2016 June - South Jersey 3 - Canthar (Nic B)

[canthar]

Some quick numbers with my write up to follow. 

 

Gripper:

84, 90, 95, 104(missed by a hair)

 

Flask:

20kg, 23kg, 25kg(miss), 25kg got it. 

 

2.5 Crusher:

40kg, 45kg, 48kg, 51kg(miss)

 

Medley 7 items.

 

Weighed in at 68.6kg

 

This is the first competition of any type I have attended as an athlete in over 10 years and first ever in grip. 

 

I've been in and out of the grip world for a long time now, always using it to assist in other goals but never as a focus. With recent changes to my health and career I have been looking for something and started visiting the boards more often. 

 

I saw this contest listed for South Jersey that looked friendly for a beginner in grip sport. Everyone posting seemed genuinely excited and positive. So I started posting my intentions to try and get there and began talking to Nate. It struck me right away that he really wanted people to show up and have a good time. Not worried about records and big numbers as much as the attendees enjoying it. This is a huge change from what I'm used too. A very welcome change. 

 

The decision to go took me out of my comfort zone. I'm quite the introvert and don't make friends very well. I also don't always make he best first impression. The only two people there I had met before was @Jedd Johnson which was over ten years ago and @Tank Andrade. Everyone was very friendly and approachable. Much to my surprise several people knew who I was from the club swinging videos I post. Anyways back to the actual trip. 

 

The week leading up to the trip @JHenze646 came by while on vacation in the area. Shared some club swinging tips with him and he gave me some tips for SJ3 and also some great info to help with shoe bending. Josh also made a TTK with standard loading pin. This I will donating to SJ4 as a prize. Thank you very much Josh. 

 

So the morning of SJ3 I get up early and quietly get down the stairs to not wake my wife and daughter. 6am and I am in the road got the route all planned out. Well as expected no good plan goes without a problem. Maryland ended up being a parking lot. Which cost me 60-90 min. So 10 hours later I pull up at Nates house. He greats me immediately we BS some. Chop up a few bells for blobs and then he starts showing me everything he has been working on for this show. Wow, so much work went into this. He really wanted people to show up and get a wow factor. 

 

Bit later Maureen gets home and she greets me like I was part of their family. Both of them making sure I have everything I need. Nate lets me help him with the remaining set up he has to do for the next day and around 10 we head back in and get some food. He heads for bed a bit later and I stayed up awhile just talking to his wife while she gets some prep work done for the next day. Up to bed and some rest. 

 

Saturday morning and I'm hanging out downstairs when Nate walks in from dropping their dog off and getting some supplies. Turns out Anton had arrived and brought bagels from NY. So damn good. More and more people arrive as the morning goes on. Every person I meet is extremely nice and very down to earth. Some of whom I have spoken too before online and some I have not. For once in a very very long time I did not feel uncomfortable in a group of people. Awkward still, but not completely alone within the group.

 

Warm ups are happening we have our starting order. First up are the grippers, each of us with our own 20mm setting block that was provided. I opened at 84 wanting a solid easy close to get on the board. 90 and 95 fell so easy it surprised me. Decided not to play it safe and jumped to 104 missed by just a hair. The flask came next. Took a few warms ups this being the first time I have used one of these before. 20kg got me on the board 23kg followed. Took a shot at 25kg next and it slid out of my hand. Final attempt I hit it again and pulled it clean. Final event of the sanctioned portion was the 2.5 crusher. 40, 44 and 48 kg went no problem. Jumped to 51 kg, got it maybe half way, maybe, spun right out of my hand. Damn that got harder fast. Must say though I love this device.

 

The whole time everyone was watching, talking cheering and offering advice. It was an amazing atmosphere that was never too serious, focused and full of intention but not leeching any and enjoyment from it all. Lunch....well lunch was amazing. Nate and Maureen put out one hell of a spread and a TON of food. Several of us also brought various types of beer to pass around. If you wanted something it was there.

 

Post lunch now that we are all completely stuffed comes the Medley and RTFW. Well, grip medley's are very different than the old Strongman medley's I know. This is an event I should have scouted much more thoroughly. My plan went pretty well posting up seven points, where I failed though was not having accounted for every single implement. Ended up leaving around 3 points on the floor because I moved right past something I have lifted. Lesson learned for next time. RTFW in the backyard, 100lbs per hand. 12.5 feet and my right hand just twisted around and thunk down it goes. Starting to feel some of the day adding up now.

 

Bending was next on the agenda, @EJ Livesey brought some rated steel for us to try out for this portion. Mike Krahling who had been hanging out all day also had some pieces (unrated that I saw). Some very good advice was passed around and some hard steel was mauled ( @Buccos1 ). The lower end of the spectrum was a bit light on choices so I grabbed the 225, easy bend done in 15-20sec. Next lowest was a 320. Wrapped it and dug in, damn thing started to move. Went to take a second hit and my left elbow popped a couple of time, backed off it and called it a day with that. This piece of steel will fall. That wrapped the day on competition.

 

Those of us remaining stayed up, drank more and general shot the shit about whatever. Headed up for bed closer to 11, some group of rowdy guys downstairs kept me up until after 1. So with less than 3 hours of broken sleep I crawled into the car and pushed the pedal to the floor. I flew home in under 8 hours, only stopping once. That part may have been a mistake as my knee was so messed up from the car ride it gave out on the porch stairs of my house. First thing my wife sees when I get home is me falling up the stairs DOH! I'm still processing everything.

 

So many other high points on the weekend I cannot do it justice. Tom opening the day doing CTD, spending time with @MRabich on his mace swinging, @Jose Cabrera with such an intensity. @richcottrell who had to work but came by and then came back late in the night. Many other people whom I have forgotten to mention. For as first comp. it could not have gone better. Already planning on next year and possibly even Gripmas this year. An enormous thank you to @anwnate and his wife for having me and hosting such an amazing event. 

 

You all brought me back out of my cave. Thank all of you! Stay in touch and I hope to see everyone again.

 

(hopefully the typos are minimal here lol, daughter loves helping me type)

[Buccos1]

You put a nice hit in that ... just a matter of time!  I have a few pieces of old 7" drillrod calibrated from 270-300.  Wish I would have brought them.

[canthar]

Thanks @Buccos1. Those bars sound perfect for my current range. But then I never would have hit the 320. 

[anwnate]

Cool writeup man.  Thanks right back to you and adding your own personality to the atmosphere.  In five years...you could be the one dispensing/sharing those tips with new gripsters.  Looking forward to next year.

[canthar]

@anwnate I'll be there ! 

[Anton.Torrella]

Very cool write up man - I'm very glad and impressed you made the trip up for the comp - it was great meeting you and hanging out - if not for reading this I'd have no idea you felt yourself an awkward guy, i found you very sociable and easy to share about your life - also thanks again for those tasty NC beers, they made mine seem like coors - I'm glad you enjoyed the bagels too - ah the power of carbs - I look forward to seeing you again next year and sorry for breaking up your sleep man - I was totally one of the rowdy guys - in life in general - keep training strong!

[canthar]

Thanks @Anton.Torrella, and no worries about the sleep. I'll make sure to bring more beer next year. You just bring those bagels again!

[Anton.Torrella]

You got a trade!