Negatives

[nostyle126]

I've been trying to use negatives in my routine, but it seems like the gap between a gripper I can currently close and the next level up is too great to get much out of negatives. Any tips on doing more controlled negatives?

Thanks.

[gerryg]

What gripper can you close now, what is your goal gripper, and what is your negative gripper? Check out the extended handle Beef Builder grippers for negatives sold at The Gripper Super Store.

[tja]

I never got much out of negatives, but if they work for you, maybe just buy different brand grippers that are in between. Or file your easier gripper.

[Bill Piche]

I never got much out of negatives, but if they work for you, maybe just buy different brand grippers that are in between. Or file your easier gripper.

Then you have not done them correctly.

[Cannon]

I've been trying to use negatives in my routine, but it seems like the gap between a gripper I can currently close and the next level up is too great to get much out of negatives. Any tips on doing more controlled negatives?

Thanks.

Try doing them from a choker. Takes some of the setting difficulty out of the equation and you can start with a better hand on the gripper.

[tja]

I never got much out of negatives, but if they work for you, maybe just buy different brand grippers that are in between. Or file your easier gripper.

Then you have not done them correctly.

Of course it's possible However, I have found out that if I work with too much intensity, my weight training progress stalls. Not just grippers.

Edited July 27, 2010 by tja

[astrojetred]

I've been trying to use negatives in my routine, but it seems like the gap between a gripper I can currently close and the next level up is too great to get much out of negatives. Any tips on doing more controlled negatives?

Thanks.

Negatives work. Check your diet, too. Make sure you are getting your protein. Remember, they are still muscles, and need to recover. A muscle can take up to 5 days to recover, so make sure you are giving it a chance to, by resting and feeding it what needs.

I never got much out of negatives, but if they work for you, maybe just buy different brand grippers that are in between. Or file your easier gripper.

No use in spending extra money, unless you like having the grippers. And filing can be dangerous; the spring is not meant to bend past the handle, and may break.

Try doing them from a choker. Takes some of the setting difficulty out of the equation and you can start with a better hand on the gripper.

Where's the fun in that? Anything that is hard, can become easy. Might as well take it as extra training. This isn't a race, in my book. Sure, it would be nice to have "Took only 4 months to close the #3" in your sig, but I believe it's about enjoying the process, the journey, not the destination.

[Geralt]

Hey, the choker idea is good in my opinion. Takes away the stress of the set, makes it easier to mash it shut against your leg.

If you´ve got the money, maybe an adjustable gripper (pick one) is also very good for making progress.

I´ve made my own ´negative machine´, maybe an idea? I put an thin iron bar (gripperhandle thickness) over two squat stands, so it rests at

about kneeheight. Than i use a loadingpin under it with a certain weight. I´ve made a handle from the same (hollow ironbar) about handsize length and

put a steelcable wire loop trough it. Attach it to the loading pin, put your hand over restingbar and grab the handle. Distance about the same as an open gripper.

Now squeeze. I assist with my free hand to close it shut when using heavy weights, and thus try to keep it shut. Presto, negatives. Cost me a few euro´s.

This idea together with an adjustable gripper (did not cost a few euro´s ) helped me in my opinion to get my chokered #3 closed a few times.

Don´t now if my description gives you an idea, otherwise i´ll make a photo.

Good luck mate.

Edited July 28, 2010 by Geralt

[Cannon]

Try doing them from a choker. Takes some of the setting difficulty out of the equation and you can start with a better hand on the gripper.

Where's the fun in that? Anything that is hard, can become easy. Might as well take it as extra training. This isn't a race, in my book. Sure, it would be nice to have "Took only 4 months to close the #3" in your sig, but I believe it's about enjoying the process, the journey, not the destination.

The value of a negative is in the quality of the attempt. There is a difference between something being hard and something being useful. In my opinion, in order for a negative to be useful, you have to make the handles touch initially, and the handles shouldn't pop open more than about 1/4". Less would be better. Make no mistake; there should be nothing easy or pleasant about doing a negative this way. If the gripper is too heavy to do it right, you can put it in a choker until you get stronger. This isn't anything about trying to take shortcuts, it's just smart training using what you already have.

Also, what about filed grippers breaking? Did this happen to you or something? Most of my grippers are filed, and they see a lot of use, and none of them have broken. I also feel that stories about ANY gripper breaking are few and far between, and the ones I've heard about were not filed grippers.

[astrojetred]

Honesty, it was in a few articles I read a while back. It has not happened to me. A spring is can be very dangerous at these levels. A lot of people file, and the risk is low. No harm in being informed.

I have a super hard #2, and my #3 is pretty hard, too. I can tns my buddy's #2 with my left, and I can only close my #2 with a deep set on a good day, lefty. This guy may have a really easy gripper A, and an fairly difficult gripper B. In that case, there's not much you can do with out doing the above, or just being patient with your negatives progress.

[Cannon]

A spring is can be very dangerous at these levels. A lot of people file, and the risk is low. No harm in being informed.

What about the 5/8" grippers? Same springs, but it's like you filed 1/4" off one of the handles. Are they dangerous by design?

[mbcx6pmw]

The stress on the spring will be a bit higher, so in that sense the risk of breakage would increase slightly. However, the main factor which could cause spring failure is fatigue due to doing tons of reps, since we're mainly talking about grippers for doing singles here, the risk is very low.

[astrojetred]

Well, here's some information for you. Take what you want from it

"Filing a gripper voids the warranty of all gripper manufacturers as it increases the possibility of the gripper spring breaking. Caution should be used when working beyond the range with filed grippers."

Source : http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=cache:pM6V6WHS8KYJ:www.gripfaq.com/hand_grippers/

[OTTOEMEZZO]

Hey Puller,

I respectfully disagree about using chokers for negatives. I believe it to be very effective. You can start the negative at a much more closed position and get the most out of the most difficult part of the gripper, without wasting energy on the full close. Kinney focused on a similar idea by mostly working the last part of the grippers.

[Shoggoth]

I think working on setting the heavier grippers (without a choker) for negatives is what vastly increased my ability to properly set a goal gripper IMO.

[IROC-Z]

I think working on setting the heavier grippers (without a choker) for negatives is what vastly increased my ability to properly set a goal gripper IMO.

Definitely. Doing negatives with a 3.5 over an extended period of time, will make setting a #3 seem like a piece of cake.

As far as springs breaking on filed grippers.......I don't believe they are any more likely to break than a spring on a gripper that has not been filed. I have a 2.5 that I've filed down to the point where less than half of the bottom of the handle remains, and this gripper has thousands of closes on it - and it works just as good as the day it was brand new.

[astrojetred]

I understand both sides, but one grippers performance is but a fraction of a possibility, when speaking of grippers in general. One gripper can not speak for every gripper.

Just because one gripper was filed to a razors edge, and closed 1000 times a day, doesn't mean they are all capable of the same stress.

Again, it was just information. And I hope you all share the same info to anyone considering filing, whether it's likely or not.

[naturalstrength]

I had a hoseclamp bust on my 2.5 coc a few weeks ago. Fortunately it was in my desk drawer when the chocker broke, otherwise it could have been ugly. I agree with

puller, just be cautious when training, that's all he's trying to say.

[OTTOEMEZZO]

naturalstrength,

Did the hose clamp slip or did it break? What was the spread between the handles when choked? Just curious, since I am implementing alot of choker work in my work outs.

[naturalstrength]

naturalstrength,

Did the hose clamp slip or did it break? What was the spread between the handles when choked? Just curious, since I am implementing alot of choker work in my work outs.

The hoseclamp snapped at the opposite side of the screw. It was a heavy duty clamp I bought at Home depot. I have a similar hoseclamp on my Coc 3#, and so far no problems. The spread on the handles is just under 1".

[Malice]

Everyone always talks about filing the handle on the gripper to make it harder to close yada yada yada, etc . The way I see it, the goal is to close the gripper not make it harder and therefore take longer to close. I don't file handles on grippers, I file the top of the spring until it's flat. For one it achieves my goal of making it EASIER to close which is everyone's goal when they get a gripper . Plus it makes it easier to do a TNS when you can stand the gripper up on the spring with the handles pointing up...just grab it and squeeze. Besides I haven't heard anything about filing the SPRING voiding the warranty so if it breaks just clean yourself up, send it back to the manufacturer and get your new gripper

[astrojetred]

This what I'm talking about! This guys gets it.

Lol.

Everyone always talks about filing the handle on the gripper to make it harder to close yada yada yada, etc . The way I see it, the goal is to close the gripper not make it harder and therefore take longer to close. I don't file handles on grippers, I file the top of the spring until it's flat. For one it achieves my goal of making it EASIER to close which is everyone's goal when they get a gripper . Plus it makes it easier to do a TNS when you can stand the gripper up on the spring with the handles pointing up...just grab it and squeeze. Besides I haven't heard anything about filing the SPRING voiding the warranty so if it breaks just clean yourself up, send it back to the manufacturer and get your new gripper

[mightyjoe]

Everyone always talks about filing the handle on the gripper to make it harder to close yada yada yada, etc . The way I see it, the goal is to close the gripper not make it harder and therefore take longer to close. I don't file handles on grippers, I file the top of the spring until it's flat. For one it achieves my goal of making it EASIER to close which is everyone's goal when they get a gripper . Plus it makes it easier to do a TNS when you can stand the gripper up on the spring with the handles pointing up...just grab it and squeeze. Besides I haven't heard anything about filing the SPRING voiding the warranty so if it breaks just clean yourself up, send it back to the manufacturer and get your new gripper

In my 20+ years of involvement with hand grippers I've never hear of

filing the top of the spring to make it easier. Obviously it will become easier

but I don't quite follow the logic.

It's my understanding that progress to a stronger grip should be forward not

backwards. For example, if you take a #2 gripper and you can't close it. Now,

you file down the top of the spring to make it easier. Okay, now I can shut it so I'll move

on to the #2.5 and so forth. Makes no sense!

The way I see it you never did close the #2 in the first place because you made it less than

a #2. This is backwards progression. I'm interested in forward progression, not backwards.

If I'm missing the boat here someone please interject and straighten me out PLEASE.

This is the craziest thing I've ever heard as far as trying to make progress. Not to mention

the gripper spring is weaker and subject to break for sure.

I'm all ears on this one!

I was once told: "It's not how long you've been involved in something,

it's what you pick up along the way."

Edited August 1, 2010 by Mighty Joe

[Cannon]

Whoopsie Joe. He was totally kidding.

[Malice]

Whoopsie Joe. He was totally kidding.

+1