There are a couple of very sick, twisted and sadistic people out there who deserve to be punished severely.

They are Derek Poundstone and Jason Steeves.

Yes, that Derek Poundstone – the pro strongman competitor.

He’s the one that came up with this craziness.

The other one, Jason Steeves, is someone who I thought I was my friend, but now I know the truth – HE IS NOT – since he’s the one that introduced me to the challenge.

The way he put it, he was “helping me out” with a way to spice up my #AugustOfArms training this month.

But, I think he was actually trying to maim me, brother.

What is the Poundstone Barbell Curl Challenge?

Apparently, for some reason, Derek Poundstone thought it would be a great idea to try to curl an empty barbell for 100 reps.

I guess he started doing this a couple years ago, once a month.

Well, up until a couple weeks back, I had steered clear of this challenge and knew nothing about it.

That’s where Jason Steeves comes in.

The conversation went a little something like this…

Jason: Hey Jedd, I see you’re doing #31DaysOfArms. Ever hear of Derek Poundstone’s 100-rep Empty Barbell Challenge?

Jedd: No man. What is that?

Jason: Oh, just try and curl a barbell 100 times. You’ll love it. It will change your life. Best thing ever. It will help you sleep better at night. You’ll never want to put sugar or salt on your food ever again. You’ll start getting discounts on your meals at fancy restaurants, and so on…

Jedd: OK, I’ll give them a try.

So I moseyed on down to the gym that night and tried it, and I couldn’t believe the PAIN in my biceps.

I couldn’t believe how quickly it went from being easy and feeling like a complete waste of time, to being so ridiculously hard!

I had to double check and make sure Poundstone or Steeves hadn’t actually snuck into my gym and quietly slid a 45-lb plate on each end of the bar, brother!!!

I think the first time I tried it, I got 24 reps and I couldn’t believe how pathetic I felt.

I must have been having a bad day.

I HAD to try it one more time.

Trying the Poundstone Empty Barbell Curl Challenge

Here is the second day I tried the Poundstone Empty Barbell Curl Challenge:

So I post the video above and who comes and leaves a comment below? Jason Steeves himself.

Jason: “You had more Jedd!!! Where was the fire to blast out another 15? The last rep looked just as crisp as the first. If you were really bagged physically I would’ve seen them slowing down. Get mad!! Get your 50!!!!”

Jedd: “I will do it again tonight duuuuuuude!”

True to my word, I picked my poison again and hit the challenge that night.

Here it was:

Poundstone Barbell Curl 100 Rep Challenge

And just like someone who is hooked on crystal meth, now, I can’t stop doing these.

Just like someone who gets hooked on pain killers, and they need more and more and more, now I even find myself trying this challenge WITH EXTRA WEIGHT ON THE BAR.

Do you see how crazy this is?

Poundstone Curls with Weight Added – Purely Crazy Barbell Curl Challenge

And now, just like a drug dealer who pushes their addiction on others, I’m pushing this Poundstone Barbell Curl Challenge on YOU, brother.

Honestly, just like I talk about in Call to Arms, I don’t like mindless reps when training PERIOD, let alone when training arms.

I don’t like just standing there and curling weight just to hit a target number.

I like squeezing each rep and having control over the bar or dumbbell, so that each rep has a purpose.

But this Poundstone Empty Barbell Curl 100-Rep Challenge thing has been different.

I want to keep on pushing the envelope to see where it will take me.

If you want a crazy, illogical, bicep curl challenge, then give this a try my friend!

Let me know what you think.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

P.S. Regardless of the fact that the barbell is empty, it KILLS my wrists and forearms if I don’t use Globe Gripz. If Barbell Curls hurt you, you need to get some of these life savers.

P.P.S. I have no heat against Derek Poundstone or Jason Steeves regarding this Barbell Challenge. That was all a work.

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

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

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