Training For Grip Nationals 2013

[EricMilfeld]

That's not a bad idea at all; cheesecake. I think I will have some for breakfast on Sunday (after the egg and bacon), maybe with extra cream on top.

You are really not a very kind man.

[EricMilfeld]

Body weight: 170.8

- ran 1.5 miles

[Eric Roussin]

Do you plan on losing the last few pounds by dehydrating the morning of the competition? Or if this is not the plan, will you do it as a last resort?

[Electron]

He will have to amputate as a last ditch effort.

Dehydration is part of the plan.

[Mikael Siversson]

I am back to 171.5 if that makes you feel better.

That's not a bad idea at all; cheesecake. I think I will have some for breakfast on Sunday (after the egg and bacon), maybe with extra cream on top.

You are really not a very kind man.

[EricMilfeld]

Do you plan on losing the last few pounds by dehydrating the morning of the competition? Or if this is not the plan, will you do it as a last resort?

I'm anticipating having to jog the morning of the contest. My metabolism has slowed to a crawl and my body is digging in its heels to stay above 170.

I am back to 171.5 if that makes you feel better.

That's not a bad idea at all; cheesecake. I think I will have some for breakfast on Sunday (after the egg and bacon), maybe with extra cream on top.

You are really not a very kind man.

Okay, now I feel better. Not really. I'm nearing panic mode with two weeks to go and more than 7 pounds over weight. I may have to start wearing out the running shoes.

Grippers

Right

155x1

155x1

141x7 parallel reps

Left

141 to within a sixteenth

141 to within a sixteenth

134x3 parallel reps

2.5 scoops of protein

can of spinach

small banana

apple

6oz. V-8

3 pieces of asparagus

7oz. tuna

4oz. tilapia with salsa

I ate roughly 1000 calories today. Felt totally wasted at work today. Somehow I was able to come home and shut some grippers, though. That despite every little physical task requiring a monumental effort all day.

[EricMilfeld]

He will have to amputate as a last ditch effort.

Dehydration is part of the plan.

Don't give me any ideas, Yori.

- just finished a 42 minute jog

[Electron]

Man, you wake up early!

[barbe705]

be careful about what you eat on the drive up. road food is usually insanely salty.

I've had good luck with over hydrating for dropping some water pounds. I think if you get couple pounds closer and do that you should be able to make the cut with minimal recovery stress. just be careful.

[Jedd Johnson]

Eric,

I see you keep doing jogs. have you thought about some interval training? You will burn calories for a much longer time afterwards if you do.

I'm talking 5 minutes of intense work brother. Screw 42 minutes!

[EricMilfeld]

Body weight: 170.4

Man, you wake up early!

No, I go to bed late. Lol. I work from 3PM to 3AM.

be careful about what you eat on the drive up. road food is usually insanely salty.

I've had good luck with over hydrating for dropping some water pounds. I think if you get couple pounds closer and do that you should be able to make the cut with minimal recovery stress. just be careful.

I'll be packing food for the drive up. I'm glad to hear you've tried the over-hydrating with good results. I had just recently read about it and was intending to try it, but now I'm more optimistic about it.

Eric,

I see you keep doing jogs. have you thought about some interval training? You will burn calories for a much longer time afterwards if you do.

I'm talking 5 minutes of intense work brother. Screw 42 minutes!

I'm going to follow your advice, Jedd. I had tried a little bit of it in the beginning but became fearful of over-training and possible injury. At this point I believe I have no choice, though.

[EricMilfeld]

Following Jedd's advice:

- 2x160 meter sprints (one minute jog between the two)

- rest a minute

- 10 sets of 15 second rope skipping (rate of 180 skips a minute, with 30 second standing rest between sets)

[Mikael Siversson]

How is your grip strength holding up Eric?

Based on periods in the past when I have been much leaner than I am today, I am confident that I can maintain full grip strength at 74k (no chance of doing that at 66k though). I should have a waist line around 83 cm at that weight and when I did bodybuilding I did not notice any loss of strength until I got below 80 cm. It dropped fast below that level of body fat though.

As I am loosing weight quite slowly my grip strength has held up well. My gripper strength is down quite markedly though and this seem to be in contrast to the experience of you and Matt. Axle was dropping off slowly but the slide came to a halt when I increased volume. The 2HP is rising but this is probably a result of a huge increase in training volume (almost by an order of magnitude).

[EricMilfeld]

How is your grip strength holding up Eric?

Based on periods in the past when I have been much leaner than I am today, I am confident that I can maintain full grip strength at 74k (no chance of doing that at 66k though). I should have a waist line around 83 cm at that weight and when I did bodybuilding I did not notice any loss of strength until I got below 80 cm. It dropped fast below that level of body fat though.

As I am loosing weight quite slowly my grip strength has held up well. My gripper strength is down quite markedly though and this seem to be in contrast to the experience of you and Matt. Axle was dropping off slowly but the slide came to a halt when I increased volume. The 2HP is rising but this is probably a result of a huge increase in training volume (almost by an order of magnitude).

I'm very pleasantly surprised by my grippers holding fast. Axle is doing fair, with about a fifteen pound drop from where I was at 83k. Pinch is just a catastrophe. I've really had to lower my expectations on everything, save grippers, while dieting down. And, yes, my last minute decision to drop 25 pounds factors in heavily. I strongly suspect I'm best suited for 83k, especially if I stay super lean. It sounds like you're perfectly suited for 74k!

Euro Pinch

- worked up to a single with 193.8

Wooden Pinch Block

- 178x1

- 2x35# plates hula for ten consecutive revolutions

Axle

323.6 x2

323.6 x2

Wrist Roller

165x1

8oz. tilapia

can of green beans

sugar free Red Bull

about a dozen peanuts

apple

6oz. V-8

1.5 scoops of protein powder

7oz. tuna

tablespoon of honey

[Mikael Siversson]

Well you are still way above the WR in the 2HP in the 74k class, with only 3-4 more k's to go, not to mention the Axle.

[barbe705]

eric,

don't forget the plates will be cleaned for the comp. I did some rep work on mine and didn't find a substantial drop. have not tried to work up to singles yet, I'll be doing that tomorrow. While I didn't experience much strength loss I did drop the plates a couple times. normally I would miss the lift but go down with the plates. so, there is some difference.

[Mikael Siversson]

Don't forget to bring a nice pair of shorts Eric in case you have to strip down in order to make the 74k limit. You don't want to be standing in a pair of hideous underpants surrounded by a crowd.

[Hubgeezer]

Eric and Mikael, I would like to offer a few comments concerning "bodyweight".

In about 4 hours, my son will be weighing in for a Powerlifting meet being held tomorrow. He has the advantage of a 24 hour in advance weigh-in. With about 24 hours to go (yesterday morning), he had 5 lbs. to lose, and was very confident he would get it. Between years of "BJJ", and hanging out with some of the best Power Lifters in the world, he has the process down pat, and has done it before. I do not agree or approve with some of the bizarre and extreme methods that he has used to get the last 5-10 lbs., and I think it is insane. But, Eric, if you want to know more, I can put you in contact with him.

But my son is 5 foot 9 inches tall, and he is trying to get to 220 lbs., and he is 31 years old. That is not the same as being in your 40s, and being 6 ft. 1 inches and getting to 163 lbs.

I am (or was until I was 50 years old) 6 feet 1 inches tall. When I was 17-18-19 years old, I was a decent runner in the Mile. I ran 60 miles per week, and weighed 160 lbs. I didn't like weighing 160 lbs., as my brother (who to this day may be one of the best "Iron History" buffs in the world) was very into weights and muscles, and I didn't like being skinny. I had lifted weights since I was 11 years old. If I had not lifted weights, I would have weighed 145 lbs., which is what the other 6 feet 1

inch long distance runners weighed at that time. I can't tell you what my body fat percentage was, but I guarantee you, it was as low as it could be.

I have seen Eric's photo from the Mash Monster profile, and have seen Mikael's photo from his Certification piece in MILO years ago. You guys have WAY more muscularity than I would have ever dreamed of as a long distance runner. I think all three of us are "medium" boned; not "light", certainly not "heavy".

As a teen, I would have liked to have about 10 more lbs. of muscle, which would have put me at what the two of you may be right now. Here is my point: I cannot imagine getting to 163 lbs. without temporarily emptying your body of fluids, which means you don't really weigh 163 lbs. I think the low 170s is as low as it can get, unless you want to look like the hat-racks that I used to compete against over 40 years ago.

There is a New Zealand (or is it Australia) distance runner right now, Craig Motram (that the spelling?) who may be 6 ft 1 or 2 and weighs more than 160 lbs. The great Peter Snell of the 1960s (New Zealand) ran the 800 and 1500, and for a "distance" runner he looked like a bodybuilder, is another example where you can check out those guys for photos and muscularity on the Internet. But I suspect you are in rare territory.

I am not saying it is foolish or dangerous, as both of you know what you are doing. I am saying you guys may be doing what very very few have managed to do.

Edit: His name is "Mottram", and is 6 foot 2, 163 lbs, retired a few years ago, and was from Australia. Peter Snell was 5 foot 10 inches, 175 lbs. My brother always said that he had some of the most muscular "calves" he had ever seen. Snell did not lift weights, as his coach, Arthur Lydiard, did not believe in them.

Edited May 18, 2013 by Hubgeezer

[Mikael Siversson]

My skeleton is actually right in the middle between gracile and medium so I carry quite a bit of muscle even at sub-170. People, without exception, when they meet me think I am heavier than I am.

[Mikael Siversson]

I might add that I am not competing until November and I don't plan on doing any 'water' tricks at all. Eric, on the other hand, might not have a choice given the time frame.

[climber511]

Eric and Mikael, considering that you two are both "not young :)" but still quite active and muscular - what do you think is the best weight, amount of lean muscle and amount of bodyfat percentage for the best long term health as you age into senior territory?

[Mikael Siversson]

I am 50 and 6' tall. A year ago I weighed 83k and now I am just under 77k. My waist line has gone from 93cm to 85ish. I have been as low as 78 cm when I was in my mid- to late 20ies. At 74k I will have 82-83 cm around my waist. Compared to a year ago my heart rate at rest has dropped by 15 beats/min without any cardio other than a few walks every week. My blood pressure has dropped significantly. I no longer have sleep apnoea, no more migraine and a lot more energy at work. I have no intention going back to where I was. I eat plenty of 'good' fat and quite a bit of protein but not many carbs.

I think the change in diet (drastically reducing carbs) has as much to do with my wellbeing as the weight loss itself.

Today's dinner for example comprised a good-sized pieced of salmon fried in butter and a piece of capsicum.

Breakfast comprised two fried whole eggs, 2 pieces of ryvita cracker bread and a handful walnuts.

Edited May 18, 2013 by Mikael Siversson

[Mikael Siversson]

I must confess, of course, that once a week (Sunday) I eat like a pig.

[climber511]

I must confess, of course, that once a week (Sunday) I eat like a pig.

[EricMilfeld]

Body weight: 169.8

Wow, a lot of thought provoking points made here.

Brent, your point makes a good case for guys taking advantage of being able to pull a few warmups on the actual Euro they will be competing with. My particular Euro has a very fine rust to it that doesn't come off with soap and water, so sometimes when I clean it actually acquires a better grip. A less seasoned Euro, though, could feel a bit more difficult to hold after cleaning. I know one thing, with four attempts allowed there's no good reason for anyone to bomb. I'm going to be opening quite conservatively on the events, except for grippers. I will probably open with a max gripper, while I'm fresh, since you're allowed to drop down in weight on this event only.

Mikael, I'm one step ahead of you. I've a nice new pair of black boxer briefs, size Small, I intend to wear. I'm sure I'll have to strip down.

Hubgeezer, no point in dancing around it, it probably is teetering on the foolish and dangerous at this point because of the self imposed time frame. It's put my wife in a state. She's begging me to stop and is more than a little angry with me. She says I look malnourished and very unhealthy. But I have always been stubborn concerning personal aspirations. If I didn't try this than it would always nag me every time I looked at the world records in the 74k class and wondered if any on them were attainable for me.

I'm actually 6' 1/4", by the way. I've stated 6' 1" in the past because I was very close to it back in my late teens and haven't measured myself until just recently. I'm 45 years old. I guess my bone structure is medium, certainly not heavy. I wonder though if it's increased much in density over the years, making this weight loss even more of a challenge.

What was your best mile time? I ran seriously for one year, between the ages of 12 and 13, and did a 5:20 in a track meet. My best 10k was 40:10.

Chris, I'm no expert, but I suspect a body fat percentage of about 15 would be optimal (not so low as to be unhealthy, but certainly still lean). In terms of body weight, lighter is better according to most "experts". I think if I wasn't hungry all the time, not to mention frequently dizzy from lack of calories, I'd be feeling better than ever at the moment. I remember being above 200 and not being able to handle certain roller coasters due to light headedness. Bending over to tie my shoes would leave my face momentarily flushed. That being said, how much of that was due to simply being heavy and how much of it was due to all the crap I ate and doing no cardio. I'm toying with the idea of eating lots of healthy food, continuing with some HIT training, and see if I can become big and strong AND healthy. That can be my next experiment. Chris, what are your stats at the moment? How do you feel? I know, you too, have a very low resting heart rate.