Recognized Grip Feats

Note- The following feats are the most generally recognized and popularly accepted. As other feats become popular or regularly used, the event list will be accordingly updated.

1. Crushing

-Hand Grippers- No set, Credit card set, or Parallel Set.

2. Supporting

-Olympic bar deadlift/hold (one or two handed)

-One Hand Dumbell Deadlift, Clean, or Snatch

-Revolving Handle lifts

-Double Overhand Deadlift

-Vertical Bar lifts (1" diameter is the usual standard)

-Ring lifts

-Hercules Hold

-Farmers Walk

4. Leverage lifts

-Brick Lifts

-Short Steel Bending (Bars under 7" of length)- Regular, Double Underhand, European style

-Sledgehammer Leverage

8. Pinch Lifts

-Plate pinching, 1 and two handed

-Hub Lifts

-Block lifts (various manufactured implements)

-Block weight lifts

Single Event Contests:

Single event contests are recognized. These events can help promote grip sports by being attached to larger events such as strongman competitions or powerlifting meets. All rules (besides # and type of events) are applicable, and records for these contests will be held seperately.

Rules of Performance:

Grippers

1. For no set closes, the gripper must be picked up and closed with no involvement from the non-closing hand. For set closes, the non-closing hand can aid in "setting" the gripper until the handles are parallel- Any contact further than this and the attempt will be declared "no good". For credit card closes, the judge will insert a credit card between the handles, and give a command to "start" when the gripper is at the correct position. The non-closing hand may contact the gripper until the "start" command is given. For choker closes, the gripper is put in a choker before the event at the distance which the handles are parallel to each other. The non-closing hand may contact the gripper until the athlete starts the event.

2. The gripper must be closed so that the bottom of the handles are clearly touching.

3. The gripper may not be closed in an "inverted" fashion.

4. The forearm of the closing hand may not contact any other object or part of the body during the close.

2 Hand Pinch

1. The lift will start with apparatus in front of the lifter and on the ground.

2. The lifter must grab the top of the plates using an overhand pinch grip with no more than 3" between the index fingers, and lift until the loading bar makes contact with a predetermined height marker. To count as a US record or qualifying lift, the loading bar inserted into a recognized adjustable pinch setup must touch a marker 16.5" off the ground. If the loading bar misses the height marker, the referee may use their discretion to ascern whether or not legal height was attained.

3. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed. This is defined as the athlete maintaining their grip on the apparatus while lowering the weight.

4. The plates used for weight must be shorter than that of the pinch apparatus. In addition, spacers between the apparatus and loaded weight must be of equal weight. Both sides must be loaded equally. The heaviest weights shall be loaded closest to the pinch apparatus. For a lift to count as a US record or qualifier, one side cannot be loaded over 1kg more than the other side.

Plate and block pinching, 1 or 2 hands:

1. The lift will start with apparatus in front of the lifter and on the ground.

2. The lifter must grab the top of the plates using a pinch grip, and lift until the crossbar makes contact with a predetermined height marker.

3. For one handed events, the lifting hand should not be braced against a leg in order to aid the lift. The non lifting hand can be braced against the body, but may not touch the lifting arm.

4. For two handed lifts, the hands must both be facing the same direction, and may be no farther than 4 inches apart.

5. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed.

6. To count as a US record, the crossbar inserted into an olympic 45 pound plate (or recognized adjustable pinch setup) must touch a marker 16.5" off the ground.

Vertical Bar, 1 or 2 inch

1. The lift will start with apparatus in front of the lifter and on the ground.

2. The lifter will grab the bar and lift so that the bottom of the plates (on the lowest end if there is tilt) will be at least 2 inches above the ground. The judge will call the lift after it is completed.

3. No more than 2" of bar can be showing above where the lifter grabs the bar.

4. The non lifting hand can be braced against the body, but may not touch the lifting arm. The lifting hand may not touch any part of the body.

5. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed.

Double Overhand Thick Bar Deadlift

1. The lifter will approach the bar with the bar in front of him.

2. The lifter will stand to a fully erect position with knees locked. The judge will give the lifter a "down" signal when the lifter acheives the finished position.

3. The bar may not be rested on the thighs in order to regrip or support the weight.

4.The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed.

Thick Handle Dumbell Deadlift:

1. The lifter will approach the bar with the bar in front or on either side.

2. The lifter will stand to a fully erect position with knees locked. The judge will give the lifter a "down" signal when the lifter acheives the finished position.

3. For one handed events, the lifting hand should not be braced against a leg in order to aid the lift. The non lifting hand can be braced against the body, but may not touch the lifting arm.

4. Plates no bigger than standard Olympic 25 pound plates should be used. Larger plates allow the forearm to be braced against the side of the plates, making the lift much easier.

5. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed.

Short Steel Bending

Freestyle

Reverse

Acceptable Rule Sets:

FBBC Rules

Ironmind Rules

European Rules

General Rules

1. Before the bend, the competitor may wrap the nail in a soft material such as leather, cordura, cotton, polyester, etc. No hard material such as metal or wood may be in the wrap.

2. The competitor has 1.5 minutes to bend the bar until the inside edge of the ends are 2 inches or less apart. For nails and bolts, the head is not counted in the measurement. For uneven bends, the distance from the shorter "leg" straight across to the other side shall be measured. The competitor may adjust the wraps in this time period.

3. No contact of the arms below the waist is allowed.

4. The judge will inspect the wraps used after the close.

Leverage to head

1. The lifter will grab an implement with at least a 32" handle length, not counting the weight, with the little finger at bottom of the handle.

2. The lifter will start the lift with the lifting arm parallel to the ground, and the implement perpendicular to the ground.

3. The lifter will lower the implement until the handle is at least at a 45 degree angle to the ground, as viewed from the side. At this point, the judge will say "lift", and the hammer will be raised to a position perpendicular to the floor.

4. The non-lifting arm may not contact the lifting arm or implement. The implement may contact the side of the head, if such contact does not make the lift easier.

5. The lifter may not move his arm from the parallel position. The arm may be strapped down to a parallel surface; this is encouraged.

For grip lifting events not specified:

1. The lifter will approach the bar with the bar in front of him. For one handed lifts, the bar may be on the side of the lifter.

2. The lifter will stand to a fully erect position with knees locked, or to another predetermined height. The judge will give the lifter a "down" signal when the lifter acheives the finished position.

3. For one handed events, the lifting hand should not be braced against a leg in order to aid the lift. The non lifting hand can be braced against the body, but may not touch the lifting arm.

4. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed.

Bob I have to say I like this set of rules. I still will say that in the Short Steel Bending General Rules #4, where the judge inspects the wraps after the bend should be changed to where the wraps are inspected before the bend or at the very least the competitors must wrap their attempts in plain sight. Not that people here cheat but as the sport grows who knows?

Something else important to note, Steve and David, for the sake of cooperation and possibly forming a World Organization one day, do you see anything in Bob's rules that would conflict with BHSA rules?

One more thing, bottom line is this all goes nowhere without some guys(or gals) willing to take the reins here. It's easy to say Jedd, Smitty, Chris, Eric and Bob take control here but they need to want to do it. After all it is going to end up being just one more thing to do in the day. I can think of very few people better qualified for runnning it but instead of nominating people why not have people volunteer? For those mentioned what is stopping you, or anyone for that matter, from getting together?

We need a home website, we need someone to send membership fees too and most importantly we need people willing to help NAHSA through at least it's first year.

[mikebuck]

I have not been around grip or grip contests for very long but I have been around powerlifting for quite a while. I would suggest checking out the rulebooks from several of the powerlifting federations as well as USA Weightlifting and whatever the name of the big strongman federation is. The purpose of this would be to see some rules that have stood for a long time to see how they are written so there would be fewer changes as time goes on. A couple of examples I have seen discussed recently include the checking of gear before the meet starts, specifically bending wraps. I know that in powerlifting all gear is checked before the meet starts to varify it is within regulation and that it is safe to use.

Another thing is the front or back loading of the pinch device. If something is not specifically called out in the rules it will be taken advantage of. Maybe not today or tomorrow but eventually it will. Look at the state of bench shirts and squat suits.

Another thing to try to protect against is the splintering of the grip world. I don't know how the weightlifting community has kept it together but congratulations to them. In powerlifting any time someone or group is dissatisfied with the rules or organization of one federation they can join another or create another one.

These are just some things to think about as this thing gets going.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Something else that is important is class divisions. Will it be by weight, hand size or will there even be class divisions? From what I have seen, experienced and read the weight of the gripping athlete doesn't affect his lifts so I don't see a point in weight classes. Hand sizes make sense but it's not something you can change like your weight. So if Hand sizes are used in EVERY comp then someone like Tommy Heslep could NEVER directly compete against someone like Chad Woodall in a regular competition.

[mikebuck]

Something else that is important is class divisions. Will it be by weight, hand size or will there even be class divisions? From what I have seen, experienced and read the weight of the gripping athlete doesn't affect his lifts so I don't see a point in weight classes. Hand sizes make sense but it's not something you can change like your weight. So if Hand sizes are used in EVERY comp then someone like Tommy Heslep could NEVER directly compete against someone like Chad Woodall in a regular competition.

Maybe there could be small, large and open.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Maybe there could be small, large and open.

But how many of the big guys looking to win are going to enter the open class? I don't different classes would be a good idea and I especially don't like hand size divisions. If that is what the majority of people want I will go along but like I said it will make it impossible or nearly impossible for 2 great gripsters with different hand sizes to compete against one another.

[mikebuck]

Maybe there could be small, large and open.

But how many of the big guys looking to win are going to enter the open class? I don't different classes would be a good idea and I especially don't like hand size divisions. If that is what the majority of people want I will go along but like I said it will make it impossible or nearly impossible for 2 great gripsters with different hand sizes to compete against one another.

I also don't think it is that important for there to be different classes, however if there are it is important that there be an open class so all can compete directly.

How is the Brittish organization set up as far as classes?

[MalachiMcMullen]

Rules highlighted in bold have been cross checked with BHSA rules and had the missing info added.

General Competition Guidelines

A competition recognized by US Handstrength should follow these general guidelines:

1. More than three events in the contest.

2. Over half of the events must be from the generalized list of grip lifts, and all events must have a strong emphasis on hand strength. The contest must test at least three of the following categories of handstrength- Wrist strength, Crushing, Supporting, and Pinching. Competitions which do not meet above criteria may be approved through a vote by current promoters.

3. Competent and objective judging must be present.

4. No hook grip allowed.

5. Standard gym chalk allowed- No rosin, tacky, spray grip, etc.

6. No straps or wrist wraps allowed.

7. No more than 4 attempts allowed per event.

8. Each attempt can consist of a no longer than one minute period where the lifters may make as many attempts to lift the weight as they choose. This does not apply to timed events.

9. The competition should be announced at least 1 month in advance and open to the public.

Recognized Grip Feats

Note- The following feats are the most generally recognized and popularly accepted. As other feats become popular or regularly used, the event list will be accordingly updated.

1. Crushing

-Hand Grippers- No set, Credit card set, or Parallel Set.

2. Supporting

-Olympic bar deadlift/hold (one or two handed)

-One Hand Dumbell Deadlift, Clean, or Snatch

-Revolving Handle lifts

-Double Overhand Deadlift

-Vertical Bar lifts (1" diameter is the usual standard)

-Ring lifts

-Hercules Hold

-Farmers Walk

4. Leverage lifts

-Brick Lifts

-Short Steel Bending (Bars under 7" of length)- Regular, Double Underhand, European style

-Sledgehammer Leverage

8. Pinch Lifts

-Plate pinching, 1 and two handed

-Hub Lifts

-Block lifts (various manufactured implements)

-Block weight lifts

Single Event Contests:

Single event contests are recognized. These events can help promote grip sports by being attached to larger events such as strongman competitions or powerlifting meets. All rules (besides # and type of events) are applicable, and records for these contests will be held seperately.

Rules of Performance:

Grippers

1. For no set closes, the gripper must be picked up and closed with no involvement from the non-closing hand.

For parallel set closes, the non-closing hand can aid in "setting" the gripper down to a 20mm block which will be inserted by the athlete, after the set the block will bee removed and the close will begin- Any contact further than this and the attempt will be declared "no good".

For credit card closes, the judge will insert a credit card between the handles, and give a command to "start" when the gripper is at the correct position. The non-closing hand may contact the gripper until the "start" command is given. For choker closes, the gripper is put in a choker before the event at the distance which the handles are parallel to each other. The non-closing hand may contact the gripper until the athlete starts the event.

2. The gripper must be closed so that the bottom of the handles are clearly touching.

3. The gripper may not be closed in an "inverted" fashion.

4. The forearm of the closing hand may not contact any other object or part of the body during the close.

2 Hand Pinch

The width of the pinch apparatus is adjustable to suit different hand sizes, but to keep it within the spirit of a pinch lift the minimum width allowed is the 2 outer steel discs and 2 rubber spacer discs, a width of 24mm. Before the event starts, you will be given the opportunity to try it and find your best width.

1. The lift will start with apparatus in front of the lifter and on the ground.

2. The lifter must grab the top of the plates using an overhand pinch grip with no more than 3" between the index fingers, and lift until the loading bar makes contact with a predetermined height marker. To count as a US record or qualifying lift, the loading bar inserted into a recognized adjustable pinch setup must touch a marker 16.5" off the ground. If the loading bar misses the height marker, the referee may use their discretion to ascern whether or not legal height was attained.

3. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed. This is defined as the athlete maintaining their grip on the apparatus while lowering the weight.

4. The plates used for weight must be shorter than that of the pinch apparatus so that the view of the lifters hands are not totally obscured. In addition, spacers between the apparatus and loaded weight must be of equal weight and length. Both sides must be loaded equally. The heaviest weights shall be loaded closest to the pinch apparatus. For a lift to count as a US record or qualifier, one side cannot be loaded over 1kg more than the other side.

Plate and block pinching, 1 or 2 hands:

1. The lift will start with apparatus in front of the lifter and on the ground.

2. The lifter must grab the top of the plates using a pinch grip, and lift until the crossbar makes contact with a predetermined height marker.

3. For one handed events, the lifting hand should not be braced against a leg in order to aid the lift. The non lifting hand can be braced against the body, but may not touch the lifting arm.

4. For two handed lifts, the hands must both be facing the same direction, and may be no farther than 4 inches apart.

5. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed.

6. To count as a US record, the crossbar inserted into an olympic 45 pound plate (or recognized adjustable pinch setup) must touch a marker 16.5" off the ground.

Vertical Bar, 1 or 2 inch(LGC or FBBC)

1. The lift will start with apparatus in front of the lifter and on the ground.

2. The lifter will grab the bar and lift so that the bottom of the plates (on the lowest end if there is tilt) will be at least 2 inches above the ground. The judge will call the lift after it is completed.

3. No more than 2" of bar can be showing above where the lifter grabs the bar.

4. The non lifting hand can be braced against the body, but may not touch the lifting arm. The lifting hand may not touch any part of the body.

5. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed.

Double Overhand Thick Bar Deadlift

1. The lifter will approach the bar with the bar in front of him.

2. The lifter will stand to a fully erect position with knees locked. The judge will give the lifter a "down" signal when the lifter acheives the finished position.

3. The bar may not be rested on the thighs in order to regrip or support the weight.

4. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed.

Thick Handle Dumbell Deadlift:

1. The lifter will approach the bar with the bar in front or on either side.

2. The lifter will stand to a fully erect position with knees locked. The judge will give the lifter a "down" signal when the lifter acheives the finished position.

3. For one handed events, the lifting hand should not be braced against a leg in order to aid the lift. The non lifting hand can be braced against the body, but may not touch the lifting arm.

4. Plates no bigger than standard Olympic 25 pound plates should be used. Larger plates allow the forearm to be braced against the side of the plates, making the lift much easier.

5. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed.

Short Steel Bending

Freestyle

Reverse

Acceptable Rule Sets:

FBBC Rules

Ironmind Rules

European Rules

General Rules

ONLY chalk is allowed, NO tacky, adhesives or other sticky substances my be applied to the steel, wraps or hands.

1. Before the bend, the competitor may wrap the nail in a soft material such as leather, cordura, cotton, polyester, etc. No hard material such as metal or wood may be in the wrap. The wraps must be 4"x12" or less and gloves are specifically disallowed.

2. Depending on the rule set used the competitor has 1-5 minutes to bend the bar until the inside edge of the ends are 2 inches or less apart. For nails and bolts, the head is not counted in the measurement. For uneven bends, the distance from the shorter "leg" straight across to the other side shall be measured. The competitor may adjust the wraps in this time period.

3. The object being bent must not dip below waist level during the bend and NO contact is allowed with the hands or arms. ANY incidental contact with the either object or the athlete's hands/arms is cause for immediate disqualification.

4. The judge will inspect the wraps used before the close.

Leverage to head

1. The lifter will grab an implement with at least a 32" handle length, not counting the weight, with the little finger at bottom of the handle.

2. The lifter will start the lift with the lifting arm parallel to the ground, and the implement perpendicular to the ground.

3. The lifter will lower the implement until the handle is at least at a 45 degree angle to the ground, as viewed from the side. At this point, the judge will say "lift", and the hammer will be raised to a position perpendicular to the floor.

4. The non-lifting arm may not contact the lifting arm or implement. The implement may contact the side of the head, if such contact does not make the lift easier.

5. The lifter may not move his arm from the parallel position. The arm may be strapped down to a parallel surface; this is encouraged.

For grip lifting events not specified:

1. The lifter will approach the bar with the bar in front of him. For one handed lifts, the bar may be on the side of the lifter.

2. The lifter will stand to a fully erect position with knees locked, or to another predetermined height. The judge will give the lifter a "down" signal when the lifter acheives the finished position.

3. For one handed events, the lifting hand should not be braced against a leg in order to aid the lift. The non lifting hand can be braced against the body, but may not touch the lifting arm.

4. The implement must be lowered under control after the lift is completed.

EDIT: I can't seem to find much regarding classes yet in BHSA. Either David and Steve haven't mcuh provided for them or they are leaving it up to the discretion of the contest promoters. If classes turn out to be more popular an Open Class should be had. There is referance to age classes in the Junior section of BHSA but it seems to apply only to the Junior class.

Edited January 1, 2008 by MalachiMcMullen

[Jedd Johnson]

Bob, Eric, Climber and I have been working on this behind the scenes.

Sorry if this isn't moving fast enough for people, but t's holiday time and my focus, as well as many others, has been on the holidays and family.

I appreciate everyone's opinion and insight, and believe me, no one wants this more than me.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Bob, Eric, Climber and I have been working on this behind the scenes.

Sorry if this isn't moving fast enough for people, but t's holiday time and my focus, as well as many others, has been on the holidays and family.

I appreciate everyone's opinion and insight, and believe me, no one wants this more than me.

Well then please take into consideration this thread!!!

[lone Wolf]

Bob, Eric, Climber and I have been working on this behind the scenes.

Sorry if this isn't moving fast enough for people, but t's holiday time and my focus, as well as many others, has been on the holidays and family.

I appreciate everyone's opinion and insight, and believe me, no one wants this more than me.

Glad to hear you guys haven't forgot about this. Too really make the the 2008 U.S Championships work we need a

Governing body to sanction this event. Wish everyone a Happy & Safe New Year . This is the year to make a lot

of positive things happen for this young sport.

Robert Alva

[RKlein]

I agree with Robert. Glad to see you guys are working on it.

[vikingsrule92]

I agree I'm glad you guys are working on it.

I just hope this won't make us like PLing or SM and destroy the close knit feeling of camradery (sp?) between the gripsters.

[Jedd Johnson]

I agree I'm glad you guys are working on it.

I just hope this won't make us like PLing or SM and destroy the close knit feeling of camradery (sp?) between the gripsters.

In my opinion, the feeling and camaraderie is generated and maintained from the participants, not necessarily the people organizing the contests.

I honestly have never heard of powerlifting and strongman not having camaraderie. Strength sports seem to be pretty well firendship-oriented.

It's the other sports I have played, like basketball, baseball, and such that have lost that feeling of brotherhood in the sport.

I think Grip will stay just fine as long as the competitors themselves don't change.

[vikingsrule92]

I agree I'm glad you guys are working on it.

I just hope this won't make us like PLing or SM and destroy the close knit feeling of camradery (sp?) between the gripsters.

In my opinion, the feeling and camaraderie is generated and maintained from the participants, not necessarily the people organizing the contests.

I honestly have never heard of powerlifting and strongman not having camaraderie. Strength sports seem to be pretty well firendship-oriented.

It's the other sports I have played, like basketball, baseball, and such that have lost that feeling of brotherhood in the sport.

I think Grip will stay just fine as long as the competitors themselves don't change.

Yeah I know that's true, I was more concerned with new people coming in and being jackasses like you'll often find on bodybuilding.com. And yeah I hope you're right Jedd and I think you are, I'm just a pessimist

On a sidenote I was wayyyy off on spelling camaraderie

[Bob Lipinski]

Zach-

We're working hard, trust me. That rules list is an old one of mine- I have updated it several times since that version.

powerandbulk.com/ushandstrength

[Bob Lipinski]

Hahahaha, do you think this has been tried before Zach?

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=14637

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=14666

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=18767

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=18729

[MalachiMcMullen]

Hahahaha, do you think this has been tried before Zach?

Oh yeah, I knew it had been tried before I just figured with the new talks I'd throw this out there.

See ya Friday!

Edited January 2, 2008 by MalachiMcMullen