Okay...thoughts On A Newbie Putting On A Grip Comp.

[James Retarides]

Greetings strong-handed ones, I have been tossing this idea around with Bob "Odin" Sundin and wanted to get some opinions from everyone. I have never put on a grip competition but I am seriously considering doing one in conjunction with the Southeast Armwrestling Challenge (SEAC) November 7th in Charlotte, NC. I know there are serious issues regarding calibration and such so

I need to know A) what I would need to do/have for the competition. B) what type of events (I.E. Rolling Thunder, #3 gripper, 28-lb shot, blob, plate pinching). C) if combining armwrestling and grip comps is a good idea. I personally think it could bring a lot of grip guys to armwrestling and a lot of armwrestlers to grip. D) If so, what is customary, entry fees? Trophies? Cash awards? I seriously want to turn the SEAC into a strength event and get the public to watch in awe and give the respect real strength athletes deserve.

Who's with ME?!?

Sorry, I just had an Animal House moment.

[MalachiMcMullen]

A- #1- Try to get someone whose held a competition to help you out personally, short of that, attend grip contests as often as possible to get a feel for the way others work.

#2- Calibrated plates, post office quality scales only. No bathroom scale is accurate enough... unless you happen to use a post office scale in your bathroom.

#3- Post a thread on the board here about it, contest info and such.

B- If you hold it in conjunction with an AW tourney, no particular events will make them compete, they'll just show. If you want some grip guys there to help fill out the field and show some AWers what's what, try to pick popular events. Bob could certainly help you pick those out. Things like 2" Vbar, DO Axle deadlifts, 2HP, grippers, etc. Try to have a few events that aren't handsize dependant. So don't have nothing but thickbar and wide pinches, etc. Ultimately, the events are up to you but off-the-wall events might scare some people off and not just grip guys. I doubt guys with an AW tourney the same day will want to do any sledge levers or Axle cleans, that kind of thing.

C- I think it would be. The two seem to compliment eachother very well. AWing takes a good grip and a better wrist so both sides of the coin will be happy I think.

D- Again, the fees are up to you in the end, but too high an entry fee will keep people away. There isn't really a traditional fee to speak of, just make it what you need to cover your expenses. There aren't all that great a prize packages or trophies in grip, but they are getting much better all the time. I think a cash prize would get more AWer's attention and ideally you would want a prize/trophy comparable to the AW tourny, but that probably wont happen. To make up for that, I might try to be more unique in my trophy choices. Something to think about are things like steel scrolls, items destroyed by some of the top guy's grips(pliars, horeshoes, bends, rolled pans, etc), or gift certificates to companies like FBBC or IM. For a competiton like the one you propose, I think giving something out as a prize that the non-grip guys could use to train grip would be neat. So grippers, loadable hammers, an axle, DB handles, etc. Just something they can use to train their grip in some manner, doesn't have to be big.

The beauty of grip contests is that they are cheap to put on, especially if you have a venue already, and are loads of fun. I have no idea how big the SEAC is, so I apologize if it's huge and I'm unaware, but if it's big enough, you could set out a grip gauntlet-esque challenge for spectators to try for free. Try to make it more than just the GNC grip gauntlet events.

One more thing, if you want the events to be spectator friendly but still present a genuine grip contest, try to pick the bigger weight events. Things like the DO axle, 2HP(the proper device, Scott G. could hook you up I'm sure), loading medleys, sledge levers(perhaps let people know the force in lbs/inch on the wrist for a given weight during the event) and bending are all pretty visual events that I think spectators could get into.

Most of all, GOOD LUCK JAMES!!! I held my first contest last year and it was great fun. Little more than a formal get-together with set events, but a contest nonetheless.

[odin]

Great post Zach!

James, Scott helped host GGC a few years ago, so he can answer most of your questions.

With a lot of first-timers, grippers in chokers would be a good way for them to get interested because they won't need to fumble with the set, they'll be able to get the feeling of a bigger gripper close, and judging is much easier (don't have to watch for set depth or pause). We can test Paul Walther and a couple other guys without much gripper experience on choked and unchoked grippers to see their performance and reaction.

We have a Euro-pinch available, so that can be an event and it may draw some of the regular competitors who want to make the 2HP top 50 list. As Zach said, weights would need to be calibrated. I know of at least one post office with a scale and unattended lobby that is always or nearly always open, I could take a couple plates there every week.

I think the Rolling Thunder would appeal to arm wrestlers. We could do it regular as a thickbar event or thumbless as a wrist event and use axle as our thickbar event.

Here's a couple potential lists of events:

1. Calibrated Grippers in Chokers (crush)

2. Euro-pinch (pinch)

3. Rolling Thunder (supporting/thickbar)

4. Weaver Stick (wrist)

I thought it was weird before I saw it in competition at Gripmas, but Weaver Stick turned out to be a real crowd- pleaser

OR

1. Calibrated Grippers in Chokers (crush)

2. Euro-pinch (pinch)

3. Axle DL (supporting/thickbar)

4. Thumbless Rolling Thunder (wrist)

We could also have a medley at the end with a variety of items. Having any kind of audience for the after-the-contest feats would be fun for all (usually guys try to get a personal best in some type of grip-related feat, including bending, horseshoes, phone books, big DBs, etc. after the contest events are done). This is as fun or more fun for some than the contest itself.

I like the LW and open (+209) classes we had at Gripmas.

James, we can try setting up some scenarios at practice and see what the AW guys think of the events, should be a blast! I'm really excited about Extreme Ice wanting to support AW and grip.

I work for the Urban Ministry Center (soup kitchen and homeless/poor assistance) in Charlotte and help run its treatment program (SABER). We have some "development" people here who could help generate more interest for the event(s) if there was also some sort of fund raising element in it for them (that is what they do after all, promote events and raise money). It would likely generate some interest from our board of directors if one of their staff members was also a contestant!

Edited March 30, 2009 by odin

[nickr104]

Scott George would be a good guy to talk to about it and maybe Anson.

[James Retarides]

Very, very grateful for the responses. I don't think I have ever gotten such incredibly detailed feedback on a message board. Thank you very much Zach and Bob. If we can get this together, I wouldn't mind at all, if we did not make a dime off of this event.

Zach, this is the first SEAC, hopefully of many. I have been putting on AW tournaments on and off since 1999 and envision more than just a tournament. I want it to be a blast, just strength in every direction.

As for the weight classes, I am not trying to reinvent the wheel. Whatever you guys think is okay by me.

Thanks Nick, Scott should be by to train this Saturday, hopefully we can all put our heads together on this and make it something special, an annual thing.

[Bob Lipinski]

James,

Unless you have lots of experienced help, I'd go simple your first time around. You'll be feeling your way through it, so less variables=less things that can go wrong.

If your target audience is non-grip freaks, I would make the events things they would be familiar with. Ironmind products are popular. Sledgehammers might be good with the armwrestling crowd, etc.

As far as calibrating everything, if you want the headache or have the help, go for it. Again, I would think about your audience and goals here. If you are catering to the grip guy crowd, calibrate everything and make sure you use "approved" equipment. If you are trying to draw the armwrestler guys in, I would go more casual.

Again, let me emphasize- Unless you have experienced help that you can count on, keep it simple! As some of the other guys can tell you, getting a contest together can be exhausting. The more you have to do the more worries you have, and after a tough effort I usually think "Never again" at least till my next day hangover is finished. My first few comps were relatively casual affairs, which kept me motivated and let my learning curve keep pace with my motivation.

[climber511]

I'll pretty much second what everyone has said. I remember when Jedd told me he spent 3 months getting ready for GGC and I thought he was nuts. And then I started holding The Gripmas Carol and at the end decided 4 months was barely enough. Just kidding but to do it right is a heck of a lot of work. First decide what you want - a serious grip contest for the grip crowd or a mixed group of a few grip guys and your AW buddies (where it sounds like you're aiming). If you want grip guys to participate, you will need to get your plates weighed - no one wants to pull a PR or record of some kind and not have it count. It's a pain but not as big a deal as people seem to make it - it's just work and only needs done once - I would recommend doing it. With calibrated plates, you may need a loading chart to assure even loading on things like 2HP and you need it before the meet, not trying to figure it all out on the fly that day. Keep the events low skill I think, as others have said. You already have the venue, and I assume a room or an area in which to hold it. You'll need floor protection and the events will determine how much area you need. A score keeping system of course also - talk to Bob and Scott about the different methods. Whichever way you go, keeping score on a laptop and projecting it on a screen or wall is a good idea - both for the competitors to figure strategy and for the crowd to keep up with what's happening. If you decide on Gripbash scoring I will send you a program to use free. We are working on one for Strongman scoring but it's isn't done yet. I assume food is already available there. Trophies - can be pretty much anything of course but in grip, unusual seems to be the usual. The 3' tall plastic stuff I haven't seen at a grip contest yet. You will need twice as much help as you think - always. Grip guys are great at jumping in to help load etc and I'm sure the AW guys would be if they knew what needed done, which they won't at this first meet. Get your information out as far ahead as you can, the biggest reason people don't show up is not being able to schedule the time off - next is not liking the choice of events and rules. You have a couple great resources in Bob and Scott - they have been to quite a few contests and have put on a few as well. You'll be fine!

[James Retarides]

Thanks and I am definitely not underestimating the work put it. I figure I have until November to get all the logistics down. This is not just an event I want to organize for armwrestlers. I would like to draw guys from the grip world. I find grip to be a very specialized and impressive strength. I want to give grip guys a stage and a platform to showcase their talents, one they deserve. I know, right now it is just an armwrestling event but I know we can make it more.

I want this to be an annual event and so does the venue, so I want to do it right the first time and better every time after. I have been in correspondence with someone that runs power-lifting events and eventually want to incorporate all three specialties into one strength event. Powerlifting, grip and armwrestling...I think that would draw a whole bunch of interest. My biggest concern is that I want the support of the grip world. I have been in armwrestling long enough to know that when a newbie tries to put on an event the pullers are skeptical. Hopefully Bob and Scott will give the event some credibility. I plan on splitting the entries with them for their efforts in organizing the event.

If nothing else, it is a grip event in NC, and I am not aware of any others. Again, thanks again for the responses, they have been very helpful.

[MalachiMcMullen]

Thanks and I am definitely not underestimating the work put it. I figure I have until November to get all the logistics down. This is not just an event I want to organize for armwrestlers. I would like to draw guys from the grip world. I find grip to be a very specialized and impressive strength. I want to give grip guys a stage and a platform to showcase their talents, one they deserve. I know, right now it is just an armwrestling event but I know we can make it more.

I want this to be an annual event and so does the venue, so I want to do it right the first time and better every time after. I have been in correspondence with someone that runs power-lifting events and eventually want to incorporate all three specialties into one strength event. Powerlifting, grip and armwrestling...I think that would draw a whole bunch of interest. My biggest concern is that I want the support of the grip world. I have been in armwrestling long enough to know that when a newbie tries to put on an event the pullers are skeptical. Hopefully Bob and Scott will give the event some credibility. I plan on splitting the entries with them for their efforts in organizing the event.

If nothing else, it is a grip event in NC, and I am not aware of any others. Again, thanks again for the responses, they have been very helpful.

I don't think you'll have trouble getting the gripworld behind you on this one. I might have to find away to get passed those god-awful Appalachians to come out and compete :rock (seriously, driving through those mountains SUCKS)

[jad]

Frankly, I'm pretty excited about the potential cross-sport participation this event could bring! From what I've read on the NE AW board, James is a top-notch promoter so this thing should be pretty good. If this event is a one day thing vs. a multi, like the Arnold, I think it will be difficult to convince AWs to trash their grip before pulling and afterwards they'll likely be too blown out for anything serious, so maybe a gauntlet type thing would be best. I guess it's like others have said; decide whether the target audience for the grip portion is grip guys or AWs and go from there.

For a first time contest geared towards increasing participation:

a dyno might be the best crush event: you could flash the poundage on a projector and/or have the announcer blare it out and dyno poundage is something most people can relate to vs. the calibrated poundage of said gripper

Pinch medley (blobs, thin pinch, anvils, etc..): very visual and you don't have to fool with calibrating weights

Front sledge lever with a coin on the head; must load it to said platform without coin falling off. Biggest hammer wins. I would think this would appeal to top rollers.

Thumbless RT: not a fan of handsize events myself, but it seems like every AW and their brother has one of these and if you go thumbless, it's not official so there's no reason to hassle around with trying to calibrate weights

[James Retarides]

Frankly, I'm pretty excited about the potential cross-sport participation this event could bring! From what I've read on the NE AW board, James is a top-notch promoter so this thing should be pretty good. If this event is a one day thing vs. a multi, like the Arnold, I think it will be difficult to convince AWs to trash their grip before pulling and afterwards they'll likely be too blown out for anything serious, so maybe a gauntlet type thing would be best. I guess it's like others have said; decide whether the target audience for the grip portion is grip guys or AWs and go from there.

For a first time contest geared towards increasing participation:

a dyno might be the best crush event: you could flash the poundage on a projector and/or have the announcer blare it out and dyno poundage is something most people can relate to vs. the calibrated poundage of said gripper

Pinch medley (blobs, thin pinch, anvils, etc..): very visual and you don't have to fool with calibrating weights

Front sledge lever with a coin on the head; must load it to said platform without coin falling off. Biggest hammer wins. I would think this would appeal to top rollers.

Thumbless RT: not a fan of handsize events myself, but it seems like every AW and their brother has one of these and if you go thumbless, it's not official so there's no reason to hassle around with trying to calibrate weights

Thank you Josh and Zach. I would love to have you come down to participate. If you guys are certain that the grip athletes would support it, consider it a done deal. I will be speaking with venue management this week an I will take your suggestions with me.

Whatever they are open to (and I suspect they will be completely supportive) we will set in motion. The date is set, November 7! I will get more info posted as soon as I can.

Bob, when is a good time to call?

[Bob Lipinski]

It sounds like you have more than enough help, but any questions feel free to PM me.

With the sparse amount of comps around the country, I think you'd get a good grip guy turnout no matter what the events. My only recommendation would be to avoid the Euro pinch your first time out- Switching the sizes etc. can be a pain in the ass. On the flip side, you may get some commitments from guys that will promise to help if you have the Euro pinch there.

Bob and Scott are good guys. You should have plenty of help.

[James Retarides]

Thanks Bob, I appreciate the support.

I should have more info by the end of the day.

[James Retarides]

Just an update, we are a go for November 7. The venue management seemed very excited about having a grip competition there. Here goes nuthin!]

[madss]

This sounds very promising! I can help out work out the logistics of the grip contest. I personal think they are easy to organize, the hard part is competing against these freaks .

Also I have about 400 lbs of calibrated plates(via friendly post man) so depending on events we may be close. We can discuss this on sat.

Edited April 1, 2009 by madss

[James Retarides]

Thanks Scott! Now I am all amped up!!!

[madss]

As a newbie armwrestler I don't think I'll be able to do both. way to much for the elbows.

[James Retarides]

As a newbie armwrestler I don't think I'll be able to do both. way to much for the elbows.

LOL...and the wrists...and the thumb I talked to Rob V. last night on phone. He'll be there pulling a supermatch with Dave Chaffee. But I am pretty sure we can convince him to blast his hands afterwards.

[climber511]

It sounds like you can get more AW's to try it if it's held after their matches - maybe hold it later in the day?

[James Retarides]

That's the plan. We would probably hold the aw tournament from noon to about 6pm and then start the grip competition afterwards. I know a few that would give it a try.

[odin]

That's the plan. We would probably hold the aw tournament from noon to about 6pm and then start the grip competition afterwards. I know a few that would give it a try.

Sounds good to me, I like the late start. James, I should be home after 5:30 if you want to talk.