Triple-Double Hub Lift Challenge

By Josh Mac (
Youtube Channel: Rox31313)

Hello Diesels!

In the long standing tradition of competition, the gauntlet has been thrown down once again! This grip challenge is called the Triple-Double Hub and it wont take you long to figure out why!

This one is a plate hub lift, so it makes it easier on those who don’t have a griptopz or Ironmind hub and loading pin. “What’s a hub lift?” you probably are asking.

HUB LIFTING:

The act of making gravity your bitch as you maliciously rip a steel plate from the earth by the most vulnerable part of its anatomy, its hub. Grabbing a plate by it’s nipple isn’t just a sure fire way to get noticed at your big box gym by the mirror screamers (and management), it’s also a terrific way to tax the thumb and all of the fingers.

The benefits of this lift aren’t just movie star good looks and major sex appeal. Strong hands and flanges pay dividends in the kitchen when you wife barks orders at you to open jars, or giving absolutely DEVASTATING purple-nurples, or turning door knobs with violent authority or simply holding on for dear life as Sylvester Stallone dangles you from a steel wire over an open chasm. Smooth move Gabe Walker!

The challenge won’t JUST be completing the feat, but will be judged by the heaviest plate used. Think you’ve got what it takes? Alright, lets get into it!

First, the Triple:

This refers to the three elite grip feats that are performed. They are:
1. The hand to hand transfer (lifting the plate from the floor with one hand and tossing it to the other using only its hub)
2. The hub curl (curling the plate by its hub)
3. The hub clean (lifting the plate by the hub from below the KNEES to above the head)

Now, the double:
DOING IT WITH BOTH HANDS WITHOUT PUTTING THE PLATE DOWN!!!!

Kinda like this:

This just got REAL!

Rules

-Must film plate and the weight must be visible
-No tacky or spray adhesives. (Chalk is allowed)
-Plate must not touch the ground until all 6 feats are completed.
-Lifter may not allow plate to rest on any part of the body during the lift for leverage.
-Lifter is judged by weight plate used. (10, 25,35,45 or kg plates)
-Magnet weights (like platemates) can be used to increase the weight.
- The feat can be done in whatever order the lifter wants, so long as each hand performs all three lifts without putting the plate down or letting it rest on any part of the body.
-Event is NOT timed, but in the event of a tie the faster time would obviously win.
-Video submissions should have the title: “DieselCrew Triple-Double Hub lift challenge”
-Video description must contain: http://www.dieselcrew.com/grip-strength-hub-lifting-pinch-grip

*Completion of the 6 feats certifies you as a bon-a-fide BAD ASS in my book (“My book” is imaginary and its contents can’t be verified.)

Let’s get as many submissions as we can on this. I don’t care if it’s a 5# plate, this ain’t easy!

Special thanks to Jedd for allowing me to concoct this evil feat and share it here with his readers and also for motivating me to get into grip. His weekly challenges got me off my ass and into the gym to try thing I had never heard of, and also put me in touch with others like me all over the country.

Also shout out to Jason English (Youtube channel: BigJsExtremeFitness ) for the inspiration behind this challenge.

If you haven’t seen his channel yet, get on it. This guy either knows it, invented it or forgot it and he’s been hitting grip with Paul Knight down in Texas. Speaking of Texas, He’s hosting a HUGE Grip/Powerlifting/strongman/bodybuilding/figure Expo in Red Oak, TX At Brookshires starting at 9AM on April 28th 2012. Video’s, posters, t-shirts will be available for purchase and as many sick GRIP feats as your eyeballs can handle! You’ve been warned!

Good luck, Get the video’s in!!!!!!!!

Josh Mac
Youtube: Rox31313

Mace and Club Swinging

Hello Diesels!

One type of strength and endurance training that almost no one practices anymore, but certainly should is Mace and Club Swinging. This sort of training has many names from macebell training, to circular training, but really what it comes down to is swinging either a mace or a club around your head and down past your back with either one or two hands.

What is a Mace?

I first heard the term mace as a teenager, studying medieval weaponry. In that context, the term mace is used to describe a medieval weapon that was a ball with spikes on it that the warrior would swing and hit his adversary with. These days, the mace is a ball on the end of a long handle, usually about 4 feet long or even longer. In fact, Indian Wrestlers would swing a mace, or gada as they would call them, for their strength training and conditioning.

One type of Battle Mace

What is a Club?

Originally, clubs were weapons of old as well. They were really any sort of blunt object used to hit someone or something in order to hurt, maim, or kill it. This was usually done with one hand. These days, clubs are used in a swinging style in order to bring about the same types of benefits as mace swinging for people such as wrestlers, baseball player, football players, firemen, police, etc.

A Medieval Ball-Headed Club – Beat some asses with this piece!

I recently found this old video clip of the greatest Persian Club swinger ever to grace the wrestling ring, the Iron Sheik, swinging his “70+ Lb” clubs and allowing other wrestlers and bystanders to try the $10,000 Persian Club Challenge. You’ll see that this form of Club, with a much different shape, is more in line with the Persian style of Club, with much more mass to wield than other thinner forms of Indian Clubs.

From the video you can tell that Club Swinging requires a different form of strength to be developed in order to be able to just get the clubs into position, let alone to be able to swing them with authority like the Iron Sheik, especially the obvious time spent in the weight room by the guys in the video who failed miserably to swing the clubs, one of them a young Jim Hellwig who would later become the Ultimate Warrior.

I thought it was so cool watching the Iron Sheik swing clubs as a youngster, that I always wanted to try it. That was the reason I first gave it a try, but now after doing it for several years, I have found that there are many benefits to be gotten from club swinging.

Benefits of Club and Mace Swinging

The benefits of Club and Mace Swinging are numerous, including:

• Grip Strength and Endurance – This movement requires you to flex and adjust the hand dynamically throughout the range of motion which tires out the entire hand as well as the full length of the forearm
• Shoulder Flexibility / Mobility – The relatively light weight of the implement is enough to stretch out the musculature slightly, improving range of motion. This is also effective as an upper body warm-up
• Core Training – Maintaining a stable core while swinging the club or mace-style implement dynamically works the abs, lats, and muscles of the back as well, again, excellent for a warm-up method or finisher for your workouts.

What is the difference between Maces and Clubs?

There are a few differences between maces and clubs. First off, Maces are usually much longer than clubs, and produce more leverage when they are being swung, even if their heads are roughly the same size and weight.

Another difference between maces and clubs are the number of hands used. Generally a mace is swung using two hands while a club is swung using only one hand. Of course if the mace is extremely light it can be used with just one hand. Conversely if a club is extremely heavy, then it may be necessary to use two hands in order to swing it.

Regardless of the weight, length of the handle, or the number of hands used to swing the club or mace, it is a very beneficial form of training for anyone who needs to have strong hands and solid grip in order to be successful at what they do.

Stronger Grip Enterprises – Mace and Club Training Tools

There are lots of places where you can get Club and Mace training tools, but one of the best I have found is Stronger Grip. I have many different training tools from Stronger Grip and I love all of them.

Stronger Grip has several different types of tools that are used for this sort of training. Many are shot loadable, which means you will have the benefit of starting out with lighter weights and gradually working up over time. Shot loadable implements are also fun to train on because they make such a cool noise when you swing them around.

Like I said, I own several pieces of Stronger Grip equipment, but by far, the ones I use most often are the clubs and maces, and I use the maces more routinely because they are a two handed implement and I am able to do more weight with them. I guess I just enjoy Mace training more.

Some quick links to the Stronger Grip equipment line of Clubs and Maces:

• Indian Clubs – The Stronger Grip Indian Clubs are the perfect size to reap all the benefits, plus, they are shot loadable making it even easier for you to maximize the benefits.
• Plate Loadable Clubs – Some people don’t like Shot because they have to have a place to keep it and it requires a bit more concentration to change weights. The Plate Loadable Clubs get you around that very easily and work just as well.
• Loadable Maces / Core Club – This is the type of Mace I have owned for several years. This piece looks great and feels even better. Get ready to not only build your Grip but also to improve your shoulder mobility at the same time.
• Monster Mace – If you are looking to really move a lot of weight around, then you want the Monster Mace. Once you start manhandling this piece of beauty around, you will be ready to challenge the Iron Sheik himself.
• Plate Loadable Mace – If you are not into shot-loadable instruments, Ryan Pitts also carries plate-loadable maces which you can use with those extra plates you have sitting around.
• The Starter Mace – If you would like to start out with something a little more manageable, the Starter Mace is perfect.

Those are just a small selection of the variety of Clubs and Maces available from Stronger Grip. Once you go to the links, check out the full spectrum of tools. You can even pick up pairs and sets at a discount!

Club and Mace Swinging Technique

Once you pick up your Clubs and Maces, come back to this page in order to practice your technique.

When it comes to swinging a Club or Mace, you must start out with the basics. If you just stay with the basics, you will be able to readily enjoy and benefit from this type of training. Of course, course there are dozens, if not more, of other ways to swing Clubs and Maces once you master the basic training.

Basic Club Swinging Technique Demonstration

This video shows the beginning techniques for Club Swinging. Take note, that other instructors may use slightly different terminology from what I use. I am not a certified Club training specialist, but I do know how to properly perform the basics of Club swinging.

Basic Mace Swinging technique Demonstration

Just like with Club Swinging, there are many different styles and varieties you can try, but you definitely need to start out with the basics. Below I get you started on the right track, and if you are feeling frisky, after you get some practice, I’ve got a couple of other Advanced Mace Swinging Techniques for you to try as well.

Advanced Mace Swinging with Modified Speed Demand

With this technique, you will attempt to get the Mace moving and keep it going as fast as possible. I chose a total of 20 reps, but you can choose any number you wish. You will see that when you put this speed demand on yourself, in order to keep improving you must focus on your rhythm and strive to get your entire body to work together. Focus on getting as much of the musculature involved as you can in order to make each repetition smooth and fast.

Advanced Mace Swinging with Modified Range of Motion

This variation I liked quite a bit, because it took some of the focus away from the lats and torso and put more of it on the arms, forearms, and hands. My hands were pumped and burning up after trying this.

Once again, start out with the basic maneuvers with your Clubs and Maces and then start adding in slight variations until you are confident and can control the tools throughout the entire range of motion.

I hope you enjoy your Club and Mace training, and if you have any questions, do not hesitate to leave a comment below.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

I recently received a few pieces from the Manus Grip equipment line and I put up a review on my YouTube. Did you see it? If not, it is below.

To check out the line of products from this company, click here: ManusGrip.com

I always aim to bring you high quality information that you can use to benefit in your training. Make sure you are subscribed to my YouTube channel so you don’t miss out on updates, reviews, feats, tips, and demonstrations I put forth through YouTube.

To subscribe, just click play on the video above and about 5 seconds in, there will be a small box in the upper left hand corner that you can click and it will add my new videos to your subscriptions, which you can view any time you log into YouTube.

I think you are going to be seeing a LOT more out of this company, especially judging by how they are doing things right out of the gate.

Also, just to make it perfectly clear, I received nothing from the company for this review, just the sets of grips, grippers, and bars.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

BLOBZILLA – Laughing at my past attempts to lift him.

If you’ve been reading this site for a while, or following the sport of Grip for a while, then you have heard the name Daniel Reinard.

Daniel Reinard found out about the sport of Grip in 2010 and within less than 2 years has made it his home.

Daniel has accomplished many amazing feats of strength up until this point, including attaining the World Record for the 83-kg class on the Two Hands Pinch at one time, lifting a Fatman Blob in the normal fashion, backwards, and by the face, and he even coined a new Griplement, BLOBZILLA.

You see, after mastering the York Fatman Blob quicker than most people with much more experience and much more bodyweight (Daniel weighs only about 200), Daniel was “looking for a project.”

This project was to be a block weight that would take him several months or even longer to train on in order to accomplish – a true “long range goal.”

Well, Blobzilla, half of a 130-lb York Legacy Blob, proved to be no match for this climber from Southern California either, because within about 2 month’s time, he lifted it as well.

Daniel Reinard Lifts Blobzilla

Daniel was readily posting training videos of his sessions working on Blobzilla and the more I had Blobzilla thrown in my face, the more I knew I had to have one. So I arranged a pick-up of two 130-lb York Dumbbells through my cohort in Braced Bending mischief, Mike Rinderle. He went to York and got them. In the words of Johnny Cash, he went “right up to the factory and picked them up – it’s cheaper that way.” Mike picked them up and even chop-sawed them and shipped them to us. What an awesome guy!

Another perennial Giant in the Block Weight world is Wade Gillingham. He was actually the first person in the U.S. to lift Blobzilla, doing so the first workout he did after receiving it in the mail. He was in on the group that got them along with me.

Another HUGE star of Block Weight Lifting and also Thick Bar Lifting is Laine Snook. He gave the European Kilogram-equivalent version a serious ride, cleaning it to his shoulder with EEEASE. This actually happened many, many months ago, as Laine is an ELITE Block Weight Lifter.

Finally, after several months of having Blobzilla laugh and blow flames in my face, I was able to tame this sucker in my gym, the first workout after the recent Mighty Mitts competition.

Completing this feat on this particular day was totally unexpected. I pretty much brought Blobzilla to the lifting area between lifts, tried to pick it up, and it broke off the floor. I would have been happy just to get that on tape and show some of my friends I was making progress, so I filmed it and pulled it off the ground a few inches with each hand.

That was when I knew it just might be the day for a Blobzilla showdown.

I had just finished several months of INTENSE thick bar training for Mighty Mitts with very little work on Blobzilla the last few weeks as I was passing through a high specialization phase of my training.

Here are the videos showing how it all came to be…

My First Ever Full Lift of Blobzilla

Several years ago, I was told by someone who doesn’t even train Grip anymore that “going off” like this was unprofessional. Well, I am sorry, but if this offends anybody they are just going to have to get used to it.

About a year ago I suffered an injury that I wasn’t sure I would ever come back from. It kept me from competing in Mighty Mitts 2011 and I was unsure of whether I’d ever be top-form again. Grip Training is my favorite part of of training and I do it to push myself to higher and harder goals. And after all these years, big PR’s like this come fewer and farther between.

The training and the constantly dealing with failure for weeks, months and sometimes years at a time can get down right emotionally draining, so when something big like this finally happens, I am NOT ever going to restrain myself again. To me, accomplishing something like this is damn close to winning the lottery, so shoot me if I carry on like a lunatic when I finally succeed.

First Time Lifting Blobzilla Lefty

It’s always more impressive when you can do a feat with each hand, so I was again extremely excited when I was able to lift Blobzilla lefty as well.

Comparing Blobzilla to Other Blobs and Blob-like Implements

This video shows you just way Blobzilla is so damn tough to lift. To be 100% honest, I originally thought this feat would be fairly easy, due to the flat side for the thumb, but when 65-lbs bulges out on the finger side like this one does, it makes for a damn tough feat.

One of the comments I got when I posted this at Gripboard.com was that it reminded them of my first Red Nail Bend from 2004 and my first Blob Face Lift from 2006, where I obviously blew up on camera and went nuts. I never thought about it that way.

Pretty much the only time I have “let myself go” on big feats the last few years has been when breaking the Two Hands Pinch Record. Other than that, I have been locked in this “stay professional no matter what” mode that I was told was more appropriate.

Well, it isn’t going to be like that anymore. To me, lifting is something I do to enjoy. No matter how many partners come and go, how much distance keeps good friends from visiting, or how much I would rather stay home to train than miss time with my little girl, nothing will stop me from enjoying my grip training, and when big sh*t like this goes down, don’t stop the clip – you might just see a madman speaking in gibberish, cutting promo’s, clotheslining training partners, and slapping benches.

If that kind of emotion doesn’t seem professional to you, then I guess you won’t enjoy my PR videos.

Now, there are still a handful of other people who own Blobzillas in the US (and there may be more soon), so there will be more guys who tame the York Beast with time: Paul Knight, Fernando Rodriguez, Andy Thomas, and Russ Farver all own Blobzillas, so it is really just a matter of time.

I can’t wait to see the videos.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

The Common Thread in Almost ALL Aspects of the Iron Game

Do you do any of these lifts in your program? – Squat, Bench, Deadlift, Muscle-ups, Snatch, Clean, Jerk, Curls, Ropes, Pull-ups, Push-downs…

What is the common thread between all of these awesome ways to train, get stronger and build muscle?

It is your Grip.

If you are lacking in the Grip Strength department your performance in all of these lifts will suffer.

While it may be clear to see why Grip Strength is important in lifts such as Deadlifts and Pull-ups where your hands have to Grip the bar and be able to hold on well enough to execute the movement, it may not be as obvious for other lifts, such as Squats.

After all, your upper back and shoulders are taking the brunt of the load when you Back Squat, right?

Let’s look closer.

What is Grip Strength?

Grip Strength is often referred to as just Hand Strength, but really it is much more than that. Yes, the hands are involved, but they are only a part of the equation. Really to have a truly strong grip, you must look as Grip as everything from the elbow down.

Here’s why.

Many of the muscles in the hands actually originate above the elbow at the medial epicondyle (some flexors, pronator) and the lateral epicondyle (some extensors, supinator). And since these muscles cross the elbow joint, they also influence the joint. Remember that point.

Because so many hand muscles start so far up the arm, it really expands the acreage that we have to consider when we set out to train for Grip Strength effectively.

Not only do we have to include training for the hands, but we also have to include work for the wrists, forearms and elbow regions.

Why Grip is Important for Your Training

Most trainees would agree that strong hands would be an asset for strength training and muscle building. After all, if your hands are strong, that means you’ll be able to pull more weight in many exercises, you’ll be able to do more repetitions, and you’ll be able to train longer if need be, right? Yes.

Now, let’s connect a few points…

When your hands are strong you will see better results in the weight room because it will transfer to better performance when performing pulls like deadlifts, rows, and pull-ups.

But what about all the other lifts that do not involve pulling? Is Grip Strength important in those lifts as well?

Yes it is.

A strong Grip, or in other words, a strong and balanced hand/lower arm unit will also provide better stability during lifts where the hands are pressing against the bar, dumbbell or other implement. For instance, when performing the Bench Press, Jerk, Kettlebell Press, etc, you will be better able to execute these lifts when your grip is strong because you will have better control over the implement.

So is Grip Strength important for lifts like the Bench Press, Jerk, Kettlebell Press? Yes it is!

But what about other lifts like the Back Squat? It might seem like the hands are just sitting there going along for the ride, but if you are doing them right, they are doing much more than that.

You see, the hands are also capable of producing what is known as Radiant Tension. In other words, when you squeeze your hands, the tension begins to radiate inward toward the body. By doing this, you can actually increase the intensity of other contractions in the body.

The Back Squat is a perfect example of this. When performing the Squat, you should apply appreciable tension to the bar by squeezing it prior to descent and continuing to apply this tension throughout each rep. By doing so, your upper body will remain more stable, thus allowing you to Squat more weight and do more repetitions.

Grip Strength Equipment

So, now you can see that there are many benefits to be gained from Grip Strength training, right? So the next question is how are you going to get your hands on some equipment that will help you build Grip Strength and do so by hitting the lower arms from all angles?

Here are some examples of equipment you can buy to build Grip Strength:

• Grippers – These things are obsessive and people really love training with them. They give you serious Crushing Grip and provide hours of training fun. Cost – about $20 apiece.
• Sledge Hammers – These are great as well because they not only work the lower arms and hands, but they also incorporate a load of upper body and arm involvement, also contributing to your core training and cardiovascular health, especially if you use them to hit tires or other dense objects. Cost – about $30.
• Thick Rope – These take your Grip, Arm and Shoulder training up another level of intensity, while also dropping bombs on your conditioning. Fantastic training tool. Cost – $90 or more.

Tough Economy

Unfortunately many people these days are on a limited budget and it is tough to invest in tools like the ones above and even though many pieces of equipment can be used to train for Grip Strength and other outstanding strength and conditioning benefits, their costs prohibit many people from purchasing them.

Here is the solution => Home Made Strength II: Grip Strength Edition.

Home Made Strength II is an on-line DVD that is downloaded to your computer along with the bonus manuals and reports so that you can start building affordable pieces of quality grip gear that you can use to get a better grip and thus improve all of your other lifts.

Home Made Strength II – Grip Strength Edition

The Home Made Strength II Package

HMS-2 has been out since March of last year and it has helped hundreds of people start implementing Grip Strength Training into their routine without having to take on another mortgage or get another part-time job.

HMS-2 comes with the downloadable videos, a quick-start guide, and example workouts and drills you can start doing with each piece of equipment you build.

Generally, HMS-2 costs $37, but because it is turning a year old, I am running a special sale and until the stroke of Midnight on Saturday, March 17, 2012, you can get it for just $27, for the anniversary sale I am running this weekend only.

As you can see Grip Strength is the common thread for many lifts. You can’t afford to let it be a weak link in your chain of strength.

And even though the economy sucks right now, you can’t let that stop you from building these very cheap pieces of grip training equipment.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

CUSTOMER FEEDBACK

See what others have said about Home Made Strength II: Grip Strength Edition:

“The Home Made Strength 2 DVD is excellent, you explain the construction and use of each device in clear detail with no stone left unturned. The equipment you show how to make is all top notch and either fills a gap regular grip tools miss, or wraps up two or more aspects of grip into one handy implement of grip torture. The instructions are very easy to follow and the accompanying training demonstrations show the versatility and quality of the implements. As always the video and sound quality on your DVDs is superb and the bonuses are so extensive and helpful that they could easily be sold individually. Thanks again for another invaluable product.

Rory Hickman”

“Hey Jedd,
I have the HMS2 DVD as well as some other of your products and just wanted to say how pleased I am with them. I have made some of the equipment from the DVD. Very simple and very cost effective.”

John Galan
Staten Island, NY

“I got the HMS-2 downloadable DVD, and the info is great. I’ve made the modified pony clamp, and it has helped me to rep the COC#1, and I’m only 2mm off on the 1.5.

Chris Hope ”