Your Number One Grip Goal For 2003

[The Mac]

Tom,

What's your current best strapless partial deadlift?

Thanks in advance.

[EricMilfeld]

First and foremost I want to close the number 3, and then I'll set my sights on pinching the 2 45's. By the way, though grip has never been an issue with my deadlifts, my deads do feel lighter since I've started grip training.

My best wishes for all of us making our goals!

[Tom of Iowa2]

The Mac,

Wow..i sort of made a commitment to never talk about my own lifts until I was worthy

Actually i ALWAYS do partial deads with straps.('tests'of the-off the floor deads- without straps though)I do so many other exercises that tax my grip -without straps- that i always use straps on the partial deads and shrugs.I do high pulls,power cleans,trap bar deads,1 arm dumbell rows,seated cable rows,up right rows,HAMMER STRENGTH back machines,chins or lat pull downs,dumbell curls, etc.etc. WITHOUT straps..my hands are fried.PLUS specific grip work...and the grip work is always a lifting style exercise.And I have been trying all sorts of crazy and new Grip lifts........Plier lifts,vertical bar lift,lifts useing 2 inch sissel rope, plus all the 'usual'suspects...

IF I don't have any injuries and IF my progress continues as it has over the last few years I COULD/POSSIBLY hit the projected number above in less than a year..WITH straps. .

I don't want to close this thread but I did go to Mediapolis and close a guys no.2 gripper 4 or 5? reps first time..no practice

I feel more like a reporter.I like to write about what i witness,,not what i do..........

Short story... long?

[Roark]

Wrist curl 300.

[The Mac]

Tom,

No worries about not posting about your current poundages - I have a similar rule myself. I was just trying to collate some more info (see my thread "Partials Deadlift") on partials, and also trying to see where Josh Bigger was as you stated you were currently ahead of him in that lift. I can definitely understand why you only do it strapped - it isn't the same kind of lift otherwise, and is obviously not as helpful in developing full body power. A 815lb 18" lift is a very impressive goal (even strapped) and I wish you the best of luck in obtaining it.

As I do with all the posters on this thread.

[Tom of Iowa2]

Although slightly ahead of Joshon partial deads- at this moment -i would suspect he will reach MY goal before I do. He's low to the ground with loooonnngg arms but does have a less favorable leg to torso ratio.(i've got long legs short torso and average arm length?...he has average leg to torso ratio but has some ape hangers...it won't matter though he's just flat strong..I'll ask him if i can post his goals?)I am also way ahead of him on powercleans and push press -but i have been doing those since highschool and that is more of a skill than 'just' power...

He's got to run into a roadblock sooner or later though....?

[Tom of Iowa2]

the heck with it..I promised(my self)I'd keep these goals private.I guess who cares.Its his wish list.If it happens?fantastic...

I've posted mine here are Josh's:

Pinch 75# with the IM big block

315# on the Rolling Thunder

The Millenium.

Power clean...(more of a Hammer curl) the INCH 172-to the shoulder.

NOT press it..his overhead press WON'T be there in a year.

Close a #4 "and whatever tough grippers there are"

Hold Back 750lbs on the HAMMER STRENGTH gripper

Finger roll/curl a 200lb dumbell

Wrist Roll over 405lbs

525 1 arm Eagle loops

Partial Dead 900

Flip some "damn heavy tire"..."they need to leave the steel wheels in those things"

Non Grip oddball stuff:Single dumbell Tricep extension with a 200(did 175 for 5 the other day..AFTER 2 other tricep exercise)

"I just like handling thoses sons of bitches".

Flat dumbell presses with 187.5's

Trap bar deadlift"WHATEVER we can fit on that sucker"...there are more goals to numerous to list.

Paul..was around Pfister in the early days and used to keep in touch with him..says "in thirty years of lifting,visiting 100's of gyms I'd though I'd seen all the mutants..then along came Phil Pfister......now out of the cornfields and under 6 ft. it's Josh Bigger"

Good comapny.

Time will tell.

WE WILL DOCUMENT THINGS MORE CAREFULLY FROM NOW ON.

[The Mac]

Tom,

I think that may be a good idea, for history's sake.

Also, I would think that anyone who had the power to clean an Inch to the shoulder would probably be able to do something impressive with it overhead.

Edited January 9, 2003 by The Mac

[Tom of Iowa2]

It's the weirdest damn thing he can't overhead press worth a darn.

Ok bencher and that is going up fast, ok with flat dumbells,real strong triceps and close grip bench.40 degree incline is comeing up nicely..(but way below his flat presses)...Overhead he sucks...he's working at it though.

Maybe it's his structure?

[Patrik_F]

For me it is reverse, I am not very good at benching but my overhead strength is much better compared. At one time when I could bench about 110 kgs my seated overhead press was 90 kgs. It must be my long arms.

How is the elbow thing with Josh? I have a similiar problem with my left elbow atm. I have stopped doing some of the exercises that aggrevates it, but I can still do many exercises. What has helped a lot is one of those blue elbow warmers. I have it one about 20 minutes before the workout so that is warm when I start. Its great.

[Tom of Iowa2]

His elbow was diagnosed by a gym rat physician (freeby) as tendonitis.

Probably just from over training.It is sore,pain radiates down towards his hand and sometimes his fingers feel "a little funky".

Along with way too many grip 'stunts'we had been doing them very frequently.We'd think of a new lift or 'test' and then MAX it,build something new then MAX it out,etc. The doc feels that Josh's tendons..despite being very strong are not keeping up with the muscular growth and strength gains....and are also being put under too much strain too fast.His lifts are going UP very fast...this is aggravated further by the grip work and then he works 10-12

hours a day loading/unloading and driving a truck.He also helps his dad on the farm.......so it isn't going away.

He has eliminated 3 exercise that directly aggravate the elbow.There was a curl machine that hurt and doing the double tricep extensions while lying down hurt the elbow.

He has backed off on grip work for a few weeks but WON'T stop lifting weights and CAN'T stop working his job......

He said the doc(and MR.Roark who he met at the snowman)have told him to take 3-4 weeks off of everything.....but with the job and farming thats impossible..

On the upside he said he has got "this tendonitis thing" once a year even before he started lifting..usually job related(last time it was when useing a jack hammer and a sledge hammer)and it just "seems to go away"