Fall Grip Decathlon - November 12th - Plymouth, Minnesota

[bencrush]

About 2 months to go until the Fall Grip Decathlon in Plymouth, Minnesota. Looking forward to this grip contest and I'll finally get to meet Adam Glass, Mike T. Nelson, Matt Brouse, Chris Mathison, Matt Cannon, Ryan Pitts, and Will Williams. Although we've corresponded enough that I feel like I've already met some of them.

Sounds like there will be about 12-15 competitors and maybe up to 20.

10 events - hence the "Grip Decathlon" title. Not going to list all of them here since it'll bore most people who peek in on this topic. I'll keep track of notable workouts or the workouts that I deem worthy of mention. Sometimes a bad workout might get typed out because they are as valuable as the good workouts in my opinion.

The main goals I have are:

MMS GRIPPERS: 182.5lb #3.5

2-HAND PINCH: 180lbs

2" VERTICAL BAR: 305lbs

AXLE: 350lbs

I've got a very good shot at hitting my gripper and pinch goals. The 2" vbar and Axle depend on how well my back holds up under the fatigue.

[bencrush]

On 9-6-11 I worked up to:

MMS GRIPPERS: 174lb Elite-right hand, -179lb Elite-right hand 179lb Elite will be what I open with at the grip contest. I've closed it enough times in recent grip workouts that there is no excuse to start lower and risk burning out before getting to the 182.5lb #3.5.

2-HAND MOUSE PINCH-52MM: 172x1, -182x1 180 is all I'm shooting for at the Grip Decathlon. If I pull more than that I'll be thankful for every pound.

On 9-8-11 I worked up to:

2" VERTICAL BAR: 253x1-both hands, -279x1-both hands This doesn't look remarkable until I remember that essentially I've pulled 2 times in the standard grip contest style and 3 or 4 in the USAWA style since the May grip contest. Think that 275lbs will be my opener at the grip contest instead of my standard 250lbs. Going to be a bit of a gamble but I think I'm good for it.

[AdamTGlass]

My V bar is well seasoned, so I would expect you to hit 275 no problems

[bencrush]

My V bar is well seasoned, so I would expect you to hit 275 no problems

Excellent! That's what I like to hear.

[Forever]

About 2 months to go until the Fall Grip Decathlon in Plymouth, Minnesota. Looking forward to this grip contest and I'll finally get to meet Adam Glass, Mike T. Nelson, Matt Brouse, Chris Mathison, Matt Cannon, Ryan Pitts, and Will Williams. Although we've corresponded enough that I feel like I've already met some of them.

Sounds like there will be about 12-15 competitors and maybe up to 20.

10 events - hence the "Grip Decathlon" title. Not going to list all of them here since it'll bore most people who peek in on this topic. I'll keep track of notable workouts or the workouts that I deem worthy of mention. Sometimes a bad workout might get typed out because they are as valuable as the good workouts in my opinion.

The main goals I have are:

MMS GRIPPERS: 182.5lb #3.5

2-HAND PINCH: 180lbs

2" VERTICAL BAR: 305lbs

AXLE: 350lbs

I've got a very good shot at hitting my gripper and pinch goals. The 2" vbar and Axle depend on how well my back holds up under the fatigue.

Good luck Ben, sold goals that in your blog show your near or at...get to it

[Cannon]

Awesome Ben. Believe it or not, my main goal for this contest is to meet you!

[bencrush]

Awesome Ben. Believe it or not, my main goal for this contest is to meet you!

Appreciate that Matt!

Been pretty sick since Friday and the worst is today. Before work on Friday I did a 2" vbar workout and it was a strong performance.

-207x1-both hands

-242x1-both hands

-277x1-both hands

-288x1-both hands

-301x1-left hand

-301x1-left hand

2 singles at 301lbs in a workout is a first for me! The second single at 301 was very strong. Pulled about 5" off the ground.

[bencrush]

Going to OPEN at 275lbs on the 2" vbar at the Fall Grip Decathlon. Then 305lbs for my 2nd attempt.

[bencrush]

301lbs on 2" FBBC Vertical Bar

[Cannon]

301lbs on 2" FBBC Vertical Bar

You pulled that HIIIIIGH too.

Hey, you get 4 attempts at the Decathlon. Why not pull something between 275 and 305?

[AdamTGlass]

Going to OPEN at 275lbs on the 2" vbar at the Fall Grip Decathlon. Then 305lbs for my 2nd attempt.

I like this

[bencrush]

301lbs on 2" FBBC Vertical Bar

You pulled that HIIIIIGH too.

Hey, you get 4 attempts at the Decathlon. Why not pull something between 275 and 305?

Matt, you and Adam are right of course. I've been lucky so far that I have never bombed in a contest. I've come close a few times. I am usually guilty of being too conservative. The only time I've won a grip contest is when I went "for broke" and attempted something (Huge Shiny with a shoulder injury in 2009) that I normally wouldn't have. I don't have any illusions about winning the Fall Grip Decathlon. But I would definitely like to secure a number as close to 300lbs as humanly possible. I'd like to go OVER that but a number between 275 and 300 makes sense.

[bencrush]

Mini-update. I pulled 303x1-righty the other day on 2" vertical bar so I'm still on track to hit my goal at the contest. Weight is still going down. I stalled at 214lbs for almost 3 weeks...hit 207lbs this morning so I'm pretty happy about my chances of reaching the 199lb cutoff for the Fall Grip Decathlon! Not going to count my chickens before they hatch though. Still MMS closing my 179lb Elite in every MMS workout - sometimes a weak close, other times it's very strong close - so I'm on track to hit my MMS goal too. Recently pulled 181lbs again on my Mouse Pinch setup at 52mm so even the 2HP goal should be quite doable for me.

Russ Farver is letting me borrow his Griptopz Shallow Hub in a few days so I'm looking forward to starting to train with that too! Thanks Russ!