Attention #3 Closers

[Dan Cenidoza]

Do you find that warming up helps you, hurts you or has no effect on your strength?

I don't warm up before closing the #3. What got me to the #3 was just grabbing it and squeezing several times a day. I guess I've conditioned myself not to need one.

[bender]

From the perspective of a recent #3 closer, there's no way I could ever close a #3 with out a long, specific warm up. This includes light block-weights passed from hand to hand until I'm warmed up, and then BBM and BBSM attempts until my hands feel strong. For a non-specific warm-up, I do a block weight work out, and then go straight to the #3, which was how I got my first close.

Closing a #3 with out a warm up? For me, no way. Not possible.

For thoes that do...

[the swiss]

I think I have never tried with my hands really cold.

The cracking of my knuckles and the general feel are terrible with cold hands.

By cold I mean with absolutely no physical effort for the last 2 hours at least. I find that after a day of, say, manual labor, my hands are slightly warmed up.

david

[jimwylie1]

I have always just gone straight at it with no warm up. However, I’ve recently been hearing some alarming cracking noises so I’ve taken to giving the trainer a couple of squeezes before attempting a heavy gripper. I also find that giving a hard gripper (like the #4 or wc) a 75% squeeze before an attempt make the sweep part of the close feel a lot easier.

[Matt Van Weele]

I use to have to warm up but can go without it or chalk now.

[austinslater]

I usually warm up with singles from the t on up. Although if its warm out and my hands have some blood in them I can close it fairly easy.

[Adam Black]

In my experience it depends on ones strength level. When I could just barely close the #3 I could only do so after a fair warm up. As my strength progresses I find that I can close it with less of a warm up. On good days I can close it cold.

[dave]

i jump straight to it, but recently ive notice excatly what Jim Wylie says and am thinkin bout doin the same as him.

[Clay Edgin]

Yes, I warm up. I do some extensor exercises and paper ball squeezing before attempting any heavy gripper.

[2strong]

I can probably close my #3 when I'm cold, but I never do... Because I feel that it will hurt my hands ( my hands are also stronger when they are properly warmed up ).

[bseedot]

I generally don't warm up. If I do, it's usually closing something like my filed #2 first, then the #3.

BC.

[rbrown]

I can close it cold, but like to first do my regular weight workout first, then do a close or two with the 1 and 2 first.

[Bill Piche]

I always warm up.

[opnsysme]

Like Dan said I can close the #2 cold but not the #3 I have to warm up then go for it, and with that I'm about 1//4-1/8" away from closing.

[Rick Walker]

That all depends on what I am doing for the day.

Can I walk out to the garage, grab it off it's nail, and hammer it down-Yep-every time I touch it.

But-if I am doing an actual workout, I will warm up first.

Rick Walker

[Emsquared]

I don't warm up i go straight for the #3

M2

[Guest wells]

I squeeze my hands and flex my fingers for a few minutes, maybe do some isometrics. I always swing my arms before attempting grip work.

If I feel exceptionally tight I'll rub in some nicoflex or dragon/tiger balm into my wrists and lower forearms. That increases the blood circulation enough to prevent cracking and snapping usually.

Edited September 24, 2003 by wells

[Bob Lipinski]

Many times I close the 3 without a warmup when I am just doing a single for fun. Always start with my lightest gripper for a "real" workout though. Guess it's kinda like Rick puts it.

I think it is very possible to get away without a warmup, but I really wonder if the people who train that way are getting the most out of their heavy attempts. For me at least, the "little things" like training before hand, heating up the hands, and taking a short grip warmup can end up making a huge difference in performance.

[Jedd Johnson]

If I do not warm up it feels like my hand is going to break off at the wrist.

[Sybersnott]

I tried it both ways, and to be honest... I feel stronger grip-wise when I go straight to a close WITHOUT a warmup than if I did.

[Big Steve]

The older I get the longer I warm up. Saves on injuries big time for me, because it takes me longer to heal. "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". Ben Franklin. In my life to I have been through a ton of cure.

[Strong Man]

i never warm up, and i usually close it my first try.

[EricMilfeld]

I typically do one or two low rep sets with the #2 for my warm up.

[Tou]

I sometimes close my #3 without warmups. Those times are when my dad is drunk and asks me to show his friends that "thing with a pring that you shut down". I do close it a few times and then, all the guys have a try at it. No one but my friend J has significantly moved the handles.

When I do a grip workout, or any kind of workout, I ALWAYS warmup.

[Bill Piche]

i never warm up, and i usually close it my first try.

The #3? When are you certifying?