Training question: Focus your training on 1 feat vs Focus your training on multiple feats

[Jeremy Robinson]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I was unable to use the forum search to find these specific questions answered.

Currently, I train grip 4 days a week, focusing on 1 grip feat each of those days.  Would I be better served just focusing those 4 days on a single feat until I nail it and then transition my training to the next feat?   I've been making progress across all 4 feats, but would that progress be expedited if I just focused on one of those feats at a time? Is there a general consensus on this or is it like most things, highly subjective and variable person to person?

For context, I'm training to lift the inch dumbbell, fatman blob, 2x45lb plates, and closing the #3 CoC. Typically I hit my feat training hard and follow it up with wrist work then various upper body exercises.  I'm very interested in steel bending, but that's not my focus right now.  At least one or two days a week after grip training I'll bend small nails with my thumbs/index fingers until they break, stopping when my thumbs become exhausted and then I'll  break multiple Ironmind white nails until my hands/wrists become exhausted.  My thoughts are that this would help prep my ligaments/tendons for the day when I start focusing on bending.  As the unbraced nail breaking gets easier, I'll start working my way up to slightly harder nails to keep the intensity the same.  On days I don't train for feats (and on some days I do), I work my lower body doing sled pulls (backwards, forwards, lateral). 

Edited February 4, 2023 by Jeremy Robinson

[C8Myotome]

It's difficult to treat multiple things as high priority at once because then they all become less & equal priority. I prefer to focus on one feat at a time and to train twice a week if not less. Some things have transferability but you could be doing a lot more work on one goal and progress to it faster if you just get it done and put some other things on the back burner until you can fully devote yourself towards them.

[Nuttgens]

I’m sure you could probably hit a certain feat sooner if you put all your focus on it but I like mixing it up and training for multiple things at once keeps the training more fun and interesting to me. I do one day with pinch one day with rolling thunder and one day with grippers. And if your getting stronger it must be working but really do whatever you think will be most fun and easiest to stick to. 

[climber511]

I never found specializing to work for me.  I always trained "to be strong" in my grip - and to me that meant strong in everything at once.  I built as big a base as I could of overall forearm and hand strength - then would work what might be called a Medley Approach of multiple disciplines each training day.  Mixing it up also seemed to help with not getting overuse injuries.  Anyway it worked for me.

[Tbrown]

On 2/4/2023 at 10:57 PM, Jeremy Robinson said:

I'm sure this has been asked before, but I was unable to use the forum search to find these specific questions answered.

Currently, I train grip 4 days a week, focusing on 1 grip feat each of those days.  Would I be better served just focusing those 4 days on a single feat until I nail it and then transition my training to the next feat?   I've been making progress across all 4 feats, but would that progress be expedited if I just focused on one of those feats at a time? Is there a general consensus on this or is it like most things, highly subjective and variable person to person?

For context, I'm training to lift the inch dumbbell, fatman blob, 2x45lb plates, and closing the #3 CoC. Typically I hit my feat training hard and follow it up with wrist work then various upper body exercises.  I'm very interested in steel bending, but that's not my focus right now.  At least one or two days a week after grip training I'll bend small nails with my thumbs/index fingers until they break, stopping when my thumbs become exhausted and then I'll  break multiple Ironmind white nails until my hands/wrists become exhausted.  My thoughts are that this would help prep my ligaments/tendons for the day when I start focusing on bending.  As the unbraced nail breaking gets easier, I'll start working my way up to slightly harder nails to keep the intensity the same.  On days I don't train for feats (and on some days I do), I work my lower body doing sled pulls (backwards, forwards, lateral). 

If you'd focus on one, probably would make faster progress. It depends obviously what you goals are - being an all-rounder is not a bad thing. 
Basically if you were to train for a marathon - would you be doing sprints? Probably no. Is it good to diversify your training? Probably yes.
I've been doing more and more running methaphors lately since my wife is completely obssesed with those over last half a year  I've even got myself a pair of shoes from local running store, never used 'em. Anything to make her happy 

Edited February 28, 2023 by Tbrown

[Fist of Fury]

The last sentence in your bold text is probably what is closest to the truth.

Having said that, you should always program your training after your goals. If your goal is to be good at everything at the same time you really need to train everything at the same time.

If you want to accomplish certain feats, another programming might be more effective.