Evan Raftopoulos Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 (edited) I know that many people here train home, but are there gyms out there with emphasis on grip sport or is it still relatively unknown? From what I saw on youtube I think Adam Glass owns a gym that has a lot of grip stuff. I also saw pics of Juha's gym in Finland which looks really cool. The closest I've been is a climbing gym 30 min from here that was a promoter of King Kong grip challenge in the past. They had a 25 and a 50 lbs blob(couldn't lift that thing with one arm), some pinch blocks, and about 10 grippers up to CoC 3. What I normally do now I keep many of my grip stuff in the trunk of my car (my wife couldn't stand it having them in the apartment) and I take it at my regular gym which I got permission because I know that walking around with the 2" V bar might look threatening to some people . Anyway, I'm just wondering if others here train grip at gyms too or just home, and if there are gyms out there that I'm not aware of. On the one hand I'd love to train at a gym with others on the other it's cool too being different from the majority of people around you. Edited July 19, 2015 by Evan Raftopoulos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Matney Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Andrew Durniat has a grip heavy gym in Ohio. I was actually doing some work up there a few months ago, and I wanted to go check it out, but ended up not being able to because of work. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FJM Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Grip training in commercial gym can be entertaining. If you use fat grips, rolling thunder or grippers others look you odd. If you use pinch blocks they start to talk each other and scratch heads. When you start with half a penny, hub or plate pinching, they cant help but ask what are you doing? This stuff is still very much unknown. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Royz Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I only train at commercial gyms. Just take my stuff with me. Grippers, rolling thunder, loading pin, blob trainer, pinch blocks, Vulcan, Fatgripz etc. Whatever I need that day. Occasionally I train at home, but for me it's much harder to get into the right state of mind when I'm at home. Sometimes people ask me about it, but I don't mind. I like explaining what I do. And when I DO deadlift 200kg without straps they don't think I'm crazy anymore... 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Pizzo Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I haven't been to a commercial gym in approximately seven years, but a few times I've felt like rolling into one with a bunch of grip stuff just to see what kind of looks I get lol. Having said that, I don't know of any grip-centric gyms in the Metro Detroit area, and couldn't speak about any other regions in the U.S. with any level of confidence...though I'm doubting few other than Durniat Strength exist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 A lot of gyms that cater to strongman competitors will have a few grip implements. Metroplex Gym Ft. Worth is an example. Paul Knight and I used to host grip contests there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fist of Fury Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 I only train at home, I'm building a home gym as we speak. I don't want any distractions when I'm training, I also prefer to train alone. Grip training in commercial gym can be entertaining. If you use fat grips, rolling thunder or grippers others look you odd. If you use pinch blocks they start to talk each other and scratch heads. When you start with half a penny, hub or plate pinching, they cant help but ask what are you doing? This stuff is still very much unknown. This is very sad. That the importance of true hand strength isn't more well known. I think it just shows that the majority of people doesn't train for strength these days, just for esthetics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evan Raftopoulos Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 (edited) Grip training in commercial gym can be entertaining. If you use fat grips, rolling thunder or grippers others look you odd. If you use pinch blocks they start to talk each other and scratch heads. When you start with half a penny, hub or plate pinching, they cant help but ask what are you doing? This stuff is still very much unknown. I only train at commercial gyms. Just take my stuff with me. Grippers, rolling thunder, loading pin, blob trainer, pinch blocks, Vulcan, Fatgripz etc. Whatever I need that day. Occasionally I train at home, but for me it's much harder to get into the right state of mind when I'm at home. Sometimes people ask me about it, but I don't mind. I like explaining what I do. And when I DO deadlift 200kg without straps they don't think I'm crazy anymore... Yea, I get the same looks but by now I'm used to it and also I believe the regulars there are used to the weird grip guy. I tend to do my grip lifts late at night when it's not very crowded, sometimes even at 11pm or midnight. I just hope I don't get in trouble with the mess I make sometimes with the chalk or with the noise when I drop heavy wts . Most people are also not familiar with arm wrestling exercises and I think they find them odd as well, like when holding 90-100 lbs dumbbells on the preacher curl bench for hook training, or doing heavy wrist curls or one arm lock offs. Edited July 19, 2015 by Evan Raftopoulos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.