My Everything Log

[EricMilfeld]

I'm going to start posting pretty much every strength related exercise I do, save the warmups.

My approach to training is very basic, but also unconventional. Training on a regular basis with high intensity are two of my keys, but following a preplanned routine is something I find counterproductive. I like to do reps, sets, exercises, etc. that strike my fancy. I find I do best when I feel inspired and excited about an endeavor. Each heavy set has to mean something to me. If it's routine, ordinary, or a matter of going through the motions it's a waste of time to me. I love shooting for personal bests.

Today:

My bodyweight is in the low 190's right now. I'll probably be staying at this weight for good, unless I lose a few pounds to make weight at 181 for a deadlift meet.

At work I did 60 deep knee bends.

At home tonight:

- bent a Diamond Classic #1 shoe

- bench press 255x4 with semi-narrow grip

Euro Pinch

203x2

214x2 PR!

224x1 PR!

229.4 x1 PR!!!

Grippers

Parallel Choker 166 lb. x1, rest 15 seconds x1

Mash Monster set 157 lb. x1

Hammer Curls 2" handle

65x7 each hand

Blob 50

Right:

3 singles

Left:

to 12", then 6", then a negative

[David Horne]

Nice pinching!

[odin]

I'm going to start posting pretty much every strength related exercise I do, save the warmups.

Euro Pinch

229.4 x1 PR!!!

Thanks for doing this Eric, it'll be helpful to many and I'll be following it for sure.

Wow, that's a huge jump in the Euro Pinch. I've heard might take a year just to go up 5-10 lbs. for some.

[bencrush]

Awesome pinching Eric!!! That's just crazy man.

[David Horne]

It can easy take a year to increase 5k.

David

[John Eaton]

You're on fire man

[The Mac]

Very impressive pinching Eric!

[climber511]

Great Progress Eric - the face you will see in your window will be me trying to learn your secrets :D

[bencrush]

Great Progress Eric - the face you will see in your window will be me trying to learn your secrets :D

Haha! I second that...

[nockowt1]

Very strong pinch. What are some of your goals for '08? What grippers did you close (I'm not familiar with the calibrations)? How often do you normally bend?

[EricMilfeld]

I sure appreciate all the support, guys!

I'm not being dramatic when I say I'm stunned by my own progress on this event. I'm not complaining, though! I wish I could say I discovered some hidden truths about pinch training. Actually, I do have some pointers I'll share here in a bit. I do believe that when I was bending like a nutcase that some of my other lifts took a beating as a result, so this must factor into the mystery to a certain extent.

Very strong pinch. What are some of your goals for '08? What grippers did you close (I'm not familiar with the calibrations)? How often do you normally bend?

Kevin, since cutting back on my double overhand bending I've had to readjust my goals several times. I'd like to get 240+ on the Euro this year, 190 or so on a choked gripper (easy #4 Iron Mind), reverse bend a hard Big Bastard (I've done an easy Bastard already), Mash Monster set a Mash Monster level 2 gripper, 2" axle deadlift with 375, pinch my 2x45's (mine are not suited for this). Basically I just want to improve upon my personal bests in a contest. I'd like to get a real tough horseshoe, too. Maybe a STRICT 20lb. sledge lever. I've done a sloppy lever.

When bending was my focus I would train it anywhere from once to three time weekly. Now I'm hitting it approximately once a week.

[EricMilfeld]

One Hand Euro Pinch

82x1

84.5x1

87x1

89.5x1 (PR!)

All of the above was performed with each hand.

- 1.5" wooden pinch block: 57 lbs. x 50 (alternating hands)

I noticed at Gripmas Carol that just about everyone else lifted with their hands spaced apart on the Euro Pinch. Maybe some of you would be interested in experimenting with hands together? Here's a few tips that might help someone. As David Horne has mentioned, pinch is a very basic technique, but that doesn't mean that paying attention to all the little details won't be beneficial.

1)I stand behind the apparatus a bit while I set my grip. I force my thumbs down real tight over the apparatus first. If there's some slight pain in your thumb webbing you've got it right.

2)At the same time, I push my hands together as tight as they will go.

3)Now I reach down with my finger tips as far as they will go towards the floor.

4)Now I walk forward until the apparatus placement forces my arms back towards my groin and the apparatus itself is leaning forwards.

5)My arms, lats, and entire upper body are in a locked and tight mode.

6)The instant before I pull is when I want to grip it for all I'm worth, but not a second too soon.

7) I want to focus on applying the pressure with the sides of my thumb knuckles, and not my thumb tips.

8)Now I pull steadily and smoothly. It's not a jerk motion. Any slippage of the plates between my hands will spell disaster.

My two hands lifting on the Euro seems to be disproportionately stronger than my one hand. At least that is my guess, as you don't hear much about people's one hand performance on it or similar objects. It could be due to my technique development or possibly the fact that two hands hits the muscles from a different angle, or maybe both. But it does seem like a significant gap in performance.

[MalachiMcMullen]

All those tips are really helpful Eric thank you!!! I think Martin Arildsson noticed the same thing about 1 and 2hp discrepancies. He said he could get 240 on the 2hp but couldn't consistently get 2 20kg's.

Thanks alot for putting this log up man! I have no doubt it will help almost everyone who comes to look at it!!! :rock :rock

A question, what would you consider a tough shoe?...

Edited January 26, 2008 by MalachiMcMullen

[EricMilfeld]

All those tips are really helpful Eric thank you!!! I think Martin Arildsson noticed the same thing about 1 and 2hp discrepancies. He said he could get 240 on the 2hp but couldn't consistently get 2 20kg's.

Thanks alot for putting this log up man! I have no doubt it will help almost everyone who comes to look at it!!! :rock :rock

A question, what would you consider a tough shoe?...

Thanks, buddy! Let me know if any of these tips do actually end up helping you.

I'm kind of a shoe newbie, but I wonder if I could maybe get a Diamond Bronco. Right now I'm consistent with the Diamond Classics. The first 90 degrees seems pretty routine and fairly easy for me now, but that dang crush down is still a major gut buster every time.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Thanks, buddy! Let me know if any of these tips do actually end up helping you.

I'm kind of a shoe newbie, but I wonder if I could maybe get a Diamond Bronco. Right now I'm consistent with the Diamond Classics. The first 90 degrees seems pretty routine and fairly easy for me now, but that dang crush down is still a major gut buster every time.

To be honest you've already given me some helpful tips on the 2hp with your posts!!! So your already helping me out let alone people who've never had the pleasure of the 2hp

A Diamond Bronco? I've heard of them but I don't think I've seen one. What do they look like? I hear ya on the crushdown, that seems to be my weakest point on the shoes too but I think I'm getting better. Good luck with the Bronco though!!! I'm sure you have the strength in you to kill it Eric!!!

[The Mac]

Good post Eric, like anything that seems simple it is the little things that can help. I've seen some of the biggest two hand pinch lifters (David, Nick, Steve & the Shahlei Brothers) and it is noticeable the different ways they prepare for the lift - David in particular is extremely methodical.

[EricMilfeld]

Thanks, buddy! Let me know if any of these tips do actually end up helping you.

I'm kind of a shoe newbie, but I wonder if I could maybe get a Diamond Bronco. Right now I'm consistent with the Diamond Classics. The first 90 degrees seems pretty routine and fairly easy for me now, but that dang crush down is still a major gut buster every time.

To be honest you've already given me some helpful tips on the 2hp with your posts!!! So your already helping me out let alone people who've never had the pleasure of the 2hp

A Diamond Bronco? I've heard of them but I don't think I've seen one. What do they look like? I hear ya on the crushdown, that seems to be my weakest point on the shoes too but I think I'm getting better. Good luck with the Bronco though!!! I'm sure you have the strength in you to kill it Eric!!!

Here's a picture, but I've never had one in hand:

http://www.unifireusa.com/retail1/item.php...blkNO=2264-2136

Zach, have you bent the St. Croix light in any of the sizes? If so, how much more difficult was it than the Diamond Classic in the comparable size?

Chris, that's interesting that all those great lifters have a different approach.

Tonight's:

- 2" axle deadlift: 485x2

- 2" v-bar: 203x10 (alternating hands)

After this I became increasingly discouraged with the whole v-bar thing. Apparently my ridiculous degree of inconsistency with this lift isn't restricted to the 1" version. I now officially hate the 2 incher, as well. I failed with both hands at 224 several times. I then dropped back down to 203 and failed some more. A bit later 203 was lifted with no room to spare. Mind you, without training this lift but once or twice several months previous, I lifted well over 240 with each hand a few weeks back. Maybe I should just stop training the damn thing. I'm very strong right now, so I know it's not a strength issue. Any ideas?

Hammers

16 lb. x 1 (right hand)

12 lb. x 3 (left hand)

2.5" Loadable Dumbbell

148 x1 (each hand)

153 x 1 (each hand) PR!

148 x 1 (each hand)

And at work today I did 13 pullups on a 2.5" pipe.

[David Horne]

Chris,

You are right, all my pinches, one or two hand are methodical. I don't grab and go.

David

[MalachiMcMullen]

Zach, have you bent the St. Croix light in any of the sizes? If so, how much more difficult was it than the Diamond Classic in the comparable size?

I bent the Lite 2 the other day and it felt noticabley harder than the DC0 I bent about a week ago. The DC0 I bent was easier than the DC1's I've been bending too. Something I've noticed is that that thick St. Croix took a bend once it was warmed up and the Diamonds I have to fight tooth and nail because they spring back slightly.

My vote goes towards the Lite 2 being slightly harder than the DC1. Imagine the distance in strengths of an Ultralite 1 and a Polo 1. That's about how much harder this particular Lite 2 felt than my previous DC1's. Not much harder, but enough.

If you've got a Lite go for it though and let me know how it goes!!!

Edited January 27, 2008 by MalachiMcMullen

[EricMilfeld]

Zach, have you bent the St. Croix light in any of the sizes? If so, how much more difficult was it than the Diamond Classic in the comparable size?

I bent the Lite 2 the other day and it felt noticabley harder than the DC0 I bent about a week ago. The DC0 I bent was easier than the DC1's I've been bending too. Something I've noticed is that that thick St. Croix took a bend once it was warmed up and the Diamonds I have to fight tooth and nail because they spring back slightly.

My vote goes towards the Lite 2 being slightly harder than the DC1. Imagine the distance in strengths of an Ultralite 1 and a Polo 1. That's about how much harder this particular Lite 2 felt than my previous DC1's. Not much harder, but enough.

If you've got a Lite go for it though and let me know how it goes!!!

Thanks, Zach. No, I don't have any yet. I've been short of cash lately, but I should be able to order some soon, and I'll surely let you know the outcome.

[nockowt1]

Thanks, buddy! Let me know if any of these tips do actually end up helping you.

I'm kind of a shoe newbie, but I wonder if I could maybe get a Diamond Bronco. Right now I'm consistent with the Diamond Classics. The first 90 degrees seems pretty routine and fairly easy for me now, but that dang crush down is still a major gut buster every time.

To be honest you've already given me some helpful tips on the 2hp with your posts!!! So your already helping me out let alone people who've never had the pleasure of the 2hp

A Diamond Bronco? I've heard of them but I don't think I've seen one. What do they look like? I hear ya on the crushdown, that seems to be my weakest point on the shoes too but I think I'm getting better. Good luck with the Bronco though!!! I'm sure you have the strength in you to kill it Eric!!!

Here's a picture, but I've never had one in hand:

http://www.unifireusa.com/retail1/item.php...blkNO=2264-2136

Zach, have you bent the St. Croix light in any of the sizes? If so, how much more difficult was it than the Diamond Classic in the comparable size?

Chris, that's interesting that all those great lifters have a different approach.

Tonight's:

- 2" axle deadlift: 485x2

- 2" v-bar: 203x10 (alternating hands)

After this I became increasingly discouraged with the whole v-bar thing. Apparently my ridiculous degree of inconsistency with this lift isn't restricted to the 1" version. I now officially hate the 2 incher, as well. I failed with both hands at 224 several times. I then dropped back down to 203 and failed some more. A bit later 203 was lifted with no room to spare. Mind you, without training this lift but once or twice several months previous, I lifted well over 240 with each hand a few weeks back. Maybe I should just stop training the damn thing. I'm very strong right now, so I know it's not a strength issue. Any ideas?

Hammers

16 lb. x 1 (right hand)

12 lb. x 3 (left hand)

2.5" Loadable Dumbbell

148 x1 (each hand)

153 x 1 (each hand) PR!

148 x 1 (each hand)

And at work today I did 13 pullups on a 2.5" pipe.

Nice workout. Congrats on the thickbar pr.

[neilkaz]

Some great and world class pinching and thick bar work being done in this log ! I look forward to reading more.

.. neilkaz ..

[EricMilfeld]

Thanks, Kevin and Neilkaz!

Freestyle Bending

- 555 lb. 5/16 x 6" crs round

- isometrics with one of the super hard Huge Hexabastards that I got to 25 degrees last week (This thing must be made of steel!)

- 3/8 x 6.25" crs to a modest kink

- super hard Big Hexabastard (I did an Edgin last week, and I'd say this new Big Hex is comparable in difficulty (though it's a different feel) for the first 90 degrees, then the hex gets easier.

After losing 25 pounds recently and greatly reducing my bending frequency, I'm happy to report I've managed to retain a good portion of my strength. This lends support to my belief that even freestyle bending requires a great deal of hand and wrist strength, and not solely chest, delts, lats, and tris. But don't get me wrong, I still feel a lack of that former ability to just over power the steel.

[cyclops]

Strong stuff! Will be following this log for sure!

[EricMilfeld]

Thanks, John!

I couldn't resist some late night horseshoes:

- Diamond 1 HIND

- some isos with a hind stuck at like 179 degrees

- DC1 with 1/2" cut off each leg (PR!)

I had never tried cutting down the legs prior to tonight. It seems to be a good training tool. The cut down shoe felt easy. I think I'm ready for the Bronco and beyond.