Advice Needed To Bridge The Gap To #3

[kyleec]

Hello, I signed up here ages ago and forgot to start posting. I'm 26, 6'1 and 165#. Been working with the IM grippers on and off for a while now and did a pass through KTA. My current status is closing an IM #2 with my left hand and closing an IM #2.5 for 5 seconds with my right. I'd like to hit the #3 and I welcome any advice or critiques you have to get me there.

I currently train my grip an average of 3 times per week, and I mix strapholds with severe negatives, usually 3-4 singles of each. I also do 3 sets of sledge levering per hand, at anywhere from a 2-5RM. At the end of my workout, I'll use a little spring clamp which I cannot close with either hand. I close it as far as I can, finish with the other hand, then do a severe negative for 3-5 singles per thumb.

For the strapholds, I use the #1.5 for my left and the #2 for my right, and move up the gripper as soon as I can get a 5 second overcrush on the next gripper without a strap (though I'm sticking to the #2 for my right hand strapholds despite having just performed a 5-sec crush on the #2.5).

For severe negatives, I use the #3. It's still more than adequate for my left, but I'm worried I might need a new gripper for my right, since the #3 is now my goal gripper. If that's the case, which one would you recommend?

As far as setting the gripper for these closes, I don't measure the set, I just sink it in until I can get my fingers around it. Definitely more than a parallel set, probably somewhere around a CC set or slightly less for all these pulls since I have long fingers.

Anything else I should be doing, or tweaks that will help me out? Thanks in advance.

[Bill Piche]

" usually 3-4 singles of each"

Is this it?!

You need to up the volume IMO if this is all you do.

[kyleec]

What would you recommend as a target volume? The reason I do only 6-8 total (plus sledge levers) is that my grip is generally shot by the end and I can't even close the gripper I had been using to perform strapholds just minutes before. What do you do if you're going for a certain volume but start failing reps? Should I move down to a lower gripper that I can still close, or just get as close as possible on the normal gripper?

[Paul Savage]

Hello, I signed up here ages ago and forgot to start posting. I'm 26, 6'1 and 165#. Been working with the IM grippers on and off for a while now and did a pass through KTA. My current status is closing an IM #2 with my left hand and closing an IM #2.5 for 5 seconds with my right. I'd like to hit the #3 and I welcome any advice or critiques you have to get me there.

I currently train my grip an average of 3 times per week, and I mix strapholds with severe negatives, usually 3-4 singles of each. I also do 3 sets of sledge levering per hand, at anywhere from a 2-5RM. At the end of my workout, I'll use a little spring clamp which I cannot close with either hand. I close it as far as I can, finish with the other hand, then do a severe negative for 3-5 singles per thumb.

For the strapholds, I use the #1.5 for my left and the #2 for my right, and move up the gripper as soon as I can get a 5 second overcrush on the next gripper without a strap (though I'm sticking to the #2 for my right hand strapholds despite having just performed a 5-sec crush on the #2.5).

For severe negatives, I use the #3. It's still more than adequate for my left, but I'm worried I might need a new gripper for my right, since the #3 is now my goal gripper. If that's the case, which one would you recommend?

As far as setting the gripper for these closes, I don't measure the set, I just sink it in until I can get my fingers around it. Definitely more than a parallel set, probably somewhere around a CC set or slightly less for all these pulls since I have long fingers.

Anything else I should be doing, or tweaks that will help me out? Thanks in advance.

First thing i would say is stop training grippers and focus on things like thick pinch, thickbar, and general strength training, i would recommend a powerlifting based programme. For you i would also recommend doing your grip work for higher reps / timed holds of longer than 30 seconds for a while (months not weeks). Then when your much stronger, with bigger/stronger hands & forearms, come back to the grippers and try to deep set close the #3 and go from there. Also, try to train with people who can close #3 easily, this way you wont think of it as being so tough.

Good luck.