SHRUG Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 I decided to pick up a few of my grippers today and see what I could do with them. I had not touched a gripper in months until today because I have been training so hard in the gym and I did not think I would be able to do both at the same time. I warmed up with my Trainer, then the #1 followed by the #2. I grabbed one of my #3's and mashed it really easy and ground the shit out of the handles, I thought wow that was easier than I have ever mashed a #3, it felt like the #1 did. I then grabbed my insanely hard BBGM, several guys I know from the board have tried it and we agreed that it was about a 3.4 or so in difficulty. I did not know exactly what to expect, I chalked up and gave it a squeeze and I mashed it so hard that the handles clicked and I could feel them grind, I held it for a few seconds and then let it out slow. At this point my had was getting a little tired because I am not used to volume at all due to all the time off I took from grippers, but I decided to see what I had left in me. I chalked up, grabbed one of my BBE's and gave it a squeeze and got it to about 1/8", I really think that I would have had it if I had skipped closing the BBGM and went straight to the BBE. Anyway I have been bitten by the gripper bug in a big way and I am going to start training for the #4 now, let me know what you guys think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GarytheDino Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Sounds like your going to mash it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jad Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Can't wait to read your log. Glad to see you back on the board. Are you going to close the #4 with new IM rules or MM rules or something different altogether? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHRUG Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 I will first close it using the MM Rules, then I will go for the IM Rules. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianders1 Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 It's only a matter of time... Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Very good SHRUG. I would guess you'll close it soon.Good luck. As strong as you apparently are on the grippers(even after that lay off)maybe attack it with less volume,than you had in the past?.It Would just seem logical- as you didn't lose much crushing strength- that perhaps, as long as your overall 'bodystrength'is going up, that your hands will be affected by your heavy work outs also.........others in the land of Freakdom have found their grips go up....without direct training at all. i.e.their hands get stronger as their bodies get stronger.Wouldn't work for most of us.But just something for you to keep in mind... Personally I'd rather read about your weight training work outs than grip reports. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 James, this is exciting news. I look forward to reading of your gripper exploits. Do you intend to push your bending again anytime in the future? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHRUG Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 Dont worry Tom, I will have some interesting reports about my gym workouts that I think you will really enjoy very soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHRUG Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 Eric, yes I plan to start bending again as soon as I master the #4. My first true love is bending and I know that my bending strength has lots and lots of room to grow, I look forward to the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricMilfeld Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Eric, yes I plan to start bending again as soon as I master the #4. My first true love is bending and I know that my bending strength has lots and lots of room to grow, I look forward to the future. Good news! I love bending, too. No, really, I do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 (edited) Dont worry Tom, I will have some interesting reports about my gym workouts that I think you will really enjoy very soon. Here is an update from around here.You'd definitely like this. Josh's trainer went a little nuts and bought a bunch of stone molds. Basically all the sizes available. Then-one of the other strongmen competitors is a concrete contractor!!Cheap concrete and unlimited supply...plus an expert to make them. Then-they dismantled/scrapped two selectorized machines. Saved all the square 'plates'that go on the machines. 20x10#'s 20x20#'s(to be loaded in some of the stones) Soooo....they are going to crank out stones up the wazoo. So..they'll be making: 16 inch stone that weighs 175 and another that with added weight,weighs 195 18 inch stone that weighs 240 and another that weighs 270 20 inch stone that weighs 335 and another that weighs 345 21 inch stone that weighs 354 and another that weighs 374 22 inch stone that weighs 395 and another that weighs 425 and another,445 24 inch stone that weighs 486 and "big daddy challenge stone"that will weigh 526 Thats just step one...Then There will be 13-14 stones? to play with.Then they are going to make some other odd ball weights. Paul is a big beleiver in microloading and making gradual and consistant incremental increases to improve your strength.So after the first batch there will be more 'tweeners'made. Josh's request(after being a little frustrated after-in his opinion a "Piss poor Pussy performance" at the "Show Me Pro/am contest) get me the Biggest M*&%ther F*%#!ing Stone on earth.....and I'll load that M#$*er F#%er in less than a year!" So they bought it. Some 'sick' sh#* huh? Back to you.i look foreward to your reports and the energy you bring to the forum. i just about "sucked a gun"a few weeks back...but now that your back I'm glad i reconsidered. Edited June 24, 2004 by Tom of Iowa2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Eric, yes I plan to start bending again as soon as I master the #4. My first true love is bending and I know that my bending strength has lots and lots of room to grow, I look forward to the future. The #4 will add to your street cred. Something else on your resume'.Sort of like getting your Phd. in grip. Smart to take the time out to do it while your "healthy"....get it out of the way.So to speak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffPeterson Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Shrug are you still doing strongman? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jedd Johnson Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Any interest in doing Grip contests? The Minnesota squad has one in August.... -Jedd- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griparn Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 You will kill #4 gripper! Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrankyBoy Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Nice goal, Shrug! Already build up a workout? How long do think it will take to close the #4? Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHRUG Posted June 24, 2004 Author Share Posted June 24, 2004 Tom, thanks bro I hope my upcoming accomplishments provide lots of entertainment for you, I will try my hardest to do some really freaky shit. Jeff, yes I am still training for strongman and it is coming along very well. I am doing lots of cardio now and I am much stronger and in much better overall shape than I have ever been and this is just the begining, I have all summer long to do nothing but train like a animal and that is exactly what I am gonna do. Jedd, yes I am very interested in doing grip contests but I am not gonna enter anything until I get the #4 mastered so I dont have to really worry about training any other part of my grip really hardcore. I dont like going into a contest being unprepared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Piche Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 Sounds like your going to mash it. A BBE or #3 close is a mile away from dominating a #4. Just my 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted June 24, 2004 Share Posted June 24, 2004 A BBE or #3 close is a mile away from dominating a #4. Just my 2 cents. I certainly didn't want to over simplify the feat. just if anyone elseis going to get to it QUICKYL(besides Morton and Samuelson)it would be Shrug. Different animals but he "Cut to the chase"on thos red nails. Young.Brutal overall body strength.Adaptable with a 'quick'learning curve.From his full body work out report and his grip/bending reports...amazing recovery. Hey!?!?SHRUG? were you in Germany...about 4 years ago...puttin away a few too many frosty ones and...? And That big sturdy waitress serving the mugs started looking better as the night went on...and...Well is that your kid in the news? Excellent candidate to do it.And if he is to pursue strongman...just one more notch in his gun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SHRUG Posted June 25, 2004 Author Share Posted June 25, 2004 Tom, thanks for the words of encouragement, they really mean a lot man. I am gonna pursue strongman in the future and I will continue to train both it and my gym lifts with ever increasing intensity. I am going to train to crush the #4 with everything I have and I hope to close it as soon as I possibly can. I realize that a BBE is still far from a #4, however I have not trained grippers in 5 months and being where I am at on them now I believe that if I give it everything I have I will close the #4 before to long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Walker Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 The new BBEs are much harder then any #3. And, if you have felt some #4s that I have felt, they arent too far from one another. Rick Walker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Ostlund Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Shrug, When is your next strongman contest? Tom, What can Josh do with the Atlas stones right now? I will be shocked if someone can load let alone lap that 520 stone being that it has a 24" diameter. Laszlo Fekete has done a 510 that was normal diameter and had lead in it. Travis Ortmeyer and I have both lapped our 450 (all concrete) stones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danegarreau Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Even lapping an all concrete 500 stone would be a world class feat. In Svends video he loades a 396 stone to about a 4' platform for 4 reps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 Shrug,When is your next strongman contest? Tom, What can Josh do with the Atlas stones right now? I will be shocked if someone can load let alone lap that 520 stone being that it has a 24" diameter. Laszlo Fekete has done a 510 that was normal diameter and had lead in it. Travis Ortmeyer and I have both lapped our 450 (all concrete) stones. The first and only time he ever touched an Atlas stone was at the show me Pro/Am.That was first try.The new stones aren't done yet. He lapped and almost loaded the 365...he was out of gas and had no 'skill' or technique?After doing that he said "that will be a good event for me someday" i know it sounds preposterous.Even ridiculous. But so does shutting a #3 first touch or winning the Hercules hold(agains Pfister,odd,Gillingham,Kirit,Marrunde,Hatfield,Pope,etc) the first time he ever DID the hercules hold(and keep in mind Josh went first in that event,the mark was set and nobody could reachit )Also, John Riggs posted that Josh was on track for a 10 second Yoke at the Pro Am contest before he dropped it(after the drop,picked it up and still finished in 19.6?).......???drop it pick it up and then still beat guys like Anderson and Marrunde? Josh practiced on a rickety ass Yoke for about 3 or 4 weekends before doing that.He feels a sub 10 will happen...next time he competes. That big of stone ISN'T anything like the above.....but....there may be a correlation After seeing the Svend video he started doing the Svend upright rows...last work out with high rep sets all the way up(20x225 for first set)..315 for 6 or 7 looked easy and he did an ugly set Svend upright rows with 365. I think he has the strength to load that stone.Long arms for his size.He doesn't talk much about goals but i know that is one of them. We'll have to see and i understand your scepticism.The thought of that stone does defy logic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom of Iowa2 Posted June 25, 2004 Share Posted June 25, 2004 (edited) i know it sounds preposterous.Even ridiculous. But so does shutting a #3 first touch or winning the Hercules hold(agains Pfister,odd,Gillingham,Kirit,Marrunde,Hatfield,Pope,etc) the first time he ever DID the hercules hold(and keep in mind Josh went first in that event,the mark was set and nobody could reachit ) i've even been told there is something to learning 'how'to do the Hercules hold??He'd never done it AND he didn't do ANY grip work for that contest.Go figure..? I think that might have "shocked"a few experienced pros. Edited June 25, 2004 by Tom of Iowa2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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