Grippster Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 How much do you guys warm up before training grippers? With me, I realized it is absolutely essential. If I pick up the 300 cold, I can do one rep, but not quite get a second one. When I'm warmed up, I can pull off 7. Yes, SEVEN. The gripper closes considerably easier when I got blood going to my hands. I actually have poor circulation so I'm starting to work on my cardio to improve that. What about you guys? Even right now I can't believe I'm literally doing 700% more reps just from being warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vikingsrule92 Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Considering Brendan (I think? correct me if I'm wrong on anything) tore a tendon in his hand from doing cold attempts on his #3 a while ago it's VERY important to me, enough said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnus Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Very important. As a matter of fact, I warm up in 3 stages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Sprawl Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 sadly i don't even warm up at all usually, i haven't really realized any difference if i do or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grippster Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 Considering Brendan (I think? correct me if I'm wrong on anything) tore a tendon in his hand from doing cold attempts on his #3 a while ago it's VERY important to me, enough said. That's probably one of the things that contributed to me getting tendinitis. I would sometimes do cold attempts on the big 300 with my left. Combine that with doing chin ups and heavy curls in a cold area, and there you go. Warming up is something often overlooked, but I realize now how incredibly important it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AP Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 It is essential Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abagh89 Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I warm up for everything. lifting, grip. if i dont warm up when i attempt to squeeze a hard gripper i have lots of popping and cracking noises in my fingers, and thats not a good thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnus Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I warm up for everything. lifting, grip. if i dont warm up when i attempt to squeeze a hard gripper i have lots of popping and cracking noises in my fingers, and thats not a good thing. Me too...mostly I get some good noises on the RT Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Knight Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 sadly i don't even warm up at all usually, i haven't really realized any difference if i do or not. you will need to soon - once you start climbing on grippers (even more ) you will notice that a warmup is vital - not just to prevent injury, but to squeeze bigger numbers. Eric and I always warmup - I used to think I needed to be "fresh" to get my best squeeze (wich was true for a little while) but now I can't get near the number that I can w/a warmup. Aaron, Rex and Ryan have all explained to me in detail that you need to get your CNS firing (central nervous system) before you can really start performing at your potential. I can't explain this nearly as well as any of those guys, but when they were explaining it - it clicked/made total sense. Maybe one of them can jump in and get all scientific on our @$$es Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coombsfh Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 I was relatively lax with regards to warmups untill I went at the inch cold the other day and my inner elbow went pop loudly and painfully. Will try to remember how important a warmup is in future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Lipinski Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 For grip stuff it is very, very important. Your hands must literally be warm to be at maximal strength. For contests, the best lifters have gloves to keep their hands warm. I always bring pocket hand warmers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mac Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 (edited) On the odd occasion these days I go for a serious gripper workout my warm up usually consists of washing the dishes. Edited January 1, 2009 by The Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobsterone Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 In a word - very. I can do some crazy stuff cold when challenged but otherwise like to get prepped. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grippster Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 sadly i don't even warm up at all usually, i haven't really realized any difference if i do or not. you will need to soon - once you start climbing on grippers (even more ) you will notice that a warmup is vital - not just to prevent injury, but to squeeze bigger numbers. Eric and I always warmup - I used to think I needed to be "fresh" to get my best squeeze (wich was true for a little while) but now I can't get near the number that I can w/a warmup. Aaron, Rex and Ryan have all explained to me in detail that you need to get your CNS firing (central nervous system) before you can really start performing at your potential. I can't explain this nearly as well as any of those guys, but when they were explaining it - it clicked/made total sense. Maybe one of them can jump in and get all scientific on our @$$es yea that's kind of what I thought too, the "being fresh" part. But I've decided to do grippers on the days I do heavy cardio. That way I don't risk overtraining b/c I only doing 2 hour cardio workouts twice a week and my body will be nice and warm. You know, hands are like a diesel engine. Gutless when cold, makes funny noises, more easily damaged when cold... lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ox3782 Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 Considering Brendan (I think? correct me if I'm wrong on anything) tore a tendon in his hand from doing cold attempts on his #3 a while ago it's VERY important to me, enough said. Yes this is correct.It was my ring finger tendon it took a long time to heal,Warmups and extensor training have kept that from happening again and hopefully will continue to.Also like Paul and others have said you can definatley pull way harder with a warm hand my Dyno #s are 175 cold and 230 warm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grippster Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 Holy crap man!^ Well that explains why some days I couldn't even do 1 with the 300 and others I could do like 5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Mathison Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 warm up your body and your hands will follow and will be fresh too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pancake Sprawl Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 sadly i don't even warm up at all usually, i haven't really realized any difference if i do or not. you will need to soon - once you start climbing on grippers (even more ) you will notice that a warmup is vital - not just to prevent injury, but to squeeze bigger numbers. Eric and I always warmup - I used to think I needed to be "fresh" to get my best squeeze (wich was true for a little while) but now I can't get near the number that I can w/a warmup. Aaron, Rex and Ryan have all explained to me in detail that you need to get your CNS firing (central nervous system) before you can really start performing at your potential. I can't explain this nearly as well as any of those guys, but when they were explaining it - it clicked/made total sense. Maybe one of them can jump in and get all scientific on our @$$es yea that's kind of what I thought too, the "being fresh" part. But I've decided to do grippers on the days I do heavy cardio. That way I don't risk overtraining b/c I only doing 2 hour cardio workouts twice a week and my body will be nice and warm. You know, hands are like a diesel engine. Gutless when cold, makes funny noises, more easily damaged when cold... lol the way you and Paul said you have to "be fresh" is/was the same type of thinking i had, i didn't want to waste my energy on doing warm ups, but i can see how it will help because when i first started doing grippers i used to sleep with my hands in 4-5 socks to keep them warm and when i woke up my hands always felt great. i can also see maybe this is why i'm getting tendonitis more often. i will have to put this into my training asap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grippster Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 Trust me you don't want tendinitis. If you hurt it by accident when it's already injured the damage goes deeper and takes longer and longer to heal. It's been 2 months for me. Tendinitis is wickedly unfair for people that strength train. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wes Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I don't really warm up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukeamdman Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I do a couple of sets of 10 reps on an easy gripper, and then one rep on something semi-difficult before attempting max. Same goes for weight lifting. Lately I've been doing some light bench press before grip workouts. Works great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meelhama Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 Nolan Ryan use to warm up by playing catch in the outfield starting at 10 feet and then working up to foul pole to foul pole. I know I missed my BBSM for weeks until I did a few work sets with a modified #2. I came back to the BBSM for kicks and closed it easily. I have to warm up. I'd rather warm up too much and not be fresh for the biggest attempt than to not warm up can get injured. If you miss an attempt, there is always the next workout. If you get injured, it may take months to workout hard again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Moyers Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I tried my RB240N cold two nights ago and missed it. I warmed up with 10 singles on a #1, 1 single on a #1.5 and some extensor work today and closed the 240N for 2 singles for the first time. I will always warm up from now on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d.sides Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I usually do my kettlebell workout first, then grip. I have tried bending cold and not nearly as good (relatively speaking) as when warmed up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MalachiMcMullen Posted January 2, 2009 Share Posted January 2, 2009 I always warm up and quite often not enough. When it comes to bending, I usually just attempt a new PR bend cold(but with a bit of time beforehand where I wrap the bar up and my blood gets pumping in anticipation). Otherwise, I like to do similar movements as a warmup to the primary movement. I think I've noticed a shift in my training too. When I started out 2 or 3 years ago, I could go for a max in my bench or squat on a whim. Now I have to warm up. It's not the weights I'm using, they aren't big by any means, it's technique. If I lose the groove in any of my lifts, I almost always fail. That explains, at least partly, why I could go for a max as I could while still a beginner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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