"D" Posted October 28, 2002 Share Posted October 28, 2002 Hi all, I got my #1 COC last year for Christmas and closed it right out of the box. #2 came about 6 months later, which took about two weeks to close (3rd workout) with my right hand. I just got my #3 today and ALMOST closed it on my first try. I was about 3/4 of an inch away. My goal is to have it closed by Christmas, which would be one year from the time I started grip training. My question is, how long did it take everybody to advance? I'm especially interested in the time it took to close the #3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tou Posted October 28, 2002 Share Posted October 28, 2002 At 3/4 of an inch, you have A LOT of work to do. Almost for most fo us means 1/16 and under. I was at 3/4 on my first attempt on the #3 too and it took me over a year (with a 4 months break) to close it. I don't close it consistently. I consider that I have a lot of work to do to be consistent on it. Train hard on it. Give a try at everyday training. If you close it by Christmas this year, you'll be the quickest to achieve the #3 on this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mg6680 Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 What Tou said...I was exactly where Tou was when I first tried the #3. It took me about 2months of specific grip training to get to ~1/16". There is where I stand. I only do grippers once a week now and will eventually get certified. I just found better grip exercises for overall hand strength (read more usefull hand strength) and am focusing on them now. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 How determined ARE you (exactly)? What are your training goals? Do you use a grip machine? Do you enjoy PAIN? ??? I think you are being very aggressive with your grip goals and this is good. However, don't be discouraged if Xmas rolls around and you haven't made any significant progress. Remember, your ultimate goal is TO CLOSE THE #3! Don't lose that goal! Train hard, but smart. It won't come overnight, and you have to pace yourself. I myself took two years before I could close mine on a consistant basis. Believe in yourself and your abilities. "Keep your eyes on the prize". You will NOT fail... I won't let you and neither will anyone else on this forum! Now, let the journey begin...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amaury Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 Very inspiring Snott (and i mean it ). "D", it took me 6 months too to close my #2 for the first time, which just recently happened. I hope you'll close the #3 within the end of the year but it would be a darn good progression :crazy. My brother can just close my #1 but is an inch away from closing my #2. So without talking about calibration again lets approximate this : 1" on the #2 represents 55lbs (195-140). And 1" on the #3 represents offcourse far more than 1" on the #2 (since the gripper is much much stronger). Let's make another approximation : 1" #3 = 1" #2*(280/195) which is: 1" #3 = 1" #2 *1.43=55lbs*1.43=78lbs Since you are 3/4" from closing the #3 and the relation between strength required and distance is not linear in the end of the #3 closure we can assume that you are AT LEAST at: 3/4*78lbs=58lbs from closing your #3. This is more than the gap between the #1 and the #2. Since it took you 6 monthes between #1 and #2 i would say that it will take you at least (because those last pounds are far more difficult) 6 monthes to close your #3. I know this calculation is questionable for many reasons particularly the time calculation but i think the pound calculation might give a rough estimate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSW Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 Check the calibration thread. IIRC parallel is about 80% of the closing torque. Joe Kinney closed the #3 with a years training, so your goal is possible. If you do close the #3 by Christmas, I expect you to get the #4 by next Christmas. Robert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"D" Posted October 29, 2002 Author Share Posted October 29, 2002 Well, yesterday when I posted I had JUST got my #3. I had tried it (3/4" away) but I hadn't WORKED OUT with it. Last night, after a brutal squat and deadlift session (yes syber, pain is good) :crazy I had my first workout with the #3 and almost closed it. I could have swore I felt the click, but my buddy confirmed that I was about 1mm away. My hands are chaffed and bruised. I stopped when the skin started to rip. I figured I'll give myself a week to recover and I'll have at it again. The Christmas deadline should be ample time, I've already got #4 on my wish list as well. I don't even want to speculate on that though. How determined ARE you (exactly)? Don't really know how to answer that. I guess I never really asked myself that question. I'm very determined to squat 400 and deadlift 500 and although grip training isn't as important to me as those things, I really want to get certified. What are your training goals? Besides the 300/400/500, I've recently got on a cardio kick where I've been running hill sprints. There's a 300m hill by my house that I'd like to get up in under 50 seconds. I started with a time of 60 seconds and I'm now down to 53. Other than that, the #3. I'd like to pinch two 45's as well, but I'm still working on 35's. I've got a good 10 seconds or so pinching 25's. Do you use a grip machine? No. Do you enjoy PAIN? Just the good kind. I just found better grip exercises for overall hand strength (read more usefull hand strength) Can you explain? What exercises are you speaking of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"D" Posted October 29, 2002 Author Share Posted October 29, 2002 Just wanted to clarify, the #2 only took me two weeks. What I meant is I purchased it 6 months later. Joe Kinney... is that the guy who can close the #4? Is he still the only one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amaury Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 It was clear enough "D". It took me six monthes to close the #2 since the day i received my grippers (i bought #1, #2 and #3 at the same time). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bender Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 I just recieved my #4 in the mail this morning, and right out of the wrapping, I closed it!... down to about 55mm. With determination and a strong work ethic, I should have that baby closed by March of 2027. :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gripper42004 Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 Hey D, john brookfield closed the #4 but his finger of the free hand was on top of the spring 7 it was'nt leagle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mg6680 Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 That was funny Bender. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik_F Posted October 29, 2002 Share Posted October 29, 2002 I am also working on the #3. A few weeks ago I had trouble even sweeping the the thing. Now I have about 1/2 inch left to close. Any suggestions? Atm I am maxing out with it for 1 set almost every day. Should I try some 2 handed negatives and resist the opening of the gripper for a change? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"D" Posted October 30, 2002 Author Share Posted October 30, 2002 Patrik, I would cut back on the training if I were you. I only train grip once a week, but my biggest gain was when I stopped training (grip) for a few weeks. My first workout upon my return I closed the #2 with my left hand, which I was previously not able to do. Other than that, yeah I think negatives are a good idea as are static holds. I'm just a rookie though, I'm sure there are more knowledgable people here than me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Patrick, Try some ONE HANDED negatives with that gripper. Cheat it shut against your leg, and hold it for as long as possible!! OOOOOOHHHHHH.... don't you just love the pain?!? :0 :crazy Don't grip train every day. Well, I mean... vary your training. You might want to take a day off or two just to recover, then go back at it with a fever pitch. Also, and I'm starting to sound like a broken record... BUT - you need to get a grip machine. This will help you so much in your grip training. It did me. Here's a link for one.... http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/9165.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patrik_F Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Thanks for the advice. Isnt the Hardy Handshake from Ironmind a better gripmachine? It works the hand in a more gripper like position? I have thought about buying a machine but I am not sure if it will help me that much because the feel of a machine will be much different than from a gripper. The grippers get harder and harder to close the nearer you are to close it, with a gripmachine its the same resistance all the way. Ofcourse, I havent tried a gripmachine yet so I dont know. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSW Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 Gripinator LX from PDA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tou Posted October 31, 2002 Share Posted October 31, 2002 You might try doing negatives this way (Heath Sexton gave me the advice). Instead of closing your gripper on your leg, which is pretty easy even with the #4, use your free hand. When you'll close the #4 using only your working hand and your free hand, you'll crush down the #3, or you'll be VERY close. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"D" Posted November 5, 2002 Author Share Posted November 5, 2002 Well, I had my second workout with the #3 and much to my dismay I didn't perform as well as just 7 days earlier. I was almost a half an inch away from closing it this time! I'm thinking I should wait longer in between workouts, here's my reasoning: I believe grip training is mostly neural adaptation. Combined with the videos of slim the hammerman and watching my father (57) hang from a chin up bar for over 2.5 minutes (without regular grip training), I've concluded that you don't have to be big or strong (although slim was both) to have strong hands. Now, if my theory is correct, you would actually need less training frequency to allow for neural recovery than you would for muscular recovery. I'm going to wait longer before my next workout and I'll report back with my progress. Does anyone else wait a week+ for their workouts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tou Posted November 5, 2002 Share Posted November 5, 2002 Unless you're a VERY strong overall grip athlete, like David Horne, Richard sorin or John Brookfield, closing the #3 will need some specialization work. I tried the once or twice a week workouts and came to a point where I was at 1/8 on the #3. What has pushed me up to the full close ? EVERYDAY TRAINING. many of us here have adopt this regimen. It takes 3-4 weeks to adapt and see results but when you get used to it, you progress fastly. My 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Black Posted November 5, 2002 Share Posted November 5, 2002 It takes 3-4 weeks to adapt and see results but when you get used to it, you progress fastly. Ahhhh, thanks for that tidbit Tou. I had switched to daily training a few months ago. Initially I did see gains. But after about a week I hit a wall. After banging up against that wall for another week I dropped the daily training regime. This is the first time I've heard one of you daily trainers mention a break-in period of that duration. I shall give it a go again. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tou Posted November 5, 2002 Share Posted November 5, 2002 It is very important to build up the volume of work progressively. If you start too high, you'll get burned fast. Start with 5-6 singles per workout and over a month span, progress to 12-15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
"D" Posted November 6, 2002 Author Share Posted November 6, 2002 Tou, I don't understand the rational behind training everyday. You wouldn't do this if your goal was to deadlift 500lbs, why would you do it if your goal is to crush 265lbs? It's been two days since I trained and my hands still hurt. The bruises are still there and the skin is still all torn up, I couldn't imagine training again. How can you grow stronder if you haven't had enough time to recover? Is there anyone here who closed the #3 without training everyday? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 'D', It is a [well founded] belief among some members here that the composition of the hands differs from the body's other musculature and therefore can recover quicker. This same rationale does not for example apply to the hand's neighbor, the forearm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSW Posted November 6, 2002 Share Posted November 6, 2002 Several. Bob Lipinski trained once a week, and managed to close the three, using a high volume, infrequent training approach. Bob's Coc training He has changed his approach for the #4, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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