[Ben Edwards]

Great write-up Dan! After reading “The Wagman Log” – I expected some phallus jokes though. I’m disappointed in you guys.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

Well, it looks like I’m out on this one. Best of lifting to anyone that makes it out!

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

[b]Quote from 61pwcc on July 30, 2013, 20:36[/b]
Thanks Ben,
Fortunately(?), I can dislocate my thumbs as needed, so for me its not much of an issue!!

Very good then. I had quite flexible thumbs too and have a monster span for my hand length – 7 and 7/8″ hand length and a 10 and 1/4″ thumb tip to pinky tip span. That made me good at spanning things, but more prone to strain injuries I believe. Didn’t have many sprains though over my grip training lifetime. Knock on wood.

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[Ben Edwards]

Good reverse curl, James. I know someone else mentioned it, but be careful of doing too much (weight and/or multitude of exercises) with 3.5″ diameter training. I have friends who strained thumbs (or more severe thumb injuries) and they take FOREVER to heal completely. I strained a thumb doing 50lb blob work years ago (facelifting attempts and some good air) and it wasn’t the same for probably 2 years.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

Great job Chad!

Let me just say that I’m disappointed that you didn’t have some “flesh-tone” lifting straps made specially for the Dinnie Stone Smoke & Mirror Show. When people on forums complain about lifting straps being used it’s almost like they’re saying – “Ah ha! Caught ya trying to fool me into thinking you were doing that barehanded!” Even though the lifting straps are not hidden. Right there in plain sight. So next time, make it harder on them. Use flesh-tone straps and then sit back and enjoy a good chuckle.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

Thanks for the reminder! I gotta get my completed test in ASAP then before it expires. Then I need to actually officiate a contest. Maybe the Grip Champs? Maybe not, since I’d like to actually compete in that contest.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

Excellent article Eric! Well done man.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

[b]Quote from 61pwcc on June 4, 2013, 05:55[/b]
Ben, I certainly would appreciate grip articles. Did you enjoy the one I wrote about using Fire Hydrant Nozzle Caps?? I’m thinking our articles can also be reference material for ourselves and newer members in the future. I think the best articles on training are written by those who didn’t start out ahead of everyone else. The lifter that’s had to fight for every damn 5lbs on his lift, must know alot of tricks. So, let’s write what we know and hypothesize about what we don’t and share our ideas.

Thanks man. I did enjoy your Fire Hydrant Nozzle Caps article! I bet I wasn’t the only one either. I get a lot of feedback on my personal blog (or used to) when I was writing about grip stuff a lot. So I know the interest is out there. Just didn’t think it was necessarily HERE on the USAWA blog where the interest was centered.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

Sent you an e-mail Al.

I always enjoy the articles here and I do feel like a heel for not submitting more of my own. To be frank, I feel like the few articles that I have submitted have not been well received by the readership. There just aren’t enough guys who are interested in grip training. And that’s really the only thing I feel qualified to write about with any kind of authority. I don’t think I’m the strongest grip guy, let’s just get that out in the open right now! But I do feel like I am more qualified than the average guy just because I didn’t have a super strong starting point for almost all the grip stuff I later excelled at.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

They do look like a ton of fun! Glad I don’t have any train wheels sitting around or I’d probably have cripped myself by now through too much “enthusiasm.”

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

[b]Quote from 61pwcc on March 13, 2013, 06:00[/b]
Thanks Ben,
What you didn’t see was edited out. My previous attempt was aborted due to automotive grease(don’t ask) on the left plate. Had to wipe plate and fingers off. I had a little concern going into the next attempt.
Knowing that you train grip quite fervently, I’ll also tell you that I’ve changed my ‘attitude’. Me being right handed=left grip not quite up to snuff. Recently, I’ve just been literally telling my left to stop fuckin’ around and pick it up. I may have two different hands but they get told what to do by THE SAME BRAIN!! This new attitude helped on this lift. I’ve noticed a dramatic increase in my left hand ability. Have you gone through something similar?

I did used to train grip very hard. Hard enough that I went from normal to very respectable on a half dozen or so grip tests.

I’m right-handed too and had the same problem you did. But the interesting thing is that you will find – depending on the exercise – that your “off hand” will be stronger right away on certain tests than the right.

Vertical bar lifts for me for years were always significantly stronger lefty than righty. By about 20-30lbs at times. And both hands were trained the same.

Grippers were always better righty.

Plate pinching was pretty close on both hands. Blobs were stronger righty.

Ring and pinky inverted gripper strength was better lefty though. So that was a surprise. I was no set closing #3s back in 2005 with both hands but the left was always a few reps behind the right.

In thickbar lifts I was very close lefty and righty after a few years of training. I think your left hand will catch up on the support lifts faster than it will if you were training grippers – which I doubt you are a gripper guy.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

325lbs is a solid Reeves Deadlift man!

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

Great article Thom! Your story was something I was not aware of. Very motivating.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

Congrats to everyone! Looks like some great numbers were lifted.

Troy, big ups man! You hit some great numbers. One of these days we need to go head to head. Only in the grip stuff though. I wouldn’t stand a chance in anything else. If Al would ever consider making grippers an actual USAWA event I might start training them again, lol. It was one of the grip things I got really good at.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

[Ben Edwards]

Very cool Dan! I look forward to viewing the videos and seeing the impressive performances. Looks like a dang good time was had by all.

https://goalorientedtraining.wordpress.com/

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