Blob Tiltage

[milktruck]

I recently got so lucky on Craigslist to find a York half 65 and half 90 to play with (not the 100 "Blob", but paid a dollar a lb so no complaints!). So far it has been challenging to say the least! I had definitely neglected my thumb.

Anyways - should I be striving to pick these straight up vertically, or is accepted form to tilt it away from the thumbs and onto the fingers more? I know I naturally want to tilt it, but I also know Im weak in this and I can't tell if I'm cheating myself. If I can get the 45lber up in any fashion one-handed, ill take it, but I don't want to short-change the progression.

[Jedd Johnson]

Picking a Blob up straight is the pure way to do it, for sure. Work towards that. If you tilt it at first, that is fine. The work will still strengthen your hands. As you move on, try to use less tilt. No big deal. Just different levels of purity.

[1stCoC]

Good observation by Jedd. When I first started working on the Blob I always kept in mind the difficulty in the feat was addressing the 50lbs in a difficult manner with the fingers pinching directly down a a very convex shape. I think the merit as a true feat of grip lies in keeping that in mind. Like using a hand truck to move a box as the truck is tilted and the weight lies more on the supportive frame instead off the weight pulling straight down . The mechanical advantage is gained as the box lies supported and held by the frame as your fingers would do while tilting.You can lift the Blob in a number of ways but remember the tilting maneuver lessens the pinch aspect to a more counterbalanced wrist lift and that letting the Blob remain vertical in a true pinch fashion was what was the intended first grip "goal criteria "for the Blob.

[milktruck]

I picked up some bags of concrete mix today and tried the blobs without washing my hands. Wow! Much easier to keep it straight with a little traction. I need to get some liquid chalk for future training.

[barbe705]

I would say that with tilt vs straight think of it as a progression. Get it anyway you can. so, hold it the easy way and tilt. as you get stronger work on holding the opposite sides and straighter. that way you can get more value for a fixed weight impliment.

[1stCoC]

Get some thin stretch bands and fix them between two points( even add an adjustable chain link to one side and make a handy adjustable tension deloader. )Place the blob on the bands like a slingshot. The tighter or bigger the band the more assistance it gives. Since the Blob is an isometric pinch contraction and strength is mostly developed in the exact width of the Blob thickness, I found it important to use a full size (50 lb.) Blob to progress quickly.

[Guest Squat More]

I use pulleys on my power rack with rope and a piece of denim under the blob, rope tied to the denim and I'd just load weights on the loading pin attached to the rope to deload whatever weight you want. My best is 3.75# taken off the weight for a lift, but then I just stopped caring about lifting my blob in place of raising my rolling thunder numbers. I should really get back to trying a clean lift with it this year.

I tried the resistance bands once, got slapped in the face with a miniband, after that, no more.

[Guest Squat More]

Picture of said deloader

[milktruck]

Really cool ideas. Thx for the input guys.

[1stCoC]

That gives me an interesting concept idea.....I will keep you posted !

[rico300zx]

here's a nice easy way to make a blob the de loader it keeps your hands free from strings wires or chain while training

[Guest Squat More]

The problem with that Parris is that with the bands or bungies you cannot control the weight deloaded, it's the strength of the band and how much tension is used but you don't have an exact number for reference. You can lift the blob in that manner, bouncing it for time under tension for strength but for the guys who don't have as much leverage as someone like you with those giant paws, remove the bands and you're back at square one, maybe a bit ahead and that's it. I think being able to deload an exact weight in plates at a time until you don't need the deloader is the way to go. If you don't want the ropes in your way, touching your wrist or forearm etc you just wedge a piece of scrap lumber between the rope keeping it spaced wider - like how RGC gripper raters do to keep the straps spaced apart (I have seen pictures of RGC set ups that do this). IMO bands are not nearly as effective for deloading things like blobs, the inch, and double 45 plate pinches etc. With actual weight on a pulley system you have a way of determining exactly (or near exactly) how much weight is deloaded and how close or far away from a clean lift you are.

[rico300zx]

The problem with that Parris is that with the bands or bungies you cannot control the weight deloaded, it's the strength of the band and how much tension is used but you don't have an exact number for reference. You can lift the blob in that manner, bouncing it for time under tension for strength but for the guys who don't have as much leverage as someone like you with those giant paws, remove the bands and you're back at square one, maybe a bit ahead and that's it. I think being able to deload an exact weight in plates at a time until you don't need the deloader is the way to go. If you don't want the ropes in your way, touching your wrist or forearm etc you just wedge a piece of scrap lumber between the rope keeping it spaced wider - like how RGC gripper raters do to keep the straps spaced apart (I have seen pictures of RGC set ups that do this). IMO bands are not nearly as effective for deloading things like blobs, the inch, and double 45 plate pinches etc. With actual weight on a pulley system you have a way of determining exactly (or near exactly) how much weight is deloaded and how close or far away from a clean lift you are.

I disagree, it can be calibrated by adding weights and seeing when it floors. More tension is given by moving the bands up. And recalibrating. I'm not bouncing the weights I'm seeing how far I can lift it as I get better I let the bands to lesson the take off velocity. I say give it a chance.

[Tom Scibelli]

The bands are good because they're more dynamic, it gets harder the higher you stand up with it, the weight de-loader stays the same the whole time. But there's value to both ways imo

Edited August 17, 2013 by Tom Scibelli

[rico300zx]

The bands are good because they're more dynamic, it gets harder the higher you stand up with it, the weight de-loader stays the same the whole time. But there's value to both ways imo

agreed both do have value.

[1stCoC]

The most difficult part of a Blob lift is breaking it loose so it seems like the band helps with that and as it slacks off tension after it is moving helps you get added resistance and real feel of the piece. Both ways have their merits.

[milktruck]

Due to the demands of my circumstances I have a much less sophisticated de-loading technique - I have nowhere to safely drop them to the floor, so Ive been lifting the blobs from my couch cushions, which have a little bit of spring that seems to make it easier to break them from the "ground".

And I got some Dry Hands which nearly eliminates the tendency to tilt. The blobs I got were mint or near mint, had never seen chalk, and the finish would be relatively slippery if my hands were at all greasy. I actually see myself getting the 45 now.

[Electron]

Due to the demands of my circumstances I have a much less sophisticated de-loading technique - I have nowhere to safely drop them to the floor, so Ive been lifting the blobs from my couch cushions, which have a little bit of spring that seems to make it easier to break them from the "ground".

Funny, I do this too.

And for more assistance, you push the blob down before lifting up.

[bwwm]

Another sweet idea that I think David Horne proposed, and that I have seen Jason Steeves doing a bit, is to use a board as a ramp. Start with a shallow ramp, and slide the blob up the ramp. As you get stronger, increase the angle of the ramp. Alternate between fingers on the back of it, and thumb on the back of it.

I have always been lucky enough that the blob is just out of my strength range if I haven't been training it. With a few weeks of TTK, and blob slides, I will start getting air under it, and then full lockouts after another few weeks. I need to train it more consistently and start doing farmers walks with it.

The other thing that I noticed with the blob, is that it is very surface texture dependent. The humidity around here varies quite a bit in the summer, and some days it will go right up, and other days, it is welded to the floor. I have also noticed that if the chalk residue builds up, sometimes it can become significantly harder as well.

[Guest Squat More]

Do you have video to demonstrate the ramp method?

[Electron]

That ramp is a great idea. Think I may make one.

[bwwm]

This is Jason's vid on using the ramp for training - not mine - all props going to him .

[Guest Squat More]

Thanks man, I just wanted to be sure what I read and saw in my head was the actual plan. I may start giving this a go.

[bwwm]

I have done this with my Blobzilla on the back of a smooth 45# plate propped on one side on top of a 25# plate. So if you don't have a board around, that's another option.

[Guest Squat More]

I am a shop teacher, and have made all sorts of training implements, including a detachable power rack reverse hyper, finding a board will be no issue at all.


Watching Jasons video got me inspired at 1am to make some attempts on my blob and I got three inch or so floats with it left handed, and was done after that. May be a fluke but it's inspiration to start giving that blob more attention.