Cj's Grip Journey

[cjcocn]

12 June 2004

Plate Pinch Holds:

3 sets X 15 secs @ 30 lbs (3 - std 10s) ... L wrist hurts, stay light

5 sets X 10 secs @ 40 lbs (4 - std 10s)

Block Weight holds @ 29 lbs:

5 sets X 10 secs

(put tensor bandage on L wrist at this point)

Hex Head Block Weight @ 40 lbs:

5 sets X 3 secs

TTK:

5 sets X 10 reps @ 15 lbs (no pain in wrist for this movement, but stay at weight anyway)

We did a little strongman demo here yesterday and I did these, which will count for my usual RT work:

2 3/8" Thick Bar Deadlift:

395lbs single

445lbs single

540lbs single

560lbs single

Atlas Stones:

160lbs - 64" platform

215lbs - 60" platform

240lbs - 56" platform

265lbs - 52" platform

290lbs - 48" platform

My left wrist got buggered up last week somehow. I noticed after doing squats, deads, bench, shoulder press, logpress, and stones on Thursday, June 3rd (the demo was postponed for a week until the 11th, so I just did everything on Thursday and went back to splitting them up on Saturday - Tuesday, then took Wed & Thurs off). Since my wrist went bad I have mostly done block weights and TTK, but will not bother posting workouts completed in between now and my last post.

The demo went well. We stopped the deadlift at 560 lbs because there were only two of us left at that weight and the other guy is easing back into it after a back injury, so we did not want it to turn into a contest (although I know that I had more in me and I know damn well that he did, too!). My grip held out extremely well, and I believe that my grip work during the last four months is what helped me to do okay in the deadlift. I used an alternate grip and had no trouble holding onto the weights. I will have to pick a day to train deadlift and see how much my grip will take (btw, I will keep training strongman as I decided to get strong again).

The stones were easy at those weights and I cleared each of the platform heights with almost 6" to spare (the first two were almost thrown too far over, but I caught my rhythm after that).

All in all it was a blast. There were quite a few people watching (we did it in one of the local malls) and they really seemed to enjoy it. They will be having a contest here in July, so hopefully the demo will increase interest.

[cjcocn]

Correction:

Block Weight holds @ 29 lbs:

5 sets X 10 secs

Should be replaced with:

Hex Block Weight Holds @ 29lbs with Last 3 Fingers:

5 sets X 10 secs

Hex Block Weight Holds @ 29lbs with Last 2 Fingers:

5 sets X 10 secs

[cjcocn]

14 June 2004

Plate Pinch Holds:

3 sets X 15 secs @ 30 lbs (3 - std 10s)

3 sets X 10 secs @ 40 lbs (4 - std 10s)

3 sec R; 0 sec L @ 50 lbs (5 - std 10s)

2 sec R; 0 sec L @ 70 lbs (2 - oly 35s)

Hex Head Block Weight @ 40 lbs:

4 secs R; 4 secs L

4 secs R; 4 secs L

3 secs R; 4 secs L

4 secs R; 4 secs L

3 secs R; 3 secs L

TTK:

3 sets X 10 reps @ 10 lbs

I should have taken at least one more day off before working out. I felt drained right at the start and when I got to the TTK the end of the first set felt like it was the end of a long and brutal workout.

I shall take at least 2 days off and my next workout will be on Thursday at the earliest.

On a brighter note, my left wrist feels better and two days off should do a lot towards helping it recover.

[cjcocn]

17 June 2004

2 3/8" TB Deadlifts to start, then my grip workout:

Plate Pinch Holds:

3 sets X 15 secs @ 30 lbs (3 - std 10s)

5 sets X 10 secs @ 40 lbs (4 - std 10s)

2 sec L; 5 sec R @ 50 lbs (5 - std 10s)

0 sec L; 5 sec R @ 50 lbs (5 - std 10s)

3 sec L; 5 sec R @ 50 lbs (5 - std 10s)

3 sec L; 3 sec R @ 50 lbs (5 - std 10s)

Block Weight @ 29lbs - last 2 fingers:

5 sets X 10 secs

Hex Head Block Weight @ 40 lbs:

0 secs L; 2 secs R

0 secs L; 3 secs R (block fell on its own R)

TTK:

1 set X 5 reps @ 15 lbs

5 sets X 10 reps @ 10 lbs

Still feel burnt out, and left wrist hurt more today than it did on Monday. I am also working out a bit on other bodyparts, but will not list those here unless I do deads as a precursor to my grip workout.

If my wrist doesn't feel better soon I will have to continue to lessen my grip workouts and let it heal up. I don't like the thought of that, but I like even less the thought of a longer lay-off because I was too stubborn.

[cjcocn]

21 June 2004

Plate Pinch Holds:

5 sets X 15 secs @ 30 lbs (3 - std 10s)

3 sets X 10 secs @ 40 lbs (4 - std 10s)

0 sec L; 3 sec R @ 50 lbs (5 - std 10s)

0 sec L; 5 sec R @ 50 lbs (5 - std 10s)

4 sets X 05 secs @ 50 lbs (2 - oly 25s)

3 sets X 03 secs @ 70 lbs (2 - oly 35s)

Left wrist feels a lot better, but I am just too weak today to get anything more than 3 secs with 70 lbs.

Block Weight @ 29lbs - last 2 fingers:

5 sets X 05 secs

Hex Head Block Weight @ 40 lbs:

4 sets X 02 secs (almost not worth noting any time on these)

RT:

5 sets X 05 secs @ 140 lbs

160 lbs would not come up on the RT. My fingers just wanted to straighten right out, so I went down to 140 lbs to try and get some time in holding with my fingers.

TTK:

1 set X 5 reps @ 10 lbs

5 sets X 10 reps @ 15 lbs

I was going to work pinch yesterday, but by the time I had done 3 sets of plate pinch @ 30 lbs my thumb felt like it does at the end of a pinch workout, so I stopped and did my workout this morning instead. Even though I am only working pinch right now, when I was also doing grippers and wrist curls I would actually rest for at least 3 days in between pinch workouts, so will probably take 3 days off in between working pinch (even though pinch is all that I am doing right now).

The left wrist feels a lot better and I could probably close the BB Adv, but did not try it. I will give it at least another 2 or 3 days before I try anything other than pinch.

My poor lift in the RT is probably due to lack of performing that lift so I will have to try and work back up. But even though I am now weaker on this lift, I really liked the way that my fingers felt trying to hold on to the 140 lbs and I made sure to go to full lockout before starting to count my time.