Hand Size Vs. Ability Close A Gripper

[Bob Lipinski]

Never did think much about the thumb pad, most likely because I was gifted in that area.

White Scorpion-

I think pinch is always a big hand advantage. 2 reasons- For moderate to large pinching, they have more surface contact. For narrow pinching, the lift is mostly in the fingers, so the farther down the plate you go the more leverage there is.

For small hands, I am pretty sure rim lifts are an advantage. Under the "possibly, but not enough people have tried that I know what they can do" category is choker grippers, hub lifting, and one finger lifts.

Again, all this is in good fun. I'm playing the hand I've been dealt. I aspire to whoop anyone's ass in grip stuff despite handsize.

[Teemu I]

The question whether you need a bigger thumbpad or not to close bigger grippers comes down to your set tehnique. With properly tuned technique, your palm forms a wall where the palm side handle stops, not the thumbpad. Kink the wrist more to achieve this. The question whether someone gains anything using a set also comes down to technique. So it's a matter of practice. These are my thoughts on the things that I can change.

[Bob Lipinski]

Speaking purely technique here Teemu, and I know I am not as strong or as smart as you in the gripper stuff, but I think the large thumbpad/thick hands is a decent advantage to small handed guys. You can get a more solid set without putting the gripper as far forward, which lets you put more of your hand around the gripper to start the set.

I could be wrong here! Like I wrote, you know this stuff better than me, correct me if I am wrong.

[CoC#3]

The question whether you need a bigger thumbpad or not to close bigger grippers comes down to your set tehnique. With properly tuned technique, your palm forms a wall where the palm side handle stops, not the thumbpad. Kink the wrist more to achieve this. The question whether someone gains anything using a set also comes down to technique. So it's a matter of practice. These are my thoughts on the things that I can change.

True.

I do think the thumb pad being thicker still prevents the dogleg from slipping up the hands. Someone with a small thumb pad will not get the gripper to sit as nicely in the hand and someone with a large thumb pad. I close grippers with the wrist kinked back but not as prenounced as you do.

[Teemu I]

Bob, I would never say that I know it any better than you. But this gave me a good reason to write another article, this time about the parallel set. I have ideas that I believe can benefit others.

[OldGuy]

One good thing that might come out of a hand size discussion, is learning griper closing tips from someone who has the same size hands as you do. Most tips of course apply to all.

[cemery]

Teemu makes a very good point. My set work has formed a callus ridge just under my knuckles on my palm ( same as my training partners with bigger hands). . . . If I were to let the dogleg rest against the thumbpad the gripper would be too far back for me to get max strength. I'm no expert so this can be taken with a grain of salt

[cemery]

Teemu makes a very good point. My set work has formed a callus ridge just under my knuckles on my palm ( same as my training partners with bigger hands). . . . If I were to let the dogleg rest against the thumbpad the gripper would be too far back for me to get max strength. I'm no expert so this can be taken with a grain of salt

After re-thinking this a bit I guess that if you thumbpad was big enough. . . . it would but the dogleg in the perfect position for setting a gripper. My thumpad has a LONG way to go though.

[Guest Bonzi]

Just food for thought:

Check the Mash Monster Ladder, specially levels 3 and up.... who do you see?

Vigeant, Larson, Sexton, Morton, Edgin, Woodall, Bussi, Aaron and Teemu. Out of these 9 people, unless I am mistaken, only Teemu has hands under 8" in length. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong.

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?autocom...=si&img=277

I think Magnus might be onto something. It looks like Clay's hands are around 7.5".

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=24246

Edited May 24, 2008 by Bonzi

[shizen]

Just food for thought:

Check the Mash Monster Ladder, specially levels 3 and up.... who do you see?

Vigeant, Larson, Sexton, Morton, Edgin, Woodall, Bussi, Aaron and Teemu. Out of these 9 people, unless I am mistaken, only Teemu has hands under 8" in length. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong.

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?autocom...=si&img=277

I think Magnus might be onto something. It looks like Clay's hands are around 7.5".

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=24246

Looks more like 8 to me

[mobsterone]

At least. When I met Clay he was 367lbs and well over 6 feet tall. 7.5 would be silly on a man that big.

[Alawadhi]

Clays hand IS LESS than 8" (at least this is what appears to be in the picture) Just look at his hands in his gallery. It's not quiet 7.5" but a bit more. More toward 7.75". And if you can see it's 8" or more, then check an eye doctor (just teasing you but look carefully)

[mobsterone]

Link please and I'm assuming he's taping them? Cos otherwise it's all guess work.

[Teemu I]

Just food for thought:

Check the Mash Monster Ladder, specially levels 3 and up.... who do you see?

Vigeant, Larson, Sexton, Morton, Edgin, Woodall, Bussi, Aaron and Teemu. Out of these 9 people, unless I am mistaken, only Teemu has hands under 8" in length. Please someone correct me if I'm wrong.

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?autocom...=si&img=277

I think Magnus might be onto something. It looks like Clay's hands are around 7.5".

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=24246

Link.

[mobsterone]

15 pages and I've read the first three before giving up...

[Teemu I]

15 pages and I've read the first three before giving up...

Read the whole post I quoted. It's the first link.

[Alawadhi]

Link please and I'm assuming he's taping them? Cos otherwise it's all guess work.

http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?autocom...=si&img=277

I wasn't refering to you Steve But I was refering to shizen when he said it looked more than 8" to him. I told him to recheck because it is less than 8".

[mobsterone]

Cheers. By that photo a little under 7.75-inches