OT:Captain Crush

[Bobwhite]

I will be part of a passaround Roadrunner. Or if not enough interest fo a full passaround, maybe I can just borrow them.

 

[Bill Martino]

Too late for me. I have trouble holding my cigarette.

 

[Roadrunner]

Bobwhite I'll be sure to send you an e-mail once I'm ready to send then all out. I think you're just being modest Uncle Bill, those Heinekin bottles don't seem to give you any trouble .

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Originally posted by ichor
I'm far from an expert, Gary, but I think you should go to 3 reps at more weight. When you can do 4, as easily as you're doing 4 now, raise the weight and go back to 3...........ad infinitum. Just my 2 cents.

Well 4 was a real challenge but doable, so today I added 5 pounds more and can just do 2 times up and down, works the arms and shoulders more with the even though it seems like a small weight but it adds up after you start in!

G2

 

[OwenM]

Brought this back up because I'd been trying to think of a way to cheat on the first part of the squeeze on the grippers, since my #3s handles are farther apart than those on my #1 or 2.
What I came up with reminds me of using, but in reverse, a power rack to limit the range of motion to concentrate on the area of a repetition where you are weakest. Though the CoC grippers get progressively harder throughout the rep, the hardest part for me is actually getting started, since the handles on the #3 are too far apart for me to get a good grip on, and using both hands to "set" my grip wasn't working.
I looped the end of some 550 cord around one handle (actually a taut line hitch), then made another small loop, ran the end of the cord around the other handle, back through the loop, and used it to force the gripper part of the way closed.
Used to use this when loading down flatbeds or pickup trucks on a job years ago, and we just called it a chicken knot-no idea what the proper name is, but you can play a tune on the ropes after they're tied off.
You have to keep the cord ~1/2" above the end of the handles so that it is between your pinky and ring finger when you grip, and so it doesn't get in the way when the handles come together. Also had to redo it several times, because the #3 stretches the 550 cord, and my loops that barely had a visible gap to begin with were 3/4" apart after a couple of seconds.
After getting 17 reps out of my #2 last week while driving down the road, and without really straining, I was convinced that I should be able to do the #3, and had to come up with some way to get a good grip on it. Being able to do that made a big difference, and I'm very close to closing it. Three back to back double shifts, minimal sleep, and sore hands may be the only reason this thing didn't get squashed all the way shut.

btw, I decided to try Gary's workout, after reading his posts in this thread before, and a couple of weeks ago, cut off an old broomstick at work, drilled a hole through it, and used 550 cord to tie on a weight. All I had at work was a 50lb. calibration weight that I use for a dumbbell when not busy, and it was too heavy. One trip from the floor to waist level and back down was all I could manage. After a couple of workouts with a 25, I could tell the difference (17 reps on the #2, vs. 13 or 14 the last time I'd fooled with it, and with less effort). I can also see that a couple of the "ridges" in my forearms are more prominent, so I think it's hitting a wider range of muscles, or at least different ones.
Just like training triceps and shoulders heavy can dramatically help your bench press, I think this is a great way to advance on the grippers-needs to be done with few reps, and as heavy as possible, though.

Hope some of that helps someone improve on their grippers. After being on a plateau for months, and losing alot of interest in them, it's really exciting to see some noticeable improvement.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

Originally posted by OwenM
...btw, I decided to try Gary's workout, after reading his posts in this thread before, and a couple of weeks ago, cut off an old broomstick at work, drilled a hole through it, and used 550 cord to tie on a weight. All I had at work was a 50lb. calibration weight that I use for a dumbbell when not busy, and it was too heavy. One trip from the floor to waist level and back down was all I could manage. After a couple of workouts with a 25, I could tell the difference (17 reps on the #2, vs. 13 or 14 the last time I'd fooled with it, and with less effort). I can also see that a couple of the "ridges" in my forearms are more prominent, so I think it's hitting a wider range of muscles, or at least different ones.
Just like training triceps and shoulders heavy can dramatically help your bench press, I think this is a great way to advance on the grippers-needs to be done with few reps, and as heavy as possible, though.

Hope some of that helps someone improve on their grippers. After being on a plateau for months, and losing alot of interest in them, it's really exciting to see some noticeable improvement.

Wow, 50pounds is a LOT especially using just a broom handle, not a lot of distance on each rotation, or gripping power there, most I have done was 20 pounds a long time ago...looking forward to trying the grippers though!

Good Job Owen!
G2