2012 February - Durniat Strength Grip Competition - Chez

[Chez]

dude, I got the addiction big time now. To make the Elite class would be awesome. I hope we both make it soon so we can run with the big boys.

I got home tonight after a long 7.5 hour drive and was just totally exhausted. My traps and upper back are really sore due to that frame hold. After relaxing a little and having a few glasses of wino I wanted to write up a more detailed review of my first grip comp. I left on Friday afternoon as soon as class was over. I even ate lunch during my last class so I could hit the road as soon possible. The drive was long but really easy. Most of it was the same highway. I think 500 miles of the drive was I-80 W. That road was super straight with no traffic so I put the car on cruise control and pounded two 5 hour energy drinks. I meet Brandon Gerber at the gym since he was still working and getting the gym ready for the competition. This was great since I got to see the items in the medley and knew what to expect the next morning. Brandon is a really nice guy and let me stay at his place Friday night. The morning of the competition I was a little nervous. Even though I have been training, I haven't seen a lot of the official equipment. I told myself I was just going to have fun and do my best no matter what happened.

1st event = So the first event was rated grippers with a 20 mm block set. I was actually expecting grippers with a parallel set since that was what was listed on the contest forum. I have never trained with a 20 mm block set so I was worried that this would be harder. I don't have any rated grippers but I have been totally dominating my beef builder elite In training and members of the grip board have told me that new elites have been averaging 164 lbs. I started with a 165.98 lb rated elite. This was super easy. The rush from a contest setting definitely helps. My next attempt was a 171.1 lb quad band. I have never tried a quad band before. The gripper supper store sold out of them before I got a chance to buy one. Again I was amazed out how easily I closed this gripper. I was totally pumped at this point. My third attempt was 174+ FBBC Hard which I missed. I couldn't get that last little bit no matter how hard I squeezed. I was little a little disappointed but Brent Barbe told me that the Elite which rated at 175 lbs was smoother and would be easier to close. He was totally right. I dominated this gripper and felt like I could have gotten reps. Thanx Brent!

2nd event = the second event was 2HP on a euro. I have never used an official euro before. I have been practicing with a ghetto Euro (2 smooth 25 lb plates as the pinch surface). No clue what weight to start at so I was conservative and did my first attempt around 157 lbs. I did my second attempt in the mid 170s and my third in the mid 180s. I made all 3 of these attempts with ease. I had a tough decision to make. Go mid 190s or try 200+. I went with 194+ and got it with gas left in the tank. I really believe the 200+ would have went up. I will give it a shot at nationals.

3rd event = DO axle. I have been training with 1 7/8 inch OD PVC pipe slipped over a 1 inch bar so I had no idea how I would do on an actual ironmind axle.I started at 296+ and it went up really easy. My second attempt was 316 or 317 and that was really easy again. I asked Chris Rice what he thought I should try for my 3rd attempt. he suggest 336+ and He was right on the money. I just made this lift. 1 second longer and the bar would have fell out of my hand. I kept looking at the judge hoping for the down single and was relieved when I got it. I tried 343 on my last attempt but I had nothing left.

4th event = medley. The medley is a crazy event but very fun. I was running all over the place trying to get any point I could. Fatigue was factor at this point. I sweating and super tired. My only regret was not trying the parallel sledge (balancing the coin on the sledge hammer while lifting it on the platform) since I ran out of time. I did it after the comp and got it easy. I spent too much time on harder stuff.

5th event = frame hold. The frame without weight weighs near 400lbs which is what the light weight class got to use. Since I was in the heavy weight class I had to use the frame with an additional 100 lbs added. I was worried I wouldn't get it off the ground. Luckily I did and was able to hold on for 32.32 seconds. My entire body was shaking. This event it very painful. I was in first place in the novice heavy weight class going into this event by a slim margin. The guy behind me before this event performed better at this event and over took me in the final standing. I got 2nd place in the novice heavy weight class. He was a really nice guy though and I was talking to him the entire comp. He was the guy who patted me on the back after my 336+ axle lift in the video. He also qualified for nationals so hopefully we meet again and I get revenge .

Now I have 4 month to improve before nationals. I think my biggest improvement needs to be my DO axle and my endurance. I'm going to continue to work hard until June.