Hand gripper review: Captains of Crush

[DevilErik]

2 hours ago, Terry Conjugate Iron said:

By the ceiling? Never heard of that before... Then again I'm fairly new still.. 

I'm sure there are more ways to close the gripper besides the few that I practice 

There's so many it's crazy.

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by DevilErik

[Blacksmith513]

20 minutes ago, DevilErik said:

I started with an ivanko super gripper and used that for like 9-10 months before I got my vulcan and you can only do no sets or table no sets with it so I think that's the reason.

I got to one setting below the max on it before I got injured and I didn't have my Vulcan back then.

I have been trying to train with the Vulcan but it is just too difficult for me to set even ultra wide sets.

I can't set it properly so no matter how hard I squeeze the handles won't move.

I am going to get the orange spring and train No Sets with it.

 

This is the Ivanko Super Gripper.

I may buy that one too. I lucked out, I ordered a Vulcan from David Horne his second to last one, orange and crom spring.. They don't know when they ill get more.  "Santa" aka my parents are gonna reimburse me. Not a bad xmas gift.  I'm gonna buy the Ivanko as well.  Its cheap.

[DevilErik]

7 minutes ago, Blacksmith513 said:

I may buy that one too. I lucked out, I ordered a Vulcan from David Horne his second to last one, orange and crom spring.. They don't know when they ill get more.  "Santa" aka my parents are gonna reimburse me. Not a bad xmas gift.  I'm gonna buy the Ivanko as well.  Its cheap.

Awesome dude you will not regret it.

Just keep in mind that they are completely different so they might not carry over to each other.

For general crush strength nothing beats the ivanko because it works the hand through it's natural squeezing motion.

This isn't the case with the "nutcracker" style grippers.

Also the spring on the ivanko is an extension spring and not a torsion spring.

It has a very hard sweep and then just gives up kinda like a gripper machine.

Also you can put a third spring on it and you can make it as difficult as a CoC 4.

[DevilErik]

5 hours ago, Terry Conjugate Iron said:

I got the same issue. I think of grippers daily and I feel guilty for training the other Armlifting handles for a month except for grippers lol. It was for an online contest. 

That's good that you have laid out a good program, having a plan is important for longevity 

I would stall because my volume was too high.

I discovered that I need a lower amount of volume with as much intensity as possible.

This has always been the case for me when it comes to grip training I get my best results with shockingly low training volumes.

Edited December 17, 2021 by DevilErik

[Blacksmith513]

3 minutes ago, DevilErik said:

Awesome dude you will not regret it.

Just keep in mind that they are completely different so they might not carry over to each other.

For general crush strength nothing beats the ivanko because it works the hand through it's natural squeezing motion.

This isn't the case with the "nutcracker" style grippers.

Also the spring on the ivanko is an extension spring and not a torsion spring.

It has a very hard sweep and then just gives up kinda like a gripper machine.

Also you can put a third spring on it and you can make it as difficult as a CoC 4.

Thats what I like about grip. when you hit a wall with one sledgehammer or gripper.... Change it up for awhile.  Between my COCs, the Vulcan and this, I'm always gonna have a place to go. 

[DevilErik]

Just now, Blacksmith513 said:

Thats what I like about grip. when you hit a wall with one sledgehammer or gripper.... Change it up for awhile.  Between my COCs, the Vulcan and this, I'm always gonna have a place to go. 

Yeah man definitely I like that as well.

I just wanted to tell you about it because some people would be dissapointed because they would get an adjustable gripper thinking it would help them close big grippers and it doesn't work like that with adjustable grippers.

I don't want you to waste your money thinking that it will help you close big grippers.

It might help you but it is not a guarantee.

[Blacksmith513]

9 minutes ago, DevilErik said:

Yeah man definitely I like that as well.

I just wanted to tell you about it because some people would be dissapointed because they would get an adjustable gripper thinking it would help them close big grippers and it doesn't work like that with adjustable grippers.

I don't want you to waste your money thinking that it will help you close big grippers.

It might help you but it is not a guarantee.

Well it certainly wont make me any weaker. I have to slow down, i've spent a lot of money on training stuff this year. But i've been working out with sandbags and gymnastic rings for years.. its about time i spend a little money in the gym.

[DevilErik]

3 minutes ago, Blacksmith513 said:

Well it certainly wont make me any weaker. I have to slow down, i've spent a lot of money on training stuff this year. But i've been working out with sandbags and gymnastic rings for years.. its about time i spend a little money in the gym.

That is definitely true.

Practice your set with the CROM spring on the Vulcan and other grippers will feel like toys.

Sandbags and rings are awesome.

I have never used them though.

Edited December 17, 2021 by DevilErik

[Blacksmith513]

3 hours ago, DevilErik said:

That is definitely true.

Practice your set with the CROM spring on the Vulcan and other grippers will feel like toys.

Sandbags and rings are awesome.

I have never used them though.

Yeah, I love sandbags.. for awhile, I could overhead press around 120- 130lbs or so..Haven't tried in a long time... Nothing crazy, but the fight is harder than 120lbs on a barbell... Now i have a 160lbs and 180lbs one,  Mainly for shouldering, and carrying... For some reason, traditional lifting has never interested me. I'm out of sandbag shape. Probably in about 6 months, i'm going to get back into them.   I know you have back issues, but try some carries with a sandbag for a finisher..

My vulcan comes tomorrow, but got to wait until xmas to open it. I bought the Ivanko this morning, on Amazon.   These last few months i've been more honed in on my training and making good progress. 

[DevilErik]

39 minutes ago, Blacksmith513 said:

Yeah, I love sandbags.. for awhile, I could overhead press around 120- 130lbs or so..Haven't tried in a long time... Nothing crazy, but the fight is harder than 120lbs on a barbell... Now i have a 160lbs and 180lbs one,  Mainly for shouldering, and carrying... For some reason, traditional lifting has never interested me. I'm out of sandbag shape. Probably in about 6 months, i'm going to get back into them.   I know you have back issues, but try some carries with a sandbag for a finisher..

My vulcan comes tomorrow, but got to wait until xmas to open it. I bought the Ivanko this morning, on Amazon.   These last few months i've been more honed in on my training and making good progress. 

I am beat up from the accident I have had when I was younger.

I don't think I will ever go back to lifting  I am completely pain free now.

I used to have back pain, neck pain, dizzyness and pain radiating down my leg.

All of this while using proper technique and using nothing but moderate and light weight.

I never knew that lifting weights was causing me issues because I was always under the impression that getting stronger would cause me to have less pain.

My accident was just too much  for my body but considering the fact that I am still alive and pain free and that I am still able to train grip is good enough for me.

I am gripper specialising anyway so I don't need my lower back that much.

A sandbag would probably give me issues as well, I can't pick up heavy things off the floor.

I have never been able to deadlift for example.

Thanks for the suggestion though.

 

I have my very first torsion spring grippers waiting for me.

I also have to wait until xmas to open them.

I honestly can't freaking wait.

 

.

 

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by DevilErik

[Vinnie]

4 hours ago, DevilErik said:

I discovered that I need a lower amount of volume with as much intensity as possible.

I was told that this is the way to train grippers, and it has worked for me.  After I warm up with my easy grippers, most of my workout is singles.  Sometimes I do microreps of 3-5 with something hard but not too close to my max, but usually I do 5-10 singles within striking distance of my goal, and a failed attempt or two at the goal, rather than, for example, 3 sets of 6-8 like you might do in other exercises.  I feel like this approach got me past the plateau I had reached (RGC 150 was my 1 rep max for a year or so), and I got up to RGC 165.  I've relaxed a little since my IM cert (partly because I am moving and a lot of my stuff is in storage, partly just because I have yet to define a clear next goal).  But I may not be done yet at 165, might see if I can add to that because I hadn't hit that next plateau yet when I certed and started this breather.  I might be at my limit but maybe not!

[DevilErik]

14 minutes ago, Vinnie said:

I was told that this is the way to train grippers, and it has worked for me.  After I warm up with my easy grippers, most of my workout is singles.  Sometimes I do microreps of 3-5 with something hard but not too close to my max, but usually I do 5-10 singles within striking distance of my goal, and a failed attempt or two at the goal, rather than, for example, 3 sets of 6-8 like you might do in other exercises.  I feel like this approach got me past the plateau I had reached (RGC 150 was my 1 rep max for a year or so), and I got up to RGC 165.  I've relaxed a little since my IM cert (partly because I am moving and a lot of my stuff is in storage, partly just because I have yet to define a clear next goal).  But I may not be done yet at 165, might see if I can add to that because I hadn't hit that next plateau yet when I certed and started this breather.  I might be at my limit but maybe not!

My program is a modified version of Nathan Holle's program.

I use the lower end of his volume recommendations and I have replaced his light day with a TNS day.

I also don't do any sets.

I do 4 No set attempts and 4 No set reps on Monday and Friday these are as heavy as possible.

I do 4 TNS attempts and 4 TNS reps on Wednesday.

The TNS is automatically a light day because of me not allowing myself to adjust the gripper in my hand after picking it up.

RGC 165 is strong as hell!

The sky is the limit man!

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by DevilErik

[Vinnie]

24 minutes ago, DevilErik said:

RGC 165 is strong as hell!

Thanks.  That's my MMS max.  TNS just under 140, CCS low 150s.  And I got to this following the advice of Chez, a guy who has closed about 200 RGC MMS, after ignoring him for the year I was plateaued at 150 MMS.  I think the lower reps - more max attempts approach that he advocated was what bumped me up.

[DevilErik]

I don't really do warm ups I either close (1-3)-(1-5)-(1.7) on my ivanko which are 26-43-60 RGC or I close level 6 CROM on my Vulcan.

After that I start doing my  heavy attempts.

 

[DevilErik]

Just now, Vinnie said:

Thanks.  That's my MMS max.  TNS just under 140, CCS low 150s.  And I got to this following the advice of Chez, a guy who has closed about 200 RGC MMS, after ignoring him for the year I was plateaued at 150 MMS.  I think the lower reps - more max attempts approach that he advocated was what bumped me up.

That is very strong! Chez is a monster.

 

[Vinnie]

5 minutes ago, DevilErik said:

That is very strong! Chez is a monster.

 

Yeah, he's about in the top 5 in the world on grippers I'd say (although I'm not as familiar with the ones outside the US, but he has to be close if not top five).

[DevilErik]

1 hour ago, Vinnie said:

Yeah, he's about in the top 5 in the world on grippers I'd say (although I'm not as familiar with the ones outside the US, but he has to be close if not top five).

Yeah he is a beast just like Nathan Holle is they both seem like nice people too.

I appreciate them sharing their training programming and their grip "secrets".

It has helped me tremendously and I think it has helped lots of other people as well

Edited December 17, 2021 by DevilErik

[DevilErik]

29 minutes ago, Vinnie said:

Yeah, he's about in the top 5 in the world on grippers I'd say (although I'm not as familiar with the ones outside the US, but he has to be close if not top five).

I also think he is in the top 5.

I hope I will be able to reach his strength level one day.

Edited December 17, 2021 by DevilErik

[Terry Conjugate Iron]

12 hours ago, DevilErik said:

I would stall because my volume was too high.

I discovered that I need a lower amount of volume with as much intensity as possible.

This has always been the case for me when it comes to grip training I get my best results with shockingly low training volumes.

I'm the same. Everytime I rested a bit I did great. It's true some people can train way too much and improve. Same as my strength training. Shorter, more dense workouts have been giving me great progress this year. 

[DevilErik]

7 hours ago, Terry Conjugate Iron said:

I'm the same. Everytime I rested a bit I did great. It's true some people can train way too much and improve. Same as my strength training. Shorter, more dense workouts have been giving me great progress this year. 

I also have to take long breaks between sets.

I was doing 6 attempts and 6 singles with 3 minute breaks but that destroyed my recovery.

Right now I am doing 4 attempts 4 singles with 5 minute breaks and it is going great.

Edited December 18, 2021 by DevilErik

[Terry Conjugate Iron]

8 hours ago, DevilErik said:

I also have to take long breaks between sets.

I was doing 6 attempts and 6 singles with 3 minute breaks but that destroyed my recovery.

Right now I am doing 4 attempts 4 singles with 5 minute breaks and it is going great.

Agreed. Especially if they're border line max effort work. 

Excited to get back to grippers next week. 

[Terry Conjugate Iron]

On 12/17/2021 at 2:03 PM, DevilErik said:

I started with an ivanko super gripper and used that for like 9-10 months before I got my vulcan and you can only do no sets or table no sets with it so I think that's the reason.

I got to one setting below the max on it before I got injured and I didn't have my Vulcan back then.

I have been trying to train with the Vulcan but it is just too difficult for me to set even ultra wide sets.

I can't set it properly so no matter how hard I squeeze the handles won't move.

I am going to get the orange spring and train No Sets with it.

 

This is the Ivanko Super Gripper.

I'm very close to grabbing one of those adjustables. Problem is I always go back to drooling over a new gripper brand lol

It looks tough to close! 

[DevilErik]

20 minutes ago, Terry Conjugate Iron said:

I'm very close to grabbing one of those adjustables. Problem is I always go back to drooling over a new gripper brand lol

It looks tough to close! 

It's awesome and pretty cheap as well.

The higher settings are pretty difficult to close but it is quite easy to recover from.

I recover really well between sessions and I am using it 3 times a week at the moment.

I do 12 attempts every  single week which means I am working above my max.

Edited December 18, 2021 by DevilErik

[Terry Conjugate Iron]

On 12/18/2021 at 9:55 PM, DevilErik said:

It's awesome and pretty cheap as well.

The higher settings are pretty difficult to close but it is quite easy to recover from.

I recover really well between sessions and I am using it 3 times a week at the moment.

I do 12 attempts every  single week which means I am working above my max.

Recover faster huh? Could it be cause they're top heavy? I got so much stuff I wanna buy haha.... Taking the car to the shop tomorrow, definitely will limit my dreams of new gripper goodies this Christmas lol.. 

[DevilErik]

3 minutes ago, Terry Conjugate Iron said:

Recover faster huh? Could it be cause they're top heavy? I got so much stuff I wanna buy haha.... Taking the car to the shop tomorrow, definitely will limit my dreams of new gripper goodies this Christmas lol.. 

No it's because of the shape of the gripper it feels more  natural.

Same here man there's at least 3 more grippers I want and I need some thumbscrews for my grippers.

That sucks man but a car is more important than a bunch of grip toys.

Edited December 20, 2021 by DevilErik