Ruminations on possibility, limits, and perseverance

[Vinnie]

8 hours ago, Fist of Fury said:

I would say lifting the inch db is a much easier feat than COC#3 cert. At least if the #3 you cert with is average or above.

If you lift the DB 100% strict it might be similar to #3 cert but if it's just a lift with a tilt it's much easier to attain.

RE: the COC cert gripper.  I sent Matt my cert gripper for rating immediately after my cert.  He said it rated 147 right away, but after he performed his usual multiple machine reps and oiling, it came back 142.  So I am not sure what its effective RGC was at the time I certed, but likely between 142 and 147.  However, I did feel that the cert felt solid and that I could have done a little harder gripper (I was doing over 150 consistently in training in the month or so before), and I MMS closed the cert gripper for 6 reps after the cert just to see, because I felt high from thinking I nailed the cert.  So I think my strength was about right for certing an average to slightly above average 3 that day.

However, grippers are my best grip talent, then pinch.  Thick bar / rolling handle and wrist not as much.  I'm fine on thick bar for my weight and age, but not as good as with grippers.  So even if the Inch is easier than the 3 cert for many, it may not be for me.  That's OK.  I feel like it might be more attainable than the 3.5, and actually, I will probably get a good idea of whether I think I will get there after I train for a few months.  If there are very minimal gains, then I may conclude there is too far to go for it to be a worthy goal, and put it aside for something else.

The GHP 8 cert might be worth a shot.  If I shop for a light one, I think I could get to that with some work (like 160-165).  But I kind of like the out-of-the-wrapping get-what-you-get cert better.  Has a little more pride cache to it, because you have to be ready for a tough one.  And doing THAT with a GHP 8 would only be marginally easier than COC 3.5, I think.  So I don't feel as drawn to that cert as I might.  Maybe if I saw a really light GHP 8 for sale (or loan) I would reconsider ...

I am zeroing in on Inch (and crushed to dust) as a goal to start on.  Will see what it feels like when I borrow Tim's circus bell.  I've never done reps/sets/real training with any dumbbell, and rarely with RT, so I should see some early gains and gage whether it looks like there's potential.

 

[Vinnie]

17 hours ago, Nuttgens said:

Signed up for a couple grip comps this summer though so focusing more on that right now

Hope I can attend one of the same ones.  I'll keep my eyes open for opportunities.

[liftyzig]

On 3/4/2023 at 3:03 PM, Vinnie said:

I don't know the statistics, but Yves Gravelle lifted it at under 150 pounds!  I think there are a few sub-200, but probably rare. 

I lifted it at around 180 - 190 (cant remember exactly)  lifting the inch DB was my "lifetime goal" that I reached way faster than I expected.  It definitely puts me deeper into the "(almost) anything is possible" boat.

[Vinnie]

29 minutes ago, liftyzig said:

I lifted it at around 180 - 190 (cant remember exactly)  lifting the inch DB was my "lifetime goal" that I reached way faster than I expected.  It definitely puts me deeper into the "(almost) anything is possible" boat.

You have in the last year or so demonstrated that you are elite, world class, etc.

Query:  what is your best RT?  Or, what was it at the time you first just barely lifted the Inch?

[climber511]

Lifting the Inch (or any fat handle fixed or rolling) is so dependent on hand size and hand thickness (which fills in and acts like a smaller hand).  There have been several people with large hands ask me what the big deal was that are only moderate in any other aspect of grip.  Yes it can (and has) been done by a few very rare smaller handed people.  Fat bar "is very hand size dependent".

[Blacksmith513]

7 minutes ago, climber511 said:

Lifting the Inch (or any fat handle fixed or rolling) is so dependent on hand size and hand thickness (which fills in and acts like a smaller hand).  There have been several people with large hands ask me what the big deal was that are only moderate in any other aspect of grip.  Yes it can (and has) been done by a few very rare smaller handed people.  Fat bar "is very hand size dependent".

My hands are like 7 7/8” if my memory serves me correct. Not huge, but not tiny. Do you know how many people with hands around my size have done it? I’m sure a few have.

[climber511]

25 minutes ago, Blacksmith513 said:

My hands are like 7 7/8” if my memory serves me correct. Not huge, but not tiny. Do you know how many people with hands around my size have done it? I’m sure a few have.

7 3/4" was the dividing line for small/large hands in competitions.  So I would say you are on the smaller side of "large" hands.  I am 7 5/8" (so the larger side of "small" hands) and got the Inch to my knees but never a full lift (I only had a borrowed one for a while).  I'm sure people with your hand size exist who have done it but no clue how many.

Edited March 6, 2023 by climber511

[Vinnie]

25 minutes ago, Blacksmith513 said:

My hands are like 7 7/8” if my memory serves me correct. Not huge, but not tiny. Do you know how many people with hands around my size have done it? I’m sure a few have.

Mine are about 7.5 I think.  I just held a tape measure to it once, not sure I did it right, but it is in the 7s for sure.

[Vinnie]

40 minutes ago, climber511 said:

Lifting the Inch (or any fat handle fixed or rolling) is so dependent on hand size and hand thickness (which fills in and acts like a smaller hand).  There have been several people with large hands ask me what the big deal was that are only moderate in any other aspect of grip.  Yes it can (and has) been done by a few very rare smaller handed people.  Fat bar "is very hand size dependent".

I replied to Chris but I meant to ask Clint @liftyzig -- what was your best rolling thunder when you first lifted the Inch?  I know it is not going to correlate the same for everyone, just looking for your recollection and whether it is similar to others (I think on average, people have told me they were doing low 200s on the RT when they first got the Inch; someone may have said 190s but I think most were 200-215).  You may have actually answered when I asked that a while ago in another forum, although I might have asked before you achieved it so maybe not.  

Edited March 6, 2023 by Vinnie

[Vinnie]

41 minutes ago, climber511 said:

and hand thickness (which fills in and acts like a smaller hand

AH.  That is not good news for me but makes some sense.  I have very thick fingers and hands.  It is also probably why I am better at narrow pinch than wide.

[Blacksmith513]

15 minutes ago, Vinnie said:

Mine are about 7.5 I think.  I just held a tape measure to it once, not sure I did it right, but it is in the 7s for sure.

 

17 minutes ago, climber511 said:

7 3/4" was the dividing line for small/large hands in competitions.  So I would say you are on the smaller side of "large" hands.  I am 7 5/8" (so the larger side of "small" hands) and got the Inch to my knees but never a full lift (I only had a borrowed one for a while).  I'm sure people with your hand size exist who have done it but no clue how many.

Just checked, they seem closer to 7.5” depending on how I measure. Someday when we all get together we can measure hands.

Regardless, when I met Jedd first thing I said to him I was going to hire him as coach to lift the inch, lever a 20lbs sledge, while trying to fit bending in there without it affecting my recovery..

He’s a no BS guy and I feel like he would have told me it’s not possible if that was the case. 
 

Also @Vinnie, if you ever want to order the inch, it’s only an hour from my house and 30mins from my aunts. If I could fit it in my schedule I’d be happy to pick it up.

Although inches are like boats… better off using your friends.

[climber511]

29 minutes ago, Blacksmith513 said:

 

Just checked, they seem closer to 7.5” depending on how I measure. Someday when we all get together we can measure hands.

Regardless, when I met Jedd first thing I said to him I was going to hire him as coach to lift the inch, lever a 20lbs sledge, while trying to fit bending in there without it affecting my recovery..

He’s a no BS guy and I feel like he would have told me it’s not possible if that was the case. 
 

Also @Vinnie, if you ever want to order the inch, it’s only an hour from my house and 30mins from my aunts. If I could fit it in my schedule I’d be happy to pick it up.

Although inches are like boats… better off using your friends.

Jedd is a no BS guy and of course it is possible you can do it with smaller hands - it will simply be harder than if they were bigger - my comments are not meant to discourage but reflect my (and others) thoughts.  With smaller hands it's much more of a pinch lift for you.  You simply cannot get as much of your hand "under" the handle.

[Blacksmith513]

11 minutes ago, climber511 said:

Jedd is a no BS guy and of course it is possible you can do it with smaller hands - it will simply be harder than if they were bigger - my comments are not meant to discourage but reflect my (and others) thoughts.  With smaller hands it's much more of a pinch lift for you.  You simply cannot get as much of your hand "under" the handle.

Dont worry your words dont discourage me at all. Facts are facts.  We've got a good thing going and so far so good and making good progress,  stalled for a bit but i think that was due to my grandma dying.  Cant wait to see where i am in a year.

[Vinnie]

1 hour ago, Blacksmith513 said:

if you ever want to order the inch, it’s only an hour from my house and 30mins from my aunts

I think I will wait until I think I am close to it, and also depends a little if I end up moving, since I don't want to have to move it a lot (other than up and down of course lol).

[Blacksmith513]

2 minutes ago, Vinnie said:

I think I will wait until I think I am close to it, and also depends a little if I end up moving, since I don't want to have to move it a lot (other than up and down of course lol).

I hear you there.... I'm thinking about moving somewhere warm in the next year or two.. But all my grip stuff i'm keeping.

I'd def get a loadable inch db handle from Arm Assassin and a rolling handle...  You can always test your self at comps if theres an inch. 

[liftyzig]

22 hours ago, Vinnie said:

You have in the last year or so demonstrated that you are elite, world class, etc.

Query:  what is your best RT?  Or, what was it at the time you first just barely lifted the Inch?

180 - 198, depending on which RT I was lifting with, they really are terribly inconsistent.

[Vinnie]

17 minutes ago, liftyzig said:

180 - 198, depending on which RT I was lifting with, they really are terribly inconsistent.

Mine is 165-177, depending on which *new* RT I try (at a crushed to dust attempt, I did 200 on an *old* RT that they had out for practice, and which got everyone excited to try for the cert -- but then I couldn't budge it on the "official" one, and almost no one else who lifted the practice one could either).

[liftyzig]

1 minute ago, Vinnie said:

Mine is 165-177, depending on which *new* RT I try (at a crushed to dust attempt, I did 200 on an *old* RT that they had out for practice, and which got everyone excited to try for the cert -- but then I couldn't budge it on the "official" one, and almost no one else who lifted the practice one could either).

Exactly, it's all over the board, RT is not a good indicator for that reason.  The best thing you can do (besides getting or borrowing an actual Inch replica) is to get the loadable DB handle, toss on a bunch of standard plates and get training for it.  Nothing else will get you as prepared as that, period.

If you ever want me to bring my inch db to a comp, just let me know, mine's one of the easier full weight inch db replica's to lift.

[jsmiley]

Vinnie, I think there absolutely is a maximum genetic potential in each of us. We have chatted with dozens of gripsters with all sorts of backgrounds. What I have observed is that many of the gripsters who become top level have a background in strength, or, they are naturally gifted in tendon strength. They either tried strongman or powerlifting and were naturally good at that, and then went on to grip. Or, they had a background in climbing and were already good in that area. 

Several people we talked to said they could close a coc2 the first time the ever touched the thing. It is pretty rare to find the people closing the coc3 without a strength or climbing background, and, who started with average grip strength. Riccardo has been coaching me for about a year on the grippers, and, I have made better progress than I ever have before; however, my progress is also significantly slower than people he typically coaches. In the past year I have moved from a 123mms to a 138mms. 

[Lucasraymond]

On 3/6/2023 at 12:24 PM, Blacksmith513 said:

My hands are like 7 7/8” if my memory serves me correct. Not huge, but not tiny. Do you know how many people with hands around my size have done it? I’m sure a few have.

Thats my exact hand size.

 

As far as maximizing genetic potential I think most people shoot too low and overall are too impatient. When I started I never thought I would do half the stuff I’ve done but don’t really place a limit on anything unless it is a physical impossible feat (ex: face lifting a 100 blob- I cannot get my fingers over the edges). Also I find that some people aren't able to focus on techniques that can instantly improve their lifts by 5-10%. Getting with people that fully understand the intricacies of the technique with each lift can help you progress so much faster than going at it alone. You may figure it out eventually but could be years down the road. 
 

The only natural gift I say is anatomy (hand size, thumb length, etc)…everything else can be trained over long periods of time (5-10 years of training) and tons of hard work (while staying healthy). 

Edited March 7, 2023 by Lucasraymond

[Climber028]

People are absolutely impatient, always some question about going from weak to world elite in 3 months, 6 months, a year whatever. Like someone wanted to bench 700 in a year, it's definitely not going to happen these things take years of dedication. That's the impressive part, the dedication. We are all capable of building muscle, many are not capable of consistently training intelligently for 5+ years and that is what's required for world class strength. Failing to do a feat after a year or two has nothing at all to do with your genetics. 

[Lucasraymond]

40 minutes ago, Climber028 said:

People are absolutely impatient, always some question about going from weak to world elite in 3 months, 6 months, a year whatever. Like someone wanted to bench 700 in a year, it's definitely not going to happen these things take years of dedication. That's the impressive part, the dedication. We are all capable of building muscle, many are not capable of consistently training intelligently for 5+ years and that is what's required for world class strength. Failing to do a feat after a year or two has nothing at all to do with your genetics. 

It took me almost 5 years of consistent training to lift the Inch DB…i train much less now but have a deep understanding of everything that matters (hand and body placement, proper chalking/texture, etc); and have seen minimal decrease in strength (sometimes increases). 

[JohnPond]

Is this correct way to measure hand? From the "first line" to fingertip. 

I lifted the inch first time I ever touched it. Had been practising grip about 2 years before that. My 2.25 Crusher was 90kg at the same day and the Inch was easier lift. 

 

I would say much more relevant hand measurment would be how close you can get your middle/index fingers and thumb when wrapping your had around 2 3/8"/60mm handle. Mine is 1.5cm short. 

[dubyagrip]

My hands are 8.5" from tip to wrist, and if I hadn't just gone all out in a competition, i would have lifted one on my first try two weeks ago.  I got it about 6" off the ground, though.  I will go try again soon.

My rolling thunder is at 201lbs right now.

[DevilErik]

A 60mm handle isn't thickbar for me I can't lift the inch but it wouldn't be impressive if I could in my opinion.

My hands are 8.66"(22cm) long and my fingers are almost able to touch on a 60mm handle which is stupid.

I prefer Fatgripz Extreme on a cheap handle and I am definitely going to get a 3" rolling handle in the future.

Edited March 7, 2023 by DevilErik