strongmitts Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Today is a great day! On February 20, 2003 at approximately 6:30 P.M., I shut Ironmind's #3. I have been trying to close this thing going on about six years. It's a funny story how it all happened. Today after my usual friday squat workout I came home to do a grip workout with a fellow lifter/gripper. I told him I was sick of the grippers! I said, I'm about to throw them all away! I have done 6 reps with my cut #2 (#2 w/about 3/4" cut off) which is significantly harder than my beast #2 (older wide #2). Also just yesterday I repeated a best straphold of 5lbs for 12 seconds with my cut #2. Anyway, I routinely do these sick feats of crushing strength, but never can close the #3. I have been so close it makes me want to cry. So today I said, forget the grippers let's do some sets on the Ivanko. Well, I worked up to a set of 5 reps on 12 & 5 and then decided to make an attempt on 12 & 10 (my previous best was 12 & 8). Well, I dominated it on that setting! So we got out the camera and I made another attempt and held it for several seconds while he snapped three shots. So then he said, "Try the 3!" I was like, "what the hell!?" I chalked up and closed it! I rested a few more minutes and my girlfriend came over and I closed it again, this time I slammed it and held it for about 2-3 seconds. Another great thing was that after my first close on the 3 my girlfriend called and my buddy answered the phone on an opposite phone at the same time the answering machine picked up. Well, the answering machine recorded my first words telling my girlfriend that I closed the #3. We listened to it over and over, I was so pumped. It is hilarious! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gripper42004 Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Nice job on the #3!!!!!!!!! Now GO "4" it!!!!!!!! "GOD IS THE REAL POWER" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Piche Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Congrats on your first closes! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Gripster Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 All good things happen in time. Congratulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HandsofStone Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 6 years on the grippers? I'd be pissed too if I hadn't closed the 3 as well by then! But you did it, you gave Mr. PERSEVERANCE a nice kick in the ass today. Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3Crusher Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Nice job. It feels good, doesn't it? Now go get certified!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tou Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Good job ! Keep training hard on it. Stay focused and get certified as soon as you can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Fantastic! What a great story, Strongmitts! I'm pumped up, just reading about your victory. The conditions of your first close are similar to my very unexpected first close. Did you train with the same #3 for the whole six years? What's your birth name, by the way (so I can identify you in Milo)? CONGRATULATIONS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strongmitts Posted February 22, 2003 Author Share Posted February 22, 2003 In all the excitement I forgot to say "thanks". "Thanks" gripboard for all your information and support. This site is a constant source of inspiration for my training. I couldn't have done it without yall! Hands of Stone, I believe I got my grippers sometime back in 97', I first closed my #2 sometime in '98. I've had some lay offs in there, but I always had the ultimate goal of shutting the #3. I know some of you are probably like, "what's the big deal, it's only a #3?", but I have been wanting this for so long and have worked my tail off to get it. I couldn't shut the #1 when I first got my grippers, and I have come a long way since then. I'm gonna get certified for all the average joe's out there to prove that if you want it bad enough then it can happen. 3Crusher, it felt great to feel that gripper close in my hand and feel that little click of metal on metal. Hope to, "see you in MILO" real soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strongmitts Posted February 22, 2003 Author Share Posted February 22, 2003 Eric, My name is Chris Caffery. What were the conditions of your very first close? I think I read about it in a post, but can't recall. I have two #3's and this one is the easier of the two. My other #3 is my "beast 3" that I talked about that Scoony, Marunde, Karl G., and several of the strongmen tried. Come to think of it, I'm not sure when I got my grippers. I'm pretty sure I have them my junior year in high school and this is my fifth year in college. I'm pretty sure I closed my #2 the end of my junior or beginning of my senior year in high school. I'll have to look in my training journals, and I'll have to contact Randall Strossen to see when I bought my grippers. Anyway, I've been training on these things a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Thanks, Chris. I don't mean to take you out of the spotlight, that you certainly deserve. But, in short, I was referring to the fact that I was stuck at the 1/8 inch point for a while, and then, unexpectedly, I closed it after a deadlift and grip workout, only 3 workouts into the KTA program. Now, go celebrate what you finally achieved after 6 years of hard work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat 74 Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gollan Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 I have been so close it makes me want to cry.I'm glad to know I'm not the only one (on both counts). Congratulations on your achievement. I appreciate your sharing your story because it sure motivates me to hear about other people who struggled and trained hard and eventually reached their goals.What would you say put your over the top? The big squatting/gripping warmup? The extra motivation of having a spectator? Something you ate for breakfast? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
don of tha new grip Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 CONGRATS Let me just say thanks for the insperation! I have been stuck on the last MM of my #1 for about two months and gettin quite frustrated as well but know I know to bangin away Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mikebyoung Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 I look forward to seeing you in MILO. Hope I can join you soon....quarter inch to go here. You inspire as well!!!! thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest wells Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Damnit! You must have been the one who stole my box of Wheaties that morning. Should have known it was a fellow gripper! Or was it the Lucky Charms with the Magic Keys? Don't mind me, just silly with jealousy. Green with envy... Great job. Number 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Harlan Jacobs Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Way to go Strongmitts ! Grippers are funny in the sense that one day you pick one up and all of the sudden it closes . Way to hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mikael Siversson Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Great job! Never give up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Mac Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Strongmitts, You have thanked the board for being a source of inspiration to you. Well, your sucess after 6 years of work is now a source of inspiration to many others. Congrats, and good luck on getting certified!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan McMillan Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Way to go Stronmitts!!!!!!!!!! I have no excuse to not close the #3 eventually...if you can stick it out for six years!!!!!!! Excellent! Jon@han Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Strongmitts You certainly do have these(STRONGMITTS) Congrats,especially for sticking with it for so long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuckie B. Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Strongmitts, Congratulations on your #3 close. Anything that's really worth while takes hard work and perseverance. You showed ya got all the right stuff. Way to go !!! ---------------------------------- "Live long, stay strong" - C.F.B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2strong Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Congratulations !!! Training for 6 years to close the #3... now that's determination !!! I gave my #3 a go, yesterday also and got it to 6-7 mm ( measured with coins )... so I just train like crazy and hope the progress doesn't stop ( but if it take me 6 years, I hope to have 1/2 the determination you have ! ) Good work ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HAMMERHEAD Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 Outstanding! This shows what a motivated individual can do with his grippers. -HH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted February 22, 2003 Share Posted February 22, 2003 strongmitts, It took me about two years of training when I first closed the #3. I congratulate you for your persistance and determination for sticking in there and not giving up!! Never give up... never!! You saw that goal at the end of the tunnel, and you decided to get to the end of the tunnel no matter what!! Now, get into the habit of hard training to where you can close it at anytime; probably lots of negatives and what has been working for you. Then, when you go to get certified, you'll mash that sucker with confidence! And as 3Crusher would say, "See you in MILO!!". Congrats to you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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