Lich's Pursuit Of Steel Trap Hands.

[Lich]

I haven't been involved in specifically training my grip for very long, but it has become quite addictive. I started my grip training with a routine called "the Clamp" which was authored by Stephen Aish. I took this grip routine all the way to mastering the #1 and #2 COC. I now own the #2 with either hand, and have the #3 to a shaky 19mm with my strong hand.

Of course my first set of goals is to close the #3, and to work up picking up heavier and heavier weight on the Holle Dumbbell... how much do I want to work up to as an initial goal? Not to sure actually. I know the Inch DB is 172 lbs, and that only a handful can pick it up. So I suppose working up to 100 lbs is a good starting point for that. On non-grip training days, I still want to keep my high tension exercises, i.e, pistols and DB Mil Presses... but don't really have any solid goals in that area. The main thing is conquering the #3.

In addition to having all size KB's (16k up to 48k) and a couple blobs, sledgehammer, and Holle DB, I have a "Hardy Handshake" and 175 Kg of plates on order to help me in this quest. I have a solid routine, and the time allotted. So here I go. This is my Journal.

Even though I have a routine, things can always be improved or observed... so can someone explain KTA to me?

23.May.04 Grip training.

#2 Closes with negatives. Left: 15, Right: 19 (all done as singles, and no set/rep scheme)

#2 forced closes with negatives. Left & Right: 20

4 Kg Sledgehammer levering: Left hand in curl position, lever to the outside and to the inside. 2 sets of 5 each, at 35 cm away from the head. Right hand the same, although I could have done more.

Waist high 48k KB swings. Five done on each side, without rest, until reaching 20.

That's it.

So, how am I doing training wise. This was not an example of the Clamp routine, but nevertheless, any advice or suggestions are very much welcomed.

[Finnegann]

. . . "the Clamp" which was authored by Stephen Aish . . .

Where can I learn more about this?

[Lich]

Stephen Aish is a member of this board. You can also find the full frame of the Clamp routine at www.intensefitness.co.uk message boards , as he is also a member there.

EDITED:

By the way, if you go looking for the clamp at that site, I wouldn't mention that I told you to go there. Even mentioning my name there is likely to get you banned... they'll think you are really me spying or some other B.S. paranoia.

Edited May 24, 2004 by Lich

[nils]

Stephen Aish is a member of this board. You can also find the full frame of the Clamp routine at www.intensefitness.co.uk message boards , as he is also a member there.

EDITED:

By the way, if you go looking for the clamp at that site, I wouldn't mention that I told you to go there. Even mentioning my name there is likely to get you banned... they'll think you are really me spying or some other B.S. paranoia.

That is what you get for undercutting their kettlebell prices and threatening to take over at least the "leading kettlebell manufacturer and supplier within Europe" from them as you surely will shortly!

[wsm_fan_uk]

Here's the link, a few people here may well find this interesting I think :

"The Clamp"

[Lich]

Stephen Aish is a member of this board.  You can also find the full frame of the Clamp routine at www.intensefitness.co.uk message boards , as he is also a member there.

EDITED:

By the way, if you go looking for the clamp at that site, I wouldn't mention that I told you to go there.  Even mentioning my name there is likely to get you banned... they'll think you are really me spying or some other B.S. paranoia.

That is what you get for undercutting their kettlebell prices and threatening to take over at least the "leading kettlebell manufacturer and supplier within Europe" from them as you surely will shortly!

Na Ja... the damn things aren't made of gold, are they? It's just cast iron for god's sake. About the only expensive thing is the transport... and even that isn't sooo bad... even from Volgograd which is a lot further away.

I'm gonna go retrieve your 16k (the Minsk one) after work, and send it out tomorrow. Then, the new KB's out of Volgograd, I'll hook you up like I promised... just remember, I don't expect Andrey back before the 5th of June for those new bells.

Anyway, Last nights Grip training was not so good. I closed the #2 with both hands 12 times each, then I couldn't close it after that. Maybe I was tired, or had a mental lull. ??. So frusterated with my nervous systems lack of cooperation, I proceeded to do KB clean and Jerks with a pair of 24's. The end result was 75 reps. Not consecutive. I don't do set and rep schemes anymore. I set myself a goal of how many to do, then I do them. If it takes seven sets, then it takes seven sets. If it takes 2, then it takes 2.

After that, I did two finger DL's with the 48k. 3 of 5 each hand. Then some stretching out, which was needed badly.

Tonight I am going to attack the 32k one handed long cycle, and some sledge levering.

Hope everyones training is going good. Have a fantastic day all!

MX

[Lyle]

Lich

KTA is a high volume program that uses overcrushes and negatives to name a few, it's in my opinion that it's the best grip program going, "you should order it"

in less than six weeks I am able to easily click the handles of my #2 with my left hand "this is my weaker hand that I could never close the #2 with before".

definately get the program.

[Lich]

I got the #2 taken care of... but thanks for the tip. I have heard a lot about the KTA before. What I am afraid of having happen is that I buy the program, and it ends up being something I have already read about or done. On the other hand if someone askes what the KTA consists of and is answered, then what is the need to buy the program.

I don't doubt it's effectiveness, I just wonder how much of it is self evident.

Maybe you could give me a little taste-test of what it's all about. How is it different than say, Joe Kinney's training from the COC book? (Which is the next direction I am going to take my training with the hardy handshake... Heavy ass negatives until I cry).

[nils]

Well, one difference between KTA and most others is that it is so intense that few manage to keep up any other grip intensive training while doing the KTA without getting overtraining symptoms.

[Davekline]

"Steel Trap Hands"

I guess that means you plan on doing alot of shrugs to build your traps too.

Shrugs are one of my fav exercises.

[Lich]

?

I had a nice "Joe Kinney" negatives session before work today... let me tell you about it.

Yesterday I had the day off... so I decided it was high time to get my extended handle accessories for the grippers. In the afternoon I drove to Bauhaus, which is like our version of Menards for you in the USA, and bought some aluminum tubing. Then I came home, cut off a 6cm section of chinsey hose, cut it lengthwise and put it around the gripper handle. Then I slid that handle into the tubing. Viòla.

Now I had a problem... what can I use for a station?

I took my car jack from the trunk of my fly automobile, and used it to jack up the building. What I mean is, I live in an apartment complex, and on the first floor. Under our balcony is a small space where I could fit the jack. I then attemped to jack up the building in order to get the jack good and tightly secure. Then I slipped the jack handle off the point where it winds, and slid the end of my extended handle on.

It was not as secure as I would have liked, and I had to bend over quite a bit, but it will have to do for now. Living in an apartment, I can't just drill holes everywhere for sticking a aluminum tube into the wall or something. In the future, I want to design a station for this, and have our forge in Volgograd make it... but for now, the jack assembly is ok.

Didn't actually get a real practice on it until this morning.

#3 forced closes // 15 each hand. Fought the negatives like all hell. This took about 40 minutes by itself.

#2 closes and holds // 20 each hand. Also fought negatives.

#4 attempted forced closes // 5 each hand. I never closed it despite having this new negative station. To be honest, it hurt my palm and fingers. I could get it to about half way at best, before commencing to fight a short battle with the negative. And that was 100% effort. I thought I was gonna have a stroke.

Then I realized what time it was, and had to bust my ass to get to work.

I have some other training stuff in the works too, I will share it all with you when I get all my thoughts in order.

[Lich]

Question to everyone:

In C.O.C. What They are and How to Close Them, J.B. Kinney talkes about the super squat routine (mornings before breakfast and what-not).

My question is this, I think KB pistols would be just as devastating. What do you all think?

[foggymountainmuscle]

It would be hard to do a pistle with the amount of nausea incured from high rep squatting. It would be hard, but hat's off to you if you can make yourself go through with it. Oh, and don't kill your hands with 10 tons of negatives, not everyone can train like Joe Kinney. Negatives pack a mightier punch than concentric lifts, and are easy to overtrain on.

Just saying, not accusing, critisizing, or undercutting anyone.