This past weekend, I competed at the Gripmas Carol, an annual Grip contest promoted by Chris Rice.

Like others have said this was a bittersweet trip for me because Chris has announced that this year’s contest would be the last of its kind he would be holding.

Nevertheless, I made the trip to enjoy the chill of the Ohio air one more time in the Gripmas Contest setting.

I competed in the Elite category. The way Elite level is decided is the Total between RGC Grippers, Two Hands Pinch and IronMind Axle. Once your total hits 800-lbs you are entered into the Elite Category. This put me in competition with Andrew Durniat, my perennial adversary and the 2011 North American Champion in our Division of Grip Sport.

From the beginning of the contest, we knew it would be a close battle. Many times over the years our scores have ended with just 1 to 3 points’ difference when we have battled it out head to head, and this time proved to be no different.

Event 1 – Choked Grippers

The first event was choked Grippers, meaning a hose clamp was used to keep the handles of the gripper at parallel, so only the final portion of the close, the Finish was contested.

This event is a mystery to me. In training, I could not close my 168-rated Elite Gripper and then I ended up closing a 195-rated Super Elite at the contest. How this is possible is beyond me. I have no idea where the extra closing power came from.

My first attempt was on a 191-rated gripper, which I closed easily to my surprise, and which gave me some confidence going into the next three attempts. For my second attempt, I went for the 195, but missed it and when I asked Sean “Doc” Dockery if I was close he said, “Nope.”

Doc has become the go-to judge in Grip, volunteering his time on many occasions over the years fro Chris Rice, and for me as well in this year’s National Championship which was also held at Chris Rice’s facility. He is absolutely the best judge in Grip, if you ask me. So for him to say that I was nowhere near closing the 195, I knew that I was way off, and needed to get serious on attempt three.

My third time to the Gripper Table, I was very nervous. Andrew had just closed a +/- 214-lb gripper, so I knew I had to do some damage on this one and PR on this piece. I was very deliberate on my positioning and on my set and drove the handles home on a secondary pule for a good close of 195.

I don’t recall what I went on for my fourth attempt. It doesn’t really matter because I missed it. Plus, Andrew closed something like a 224-lb #4 gripper. It is a World Record Close for Choked Grippers. Andrew had already staked a solid lead for himself, beating me by nearly 30-lbs. I knew going into the next event, Two Hands Pinch, that I would need to finish about 40-lbs ahead of him in order to even up the score.

Event 2 – Two Hands Pinch

As most of you know, I held the World Record in this lift with going into Gripmas with just over 264-lbs, or 120-kg. However, the word in the Grip Strength Rumor Mill was that Andrew had been training the Two Hands Pinch pretty hard coming into Crooksville, so I knew it was not going to be a cake walk.

Something many of you may not realize, however, is that there are actually two classes of Two Hands Pinch being recorded these days. Recently, the Lightweight Class was instituted and a separate record is maintained for anyone weighing 82.5-kg or less is entered into those standings. Going into Gripmas, the leader in the 82.5-kg class was Daniel Reinard. He set the mark at Leg 3 of World’s Strongest Hands at my gym in October.

However, another member of Durniat’s camp, Brendan Gerber, had been killing the pinch in his training leading up to Gripmas, nearly doubling a weight that would have beat the record. He showed up on the day of the contest and showed everyone what it was like to be 18 again, and took the title – pinching 206-lbs and some change.

Brendan Ferber – 206-lbs

For this event, we used my Euro plates on Doc’s newly built instantly adjustable apparatus, which enabled us to perform the Two Hands Pinch event in one trip up through the weights, starting out around 100-lbs and moving the whole way through without having to clear the weights off and start again for the next thickness. This really improved the event. Normally all the people at 44-mm go, then 48, then 52, etc. But on this day it was one trip through the weights and with a twist of the front collar the spacers could be pulled or replaced and people lifting different widths could feel the intensity all at the same relative time.

My opponent, Andrew Durniat, finished his attempts in the low 230′s, and I began mine in the low 250′s. This was my second competition competing on 58-mm which recently has been feeling like the perfect width in my hands.

I debated going for a new world record on my first attempt. That would have made all of my attempts World Record Attempts, but Chris encouraged me to take a safe lift, which I agreed to. Bombing out would have meant I would have been mathematically eliminated from the contest, so I decided to hit 254-lbs for my first attempt, which was called on YouTube, “the easiest looking lift of 254-lbs ever,” or something along those lines.

1st Attempt – 254

With a legal attempt in the books and 1st place in the event in my pocket, I decided to try to push my record up. My training had been very intense going in and I had implemented training techniques that I never have used previously. Unfortunately, the last week of training I developed the same strange cramping sensation that I have had occasionally in the past which caused me to abort my final session of 2HP training. But once I pulled 254 and felt no pain, I was confident for my first attempt on 268, below.

2nd Attempt – 268

Having my hand slip off the plates like that is very uncommon for me. What I believe happened is I may have left too much chalk on my right thumb, causing it to slip off the plates. This normally isn’t a problem, but in this case, the edge of my thumb got a chunk taken out of it and the contact left my right thumb completely numb and my left thumb partially numb.

Because of the numbness, I took a little extra time for my next attempt at 268.

One thing that I am just now remembering is that my hands were extremely cold going into the pinch. I don’t mean that I wasn’t warmed up – in that regard I was feeling fine, however, my skin was noticeably cold to the touch. I was wearing gloves and hand warmer packets so this should no have been the case, but I had others test the backs of my hands and sure enough everyone said they felt chilled.

I was past the point of caring about my hand temperature now, anyway, so I began my preparation for my third overall attempt and second at 268, this time making sure that my hands were chalked evenly but not too heavily.

3rd Attempt – 268

As you can see in the video, this one was very close. There was no slippage from chalk, but it felt as though I was leaning forward over the apparatus a bit more than normal because I was worried the collar would hit the stick instead of the loading pipe. This got me out of my normal pulling path and I just barely hit the stick. In my recovery to redirect the apparatus, I lost balance and when I set the Euro down, I lost my balance even more, stumbling back and nearly going through the table like Jeff Hardy.

I was seeing stars for a moment because I was squeezing so hard on the implement and tracking the end of the pipe so closely, but I quickly recovered, and let out a chuckle in relief of getting a successful lift.

For my fourth and final attempt, I went for 270. I truly feel that if I would have gotten 268 on the first attempt and not cut my thumb and had it go numb on me that I would have had a successful lift of 270-lbs.

4th Attempt – 270

I was very happy with my performance in the pinch, and not just because I was able to push my number up, but because I was able to regain my composure for the last attempt. In the past when I have broken the record, I have gotten so emotionally overwhelmed that the following attempts are hindered by my inability to control my nerves. This time, however, I was able to get centered and get back on the platform in control. The apparatus felt outstanding, my thumb skin was great, and my back was solid. I just think I was missing a bit of neural connection due to the slipped attempt at 268 and couldn’t regain it in time for the fourth attempt.

By now, Andrew and I were ridiculously close. If memory serves, I had drawn slightly ahead of him, going into the next event, Double Sledge Hammers.

Event 3: Double Sledge Hammers

The Double Sledge Hammer event was the biggest surprise of all for me at Gripmas. I trained my ass off on this thing for months leading into the contest and all I got out of that training was a heap of frustration. Instead of two 12-lb hammers with 30-inch handles, I got two 16-lb sledges with 32-inch handles.

In training, my best performance with my 16′s was a set of two reps with the bare implement and 1 rep with the implement plus 2 washers weighing about 1/2-lb apiece, so I was not sure what to expect using shorter handles and lighter base sledges.

I managed a legal lift of 47.5-lbs in this event, getting beaten only by Andrew who successfully performed 50-lbs. I tried 50-lbs but the first time the additional weights got hung up on the tracks, so I was granted another opportunity. The same thing happened to Andrew. Unfortunately for me, he was able to come back on his second try at 50-lbs and get it – I was not, so he finished 2.5-lbs ahead of me in this event.

Now, going into the medley, he was slightly ahead of me, maybe by .5 points or so. Unfortunately, right now I do not have any footage of the rest fo the events because I put them on Steve Slater’s computer in order to conserve hard drive space and I have not gotten them back yet, but once I get them, I will post them up. This event was very cool. I would agree with others that this was the best contested sledge event that I have seen. If it is contested again, however, I am sawing a couple of inches off my sledges so that I can train this one a bit more effectively.

Event 4: Medley

Chris is famous for devising awesome Medleys. This year he had 25 total implements, but two of them were bonus items, a 60D Nail bent in Reverse style and a 12-inch length of 3/8-inch square stock bent braced over the thigh or knee. These two bonus items could be attempted once 20 challenge items were successfully loaded/lifted. Also, some weights and implements were made more challenging for the heavier weight class and Elite weight class.

Regretfully, I don’t have the video for this event either because the footage is still with Steve Slater. I did however complete 20 challenge items and get to go after both bends, which went down pretty easily. I think I totaled 23 items out of 25, which was one better than Andrew, so now, going into the final event, the Hercules Hold, Andrew had a lead on my by just 64/1000′s of a point.

That is just one reason why I think our proportional scoring system is so great. With Strongman scoring, we just would have been tied, but with the way we keep score in North American Grip Sport, it really shows you how close or how far apart competitors are.

Event 5: Hercules Hold

The Hercules Hold is historically a Strongman event, but it is also a fantastic way to test support grip, and there are many reasons why. First off, Chris used small handles, so hand size was completely eliminated from the equation. Next, because the weight is lifted for the athlete, the event tests grip strength primarily and full body strength or current conditions of the back do not factor in, as in a Farmer’s Hold or Frame Hold.

Again, Chris increased the weight used in each category. He was originally going to have the Elite Division do the same weight as the Opens, in the neighborhood of 264-286 (I can’t recall) but we talked him into going an even 300-lbs per hand.

Not one of my smartest decisions. Support grip like this is my weakest facet of Grip Strength, and Andrew easily handed my ass on a platter. I held the implements for about 23 seconds while he crept close to a minute. Such a large differential that late in the game spelled the end for me as Andrew pulled away handily, finishing about 6 points ahead of me when the cloud of dust settled on the Crooksville landscape.

Regardless of the finish, I was happy with my performances. A PR in Grippers, Euro Pinch, and Sledge Hammers, plus I won my first medley in quite some time.

It will be a shame if Chris sticks with his current decision and runs no more Gripmas Carols. The mid-December drive through Western PA and West Virginia in order to find the Grip Garage nestled in the hills of Ohio will be a trip that I have grown accustomed to making each year and will be sorely missed going forward.

My hat is off to Chris on well run comp, Doc for excellent judging, Tony, a friend of Doc’s who kept score all day long, Teresa for the excellent meal, all the other Gripsters who lent a hand, supported me and the others, all those who brought cookies and apple crisp (Mary Anne) and definitely to Andrew for another excellent performance on the platform.

Next competition on my radar is Mighty Mitts will take place at the Arnold Classic Weekend, I believe the first week in March. I am not sure what the events are yet, but I am already planning my general training for it.

Also, just like two years ago when I first broke the record in the Two Hands Pinch, I will be releasing a documentary DVD of my training. Again, this year, I recorded all of my 2HP Training Workouts and will be compiling it all into a DVD to be released in early 2012.

If you’d like to see my first documentary, The Road to the Record, click the image below.

Before I commence on that project, though, is a DVD I shut with Mike Rinderle on Braced Bending. Once that is out of the way, then I will tackle the next documentary.

Then immediately after that, I will be releasing another DVD with Steve Slater. Together we released Intro to Strongman Training earlier this year and on the Sunday after Gripmas, we shot another one together, thus the reason I needed the extra hard drive space on my camera.

It is sure to be a busy few weeks coming up, but I am striving to bring you the absolute best information for your strength training goals. If you want to know how to bend just about anything in your path, Rindo and I will show you how in our Braced Bending DVD. If you want to see ways that no one else is training Two Hands Pinch, my documentary is for you, and if Strongman is your thing, then you better keep an eye out for this project Slater and I have coming out.

In the meantime, all the best in your training.

Jedd

Similar Posts:

• 245 Lbs Two Hands Pinch
• Gripmas Carol Grip Contest Write-up
• Woodall Grip Highlights
• North American Grip Sport National Championship 2011
• United States Hand Strength Championship Results

I have gone to this contest every year (except one) since it became a Contest. The first year it was held it was just a get together where the guys just did feats. The only year I have missed this grip contest was last year when I had a prior commitment.

I truly look forward to Gripmas every year because it gives me the chance to compete in a contest without also having to run it, which can hinder performance, to say the least. Chris has seemed to find a way to delegate enough of it where he can remain focused though, as I have seen him put up big numbers and win his weight class time and again.

Speaking of weight classes, if you are of a smaller build, and don’t want to go against the heavy weights in your first competition, you should think about giving this one a try, especially if you can sneak in under 207, the cut-off for the weight classes.

The events for this comp will be the following (I think I have them in the right order, but I could be slightly off):

1. Choked Grippers

Torsion Spring Grippers are choked at parallel and the athlete must squeeze the handles together. There are four attempts and it is not rising bar. The video above will show you how the event will be judged this year.

To see how to choke grippers, join TheGripAuthority.com. Aside from being a way to test crushing strength without having to set the gripper, choked grippers is an excellent way to perform ROM-specific crush grip work. In October I showed how to choke grippers with a hose clamp and built them into the workout of the month. Join today for $7.

Above is a video of Josh Dale putting a serious hurting on some ridiculous gripper, like a 190+ rated Gripper or something like that. Pure sickness.

2. Two Hands Pinch

This will be contested as usual, with the Euro Pinch Device. Chris allows as many widths as needed, meaning the smaller handed individuals will be able to use whatever is comfortable for them.

If you have not seen how this event is run, the video above will cover all of that for you.

3. Double Sledge Lever

Chris loves his Sledge Lever events. In 2009, it was a single sledge for max weight. Last year (the year I missed) it was single sledge for reps. This year it is Double Sledge for Max Weight.

The video above will show you how this event is contested.

4. Hercules Hold

I have not seen exactly what the Herc Hold will look like for this year’s contest, but the idea is that you will stand in a crucifix position holding a handle in each hand and go for as long as possible.

The best video I can find of this event is of my buddy, Phil Pfister, doing it in 2007. He also had another dramatic hold where he screamed at the crowd proclaiming that he would one day be world’s strongest man, but I couldn’t find it.

5. Medley

One of the most exciting events in Grip Sport aside from the Two Hands Pinch is the Medley. Consisting of all disciplines within the realm of Grip and often featuring different forms of bending and tearing as well, you have to be ready for some serious mayhem when you go to a contest where the medley is contested.

In the video above, I am training for the medley, mostly with block weights and blobs but also with other challenges as well, including the Inch Dumbbell, Sledge Hammers, upside-down Kettlebells, and other things.

No cookies? Fine. No presents!!!

The main way to enter this competition is by going to the GripBoard and signing up as a member, but if you are not into boards, I’d be glad to put you into contact with the promoter, Chris Rice, and get you going toward participating in the event. Just email me or leave a comment if you’d like more info.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Want

Similar Posts:

• Grip Nationals
• North American Grip Sport National Championship 2011
• Who Will Be the United States Grip Champion?
• Woodall Grip Highlights
• Most Popular Videos of 2011 – Part 2

Starting in August is the Annual Worlds Strongest Hands Series 2011.

Starting August 13th, 2011, there will be contests going on all over the world at essentially the same time using the same exact events and tools in order to crown the overall champion.

The head promoter in all of this is David Horne. He has sent the equipment to all of the promoters and now we are just waiting for the drop of the hat to get underway.

I will be running my legs of the WSH II here in Bradford County Pennsylvania, and I welcome all to attend and give it a try.

Admission into the contest is only $15, and you can pay all the fees at once for a total of $40 as well.

In addition to the overall standings that will be tabulated as we march through each stage of the series, we are also throwing around the idea of having Regional Champions here in the United States. There will be one Regional Champion at all the venues, which look something like this:

• Arizona: Southwest Region

• Michigan: Great Lakes Region
• Minnesota: North Region
• Ohio: Central Region
• Pennsylvania: Northeast Region
• Texas: Gulf States Region

If you are interested in attending, live in one of the areas, and would like to attend, then please go to the Grip Sport Promoters Page and find the contact information for your Local Grip Sport Regional Promoters.

EVENTS

If you are wondering about the specific events for each leg, here is the information…

• Two Hands Pinch on the adjustable European apparatus
• Vulcan Gripper from a 20 and 30 mm set position
• Hub Lift
• Penny Pinch
• Stub Lift

***Each leg will feature the two hands pinch, the gripper, and two grip top events***

Below is a picture of the Grip Topz…

From the top left and going clockwise, is the Penny Pinch, Rim Lift (not being contested), Stub Lift and the Hub Lift. All of these items attach to a loading pin and must be lifted so that a marker on the loading pin touches the height marker set at 16.5 inches off the ground (the same one used for the Two hands Pinch event) and then set back down under control.

World’s Strongest Hands 2011 Schedule

Leg 1 will be 13 August 2011
Events will be Vulcan with 20mm set, 4 attempts. Two hand pinch deadlift, 4 attempts. Half penny pinch lift, 4 attempts. Shallow hub lift, 4 attempts.

Leg 2 will be 10 September 2011
Events will be Vulcan with 30mm block set, 4 attempts. Two hand pinch deadlift, 4 attempts. stub lift, 4 attempts. Half penny pinch lift, 4 attempts.

Leg 3 will be 8 October 2011
Events will be Vulcan with 20mm block set, 4 attempts. Two hand pinch deadlift, 4 attempts. Shallow Hub lift, 4 attempts. Stub lift, 4 attempts.

One thing that was added this year is a could of new Divisions. In total, there will be 3 classes. Check them out…

• Mens open
• Mens light weight (82.5 kg / 181.5 lbs and under)
• Womens open

The events this year could potentially be the most non-hand-size-dependent events ever and here is why…

• The Vulcan Gripper is being done with a set – none of this no-set stuff that caters to the large-handed
• The Penny Pinch is extremely narrow – again no hand-size favoring
• The Hub Lift is actually, in my opinion, something that is easier for smaller-handed individuals
• The Stub Lift, is, again, very narrow
• The Two Hands Pinch is fully adjustable, so you can use the size that fits best in your hand

These events are going to make this series very very interesting. I am expecting some upsets to take place across the nation and around the globe. In fact, I have been trying to train my ass off on this narrow stuff because I SUCK AT IT!!

So essentially, you could show up here and hand me my ass on three separate occasions because I am just that damn bad at these events.

BUT I am competing anyway, because I love it!

The Biggest Call-Outs Grip Sport Has Ever Seen

So, these are some of the guys I am looking forward to seeing here at my place for all three legs of the WSH Series, that came up last year for one or more legs.

• EJ “Hematoma” Livesey – Member of TheGripAuthority.com – He has been emailing me about this for months, chomping at the bit
• “Mayhem” Mike Puchalski – Another member of TheGripAuthority.com who has been working very hard on Grip and Strongman in the last year and making awesome improvements
• Kevin “The Great One” Greto – Showed promise and dtons of interest when he was up here last year. Showing much improvement in the Grip Strength Challenges
• Rick Walker – As far as I am concerned, this guys is the Father of East Coast Grip Strength. Ran Battle for Grip Supremacy in 2003, my first Grip Competition. Just got major surgery in the Spring and is now repping out 375 in the deadlift and pulling 550 with ease, so he is on the mend. His wife, Cheri, is also very strong and could do well in the World Rankings against the best here in the United States and abroad.
• Mike Rinderle – Rindo has proven the long-held myth wrong that you will lose Grip Strength if all you do is bend. After more than a year of next-to-no grip training and all bending (non-braced, braced, short, long, horse shoes, etc), he grabbed a 3.5 and was a couple millimeters from closing it and had an awesome showing at Nationals.
• John Mannino – This brute continues to bend and scroll stuff week in and week out. He is no longer doing Strongman competitions, so he needs some form of competition in his life. This guy lifted the Inch Dumbbell first time he saw it and hasn’t done a Grip Competition since 2005, as far as I know. Tons of talent that needs to be put into action.
• John Eaton – Lifted the Inch, Blob, and multiple loose pinch combinations, all by applying technique modifications and very little dedicated training. Again, tons of talent being wasted. Very knowledgable guy who could help many new gripsters learn, but refuses to dedicate himself. Also has a small posse of Grip Partners in his area of Upstate New York that could come with him to compete, as well as an older daughter Kelly who has competed in Grip before and a younger daughter Erika, who I am sure by now has done more Grip Training in the last year than her dad. The only question is how much ribbing it will take to get John Easton to compete???
• Dan Cenidoza – Good friend of mine for years and fellow RKC. We have battled at Strongman in the past and he could never muster the last bit of strength to take his Maryland’s Strongest Man title from me while I was still competing. He has hung his hat on the fact that he beat me in my first ever Grip Contest, which was an all out technicality.
• Tommy Heslep – Professional Strongman Performer with a sick, sick grip. This guy has serious potential as well. Could possibly take the World Title in the lighter Division if he steps up to the challenge. Once claimed he’d be the first man to Pinch 300-lbs on the Euro Pinch. I’d like to see that one, in person, here at my gym!
• Eli Thomas – I used to train alongside Eli many times per week, kicking his ass time and again, and rubbing his face into the dirt. He got a stable job, started training his ass off and now he kicks my ass every time we meet. Never trains grip and always beats me on any Pure Support event we try. Guarateed he can still close low-end 3.5′s today, if I handed him one. He needs to get his butt down here, do the contest, and then drink beers and eat brahts afterwards because it’s been too damn long since the last time we did that.
• Brad Martin – This dude is another long-time training partner of mine. Might just be the lightest and smallest-handed individual to ever lift the Blob, which i am sure he could stroll into the gym today, chalk up and lift again. With some dieting (dude is freakin’ beefy) he could do EXTREMELY well in this series, and I would not doubt him to set a world record on the Hub Lift. Dude hubs like no other man I have ever trained with. I don’t think I have ever drunk a cold beer with this son of a gun since he turned 21 and that is as much my fault as it is his.
• Joe and Pat Hashey – From Synergy Athletics, these guys love Grip. Joe’s workload and family keeps him from being able to visit as much and the same for me. His brother, Pat, has actually tied me in Grip lifts on a couple of occasions. I think both of these guys could do very well. These guys also train and work with a bunch of crazy bastards who will try anything in their training and generally out-lift my ass in all body lifts, so they have the strength engines to build the power with, they just need to refine, practice and put it all in action
• Matt Hunt – This guy trained his ass off with me at my gym over the winter. After I showed him some technique stuff on Grippers, he went from struggling to close a #3 to closing #3.5′s. This young Grip aficionado has the skill, potential, and drive to kick all of our asses. I really hope he chooses to make the trips this Fall.
• Parris Janusek – Dude lives in PA, less than three hours away and never has been to my house despite multiple personal invites. Always has some lame excuse. However, he was able to go to Mike Rinderle’s competition with ease and excuse free in 2009. Great talent. Snatches the damn Blob. Pinches 100-kg +. Needs to get his ass up here.
• Steve McGranahan – Came up to my contest in 2004, but has not competed in Grip since 2004 as far as I know. It would be great if his appearance scheule would open up for him to make his way up from his place. His YouTube Channel blows up with every video he posts, it would be a great platform for the sport of Grip.
• James “Shrug” Smith – Phenomenal talent from the mid-2000′s who has vanished off the face of the Earth. Another Pennsylvania guy who should be able to make the trip no problem. I am sure he still has enough base strength left in the tank to do well, even without a lot of special training!
• King Joe’s Gym – A bit more than an hour from my house is a gym called King Joe’s Gym with a lot of old-school lifters in it. These guys would be great additions to the PA Grip COmmunity and I hope they know they have are being watched by NAPALM!
• “The Irish Anvil” Tom Kelly – Tom is a student of Slim the Hammerman and has been to my house many times. He is one of the few performing strongmen who I have seen actually give Grip Contest lifts a try. He’s a great dude and has a strong set of mitts. The word is that he got a taste of competition at the Beast in the East Bending competition in May. I’d love to see him get involved in “the Series.”

And this is the last person I am laying out the challenge to, to either come to my place to compete in my Regional Stages, or to travel to the one nearest you…

YOU.

You my DIESEL friend, need to start making plans, start setting aside the money, start studying bus routes and finding the K.O.A.’s (Kampgrounds of America) from your place to mine in order to take part in this awesome series of contests.

If you have any questions, leave a comment below or email me.

This is your chance to be great.

All the best,

Jedd

Similar Posts:

• World’s Strongest Hands Leg 3 Results
• World’s Strongest Hands Series
• World’s Strongest Hands Leg 3
• Who Will Be the United States Grip Champion?
• Vulcan V2 Grippers from David Horne / World of Grip

I am announcing the date of the 2011 North American Grip Sport Championship.

Date:
July 16, 2011

Location:
Crooksville, Ohio.

Events (subject to change):

• 20-mm Block Set Grippers
• Euro Pinch
• One Hand Deadlift (Stronger Grip Plateau Buster)
• Medley
• Wrist Roller
• Possible 6th Event

Rules and Entry form will be posted soon.

To qualify for this contest, athletes must attain one of the following qualification levels.

Qualification Chance 1:
Athletes in the Open Class who Total Elite:

• Total of 800-lbs between Grippers, Axle, and Two Hand Pinch
• Finish in the top 3 out of 7 in your class (Novice, Open B, Open A) in a NAGS-sanctioned contest
• Finish in the top position of your class (less than 7 competitors) in a NAGS-sanctioned contest

Qualification Chance 2:
Athletes can also qualify for Nationals by completing 3 of the following feats during the 2010 – 2011 season in NAGS-sanctioned contests. (Can occur during multiple contests)

• 1″ Vertical Bar – 325
• 2″ FBBC Vertical Bar – 200
• Gripper – Close Level 13 Gold on the Vulcan or 150# Gripper Close (parallel or 20-mm Block Set)
• Bending – Grade 8×6″ bolt, Wrist Developer Level 5 Gold
• IronMind Axle Deadlift – 325
• Euro Two Hands Pinch – 200
• One Hand Deadlift on Olympic / Powerlifting Bar – 250
• 50-lb Blob to Lockout
• Rolling Thunder – 180
• Two 45’s Pinch to Lockout

Qualification Chance 3:
Complete any of the following Certifications during the 2010 – 2011 Grip season

• Certify for IronMind Captain of Crush (#3 or #3.5)
• Certify for IronMind Red Nail Roster
• Certify as Gripboard Mash Monster

Qualification Chance 4:
Complete any one of the following Wild Card feats during the 2010 – 2011 season in NAGS-sanctioned contests.

• Close #4 Gripper with parallel set or wider (choker included)
• Break US Record in Two Hands Pinch
• Break US Record in 1-inch Vertical Bar (LGC Standard or FBBC Standard)
• Break US Record in 2-inch Vertical Bar (FBBC Standard)
• Break US Record in the Axle Deadlift

Similar Posts:

• Grip Nationals
• Who Will Be the United States Grip Champion?
• World’s Strongest Hands Leg 3
• 245 Lbs Two Hands Pinch
• FEEDBACK: Road to the Record DVD

Leg 3 Results (World-Wide):

1 David Horne – 4.5pt
2 Nick McKinless – 8.5pt
3 Steve Gardener – 9.5pt
4 Jedd Johnson – 16pt
5 David Thornton – 18.5pt

This 4-Leg series started in August and has taken place each month, contesting the Two Hands Pinch, Wrist Developer, and Vulcan Gripper.

It was a great showing this weekend here in Wyalusing. Check out the names below.

Mike Rinderle – from Washington DC, Mike made his return to Grip competitions since an injury began holding him up since May.

Brent Barbe – The third place finisher at the 2010 National Championship, Brent has been training hard and improved his Two Hands Pinch greatly, reaching the 100-kg mark for the first time in competition.

Chuck Carns – Chuck is also showing signs of improvement, especially in the pinch. he looked much more confident in all the events than I have seen him in the past.

Rick Walker – Rick made the trip for his first Grip contest since 2004 and looked like he’d been doing them right along. He stayed very conservative with his attempts due to his unfamiliarity with the equipment, but immediately has gone back to training, so look for bigger numbers next time around.

Jedd Johnson – My hands felt great and I set Personal Bests in both the Vulcan Gripper and Wrist Developer. My Pinch felt great, but I tore a chuck of skin off my thumb during my first attempt, and subsequent attempts amounted to nothing more than air beneath the plates.

Mary Ann McKeague – She is doing very well, finishing second over all amongst the ladies. Her training involves many types of strength disciplines and I think that if she were to narrow her focus she could add some serious weight to her pinch and move up some levels on both the Vulcan and WD.

Cheri Walker – This was her first competition, but from what I hear, she enjoyed it quite a bit and is looking forward to the next one. Perhaps there could be a friendly rivalry between these two in the near future?

As always, it was a great time pushing myself over the course of the last few weeks and challenging myself to do more. I look forward to the next and final leg of the WSH Series on November 13, 2010.

For more information on these contests, check out this link: World’s Strongest Hands Series.

Below are some videos showing how everyone did. There are six videos overall and each one is between 2 and 6 minutes long…ENJOY!

Men’s Two Hands Pinch

Ladies’ Two Hands Pinch

Men’s Wrist Developer

Ladies’ Wrist Developer

Men’s Vulcan Gripper

Ladies Vulcan

Great job to everybody, all over the globe, that laid it on the line this past weekend.

Keep hitting it hard.

Jedd

See More Grip Videos here => Jedd’s YouTube Channel

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