Apparently I'm Weak As A Wet Noodle In The Close

[MVillani1985]

I have been grip training for a good while, so I know a lot of the things that stump newbies to the grip world. I know how to set a gripper, how to do negatives, how to overcrush, how to find the dogleg (I have most doglegs memorized in my grippers by now), the importance of training upside down grippers from time to time, and many other things, but there is one problem plaguing me - with my right hand, the closing portion of the gripper is as weak as a wet noodle, especially with the #3 making me feel like a real chickenbull (the word "chickenbull" is a slang term that means someone who looks strong but really isn't, to clarify for those unfamiliar, it's a rural type term, as I live not too far from rural folk, a city of 82,000 surrounded by woods and tiny towns, but I love it here, now back on topic). Because of this, I've developed even more appreciation for anyone who can MMS close a #4. My left hand proportionately is better with the close than my left, but not overall (as I can't quite close the BBSM with my left while I can close the BBGM with my right and I'm usually 1/16" or so from the #3 each attempt, I attempt it once or twice a week on average). My best effort was 1 mm, but consistently I miss it by between 1/8" and 1 mm, usually 2 mm to 1/16", meaning almost closed, but I can still always see that TINY crack between the handles.

Here's what's especially frustrating - I can close the BeefBuilder Super Master very easily, not even needing an MMS, I can actually close it easily with an intermediate set and still get it most of the time with a CCS-width close (I call it a "shallow set" because there's no credit card, but it's the same width, maybe a little wider even), and it is considered common knowledge that the BBSM is a 2.6 in comparision to an average #3, while compared to my #3 (essentially equal to the MM1 due to its mounting and wide spread) it's a 2.4. But still, I should not have this problem. I don't know how much easier the average Grand Master is than the #3, but I have a slightly easy BBGM, and I can close that on command with my right hand (compared to my #3 it's about a 2.6 or 2.7, a step harder than the BBSM but compared to most #3's it would be a 2.8 or 2.9 I suppose). This frustration with my #3 is getting ridiculous, every week it's the same thing, I hope to close it, but I can't. And on a less important note, someone I'm having a contest with who is working on the BeefBuilder Master (our agreement was that whoever gets to their goal gripper first wins, mine is the #3, that person's is the BB Master, which is a 1.8 or 1.9), and although I had a huge lead for awhile, that other person might be gaining ground and could possibly win. But that's the least of my worries, I want to close that #3 and I want to close it before my birthday, which is May 22, back in March it seemed like an easy goal, as I was only 3/16 from closing the #3, but now it seems miles away, since I'm only doing slightly better.

So, my question is, how can I get stronger with the close? I train a lot of things other than grippers, so I was thinking that perhaps all I can do is train with an IMTUG the lower fingers constantly and just hope for a miracle or something. That last millimeter is the worst. Is it normal to be able to close a gripper that isn't that much weaker, a BB Super Master with a very wide barely-a-set set and overcrush it, do as many reps as I want with the #2, and even close the BB Grand Master without an MMS, yet not even be able to close the #3 WITH an MMS? Or am I just extraordinarly weak in the close? Or, am I perhaps overthinking this whole thing and will eventually find that this problem will actually end up solving itself in time?

Edited May 4, 2010 by MVillani1985

[Malice]

The 2 things I've found that have helped me most with the close is using a choker on my goal gripper and choking it down to parallel and bumping it if needed. Also I take a 5/8" handle or filed gripper that I can close and do 3-5 reps where I mash it shut then barely let the handles come apart and mash them back together again.

My close sucked too until I started doing these and now close isn't a problem.

[MVillani1985]

Thanks for the advice. I don't want to file down my old grippers, since if I train somebody, I'll have to buy a whole new set, but I love the idea of the 5/8" gripper. For me, what gripper should I probably get in 5/8" from BeefBuilder or 16mm if I get from Baraban? I'm thinking a Master and a Super Master, or should I also get a Grand Master that has 5/8" handles?

[glengoodwin]

the tiny handles make them quite a bit more difficult as its not just the distance but they slide easier they would be good but i woudlnt suggest a grand master, unless its something u can do full close negatives with. i think the 5/8 sm would b good

[chop163]

My sweep has always been a lot stronger than the close, when my max was a 137lb BBSM, I could easily set and start to move my 209lb #4. I was stuck for a long time just shy of closing a #3, but within about half a year of switching from full range reps to micro reps, I'm consistently closing grippers in a 155-160lb range. Hope that helps

[Bearcat 74]

Beyond the range strapholds with a thin strap

[Oak_]

I can't really help you much with your question, but I just wanted to add that your goals list is awesome. I need to update mine to look a little better I think. I wish you the best luck in accomplishing them all this year!

[MANTHOS]

Maybe your #3 is a very hard one, above 155 or even above 160! I have a #3 that is easier than my GM and another #3 that is harder, you never exactly know about grippers until you calibrate them I guess... I would say to buy or borrow another #3 or two and see what happens.

[MVillani1985]

Maybe your #3 is a very hard one, above 155 or even above 160! I have a #3 that is easier than my GM and another #3 that is harder, you never exactly know about grippers until you calibrate them I guess... I would say to buy or borrow another #3 or two and see what happens.

Well, my #3 is definitely a super hard one, so it might not be that I have a wet noodle grip. Afterall, I can close the BB Super Master with the set Joe Kinney used to close the #4 and then grind the handles a little even, but closing that #3 is a different animal. My #3 might be about 160-165 or so, I say that because I've been able to close my slightly easy, but not ridiculously easy Grand Master for a couple months, but my #3 I can't get shut. I ordered an MM1 replica from Wade and I can set and shut the MM1 replica no problem, at least 1 out of 3 times, and if I don't shut it, there's only a piece of paper's width between the handles. However, that #3, most workouts leave me getting it down to 2 mm or 1/16" on my best attempt, 1 mm if I'm lucky. Here's a description of my #3: 3 3/16" width (after measuring it, it's even wider than I thought), slightly below flush mounting, chrome handle, it's so wide that it's almost impossible to set (sometimes I can't even fully set the thing). My #4 is the same way, 3 1/8" wide, below flush mounting, so if I close that thing someday, I'll be a true legend. Here's a comparision of how my BB grippers (mostly average or just off average for their make) stack up to my Ironmind grippers. I have an average #1, a slightly above average but sane #2, and a crazy #3 and #4.

Standard BB Super Advanced - 1.3

Slightly hard BB Master - 1.8

Standard BB Super Master - 2.3

Slightly easy BB Grand Master - 2.6

Mash Monster 1 Replica from Wade - 2.9

Standard BB Elite - 3.1

Standard BB Super Elite - 3.4

Standard BB Grand Elite - 3.7

Those numbers, I know from Gripboard's lists are atypical to put it mildly, but remember those are in comparision to MY Ironmind grippers. I know that a Super Advanced is usually a 1.5, but mine's like a hard #1, and my Master is like a very easy #2, and a Super Master is a 2.6 typically, but mine feels like a very hard #2, not even a gripper a whole level above it, my Grand Master feels like a 2.5, while my MM1 replica feels like an easy #3, even though I know the MM1 is supposed to be substantially harder than the #3. My Elite feels like my #3, the sweep is much easier actually, but the close is a little harder (I can almost close my Elite as well, missing it by 1/4"), and finally my #4 feels worlds different than my Grand Elite. Let's put it this way, the leap from my #4 to the Pro for chest crushing, although a big change, was not all that bad.

Once again everyone, thanks for all the advice, it's much appreicated. I'm starting to go crazy from trying to close that #3. I've just now hoseclamped it, hope that helps me (but I hope it doesn't damage the integrity of the gripper to do so, if it does, I'll take the hose clamp off, because I want to keep my #3 legendarily hard).