Developing The Crushing And Healing Hand

[DoctorOfCrush]

30 minutes ago, Justin Matney said:

I remember when Kody was in the grip well he mentioned swearing by contrast baths, that it flushed out uncirculated blood and lymphatic fluid and pumped fresh in. I wonder if voodoo flossing is doing the same thing. 

I think this idea definitely plays a part. I think you get a post-ischemic reflexive hyperrmia where metabolites that build up during the ischemia induced by what is basically a tourniquet, and these metabolites cause vasodilation after the wrap is released.

The other part of it is the sheering that is taking place while you move through ranges of motion while simultaneously applying circumferential force via the wrap. Five different muscle groups attach at the flexor wad on the medial epicondyle, and using them as frequently and intensely as we do in grip training can cause them to become matted and inflamed at which point they do not glide over and past each other as they should, which then causes them to remain tense and become more inflamed, and it's just a vicious cycle.  I think that freeing up some of the matting and increasing the blood flow to expel inflammatory cells both contribute to pain reduction following flossing. 

Edited February 22, 2016 by DoctorOfCrush

[slazbob]

How often do you use that flossing, doc?

[DoctorOfCrush]

Daily if not multiple times a day when my elbow flares up. I may start doing it as a preventative measure/warmup before gripper workouts from here on out as I'm sure it will only be of benefit. 

[Evan Raftopoulos]

9 hours ago, DoctorOfCrush said:

Yeah, I use the grippers occasionally, and I wish I had something lighter than a CoC1 to use for this warmup. I've never tried the taping only because doing this before and after typically takes care of it.  I totally agree with the extensor work as well.  It makes perfect sense that there would be forced antagonist (i.e. flexor) relaxation. 

And I'm not a physician YET, but give me ~15 months (3rd year med student now). 

I like to use the RB adjustables for warming up, you can start very light and progressively move up. I also have the vice adjustable gripper at work that I use with patients. It's cheaper and works great! I wish you all the best with finishing med school and good luck with your residency as well! Do you know what you want to do? 

[DoctorOfCrush]

2 hours ago, Evan Raftopoulos said:

I like to use the RB adjustables for warming up, you can start very light and progressively move up. I also have the vice adjustable gripper at work that I use with patients. It's cheaper and works great! I wish you all the best with finishing med school and good luck with your residency as well! Do you know what you want to do? 

I have been strongly considering some type of adjustable gripper as my next gripper (once I cert MM0 and am working towards MM1).  I was initially considering purchasing a Silvis Megalodon preset somewhere around 156-158# along with a BTR handle specifically for MM1 training, but the RB definitely has the benefit of having a much larger range as well as possibly an extended handle if I so choose to splurge. 

 I initially thought I would do something within internal medicine or even pathology (I loved histology and pathology in my first 2 years), but then I got totally surprised when I absolutely fell in love with pediatric hematology/oncology.  That's the frontrunner for the time being. 

Aren't you a DPT? 

[DoctorOfCrush]

Feb 22:
Ugh, well today wasn't one of the best gripper workouts.  It was more of one of those 'punching the clock' type of workouts.  I think that going from 0-to-high rep wide pinching right out of the gate with that dumbbell pinching I did caused me to strain my forearm a little bit, more so my left than my right. I had a bit of a fiddler crab workout because of it in the hopes that backing off of my L a little bit would help it heal more quickly. 

R: MMS: (I could tell I didn't quite have all my finishing power, but I pyramided up nonetheless because, hey, I'm young and stupid sometimes)
                GHP5 (109)
                CoC2.5 (126)         I will say I obliterated this gripper for some reason today.  Just crushed it shut.
                CoC2.5 (134)
                BBSM (139)
                RB300N (144). . . . nope (x)

GHP Block Sets: GHP6 (126)x 1, 1          I don't know what was with me, but I got cocky here too thinking I would knock out at least doubles. The block can be humbling.
                             HG250 x4

MMS: GHP6 (126) x 2, 3

Click Close Sets: GHP6 (126) x 3, 3, 4, 3          Hey, at least one PR tonight.  Almost had 5 on this one. 

GHP Block Set: CoC2 x7           I was just curious to see what I could knock out at the end of this workout.  Maybe I have 10 fresh. 
_______________________________________________________________________

L: MMS: GHP5 (109)
               HG250

GHP Block Sets: LT2 (103) filed x 4, 5, 4

MMS: LT2 (103) filed x5

Called it on the L workout here because I would get a tinge of pain each time I released the gripper at the end of the set.  Just not worth making things worse. 

 

[Evan Raftopoulos]

13 hours ago, DoctorOfCrush said:

I have been strongly considering some type of adjustable gripper as my next gripper (once I cert MM0 and am working towards MM1).  I was initially considering purchasing a Silvis Megalodon preset somewhere around 156-158# along with a BTR handle specifically for MM1 training, but the RB definitely has the benefit of having a much larger range as well as possibly an extended handle if I so choose to splurge. 

 I initially thought I would do something within internal medicine or even pathology (I loved histology and pathology in my first 2 years), but then I got totally surprised when I absolutely fell in love with pediatric hematology/oncology.  That's the frontrunner for the time being. 

Aren't you a DPT? 

I have the triceratops, it was rated by CPW 150 and you can make it harder if you need to, I feel the megalodon is too much. It's for mm2+ guys from what I understand. Good luck getting the MM0 and MM1.

nice man, I 'm a PT (MSPT)  I stopped at the masters back in 2011 when we had the option to do that, that additional year for the DPT was too expensive for me at the time.  I was into pediatrics as well before but there are not many job opportunities for that and ended up in orthopedics specialized in workers compensation cases. 

Edited February 22, 2016 by Evan Raftopoulos

[DoctorOfCrush]

42 minutes ago, Evan Raftopoulos said:

I have the triceratops, it was rated by CPW 150 and you can make it harder if you need to, I feel the megalodon is too much. It's for mm2+ guys from what I understand. Good luck getting the MM0 and MM1.

nice man, I 'm a PT (MSPT)  I stopped at the masters back in 2011 when we had the option to do that, that additional year for the DPT was too expensive for me at the time.  I was into pediatrics as well before but there are not many job opportunities for that and ended up in orthopedics specialized in workers compensation cases. 

Well, I only chose the megalodon because  Cannon had the triceratops averaging a max of 145. I didn't know it would go that much higher, so I guess I was thinking I would end up getting a lot more use out of the gripper if I started using it at its low end rather than upper end. 

It's nice to see another medical professional on here! I have a ton of PT friends up here. We actually have the same anatomy teachers and we take the neurology class together with the PTs. It's a cool setup because we get a lot more insight into how you guys may approach the same clinical problem from a totally different perspective. 

 

[Evan Raftopoulos]

I meant to say T rex, not tricerators, but I have the triceratops too! (the names are confusing to me) 

that's cool! Lucas Raymond is also a PT here. 

[DoctorOfCrush]

Feb 23:
I used straps for my pull-ups tonight just to give my forearms a bit of a break.
a. 25# Pullups: 8, 7, 6, 5, 5
b. Paused Pushups: 15, 15, 15, 15, 15
c. One-hand Dynamic Pinch

a. 25# Chinups: 5, 5, 6, 6          Just didn't have seven in me for this one. 
b. Two-hand Dynamic Pinch

[DoctorOfCrush]

Feb 27:
Warmup
R: 5 (109)
     6 (126)
     2.5 (134) x 1, 1       Wasn't sure if I got it the first time because of a weird set, so I did it again and smashed it. 
     BBSM (139)
     RB300N (144) (x)
     RB300N (144)        Boom! Got it!  Brand new PR. I'm in the 140s club.
     RB300N (148) x 2 attempts           Not really that close.  Just didn't have much left. 

Parallel Choked Sets: 2.5 (126) x 1, 3, 3        Felt weird at first (hence a single at first), but I started to get the hang of it. 

Negatives: BBHE x 1, 1
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

L: 5 (109)
    HG250f

Choked Sets: 2.5 (126) @ 10mm
                                       @ 15mm x 1, x, 1, 1, x          I didn't really get the hang of these until I started doing them with the right later on, so I'm sure I'll be able to improve upon them later. 

Overcrush: 5 (109) x 1, 1, 1

Negatives: BBGM x 1, 1

 

So this was my very first time working out with choked grippers, and I have to say that I really liked it once I got the hang of it.  It really helps with getting setting hand fatigue.  I'm really lucky in that I have 2 126# grippers, so I don't have to take it out of the choker to work with that weight non-choked.  I think that this will really help my L hand strength. 

 

 

[avasatu]

Nice. I bet you can fairly quickly close 155-160 choked to 20 mm after only a few sessions of work.

[DoctorOfCrush]

Feb 29:
So I was talking to Evan R.  a bit about different types of calisthenic training and how to be able to do things like a front lever, which I've always wanted to be able to do. He gave me a progression video for the front levers and said I should set some goals for the other movements. 

Banded Swinging Front Levers: 3x6 

a. 25# pullups: 7, 6, 6, 6, 5
b. Ring dips: 5, 5, 5, 5, (3 w/ 25#)

a. Pushups: 10, 10, 10, 10
b. 25# chin-ups: 5, 6, (9 w/ bw)

I realized as soon as I went to do my pull-ups that the front lever practice had gotten to my lats a bit because I couldn't get my 8 strict weighted pull-ups in my first set. 

 

[DoctorOfCrush]

Mar 2:
Warmup - This consisted of OC up to GHP5(109)
R:     1.5" block: 5(109) x4
1" block: 6(126) x2x2
MMS: 6(126) x2
           2.5(126) x2     VERY close to 3 on this one. 
           6(126) x2
Click set: 6(126) x3
                 6(126) x4       I think. . . . maybe 3. 
                 6(126) x3
                 6(126) x3
                 6(126) x1. . . . I had nothing left for this set. 
Paracord hold: CoC2 x 10s, 15s, 10s
I did these using the GHP block and the blue paracord that comes attached to it.  Just trying something different. 
______________________________________________________________________________
L:     1.5" block: LT2(103) x2   
1" block: LT2(103) x3
                LT2(103) x2
MMS: LT2(103) x3
           LT2(103) x3
           LT2(103) x2
Click: GHP5(109) x3
           GHP5(109) x2      Terrible initial set. 
           GHP5(109) x3
           GHP5(109) x3
           GHP5(109) x2
Paracord hold: GHP4 x 12s, 14s, 8s
I just filed my LT2 a some more this morning before the workout, and it was VERY noticeable during the workout.  The block sets on that gripper were very tough. Annoyingly so. 

This workout was not great, but I got some good work in.  The click sets were really giving me trouble. It may have been the first sign that I might have to start spreading the workouts apart by another day (up to 4 days in between), but I'm going to give my next workout a shot on my current schedule and see how it goes.  

 

[DoctorOfCrush]

Mar 3:
a. 25# pullups: 8, 7, 7, 6, 5
b. Ring dips: 8, 7, 6, 5, 4

a. Janda situps: 5, 5, 5
b. 25# chin-ups: 5, 6, 7

Thumb clamps: 30x3
Dynamic opposition: 10x5

[DoctorOfCrush]

Mar 6:
Warmup
R: Deep set: IM2.5 (126)
                      IM2.5 (134)
                      BBSM (139)
                      IM3 (150) x
                      BBGM (147) x, x            Closer than I have ever been before for sure.   A few mm off. 

Choked parallel set: IM2.5 (126) x6          Felt really good on this.  I reset as necessary b/n reps. 

MMS: IM2.5 (134) x1  (attempted double, barely missed)

Negatives: BBHE x 1, 1, 1

Superset: IM2/ GHP4/ IM1 - 4/6/6
I just wanted to mess around with this idea today.  Nothing quite as humbling as getting 6 MMS reps on a IM#1. 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
L: Deep set: IM2.5 (126) x, x           So freaking close on this one. I think it will go down next workout. 

Choked IM2.5 (126): 15mm
                                   17mm
                                   19mm
                                   21mm
                                   23mm x, x

Negatives: RB300N (148) x 1, 1, 1

Superset: IM2/ GHP4/ IM1 - 0/6/4
Yes, you read that correctly: 4 MMS reps with an IM1.  It blew my mind just how difficult this supersetting is.  

I got back to some extreme negatives today, and I really liked it.  I started using my extended handle for better setting, and the sets were much more effective.  For the past few workouts I definitely had not been giving my all on my negatives, so I plan to remedy that in the upcoming workouts. 

 

[DoctorOfCrush]

Mar 9:

a. 25# pull-ups: 8,8,7,6,5

b. Ring dips: 8,7,6,5,5

a. Janda sit-ups: 5x5

b. 25# chin-ups: 7,6,5,4,3

[DoctorOfCrush]

Mar 11:
So I used my hands, and exhausted them, a lot more often than usual this week, and I didn't really think about it until I started to get into grippers. 

R: Deep: Up to 144, with two misses there.  This is the point that I realized my hands were pretty tired. 

1.5": up to 126, miss there

1": 6 (126)
      HG250f x2

MMS: HG250f x3/ x3/ x2

Click: 6(126) x2/ x7*/ x5*/ x7*/ x5*          *I started working with my 3/4" copper tube ext. handle to help with setting the grippers. 

Negatives: BBHE x1, 1          No third.  Hands were destroyed. 
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

L: Deep: Up to 126, with two misses there.  Even with the misses, my L felt like it had a little more oomph behind it. 

1.5": up to 5 (109)

1": 5(109) x3/ x1

MMS: 5(109) x2/ x2/ x2

Click: 5(109) x4/ x2/ x7*/ x5*/ x6*          *Ext handle

Negatives: 300N(148) x1, 1, 1

 

So overall, meh.  I know that the extended handle kind of slides and makes it to where I have better leverage with my pinkie and ring finger, so really I was just stroking my ego by using it, but it got me through the rest of my workout at the very least.

I think I may put together a pinch block soon.  I know wood isn't ideal, but it's cheap and I have no metal-working material/equipment/experience, so it's my best option. 

[DoctorOfCrush]

So I have been on Infectious Disease as part of my specialties rotation (I don't remember selecting this at all), and the days have been very long and boring.  A lot of just sitting and table-rounding on patients until 6:30 pm. Ugh.  Either way, this one is a two-fer. 

Mar 15:
I didn't have much time today to fit a workout in, but I squeezed it in and it was ok overall. 

R: Deep close: up to 144 w/ 1 miss then a make

Choked 300N (148): 10mm, 15mm, 19mm, 21mm(x)

Negative: BBHE x1

_______________________________________________

L: Deep close: up to 126 w/ 2 misses

Braced closes: 126 & 134

Overcrush: 109 x 1, 1, 1, 1

Negative: 300N (144) x 1 

Overall, not terrible but nothing spectacular since I had to go so quickly. 

 

Mar 16:
I decided to test first then add weight if I hit 10 clean reps at the weight I had been using. 
25# Pullups: 10
Ring Dips: 10
Yep, time to move up. 

a. 53# Pullups: 4, 3, 2, 1
b. 25# Ring Dips: 5, 4, 3, 2

a. Pushups: 12, 12, 12, 12, 12
b. 53# Pullups: 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

[DoctorOfCrush]

Mar 19:
AM- grippers
Warmup
L: 1.5": IM2, LT2, GHP5(x), LT2(x)

1": GHP5 (109)

MMS: LT2 x 2 / 3

Parallel Choked: HG250 x 1 / 1 / 2

Click closes: GHP5(109) x 5 / 4 / 4

Paracord hold: GHP4 x 26s / 23s / 17s
_____________________________________

R: 1.5": IM2, GHP5, HG250, IM2.5(x)

1": IM2.5(126)

MMS: GHP6(126) x 3 / 2

Parallel choked: IM2.5(134) x 4 / 4 / 2

Click closes: GHP6(126) x 3 / 3 / 4*

Paracord hold: IM2 x 20s / 27s / 20s

*So I randomly took a slow-mo video of my second set of click closes just to see how it looked and I realized something about my set that I had not: I do not use my setting hand nearly enough when gripping with my right.  As soon as I really focused on squeezing with my setting hand, the next set was SO much better.  I will now make it my focus when setting to squeeze the daylights out of the handles with my setting hand.  As soon as I started doing that, however, I began to realize just why Chez puts either gloves or tape on his setting hand.  Phew, I almost immediately ended up with a blood blister on the side of the proximal phalange of my left hand. 

PM- messing around in the apartment complex gym

a. Front & side shoulder raises: 20# x 8 / 8 / 8    Really just wanted to see how these would feel.
b. Ab rollouts: 10 / 10 / 10
c. Alternating supported pistols: 20 / 20 / 20

a. Hammer curl-->Shoulder press: 30#x10 / 40#x10 / 45#x10
b. Janda situps: 5 / 5 / 5
c. Alternating rolling pistols:  10 / 10 / 10

[Peter Brannstrom]

Nice log to read!!!
Great stuff!!!

Also, that "wake up" you had just now regarding the the amount of work put in by the setting hand...hmmm, that sounds like something I've never ever given a second thought, must make sure to try and focus on that myself next time with grippers... might make a huge difference? as I've always had a huge problem with the setting but never really worked on it either... so, thanks for that!

kind regards
/peter

[DoctorOfCrush]

3 hours ago, Peter Brannstrom said:

Nice log to read!!!
Great stuff!!!

Also, that "wake up" you had just now regarding the the amount of work put in by the setting hand...hmmm, that sounds like something I've never ever given a second thought, must make sure to try and focus on that myself next time with grippers... might make a huge difference? as I've always had a huge problem with the setting but never really worked on it either... so, thanks for that!

kind regards
/peter

Thanks for the kind words, Peter!  I'm really hoping that this setting realization will help the both of us.  I guess I'll find out in my next MMS workout.  I had heard of people even training their setting hand with these sort of 'set squeezes' with really light grippers (closing or nearly closing the gripper using only the setting hand), but I had always thought that I was squeezing adequately in my set.  Nevertheless, every ounce of pressure in the set can help! 

I will warn you that the side of my left index finger was tender for a while afterward, and I can only imagine that it will be after my next workout.  Also, focusing so hard on the set can make it very easy to lose camera awareness and start completely out of frame if you are filming the set.  I'd say it's all worth it for a PR though, right? Haha

[DoctorOfCrush]

Mar 21:
a. 53# pullups: 4, 3, 2, 2, 1
b. 25# ring dips: 5, 4, 3, 2, 2

a. Pushups: 15, 14, 13, 12, 11
b. 53# chin-ups: 4, 4, 3, 2, 2          I realized pretty quickly that I should have done 5 on my first set.  Oh well.  I think I'll live.  

I was rushed because I needed to make dinner before my wife got home from work.  I actually liked doing this workout pretty quickly.  Very different burn.  Total time for this workout ended up being 26 minutes. 

[DoctorOfCrush]

Mar 23:

So I woke up late this morning, the ID fellow gave me 3 extra patients to see (basically because I was more efficient at seeing mine than he was at seeing his), I had to give an annoying case presentation as part of my specialties rotation, and I got a late lunch.  Woe is me, right?!

But then, to top it all off, I had A BAD GRIPPER WORKOUT!!!!!!!  GASP!!!!!!

Now any person who reads this log with regularity would expect, intelligently so, that I would just continue with linear progress until the day that I closed a GHP10 and walked away.  Don't feel bad, we all thought it. But alas, I'm beginning to think that this just won't be the case.  It may time for a. . . . de-load week. 

I have no idea how to put together a gripper de-load week, but we'll see how this goes.  I think I'll just squeeze 3x5 or 5x5 MMS at 60-70% or CCS singles or doubles at the same percentage every day.   I'll drop the intensity way down and up the frequency to placate myself.  We'll see if this works at all. Maybe others will have better (i.e. much smarter) ways of going about this. 

R: MMS: up to 144, two misses there       I actually had an iffy first attempt at 139, so I went for it again.  That's when I knew something was up. 

L: MMS: up to 126, three misses there     It just wasn't in the cards today.  I have stuck at the same distance (2-3mm) on my L for some time now.  I think my body is pretty excited that I'm finally going to listen to it.  It's probably pretty hoarse at this point.  

Maybe with my extra training time I'll do some more kettle bell work.  Or more bodyweight stuff. Or anything.  I should buy a boat!

[DoctorOfCrush]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbz4IG1hWlo