Heaviest Known Gripper Closes

[Jared P]

Wanted to compile an informal yet thorough list of the heaviest known gripper closes. Will update with new accomplishments or new information. Feel free to chime in if you know of any updates or further information to expand or modify each of the rankings. Choked closes and leg sets, while impressive, not included. Rankings are intended to be as objective as possible, though not perfect. RGC + set depth + context, all contribute to the ranking - reps not taken into consideration for this list. Known RGC ratings per each gripper will be ranked above unknown ratings - unrated CoC 4 takes precedence over unrated GHP 9 for this list, as it has a higher average rating per CPW data. Only verified, recorded on video, closes listed. One entry per category per person, to eliminate similar closings from one individual - listing only their heaviest close in that category. Discussion and wholesome debate welcomed for any perceived ranking disparities.

**Intended to inspire and act as a data hub for the heaviest known gripper closes, for fun. Not an official leaderboard.**

Heaviest Known Overall Unassisted Gripper Close World Record:
- Carl Myerscough - GHP Level 10 (256 lbs RGC) 38mm block set, GHP Level 10 certification - Verified [source] (9/15/2023)

Table No Set (TNS) 
1. Nikita Yurkovets - Silarukov 150 (192.6 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
2. Tiziano Becchio - Tetting Super Elite (190 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
3. Ivan Cuk - Grip Genie Level 6 (187 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
4. David Shamey - Silarukov 150 (185.7 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
5. Valery Tolstyh - CXP Vice-Admiral (180 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
6. Alex Pritula - Silarukov 140 (174.8 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
7. Dmitriy Khlyuzov - IronMind CoC 3.5 (171.5 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
8. Gabriel Sum - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
9. Carl Myerscough - Gods of Grip Elite Series 7 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
10. Carl-August Mertz - Silarukov 140 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
11. Tommy Heslep - Tetting Super Elite (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
12. Paul Knight - Tetting Elite (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
13. Aaron Farley - Tetting Elite (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
14. Jaland Worley - Standard Cobalt (159 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
15. Evgeniy Schwartz - Gods of Grip Hades (158.7 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
16. Sergey Likhutyev - IronMind CoC 3 (150.8 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
17. James Hilton - IronMind CoC 3 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
18. Josh O'Dell - IronMind CoC 3 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
19. Juha Harju - IronMind CoC 3 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
20. Qianchen Yang - IronMind CoC 3 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]

Credit Card Set (CCS) (~53.975mm)
1. Tiziano Becchio - IronMind CoC 4 (221 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
2. Carl Myerscough - IronMind CoC 4 (220 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
3. Ivan Cuk - IronMind CoC 4 (202.8 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
4. David Shamey - IronMind CoC 4 (194 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
5. Nikita Yurkovets - IronMind CoC 4 (190.3 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
6. Nathan Holle - IronMind CoC 4 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
7. Paul Savage - IronMind CoC 4 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
8. Sergey Likhutyev - IronMind CoC 3.5 (180 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
9. Carlos F. Rivera Pagan - IronMind CoC 3.5 (178 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
10. Jaland Worley - Standard Titanium (177 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
11. Gabriel Sum - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
12. Jermiah Merciconah - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
13. Jonathan D. Vogt - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
14. Josh McIntyre - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
15. Juha Harju - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
16. Nikita Krivosheev - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
17. Paul Knight - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
18. Tanner Merkle - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
19. Vache Sevajian - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
20. Alexey Tyukalov - GHP Level 8 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]

Wide Set (WS) / 38mm Block Set (~19.5mm to 53.5mm, includes 38mm block set)
1. Carl Myerscough - GHP Level 10 (256 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
2. Tiziano Becchio - GHP Level 9 (216 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
3. Ivan Cuk - IronMind CoC 4 (212 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
4. Valery Tolstyh - GHP Level 9 (204 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
5. David Shamey - IronMind CoC 4 (202.8 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
6. Artem Ushenko - GHP Level 9 (200 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
7. Igor Kupinsky - GHP Level 9 (200 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
8. Nathan Holle - GHP Level 9 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
9. Nikita Yurkovets - GHP Level 9 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
10. Qianchen Yang - GHP Level 9 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
11. Jaland Worley - MM6 (estimated 194 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
12. Derek Palmeri - IronMind CoC 3.5 (180 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
13. Sergey Likhutyev - GHP Level 8 (171.9 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
14. Jay Smith - GHP Level 8 (168 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
15. Christian Loewe - GHP Level 8 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
16. Jonathan D. Vogt - GHP Level 8 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
17. Malkhaz Gabeskiria - GHP Level 8 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
18. Marco Buhl - GHP Level 8 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
19. Taichi Morodomi - GHP Level 8 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
20. Vano Sukhashvili - GHP Level 8 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]

MashMonster Set (MMS) (Parallel around ~19.05mm, includes 20mm block set)
1. Tiziano Becchio - IronMind CoC 4 (221 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
2. Nathan Holle - IronMind CoC 4 (220.5 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
3. Carl Myerscough - Tetting Thor Super Elite (220 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
4. David Shamey - GHP Level 9 (213.8 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
5. Martin Arildsson-Wahlström - IronMind CoC 4 (207 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
6. Andrew Durniat - IronMind CoC 4 (206.6 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
7. Paul Savage - IronMind CoC 4 (205 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
8. Sl-ghi (Morgan) Choi - MM8 (estimated 198-206 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
9. Stephen Anderson - MM8 (estimated 198-206 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
10. Cesare Ricchezza - IronMind CoC 4 (199 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
11. Paul Knight - IronMind CoC 4 (199 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
12. Jaland Worley - MM7 (estimated 198 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
13. Sl-ghi Choi - MM7 (estimated 198 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
14. Tim Struse - MM7 (estimated 198 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
15. Valery Tolstyh - MM7 (estimated 198 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
16. Vano Sukhashvili - MM7 (estimated 198 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
17. Chad Woodall - MM6 (estimated 194 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
18. Dave Morton - MM6 (estimated 194 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
19. Heath Sexton - MM6 (estimated 194 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
20. Juha Harju - MM6 (estimated 194 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]

Deep Set (DS) (Less than 19mm)
1. Carl Myerscough - GHP Level 10 (256 lbs RGC) - Verified [source/source]
2. Nathan Holle - XBAT gripper (232 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
3. Tiziano Becchio - IronMind CoC 4 (209 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
4. Youichi Okazaki - IronMind CoC 4 (208 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
5. Aaron Corcorran - IronMind CoC 4 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
6. David Shamey - IronMind CoC 4 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
7. Magnus Samuelsson - IronMind CoC 4 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
8. Sergey Daragan - IronMind CoC 4 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
9. Sergey Sankov - IronMind CoC 4 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
10. Steve Gardener - IronMind CoC 4 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]
11. Sergey Likhutyev - GHP Level 9 (201.8 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
12. Cesare Ricchezza - Tetting Grand Elite (198 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
13. Sorin Dediu - IronMind CoC 3.5 (188 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
14. Alex Pritula - Robert Baraban 300 (183.4 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
15. Alexander Koss - Tetting MM3 Replica (182 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
16. Jaland Worley - IronMind CoC 3.5 (182 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
17. Josh O'Dell - IronMind CoC 3.5 (180 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
18. Stephen Anderson - IronMind CoC 3.5 (180 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
19. Michael Phaup - IronMind CoC 3.5 (173 lbs RGC) - Verified [source]
20. Derek Smith - IronMind CoC 3.5 (unknown RGC) - Verified [source]

~~~

World Class Gripper Athletes

Qualifications (must have accomplished at least 1 of the following):

- IronMind CoC 3.5 certification
- IronMind CoC 4 certification
- GHP Level 9 certification
- GHP Level 10 certification
- MM6 or higher certification
- GM certification (20mm block set) of 88kg / 194lbs RGC or higher (to match estimated MM6 cert)
- Any verified unassisted (no leg set, choker, or cheat with off hand) close of a gripper rated 200lbs RGC by CPW, or higher

List (43 qualified athletes):

- Alan Barch Jr. (CoC 3.5)
- Andrew Durniat (CoC 3.5)
- Artem Ushenko (GHP 9)
- Bojan Pejic (CoC 3.5)
- Brad Ardrey (CoC 3.5)
- Carl Myerscough (CoC 4, GHP 10)
- Carlos F. Rivera Pagan (CoC 3.5)
- Cesare Ricchezza (MM7)
- Chad Woodall (MM6)
- Dave Morton (CoC 4, MM6)
- David Shamey (CoC 3.5, GHP 9, MM9, GM 94.5kg)
- Gabriel Sum (CoC 3.5)
- Gabriele Ferdinandi (200+ lbs RGC close)
- Heath Sexton (MM6)
- Igor Kupinsky (GHP 9)
- Ioan Cristian Puscasu (CoC 3.5)
- Ivan Cuk (CoC 3.5)
- Jaland Worley (MM7)
- Joe Kinney (CoC 4)
- Jonathan D. Vogt (CoC 3.5)
- Juha Harju (MM6)
- Magnus Samuelsson (CoC 4)
- Martin Arildsson-Wahlström (200+ lbs RGC close)
- Michael Burke (CoC 3.5)
- Nathan Holle (CoC 4, GHP 9)
- Nikita Krivosheev (CoC 3.5)
- Nikita Yurkovets (CoC 3.5, GHP 9)
- Paul Knight (CoC 3.5, MM7)
- Paul Savage (200+ lbs RGC close)
- Qianchen Yang (GHP 9)
- Rich Williams (CoC 3.5)
- Sergey Daragan (CoC 3.5)
- Sl-ghi Choi (CoC 3.5, MM8)
- Stephen Anderson (MM8)
- Tanner Merkle (CoC 3.5)
- "Tex" Henderson (CoC 3.5)
- Tim Struse (MM7)
- Tiziano Becchio (CoC 3.5, GHP 9, GM 95kg)
- Tommy Heslep (CoC 4)
- Vache Sevajian (CoC 3.5)
- Valery Tolstyh (GHP 9, MM7)
- Vano Sukhashvili (MM7)
- Youichi Okazaki (200+ lbs RGC close)

Most certifications accomplished:
- David Shamey (CoC 3.5, GHP 9, MM9, GM 94.5kg)

Most points earned from 'Heaviest Known Gripper Closes' List (based on a weighted reverse 20 through 1 point system):
1. Tiziano Becchio (96 points)
2. Carl Myerscough (89 points)
3. David Shamey (80 points)
4. Nathan Holle (66 points)
5. Ivan Cuk (54 points)
6. Nikita Yurkovets (48 points)
7. Jaland Worley (42 points)
8. Valery Tolstyh (39 points)
9. Sergey Likhutyev (37 points)
10. Paul Savage (28 points)

Edited November 12 by Jared P

[Londonjoseph]

Tommy heslep has a TNS super elite close in this video: 

 

[Eric Roussin]

Great stuff. I can confirm that Andrew Durniat still holds the record for the top 20 mm block set close done in a NAGS/GSI contest. 206.6 lbs at the 2012 US Nationals.

[Cannon]

1 hour ago, Londonjoseph said:

Tommy heslep has a TNS super elite close in this video: 

 

There is some explanation though. Warren Tetting had a certification where you would contact him with your hand size and then he custom made a gripper with a comfortable width to no set. Tommy has a smaller hand and so that BBSE had a pretty narrow spread. That is even apparent in the video. It’s an amazing feat, but it should be viewed in context of the custom gripper certification it was done for. 

Edit: Here is a thread about the Tetting Cert. I swear I have seen a chart of the people who have certified and it had their hand size and the gripper spread. I think. I'm still looking  

Edit 2: This thread also touches on the certification. And also turns out to be the literal birthplace of the TNS term. It was coined by none other than Sybersnott. 

Edit 3: I have now found a reference from a credible GripBoard member that they understood the BBSE in the Unchained video was not a narrow certification gripper. So there is some confusion. I think I will just try and ask him. Stay tuned. 

Edit 4: I’m realizing that in the video Tommy says “This is the gripper from Warren Tetting, I’m going to try and close it.” I feel he is clearly doing the custom gripper cert. 

[Jared P]

29 minutes ago, Eric Roussin said:

Great stuff. I can confirm that Andrew Durniat still holds the record for the top 20 mm block set close done in a NAGS/GSI contest. 206.6 lbs at the 2012 US Nationals.

Know what gripper he used?

[josé adalton]

Some additions

Nikita Yurkovets - CoC #4 - CCS (almost perfect) but didn't mention RGC (video)

Sl-ghi (Morgan) Choi - Xinyi Wanjia 350 lb - deep set, if I remember. Unknown RGC. The videos of his channel are private now (XW 350 is a pretty hard gripper and is not similar in RGC to Heavy Grip 350, is more like a hard CoC #4)

Juha Harju - CoC #4 - parallel set (video)

Jonathan Vogt - CoC #4 - parallel set (video)

 

 

 

[Eric Roussin]

3 minutes ago, Jared P said:

Know what gripper he used?

No, sorry.

[Cannon]

18 minutes ago, Jared P said:

Know what gripper he used?

He clarifies here it was a #4. 

[Jared P]

17 minutes ago, josé adalton said:

Sl-ghi (Morgan) Choi - Xinyi Wanjia 350 lb - deep set, if I remember. Unknown RGC. The videos of his channel are private now (XW 350 is a pretty hard gripper and is not similar in RGC to Heavy Grip 350, is more like a hard CoC #4)

Jonathan Vogt - CoC #4 - parallel set (video)

For these two:

Morgan - Would need more info about the RGC level. Perhaps Cannon knows what these average around.

Jonathan Vogt - Hard to tell what kind of set this is. Could be WS, could be MMS, or could just be a DS. Interesting setting style choice from Jonathan there

[Cannon]

Just now, Jared P said:

Morgan - Would need more info about the RGC level. Perhaps Cannon knows what these average around.

Your list will likely be flawed in this way. We have rated a few of these, but that doesn’t have any bearing on Morgan’s gripper. You have to rate a gripper to know what it rates. 

[Jared P]

3 minutes ago, Cannon said:

Your list will likely be flawed in this way. We have rated a few of these, but that doesn’t have any bearing on Morgan’s gripper. You have to rate a gripper to know what it rates. 

Yeah, not going to include it for now, since it's ambiguous and undefined. Whereas grippers such as CoC, GHP, etc. have established recorded min and max ratings.

This list won't be exact, just an estimate.

Edited March 26 by Jared P

[josé adalton]

And

Sergey Daragan - CoC #4 - deep set (video)

I don't know his name, but that could be a CoC #4 rated by Cannon - deep set (video). Sorry.

Honorable mention:

Ioan Puscasu - certainly closed CoC #4 in some way. Unfortunately no videos. He is the only man to attempt certification under CCS rules until now, if I'm correct (video / IM site)

 

Edited March 26 by josé adalton
edit

[Ivan Cuk]

Man that 187 tns was a year ago, might be able to tns the 192 tungsten now)

[josé adalton]

26 minutes ago, Jared P said:

Morgan - Would need more info about the RGC level. Perhaps Cannon knows what these average around.

Yeah. Sorry about this. Morgan estimated 205 lb. I have one in my collection but this is not like Heavy Grips...

 

23 minutes ago, Cannon said:

Your list will likely be flawed in this way. We have rated a few of these, but that doesn’t have any bearing on Morgan’s gripper. You have to rate a gripper to know what it rates. 

Yes.

[josé adalton]

Qianchen Yang - GHP 9 - WS (video) / GHP 10 - deep set attempt (video)

[Jared P]

59 minutes ago, josé adalton said:

Qianchen Yang - GHP 9 - WS (video) / GHP 10 - deep set attempt (video)

I had the GHP 9 WS in the list, but it got pushed out of the Top 10. Might combine the people who did 1 rep for GHP 9 challenge.

Deep set was a leg set + cheat close, which I’m not counting (currently).

[Jared P]

My computer went belly up while editing the source links, and I just now spent 2 hours troubleshooting to no avail. It’s a 12 year old MacBook that has been a workhorse. Going to have to take it in to get worked on.

Will try to add source links from my phone or another device.

[Jared P]

4 hours ago, josé adalton said:

And

Sergey Daragan - CoC #4 - deep set (video)

I don't know his name, but that could be a CoC #4 rated by Cannon - deep set (video). Sorry.

Honorable mention:

Ioan Puscasu - certainly closed CoC #4 in some way. Unfortunately no videos. He is the only man to attempt certification under CCS rules until now, if I'm correct (video / IM site)

 

Sergey and KID: Both amazing closes. Recently discovered that Kid person’s videos from Japan. Awesome stuff. Don’t think either close will make the Top 10 for deep set, where the threshold is higher.

Ioan: That was epic. So close to being a legit CoC 4 certification. He barely missed.

 

[Jared P]

List updated with all sources added.

[Fist of Fury]

9 hours ago, josé adalton said:

And

Sergey Daragan - CoC #4 - deep set (video)

I don't know his name, but that could be a CoC #4 rated by Cannon - deep set (video). Sorry.

Honorable mention:

Ioan Puscasu - certainly closed CoC #4 in some way. Unfortunately no videos. He is the only man to attempt certification under CCS rules until now, if I'm correct (video / IM site)

 

There is a video where he closes a #4 on YT somewhere. Not with CCS though.

[Stephen Ruby]

 

Heslep closed a coc 4 from parallel (might be the lightest person to close a coc 4?)

 

 

 

 

Cancrusher(Gabriele) has closed a ghp 9 and a coc 4 inverted as a teen. He sadly took down all his videos but he was a phenom and in a year of training was hitting huge gripper closes and bends. Ivan cuk is the closest I have seeo to his potential. 

 

 

 

[Cannon]

Why do “unknown” go ahead of rated regardless of who did the rating? 

You could consider the list just being a list and not a numbered list. Use bullets instead so it’s just a collection of best know performances in each category. Because even ratings don’t necessarily tell the whole story. 

[pancho_grip_lift]

18 minutes ago, Stephen Ruby said:

 

Heslep closed a coc 4 from parallel (might be the lightest person to close a coc 4?)

 

 

 

 

Cancrusher(Gabriele) has closed a ghp 9 and a coc 4 inverted as a teen. He sadly took down all his videos but he was a phenom and in a year of training was hitting huge gripper closes and bends. Ivan cuk is the closest I have seeo to his potential. 

 

 

 

@Tiziano Becchio also closed a #4 deep set, I think he is the lightest to close a #4, weighing ~65kg

[Jared P]

45 minutes ago, Cannon said:

Why do “unknown” go ahead of rated regardless of who did the rating? 

You could consider the list just being a list and not a numbered list. Use bullets instead so it’s just a collection of best know performances in each category. Because even ratings don’t necessarily tell the whole story. 

That’s fair. I’ll move all unknown ratings below known ratings.

This isn’t an official leaderboard or anything, just for my own personal use. Just having a bulleted list changes nothing from the list not existing at all, because that’s essentially what has been out there all along - a vague and unquantified ‘idea’ of what people have done. Unorganized and based on heresay. This thread is a fun attempt to put all of it in an organized perspective.

I’m also considering only allowing each person one spot per category, but that may take away from their full accomplishments.

I’m open to all opinions, including changing up the list from how it is currently structured.

It’s meant to inspire people including myself, not meant to be an official leaderboard or ranking.

EDIT:
If people would rather this be an unranked, bulleted list instead, I’d be happy to change it.

Edited March 26 by Jared P

[Cannon]

1 hour ago, Jared P said:

I’m open to all opinions, including changing up the list from how it is currently structured.

The list is fun and you’re doing a great job