Eric Roussin Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 I know it’s several months away, but I wanted to announce that I will be running the Canadian National Hand Strength Challenge in conjunction with the Canadian National Armwrestling Championships the first weekend of September 2011 in Ottawa, Ontario. This will be a medley-type competition, in which competitors will have approximately 5 minutes to lift, bend, tear, or crush as many different objects as possible of the 30-35 that will be on hand. There will be two different divisions, based on hand length (small - up to 7.75 inches, and large - over 7.75 inches). There will be nice awards for the top three competitors in each division. The grip competition will take place during the evening of Sunday, September 4th starting at around 8:30pm (after the conclusion of the armwrestling tournament). The entry fee for the grip challenge will be $20, and registrations will be done that evening at the venue, which is the Albert at Bay Suite Hotel, 435 Albert Street, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The competition is open to all Canadian residents. I expect most competitors to be armwrestlers who have varying degrees of grip strength training under their belt. It will be interesting to see how they do at lifting the Blob, a 150# anvil by the horn, levering sledge hammers, etc. I predict at least 10 people will be able to deadlift the Inch dumbbell. If anyone wants anymore specific information, simply post, send me a PM or call me any evening at 613-837-1724 (Eastern Standard Time). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoggoth Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Please PM me with some more event specifics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted May 31, 2011 Author Share Posted May 31, 2011 The medley feats have been selected for the Canadian National Hand Strength Challenge. Exact weights have not yet been determined for all of the feats, but these will be the 35 challenges: Blob50 COC #3 Pinch 2 45s 150 lb anvil by horn Deck of cards tear Pinch 2 35s Inch Dumbbell 35 lb plate curl 25 lb wide shallow hub lift Pinch 5 10s 35 lb hub lift Phone book tear COC #2 Car battery pinch lift 10 lb rear sledge lever (coin on head) 2” V-Bar Rolling Thunder Washer pinch lift Bomb lift Anvil cone Pliers lift 30 lb hex dumbbell pinch by the head 6 lb front sledge lever (coin on head) Pinch 2 25s Little Big Horn 8 lb Slim lever COC #1 25 lb plate curl 1” V-Bar IM Block pinch lift 2x4 palm pinch Jar lift Finger lift IM Hub COC Trainer If scheduling works out, Jedd Johnson will be on hand to officiate the event! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoggoth Posted June 1, 2011 Share Posted June 1, 2011 Looks good Eric. Any idea of the weight on the implement lifts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted June 1, 2011 Author Share Posted June 1, 2011 A wide range of weights will be used. The medley will be easy enough for everyone to do at least some of the events, but hard enough that few, if anyone, on hand will be able to complete all of them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedd Johnson Posted June 2, 2011 Share Posted June 2, 2011 Looking to be AWESOME! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted June 23, 2011 Author Share Posted June 23, 2011 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shoggoth Posted June 23, 2011 Share Posted June 23, 2011 Sweet artwork! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Florian Kellersmann Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Very nice, Eric! I like this type of challenge! This will be a lot of fun. Will Devon be there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Looks great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted July 4, 2011 Author Share Posted July 4, 2011 Unfortunately, it looks like Devon will miss Canadians due to a scheduling conflict. However, if he does make it, I'll do my best to get him to take part in the Grip Challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kashtan Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Great artwork, Eric! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kashtan Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 If Devon will be a member in the competition, it would be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedd Johnson Posted August 24, 2011 Share Posted August 24, 2011 Eric, Is this event still on? Thanks, Jedd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 Absolutely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted August 25, 2011 Author Share Posted August 25, 2011 Here are some more details about the Canadian National Hand Strength Challenge: The entry fee is $20. There are two divisions: small hands (up to 7.75" from wrist to tip of middle finger) and large hands (over 7.75"). Competitors will draw numbers to determine the competition order. Trades are fine (i.e. if someone needs to leave by a certain time). Only one person will compete at a time. He/she will attempt as to complete as many of the 35 feats as possible within a period of 6 minutes. One point will be earned for each successful feat. Competitors who earn the most points will be declared the winners. In the event of a tie or ties to determine the top three finishers, there will be strap holds for time with a #1 COC gripper with 2.5 lbs. The event is open to all Canadian residents. All feats will be explained prior to the event at 8:45 PM. The event will start at 9 PM. Registration (between 8 PM and 8:45 PM), as well as the competition itself, will take place in the same hall as where the armwrestling takes place. Late registrations (once the event is underway) will be accepted, although late entrants will only be able to compete once all early registrants have competed. All equipment will be off limits prior to the event, as well as to non-competitors during the event. However, after the event anyone will be free to try some of the lifts. There will be nice trophies for the top three in each division. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kashtan Posted September 5, 2011 Share Posted September 5, 2011 Any news? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 (edited) The Hand Strength Challenge was a lot of fun. There were 14 competitors in all -- 8 in the small hands division and 6 in the large hands division. Jeff Penney successfully completed 29 of the 35 feats of strength. He was the top competitor of the day. Luckily for me he was in the small hands division and I was able to win the large hands division by completing 28 feats. Stefan Straub was very impressive, and he was the only competitor to close the #3 gripper. He completed 26 feats. Dan Kadlec tied me with 28 feats in the large hands division, but I won the tie-breaker which were strap holds for time with the COC #1 gripper. There was a tie-breaker to determine the third place finisher as well, as both Ralphie Bayers and Rick Blanchard completed 24 feats. Rick won the tie-breaker. Three feats were not successfully completed by anyone -- the 5 10s pinch lift, the Blob50, and the Inch Dumbbell. I was frustrated that I could not lift the Inch during the medley because it is normally a feat I can complete with relative ease. I guess I should have attempted it near the beginning, rather than at the end. I was able to lift it after the event. This type of competition was a first for everyone involved, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. I want to thank Jedd for coming up to officiate. Final Results: Small Hands Division 1st - Jeff Penney (Trenton, ON) - 29 of 35 2nd - Stefan Straub (Peterborough, ON) - 26 of 35 3rd - Gord Squire (Calgary, AB) - 18 of 35 Large Hands Division 1st - Eric Roussin (Ottawa, ON) - 28 of 35 2nd - Dan Kadlec (Youngs Point, ON) - 28 of 35 3rd - Rick Blanchard (Carlsbad Springs, ON) - 24 of 35 Edited September 8, 2011 by Eric Roussin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bencrush Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Congrats to all the competitors! Stefan Straub is a blast from the past - I definitely recognize that name from here years ago! What were the weights of the 1" and 2" vbar? And were the grippers to be parallel set or CCS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 1" V-Bar - 137 lbs including the bar 2" V-Bar - 185 lbs including the bar Any type of set was permitted for the grippers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kashtan Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Eric, great! question: 35 challenges: Blob50 COC #3 Pinch 2 45s 150 lb anvil by horn Deck of cards tear (number of cards?) Pinch 2 35s Inch Dumbbell (handle 2 3/8" or 2,47"?) 35 lb plate curl 25 lb wide shallow hub lift (weight?) Pinch 5 10s 35 lb hub lift Phone book tear (pages?) COC #2 Car battery pinch lift (weight and size?) 10 lb rear sledge lever (coin on head) 2” V-Bar 185 lbs including the bar Rolling Thunder (weight?) Washer pinch lift (weight?) Bomb lift (weight and size of bomb?) Anvil cone (weight?) Pliers lift (weight?) 30 lb hex dumbbell pinch by the head 6 lb front sledge lever (coin on head) Pinch 2 25s Little Big Horn (weight?) 8 lb Slim lever COC #1 25 lb plate curl 1” V-Bar 137 lbs including the bar IM Block pinch lift (weight?) 2x4 palm pinch (weight?) Jar lift (weight?) Finger lift (weight?) IM Hub (weight?) COC Trainer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kashtan Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 What impression, Eric? Is it planned for future similar events in Canada? Is video and photos? Location was so much inventory for this competition of strength grip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eric Roussin Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 Here are the weights used for the different challenges. The weights do not include the weight of the implements. (e.g. the 2" V-bar weighs 25 lbs alone; 160 lbs were added for a total of 185). I replaced one challenge from the original list: the Pinch 2 45s for a 12.5 lb rotation with a Heavy Hammer II leverage bar. I just really didn't think anyone on hand would be able to pinch 2 45s. 35 challenges: Blob50 COC #3 Pinch 2 45s 150 lb anvil by horn Deck of cards tear (full deck plus two jokers) Pinch 2 35s Inch Dumbbell (handle 2.40") 35 lb plate curl 25 lb wide shallow hub lift Pinch 5 10s 35 lb hub lift Phone book tear (~1,000) COC #2 Car battery pinch lift (36 lbs - needed to lift by pinching with thumb and index) 10 lb rear sledge lever (coin on head) 2” V-Bar 185 lbs including the bar Rolling Thunder (160 lbs) Washer pinch lift (40 lbs) Bomb lift (80 lbs, 8 lb bomb) Anvil cone (70 lbs) Pliers lift (110 lbs) 25 lb hex dumbbell pinch by the head 6 lb front sledge lever (coin on head) Pinch 2 25s Little Big Horn (135 lbs) 8 lb Slim lever COC #1 25 lb plate curl 1” V-Bar 137 lbs including the bar IM Block pinch lift (20 lbs) 2x4 palm pinch (40 lbs) Jar lift (5 lbs) Finger lift (30 lbs) IM Hub (20 lbs) COC Trainer 12.5 lb rotation with a Heavy Hammer II leverage bar I think I did pretty well in selecting the challenges. The lowest score among the men competing was 13 while the highest score was 29. I'd like to do a similar event in the future and invite the top competitors where I would up the weights. It was a fun little contest and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Unfortunately I didn't get around to taking pictures or film of the event. There was a lot of equipment to bring to the venue, not something I really wanted to do a couple of days before the national armwrestling championships. I plan to regularly hold grip events in conjunction with future armwrestling events, but these events would feature much less equipment and would probably not be medleys. Before holding standalone grip events, I first need to determine how many people would be willing to travel to attend them. Feedback I've received in the past from armwrestlers was that they would be interested in competing in grip events held in conjunction with armwrestling tournaments, but few would travel very far just for a grip competition. I'm hoping to eventually discover people who would be willing to travel just for grip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedd Johnson Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 This was an awesome opportunity for exposure for our sport - I had a great time!!! There were a couple women there who were probably stronger than a LOT of the guys I know, and stronger than some people I have seen at contests. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Sounds like a great event! The in conjunction thing presents an interesting paradox; not many will want to tax their grip prior to pulling and afterwards makes you look much weaker than you really are which could be discouraging. Don Underwood, Scott Harris, and I had discussed the possibility of bringing a blob to a tournament and letting people try it for $1 a try or whatever price point, if they pull it, they get a prize (free t-shirt, free rail drink, whatever). I think that would be something that would be mutually beneficial for Grip, the promoter, and the venue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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