I was able to train some heavy Grip Stuff tonight for the first time in about 6 weeks, and it felt great.
On a whim, I decided to set up T-Bar Rows using a barbell with one loading sleeve jutted up against the G-Rex and used a Rope as the gripping surface and to my surprise, it felt OUTSTANDING!
In fact, I liked it so much, I ran up and got the camera to film some of it.
In this first video, I show you how to set this up in case you haven’t tried it before.
This lift will work just about ANYWHERE as long as you have the equipment, so give this one a try.
Next, I then decided to load it up heavy and see what I could do with it…
Sorry I haven’t posted much this week. I am working on a new clothing line. Included are leather head and chest hoods, body chains, and nut-hugging-tight pants, like the image to the right…
Just kidding.
Actually, I have been working my ass off this whole week finishing a product off that I started in 2009.
I’ve had some people asking about it recently, saying it was a logical “next step,” so I figured it was about time for me to get serious and get it done. This should be out next week…
Unforch, I’ve been working so hard that I neglected you and I apologize. I have lots to tell you, so let’s get to it.
Napalm’s Nightmare
First off, if you picked up Home Made Strength II like many other strength enthusiasts, personal trainers, strength coaches, and athletes did, during the introductory sale, then you may have won one of the prizes, a Napalm’s Nightmare device from StrongerGrip Enterprises.
I did the drawing out of my bad ass Diesel Beanie, the last one in stock (claim it here => Diesel Crew Beanie Hat. If you want it, you better hurry. Check out the drawing to see if you won…
Congratulations to the winners. The Napalm’s Nightmare is an AWESOME device when home made by your own hands, but to get one from Ryan Pitts and Stronger Grip, as awesome as his stuff is, that is going to be extraordinary.
Grapple Grips
As you know I have the opportunity to review many products, both informational and equipment products. One of the recent reviews I got to do was for the Grapple Grips, and I must say that I like them. I have done plenty of training with them since getting them and they work great.
Below is the review video. I would have liked to have included some training footage for you guys, but unfortunately it hurts my finger injuries and I didn’t want to push it. I promise when my injuries are resolved I will shoot another video and post it for you guys.
Here are some of the exercises I have done with the Grapple Grips: Pull-ups, Pull-downs, One-Arm Swings (I have done tons of these), Hammer Curls, Waddles, and Flexed Arm Hangs. All of them were awesome. Like I said in the video, I got one of the biggest sizes to work my hands hard. You will probably want to get smaller ones if you do not have porno thumbs and banana fingers like me…
AJ Roberts Interview
On Monday, I interviewed AJ Roberts, who is probable the strongest guy I have ever sat down and had a cup of coffee with. He recently competed in the SPF (Southern Powerlifting Federation) and broke a World Record for Total (Squat + Deadlift + Bench Press).
The thing I grilled him on in particular is the mental side of his training and how he approaches it all so that he can perform at an Elite Level. The stuff he passed on to me was awesome. One thing in particular that he told me I was instantly able to implement and it helped me accomplish a substantial PR in my training.
If you want this interview, all I am asking is that you sign up for me new newsletter. You HAVE to be signed up for this newsletter in order to get this interview. If you signed up for the recent Home Made Strength II release or the Muscle Building Giveaway at the top of the page, that won’t work. You HAVE to fill out the boxes below.
I really want to keep in contact with you all when I dump this old email system, so please sign up.
The information in this interview will help you out in your strength training, your job, and any other facet of your life in which you want to perform at a high level so don’t miss out.
That’s about it for right now guys. Like I said, I am sorry for leaving the site so stagnant this week. I can ensure you that I have been plugging away!
Rows are an outstanding way to build a big strong back, to maintain antagonistic balance at the shoulder, as well as for strengthening the hands. There are many variations to choose from, using both barbells and dumbbells.
However, many trainees develop bad habits with Rows which can lead to shoulder problems, rotator cuff issues and other conditions that are better prevented than trying to rehabilitate them. That is why it is important to do this lift correctly in order to pack on muscle and maximize strength gains.
In this video, I cover the proper technique of performing the Side Dumbbell Row version, which is commonly used for isometrically training the lats, rhomboids, traps, posterior delts and other parts of the upper back. (more…)
Recently, I ran a poll on my Facebook page and I wanted to see which of three videos you preferred.
Between “Never before Seen Sledge hammer Exercise,” Row Variations for a Big back and Grip,” and “How to Bench without Nagging Wrist Pain,” Rows for Back and Grip won out by a solid margin!
Thanks for voting, and make sure to add me as a friend on Facebook, because I plan on doing this more down the line.
Rows are an excellent exercise for packing on muscle on your back. This muscle not only helps fill up your tee shirt, but it also helps balance out the strength ratio between your pushing and pulling power, helping you maintain better shoulder health.
But many do not realize that Rows can also be used to build Grip Strength. Especially if you have access to a variety of handles, you can use Rows to load up your lats, as well as strengthening your hands and Forearms.
Equipment Used
Loadable Dumbbell (Olympic Plates)
My favorite implement to use for heavy side rows is a normal loadable dumbbell that takes Olympic plates. You can really load these up. As you will see in the video, I go from 112 to 212 lbs. I usually just load 25′s on it, as opposed to adding 10′s. I will usually hit 2 sets at each weight. The last set with 212 is only a partial range of motion. I pull it as high as I can without using a ton of body english and then get into the next variation.
Inch Dumbbell
Before my open hand strength gets too severely wasted, I go to the Inch Dumbbell. I don’t get my reps up as high as I want to in this clip. I’ve done a lot better in the past. When you try this or something similar, you will see that keeping a Grip on the handle while your elbow bends over the course of the range of motion is tougher. This increased challenge is what makes Rows with Grip Implements so great for athletes to do. It is very similar to a wrestler grabbing the wrist or ankle of his opponent and trying to pull it in close to him.
Plate Loadable Thick Handle Dumbbell
I’m not sure where i got this dumbbell, but the loading area is for standard plates. For that reason, I have three 25-lb plates loaded on each side and I never take them off. It’s more likely that you will train thick bar rows with something like this, since Inch Dumbbells are so hard to come by. You’ll notice right away it is much easier to deadlift a thick bar dumbbell than it is to row it, because of the elbow bending during the range of motion.
Shot Loadable Thick Handle Dumbbell
This dumbbell comes from Steve Slater at Strongmanstuff.com and it is awesome. The day I got it, I loaded it up with steel shot as heavy as I could get it. It’s roughly 127-lbs which makes it great for Rows and many other dynamic lifts like Hand-to-Hand Pops and Clean + Press. The lighter weight also allows you to get that open hand work in while also getting lots of reps, so some emphasis shifts back to the Back / Lats / Delts / etc.
No Thick Bar Implements?
If you don’t have the above equipment, you might try Fat Gripz. These handles pop right onto your dumbbells and barbells and provide a removable thick bar handle.
Also, if you join The Grip Authority, I’ll show you how to make an instant thick bar handle for less than $5 that are even tougher on the Grip than Fat Gripz.
Technique
A few things to remember when doing Rows like this:
Variety = Results: It is good perform a variety of movements. For instance, I sometimes use different handles with my Lat Machine for Pull-downs and Seated Rows.
Form is Key: I try to stick with good form. If I find myself having to throw the weight, I like to just shut the set down. This way I don’t jerk something loose in my shoulder and feel it for the next 6 months. Cheat reps are something you will have to decide upon yourself, but I don’t like doing them anymore, myself.
Stick in a Heavy Set: I like to work in heavy sets, like the 212-lbs on the Olympic Loadable Handle and the Inch Dumbbell. Going super heavy like this makes everything else feel way lighter. I still stick with strict movement though, to avoid tweaking something.
Rows are awesome. I do them quite often in my training. I just love how they make me feel, and what the heck, if it feels good, do it, right?
