VeGripper Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 Well, today I finally managed to get a pair of 35's off the ground to waist height, but I had to do it with a loading pin to keep the plates together. I don't know how to feel about this - it is definitely a new record for me as best I've done without a pin is being able to walk a pair of 25's in either hand for around 30 feet, but that's different in its own right. I'm looking to get good with pinching to where I can do the 35's without that damned pin, but to ask, is there any rough estimate as to how much more effort must be put into pinching (lb. wise for the squeeze) to compensate for a pair of plates that are loose vs. loaded? My difficulties are from a few factors - the 35 lb. plates are the widest in my gym, around 1/3" wider than the other plates, and the inside (non-smooth side) lip is so small that if they shift even 1/4" they'll come apart and crash down quickly. It seems that if they were smooth on both sides it might not be so bad, but I'll be damned that my gym will have anything like that too soon. I've always wondered if there's been any calculations done for how much more work must be put in for doing such plates loose vs. loaded, even anecdotal, as it'd give me a bit of a shot for what I'm looking at for necessary potential to get them off the ground without the pin. I'm figuring that I'll just add some light weight on to them on the pin until I'm pulling 75-80 eventually and then go with them loose and hopefully that'll be enough to keep a solid pinch on them, so we'll see what happens. Also, someone here once mentioned chalking the inside of the plates to keep them from sliding - would this even be likely to make much of a difference with such a small inside lip that causes them to break apart so quickly? Any advice from you master pinching folk would be useful to me in my goals of eventually getting those damned 45's off the floor someday. Thanks! VeGripper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjcocn Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 VeGripper Congrats on the 2 - 35 oly lift! While I certainly do not qualify as one of the "master pinching folk," I will tell you a bit about my experiences to show you some possible timelines. Feb 28, 2004 - First grip training day Mar 07, 2004 - First 5 - std 10s attempt - no lift Apr 04, 2004 - 5 std 10s, lifted for first time, with pin Apr 28, 2004 - 5 - std 10s tried without pin, no lift May 10, 2004 - 5 - std 10s, first successful lift without pin When training, I kept on doing the 5 - 10s lift with a pin, but would periodically attempt a no-pin lift just to see if I could do it. As you can see from the dates I posted above, it took me just over a month to get the lift without a pin. I believe that using the TTK helped me out quite a bit as it allowed me to build up my thumb. Other than that I just kept plugging away until I finally got it done. Hope this helps. CJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mossman Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 i have never used a pin, but i found that the type of plate is a big factor....on a good day i can pinch 2x25 on my regular olympi plates, but any day i can casually walk up to the ones my HS gym has...they dont have the slick finish on them olympic plates do, but the width is about the same.....odd.....congrats on 2x35....cj im working on 5x10 myself, ill have to try it with a pin like you said i broke it off the ground to about mid shin height twice, but no luck since then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjcocn Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 mossman I found that using a pin helped me to get used to the width and the weight for that specific lift so that in a short time I was quite used to lifting it. As a result of the pin and periodic attempts at lifting it without, doing it without a pin came pretty natural. I think that it is a good way to train for a specific lift, as long as one continues to try the lift without a pin as well, and also continues with a wider variety of pinching movements (blocks, different style plates, TTK, etc). Again VeGripper, congrats on the 35s and you can look at it as a step between a no-lift and a lift without the pin ..... keep training and you will get there!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted June 15, 2004 Share Posted June 15, 2004 I hve used a flexible plastic tube to help keep the plates together. It gives less help than a snug fitting solid pin. I think 2 x 35 is excellent and tougher than 5 x 10 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeGripper Posted June 15, 2004 Author Share Posted June 15, 2004 Thanks for the replies and words of encouragement! I'm going to spend a few more workouts with the pin until I'm completely comfortable with pulling it off the floor with a short hold, and then I'll be giving it a serious run with the weights loose. I often wonder what types of plates some of the pinch champs have to work with - the beasts I've got at my gym are a nightmare, but I figure that if I can get it down with them I'll be able to conquer any pair of 35s I may come across in the future. OldGuy - I've been trying the 5x10, and although I can lift it with ease on a pin (I've done 5 10's with 15 additional pounds spaced out to the sides of it separated with collars so that you only have to pinch the 10s) but for the life of me, I cannot get the loose 5 10's off the floor. My fingers barely stretch to cover the total width, and when I pinch it squeezes the tops of the plates so that the bottoms come apart a bit and they all slide out and fall away when I try to lift. I don't know if it is just that the 10s I'm using are exceptionally wide (I toss 2 rubber coated 10 lbs. plates in the middle to keep the whole affair snug and less slippery, but it widens the load by around 1/2" more) or what. Again, on a pin I can lift the whole thing with just the slightest tips of my fingers, but loose it has been a nightmare. Nevertheless, I'll keep on trying until that cursed thing breaks off the floor! VeGripper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 If you can, measure in inches the width of your 35 and 10 lb plates and I will compare them with what I use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyle Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 I don't know about the 2X35's being thougher than 5X10's, I can do the 2X35's but the 5X10's still eludes me, I just find it too wide but I"m getting there, maybe I'm just backwards Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjcocn Posted June 16, 2004 Share Posted June 16, 2004 I don't know about the 2X35's being thougher than 5X10's, I can do the 2X35's but the 5X10's still eludes me, I just find it too wide but I"m getting there, maybe I'm just backwards It is probably specific to each person. I could do the 5 - 10s before I could do the 2 X 35s, and even now am more consistent with the 5 - 10s than I am with the 35s. I can pinch any 5 - 10s that I have tried (I haven't tried a whole lot of different ones tho), but am only consistent with the 35s at my bud's place .... once in a while I still cannot do my own 35s - although I am glad that mine are harder for me because I get to train with the harder ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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