2009 June - 1st Annual Woodall Grip Challenge - thewicked

[thewicked]

Wow I don't even know where to begin! Talk about a great time! I gotta give a HUGE thanks to chad the host and everyone who sponsored the event. From start to finish...from warmup to award ceremony it was nothing but a kickass time! Even the crowd was loving it and what a crowd it was! This contest was exactly why i'm so into grip and love it and love to compete in it! It was highly competitive and organized yet everyone was there supporting and helping each other, cheering each other on event after event! It was worth the 28 hours of driving in 3 days to be there! HAHA! The conversations and company kept both before, during, and after the event couldn't have been better.

AND THE PEOPLE! It was like we've all been buddies even if we've never once met one another.. very cool. The comraderie in grip is second to none and beyond any sport i've ever had a passion for. Those I didn't know before I know have the pleasure and honor of making their acquaintances!

Chad it was a sincere pleasure to meet you and your wonderful family. Wonderful bunch you have there brother and your contest was second to none! Definately a contest i'll plan to attend year after year...

Steve...what can i say man. It was kickass watching you compete and glad to see you brought what you did to the table even with all the traveling you had to do. It was awesome watching you and the others go head to head! I hope we can do it again and see you in another comp in the future!

Andy D! DUDE WHAT A FREAKING PULL! INSANE! just like i said about steve.. it was awesome having met you and hanging with ya both during and after the meet. Wish it could've been longer but there will be other times. Always cool talking shop with another man in the business like yourself and steve.

Jedd.. man everytime we compete together it's always a badass time. Definately going to look and see how i can qual for GGC. Thanks for all the help and advice both during and before the contest. I hope my filming was up to par during your lifts. CHOooooooooooooooooocolate raaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaain!

Aaron dude awesome to have met ya brother! Helluva show you put on and we definately all need to kick it any chance we get! Fun times man fun times!

Arizona here i come! And that little gripper thing you have going on and whatever other ideas you've got down the pipe...let me know..i've got cash to spend baby!

Paul man.. kicked my ass AGAIN! Gotta get you back home brutha and get you back where you were and bring it all back! gotta have someone to pull out a texas crew win! Too bad we didn't get more time to chill.. we need to make that happen!

Rex man HUGE thanks to both yourself and your amazing family. The hospitality and generosity was beyond anything i've ever experienced and i can't thank you and your family enough. The filming as well man putting that together was AWESOME! You really went over the top and hope i can repay ya someday with a favor like you gave to myself and others. WAY TO KICKASS IN THE MEET TOO BRO! We've got work to do and we've gotta make a better training protocol to really bring it!

Zach, Brent, Chris, everyone... so awesome to have met you guys and it was apleasure going head to head with you all! I have learned so much from everyone and can't wait to do it again.

as for myself.. pfft.. I went into this thing way over confident and didn't think about playing the contest game at all. I wanted to set PR's all around and I feel like I did that. I wanted to pulled on the D-STONE, close a bigger gripper than ever, set a pinch, rt, and axle pr all the while finishing in the top half of the medley. Apparenlty I've got a long way to go.. i've never missed an axle at 400 and did it 4 times which means i've got to have a better understanding of my own abilities and better yet how to play the competitive game! I BLANKED WHAT WAS MY BEST EVENT!!! I did however close a heavier gripper than before smashing an FBBC hard and barely missed a 3.5 right after that. We're talking a frog's hair according to the judges! And then right after the gripper event I smashed rex's 3.5. Go figure..easier 3.5 but still! Grippers are getting better...

the axle... we're not going to talk about that..especially since I raped the 375 axle in the medley..

RT..set a HUGE RT PR on that thing. handle was made for big pulls and that it definately did! Just had to buckle down, grit my teeth, and attack it and up it went!

the pinch...always my worst event anything pinch is now going to be my main focus to bring that up... pinching is half or more of grip comps and i've gotta be a force in that to become a force in grip period.

the medley...let's just say that was the highlight..and is really going to change my grip training protocol from here on out. I did everything wiht my right hand.. my left did NOTHING this event and i might as well have tied it behind my back. Gotta bring it up and to where it plays well with the other. HA! Michelle hates when i do grip comps...it's like a shopping spree for myself as well HAHA! I play with new toys and start making a wish list! Could I have done better? Sure.. Am I disappointed? No.. as a whole I did well in alot of my better events and have come away having learned a few things to apply to this whole grip thing! Can't wait til the next one!

One more time... thankyou anyone and everyone there both behind the scenes and competing. Was glad to have been there and an honor to stand up there in such an amazing group of competitors. I don't feel like I belonged there with guys as capable as everyone in attendance and to have been invited and competed with you all was an experience unsurpassed.

see ya on the podium next time!