Last night, I accomplished one of a handful of primary goals I set for myself this year.

The Old School York 45′s One Hand Pinch

If you think these plates look thick, you’re right. That, plus the rarity of the plates, is why only two other people I was aware of, had ever completed the feat before.

Here is a video that shows their thickness.

Thickness of York Plates

Misses Are Just Warm-ups, Diesels.

NEVER Give up after just one miss.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

There are a ton of crazy workout gadgets out there that are absolute wastes of time.

Curling with Globe Gripz

I am sure you have tried a few now and again and can name some that were totally useless.

Well, one item that you might have seen at one time or another that is NOT useless, is the Globe Gripz handles.

I have been training with Globe Gripz off and on since 2012. I immediately was impressed by their packaging and the quality of the product.

For the last few weeks, though, Globe Gripz have been a weekly part of my training. In fact, I have had a resurgence in my Biceps training, especially in the Barbell Curl.

For several years, I did not do Barbell Curls because they hurt my wrists and forearms so intensely sometimes that I would feel the leftover pain for several days down the line.

However, with Globe Gripz on the bar, I feel ZERO pain in these areas when curling. I have been able to put several good, solid weeks of training in and have upped my 1-Rep-Max in the Barbell Curl to 160-lbs and have been increasing my repetitions with 135-lbs on the bar on a near weekly basis, nearly hitting 10 reps just yesterday.

Barbell Curl Training

Here some clips of some of the recent Bicep Curl training sessions…

Barbell Curl: 135-lbs X 10 (Almost) + Attempt at 170-lbs Barbell Curl with Globe Gripz

Strict Barbell Curl: 155, 157.5, 160-lbs

If you feel the same kind of pain in the Barbell Curl that I do, I strongly encourage you to check out Globe Gripz. Naturally, there are LOTS of other ways Globe Gripz can be used, just like Fat Gripz and the other Instant Thick Bar Handles that are on the market. Barbell Curls is simply what I use Globe Gripz for the most. Actually, that’s all I really use them for.

You can get Globe Gripz here => Globe Gripz

I am sure the Form Police will show up and say these curls ARE NOT STRICT. That’s fine. My response is “Show me your video with stricter form and comparable weight.”

Now, I am also aware that there are strict curl competitions, where people stand against a wall or some other structure to prevent swaying back or using the delts and back for assistance.

Awesome! I am all about competition and comparing my lifts against others, ESPECIALLY when there is a standard, so I tried them too.

I have seen a few clips of these competitions and an EZ-Bar is often used. So I gave this a try using an EZ Bar in an attempt to match the competition standard as closely as possible. Here is the video…

Strict Curl with Back Against Door: +/- 158-lbs

I really do not know where this would put me in the established competition lifts that exist. I am assuming that for my bodyweight (about 235 on the day of that lift), this would be pretty low, as I am sure the competitors have a much better grasp on the proper technique of the lift. For instance, I noticed some substantial stress on my lumbar during the first rep and had to adjust where I had my feet to reduce it. It’s definitely not just a vacation performing this lift, especially when you are going for a near-max.

So, here’s the deal. Some people think Curls are stupid. If you feel this way, that is fine.

I personally like to keep track of things like this. I have an idea of my PR in lots and lots of lifts and I like to push myself in this nature.

Plus, I love competition. Ever since I was a child and played baseball, I have loved the field of competition.

Over the years, that field turned from a diamond of dirt and grass with a fence around it to the Strongman and Grip Strength Platforms.

If I can find a Strict Curl competition nearby, I might add that to my Competition Portfolio as well. If anyone is familiar with them, I’d love to hear about them.

Now, if you are not into competition, but just want to get bigger and stronger arms, then be sure to check out Call to Arms, an ebook I put out last year with Joe Meglio.

Check out Call to Arms => How to Get Bigger Stronger Arms

Naturally, the chain is only as strong as its weakest link. If you are not training your biceps with some intensity on a regular basis, then they could be your weakest link. At the least, they might hold you back on other lifts. At worst, you could run the risk of tearing a bicep and be out of competition and training for a while, waiting for it to heal.

Intense Arm Training, like what we cover in Call to Arms can help you erase that weakness.

Also, if you are Grip Enthusiast, you should consider adding Arm Training of some sort to your routine. Both Paul Knight and Steve McGranahan have made mention of the relationship between Grip Strength and their overall arm strength.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Armaid: The Best Lower Arm Therapy Device on the Market Today

I will have a writeup from the contest as soon as possible.

For now, here are the video clips from Thanksgripping.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Armaid: The Best Lower Arm Therapy Device on the Market Today

I got home from my annual trip to the Arnold Classic in March of this year and I was destroyed!

Too tired to write, I began watching some of the video clips I had taken with my friends Paul Knight, JT Straussner, and Chris Dezendorf.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

This strange man kept popping up in the videos over and over.

This man looked like me and sounded like me, but I could not believe it was me.

But indeed, that strange man WAS ME.

Without noticing, I had become someone I never wanted to become.

I had a huge belly, my face looked like it was going to burst, and I had no muscle tone anywhere to speak of.

Every video I watched, I got more and more upset with what I had become.

That was it. I needed to make a change.

I stepped on the scale that day and I was 279lbs naked.

To make it even more shocking, I had already lost what I estimate to be between 10 and 15 pounds from December to February because I had been going for rehab for the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome and a badly inflamed pectoral tendon 3 times a week for over an hour.

So I had already lost a significant amount due to the extra activity I was doing, which meant at the end of 2012 I was probably close to 300lbs!

I knew I had to make a change right away!

I had lost weight in the past, so I knew I could do it again, but I wanted to do it the right way.

I didn’t want to lose a bunch of muscle like the last time. I’ve worked for years to build the muscle, and I didn’t want to lose it all to a poor diet, too much cardio, and obsessive-compulsive behavior.

So, I got a coach. His name was Joe Carabase, and in one phone call, he passed on to me the building blocks of information I needed in order to lose nearly 50-lbs over the course of this year.

I had sent him my before and after pictures and he sent me back the graphic below.

Now, some 9 months later, I am in the best shape I have been in since college, at least.

I am more muscular than I have ever been, in many cases I am stronger now, proportionally, than I have ever been in many lifts, and I feel better than I have in the last 15 years.

Joe Carabase passed on to me the best ways to go about eating, doing cardio, ways to burn more calories in my workouts for a fat-burning emphasis, and so many more tips and tricks that I can’t even mention them.

The point is, I couldn’t have done this without Joe as my coach. Joe got me started, he followed up with me, and he was always there to recognize me at various bench-marks along the way.

Without Joe, I am sure I would have kept on eating things like bread, pasta and rice, and it would have held my progress back. I probably would have gotten going, built up a little steam, cut off some fat, and then become complacent and stopped doing what I needed to, only to arrive right back where I started as a fat guy again.

Having Joe as my coach made the biggest difference possible for me and my goals

And now, I am trying to do the same thing for you.

I am starting a special Coaching Group to help you out.

No, this is not for weight loss. I’d much rather direct you to Joe for that, if that is what you need.

Instead, I am sticking with what I know best – Grip Strength and Feats of Strength.

Just as having a coach enabled me to produce my life-changing fitness results, I want to help you take your Grip and Feat training to the next level.

So I am starting the Grip Task Force.

Grip Task Force

The GTF will be open for 10 People Only.

I want to be able to give you as much dedicated attention as possible, so I am limiting the number of people who can get in.

This will go for 3 months, and the price will be $97 per month. Once that time is up, I may allow more people to join, BUT those who join now will have the first shot.

Here is a run-down of what you can expect as a member of the Grip Task Force:

• 1 (one) 30-minute Personal Coaching Call to get a jump-start on your goals
• Two 60-minute Group Coaching Calls per month focused ONLY on your specific goals
• Download access to the calls via mp3
• Unlimited email access to me to work towards your target feats
• Task Force Text Access – Text me with your questions from 8AM to 5PM and get replies as soon as I plausibly can get them to you
• Closed Facebook Group for Grip Task Force members only
• Complimentary Membership to TheGripAuthority.com (instant access to 4 years of content, normally $17/month (current TGA members will have a reduced rate for the Grip Task Force

This page has all of the specifics about the Grip Task Force => Work with Jedd, Virtual Grip Coaching Group.

Here are some of the questions I have gotten about the Grip Task Force:

1. Is the price per month or for the 3-months?

The price is $97 per month. I charge $97 for one hour on the phone and have been getting multiple calls per week of people asking the same questions, so my plan is to offer two group calls per month and help everyone with programming.

2. Will I receive a program?

Yes, you will get specific planning for your goals. That will be worked out through email. I normally charge $297 for programs, but I am waiving that to try to help more people. So no program charge for this program.

3. How long does the Grip Task Force Last?

This is a 3-month program to see how it goes. I want to give you the best information possible. I feel 3-months will be a good indicator of how well I can serve 10 people, and then we can go from there. Also, I find that a 3-month window is often perfect to get a trainee going in the right direction and to help them understand how to go about designing their own programs.

4. How long are we committing to the Grip Task Force?

You do not have to commit to the 3-month period, although it is certainly encouraged. You can cancel at any time. If you decide to cancel, you can convert over to just a membership at TheGripAuthority.com, my site dedicated to Grip Strength and Feats of Strength coaching, or you can cancel completely, but you will not longer get access to the 4-year stockpile of information at TGA.

Essentially, I want to give you all the information I can to help you with your training. I take pride in the work that I do and the products that I put out, but I KNOW I can do so much more if I have the chance to work directly with you.

If you are considering joining, don’t wait to long. As I have said, I am only taking 10 people and this is open to my members at TheGripAuthority.com who get a reduced rate, so the spots will fill up quickly.

Go here to sign up = > The Grip Task Force.

If you have questions, do not hesitate to ask.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

I want to give Darrin Shallman, one of my TGA members and someone I have known since at least 2011 some special recognition.

Me with Darrin Shallman at the
2013 North American Grip Sport Championships

Darrin lifted the Blob50, a replica version of the 50-lb Next generation Blob, for the first time yesterday.

I want to make it clear that in no way am I trying to take any of the credit for Darrin lifting the Blob50.

Darrin is one of the hardest working guys that I know. He is the one that has put in the work, and I want to credit him for his awesome accomplishment.

The road has not always been smooth for Darrin. He has had to deal with his share of injuries and other potholes in his journey, but instead of letting them hold him back, he has always done what he has needed to in order to recover from them.

And, instead of letting body size or hand size be something that limits him, he has kept his eye on his goals at all times. With hands just 7.25-inches long, he has done something that many have thought IMPOSSIBLE – lifting the Blob with small hands.

And so, he enters a limited group of people who have accomplished this feat and an even more exclusive group of those who have lifted the Blob with hands under 7.5-inches long.

If you have read it was impossible to do, or if someone along the way said you would never be able to Lift the Blob because you have small hands, let Darrin be the example that changes your mind about that.

And if you want the best tips available in the world for training to lift the Blob, then check out my latest ebook that covers that very subject: Lift the Blob.

All the best in your Blob Lifting journey!

Jedd

Armaid: The Best Lower Arm Therapy Device on the Market Today