Diesel Crew - Muscle Building, Athletic Development, Strength Training » grip contest

Mighty Mitts Report

Jim Smith — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 04:06:54 +0000

The Mighty Mitts grip competition, held this past weekend at the Arnold Sports Festival, was an outstanding experience for me. I thought I would put together a quick write-up here to let you all know how it went.

Before I get into the write-up though, I do most definitely want to send out my gratitude to Dr. Terry and Janice Todd, Richard and Bert Sorin and the rest of their colleagues, Dennis Rogers, Pat Povilaitis and anybody else involved in the organization of this endeavor for including me. This was a huge step for Grip and something I will never forget.

Here is the list of competitors in the Mighty Mitts competition:

Andrew Durniat: Grip and Kettlebell Practitioner
Mark Felix: Professional Strongman
Odd Haugen: Professional Strongman
Chad Woodall: Grip Specialist
Steve Gardener: Grip Specialist
Sergei _______: Not sure of his background
Tex Henderson: Powerlifter & Freak
Rich Williams: Powerlifter and Power Team Performer
Wade Gillingham: Grip Specialist
Jedd Johnson: Grip Specialist

Now, the labels I give each guy are not exhaustive. They are involved in many styles of training. I simply listed the types of training they are most widely known for.

The event took place over two days and we were paired up with the Strongman competition. We would start out the day with an event, the Strongmen would take over for two of theirs, and then finally we would finish things off.

On day one, the events were the Jowett Anvil Carry and the Sorin Monster Axle Deadlift.

Jowett Anvil Carry

We had to pick the 173-lb anvil up by its horn and carry it for distance. The horn was very smooth. I thought I had a pretty good grip on it, but I must have been mistaken because I took like two steps with the thing and it shot out of my hand like a greased goose turd. That stunk, because I expected way better of a performance.

Sorin Monster Axle Deadlift

Richard Sorin got a freakin’ huge monster axle deadlift apparatus designed that weighed 500-lbs and it had huge globes on it instead of weights. Having never fully deadlifted 400-lbs in the double overhand style on an axle, I was extremely happy with being able to pull the bar to just below knee height. Again, my best axle deadlift in competition (double overhand) is 396-lb, so pulling on 500-lb was crazy! Despite not being able to pull a 100-lb + PR, I did not finish last as I pulled it higher than another competitor.

On day two, the events were the Double Inch Replica Dumbbell Farmer’s Walk and the Mark Henry Challenge Dumbbell.

Double Inch Farmers Walk

For the DIFW, we had to pick up an Inch Dumbbell in each hand and carry them as far as possible. While I have lifted the inch dumbbell in each of my hands dozens of time in my life, I have never done it with one in each hand at the same time. However, I felt pretty damn good going into this event, despite having a weird finger injury on my right hand. Unfortunately, I could not get the dumbbells up to the lockout position in order to start walking them down the course, and had to settle for a zero in the event.

Mark Henry Challenge Dumbbell

Mark Henry, of WWE Wrestling fame, once had a huge dumbbell made in order to train for lifting, I believe, the Millennium Dumbbell. However, the dumbbell was made too big. Instead of 225-lbs on a 2 and 3/8 handle, it came out to 300-lbs. The dumbbell resides in a wooden box slightly larger than the dumbbell in all dimensions. The objective of the event was to pull the dumbbell out of the box and drop it to the floor without using the box to your advantage. This thing just spun and spun when I tried to pick it up, so again, no points for this event.

Regardless of my dismal performance, I was extremely excited to be part of the event. I trained extremely hard for Mighty Mitts but couldn’t catch up to the difficulty of the events in time.

I do have some video of the event, however, there is something wrong with my camera right now and I can’t get the pictures and clips off right now, but I promise I will get some stuff up on the site for everyone to see.

Thank You

I know a lot of people from the Diesel Universe came to wish me well because several of you came up and introduced yourselves and many others waved and cheered from the stands. I really appreciate the support you gave me. Hearing your cheers and chants up on the stage took a lot of the nerves away.

Big props to my man Steve Gardener, by the way. He experienced a very serious leg injury less than a week before the competition, but still toughed it out, flew across the ocean, and got up on the platform with us. That was big.

I also want to say thanks to my buds Brian Oberther and Joe Hashey for letting me blow off some steam on them about my frustrations with my performance.

And finally, a huge THANK YOU to Sean and Angela Dockery for inviting me to stay the entire weekend with them. You guys took me in and treated me like a member of the family. Much appreciated.

Back to Training tomorrow night. I did not hit it tonight because I had a basketball game. Tomorrow night it is back on to a complete Grip training approach as opposed to the thick bar emphasis of Mighty Mitts.

Keep up the good work in your training,

-Jedd-Similar Posts:

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Arnold Classic Survival Guide

Jim Smith — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:12:25 +0000

This weekend is the Arnold Classic and counting this year, I will have gone 6 out of the last 7 years. I love the atmosphere and it always triggers a spike in my training.

There’s something for everybody at the Arnold Classic. Let me paint a picture for you.

The Arnold take place in a HUGE convention center covering I don’t know how many blocks in the city of Columbus Ohio. The event started out as mainly a bodybuilding deal, but it has expanded over the years to include Powerlifting, Olympic Lifting, and Strongman contests as well as Martial Arts, Fitness and other competitions.

SEE THE REST OF THIS COOL POST AFTER THE JUMP

This year, they are also including their first ever Grip Contest on the main stage, called Mighty Mitts. I was lucky enough to get an invite and I am honored. I have been training hard and am geared up to get on the stage.

Now, here’s the deal. If you’re not prepared for the Arnold Classic weekend, you won’t maximize your experience, so here’s a few points to consider to get the most out of the Classic.

Take Water

It is extremely dry in the event center. They do sell water there, but it is like $8 a bottle, so pack your own and bring it with you.

Take Snacks

There’s very few places to eat outside the event center in the hallways, and it’s kind of expensive. There’s tons of free samples of hundreds of different supplements like shakes and bars and powders, but you can only handle so much of that stuff and some of it tastes like a pencil eraser during the SAT’s. So pack some good stuff to take in with you.

Bring Your Camera

There are lots of photo opportunities at the Arnold. There are Bodybuilders, MMA Fighters, Pro Powerlifters and Strongmen, Pro Wrestlers and dozens of Fitness chicks. They will often let you get a picture with them for free, but sometimes they do charge. Either way you’ll have photos that will last you a lifetime.

Wear Comfortable Cargo Pants

Get yourself a pair of loose fitting cargo pants with lots of pockets. This way you can easily carry your water, snacks and camera among other things. Make sure they are loose fitting and not a set of butt huggers. There are plenty of feats of strength to try in the event center, and you don’t want the seam in your ass to tear while trying to do them.

Bring a Back Pack

You may get the opportunity to get some free shirts and other swag while you’re at the Arnold. You’ll turn around and see some fitness model throwing them all over. Fight for the free shirt and stuff it into your pack. Aside from free stuff, you may want to buy shirts and stuff at the seemingly thousands of tables that are there, and the last thing you want to do is carry that stuff around in your hands all day. Now, if your back pack has the Care Bears on it, leave it at home. Some booths will hand out free plastic bags if you need them.

Try the Grip Gauntlet

Each year I have gone, the GNC booth holds the GNC Grip Gauntlet featuring IronMind Grippers, IronMind Rolling Thunder, and the Blob. If you lift the Blob, 207 on the Rolling Thunder, and close the #3 Gripper, you get a real nice gift certificate – I think it’s like $50 or $100! What’s a Blob? Check out this article = = > What is the Blob?

Bring a Towel

A lot of greasy sons-of-guns get their hands on the Blob over the course of the weekend. I mean THOUSANDS of people try this thing. The Blob is hard enough with the ultra-slick stove paint they put on it. It will just be harder if it is covered in hand sweat, so bring your towel to wipe it and the Rolling Thunder off before you make your attempt. A trip through the Gauntlet is worth just the opportunity to meet and shake hands with the Gillingham brothers.

Bring Some Cash, but Take a Deep Breath

You will have opportunities to buy a lot of cool stuff at the Arnold, so bring some cash or a credit card, but take it easy. Don’t just buy on impulse, because you could end up going off the deep end. If you are going with a friend, tell them to monitor your spending. Know what you want to look for, but set your limits.

Bring Your Diesel Shirt

When you walk through the event center, if you see me make sure to give me a holler, and wear your Diesel shirt so I can spot you easier.

Check out Mighty Mitts

Mighty Mitts will be taking place between events at the Arnold Strongman Competition on Friday Afternoon and Saturday evening. I will be competing with 10 of the top dudes in the world. Many, I have competed against in standard Grip competitions. Others, I have met before, but never competed against, and still others I have never met and never competed against. Some of these guys have tremendous Grips on them and have done awesome things Grip-related in the past, just never competed in standard contests before. With this event being all thick bar, it is going to be something to behold!

Wear Comfortable Shoes

You spend a lot of time on your feet at the Arnold and there is almost nowhere to sit down except on the floor, so make sure your shoes are comfortable or else your feet will be screaming by the end of the weekend.

Steal a Seat

It is a cut-throat process getting a chair in front of the stage. You basically have to swoop down immediately once someone stands up. This may mean if you are traveling in a group that you might get split up. The seat is worth it to give your feet a break, so steal your buddy’s seat if you have to.

Cell Phone on Vibrate

If you get split up from your crew, it’s very hard to meet back up, and it is so loud that it is almost impossible to hear a cell phone ring, so set the thing on vibrate and put it in your hip pocket so you will feel it.

Wallet in Hip Pocket

Not sure what the crime rates are at the Arnold Classic, but there are pick-pockets everywhere. it is slightly harder for someone to pick your pocket if you stick your pocket in your front hip pocket than your back pocket or leg pocket. Don’t stick it in a zipper pocket in your book bag. They are too easy to unzip by someone else while you walk and you will never know it. It’s a shame this tip even has to appear here, but it is a sad truth. Awareness is preparedness.

Alright, my friends, it’s just about time for me to hit the road and be on my way to Columbus, Ohio. If you have any more tips for the better of the order, then please leave a comment in the comment box below!

Thanks a ton and have a great weekend, especially if you are at the Arnold.

And if you see me and I don’t see you, yell, shout, hit me with a rock, poke my eye or something to get my attention. It’ll be nice to meet everybody.

Read about last year’s Arnold Classic = = > Arnold 2009

Arnold Classic Weekend Special on the Card Tearing eBook = = > 33% off on Card Tearing eBook Just $19.97!.

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Live UStream Grip Workout This Week

Jim Smith — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 04:09:30 +0000

This weekend, I will be holding another massive Grip Training session at my garage in preparation for the annual Christmas season Grip contest, the Gripmas Carol.

The last time we did this here, I put up a live feed on UStream.com.

It is beyond easy to set these up and I know last time we had like 20+ people logged in at one time and lots of people were asking questions to find out more about competition Grip training.

The plan is to run a structured Grip practice.

What is a Grip practice you might ask?

Well for quite a few years, I have been going to Grip Get Togethers where Grip training, Feats of Strength, and other quite fun lifting have taken place.

However, the lack of structure can mean that more emphasis is put on accomplishing remarkable feats of strength and not enough on building a well-rounded grip.

A well-rounded grip is what you need for success in Grip contests. Plus you need to spend time working on the specific lifts that will be featured at the contest.

You see, Grip is just like any other sport in that you have to practice the fundamentals over and over. For example, in basketball, it is important to practice ball handling, lay-ups, mid-range shots, three-pointers, sprinting, rebounding, boxing out, etc.

Old School Two Hands Pinch

In Grip, you have to be ready for everything: you have to close grippers in a choker, with a set, without a set, etc. You have to two hands pinch on the Euro, you have to pinch blobs, hubs, loose plates. You have to work thick bar, and you have to work narrow support. And on top of all that you have to train both hands evenly and make sure to include max effort, endurance, and repetition work.

Doing just feats of strength would be like shooting half court shots that whole time during basketball practice. It’s like focusing on 5% of the game and letting the other 95% slide away.

This weekend, check out a fun, structured grip routine on my live stream on Ustream. Sunday morning, I will post the link here on the Diesel site. You will be able to view everything that goes on here in my garage from the comfort of your own house.

What’s great about Ustream is that you can learn by watching, and you can also post questions on the live chat that goes on right beside the video! If there is anything you want to know, I will be glad to answer.

So, I invite you all to come and check it out this Sunday. We will start out at noon and be hitting Grip from many different angles so that we are all ready fro the Gripmas Carol on December 12th.

Now, here is the best thing. I will also be offering prizes to some of the viewers, so make sure you stay tuned to the live stream throughout the day.

One last thing. Want to see us do something in particular during the session? Leave me a comment here and we will try to fit it in.

Thanks and all the best in your training.

-Jedd-

P.S. Click the link to see more posts on Grip ContestsSimilar Posts:

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United States Hand Strength Championship Results

Jim Smith — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:41:32 +0000

The 2009 United States Hand Strength Championship is in the books and standing on top of the heap is Andrew Durniat. The rising star from Ohio took the title on Saturday, winning two events out-right and tying for first in two others.

This is how it all played out…

The first event was grippers. I felt somewhat off on grippers but actually closed a 3.5 rated about two pounds heavier than the one I closed at the Lift at Jedd’s qualifier I held three weeks earlier. The top performance for Grippers on Saturday was a tie between Andrew and Frank Snyder, who both closed a 182.1-rated Elite.

Here’s how the pack laid out:

Andrew Durniat – 182.1
Frank Snyder – 182.1
Jedd Johnson – 176.74
Dave Thorton – 174.2
John Eaton - 169.2
Mike Rinderler – 165.98
Brent Barbe - 156.4
Zach Coulter – 156.4
Mike Corlett – 153.05
Chris Rice - 145.41
Robert Alva – 136.5

For those of you who do not know Frank, he is an 18-yr old dude that lives about an hour away. I am hoping he makes the trip up to train and push me on the grippers.

European Two-Hands Pinch

The next event was the Two Hands Pinch. If you’ve been checking out DieselCrew.com over the last few years, you know that I have been chasing the World Record in this lift since 2005. The Two Hands Pinch is contested on standardized equipment comprised of two 6-mm disks with several 6-mm and 10-mm disks between them. Records must be set by using the authentic European set-up, and we have had ours since they were developed by David Horne.

Because the disks are removable, the athletes can choose the width they would like to pinch on so that the size of the implement matches the size of their hands. Only two people chose to lift on 48-mm – Chris Rice and Durniat. The rest off the group chose 54-mm, which is the most common width used on the Euro.

At first it was reported that the implement felt slippery, so I made sure to keep the doors closed throughout the event to make sure that the conditions stayed consistent. It seemed that the plate conditions ended up improving throughout this event. With so many people gripping it with chalked hands, by the time I grabbed onto it for my warm-ups, it felt outstanding.

I took my first attempt at 234-lbs and then took a conservative jump to 238-lbs. The implement felt so good that I had to go for a new US record. I already owned the record, pulling 246-lbs and some change back in December of 2008. My thumbs hadn’t felt this good since January, so I loaded the equipment to 249-lbs and owned it.

249-lbs – Two-Hands Pinch

For my next attempt, I geared up for the World Record. For this, we used Chris Rice’s calibrated 1.25-lb plates for a total on the implement of 255.219-lbs. I set up tight, generated tension throughout my entire torso and squeezed so hard it felt like my fingers were breaking. The pipe of the Euro Pinch seemed to come within about an inch but never made contact. I took one extra attempt, but the last one was nowhere near close enough. I had to settle for a new US record. When the event was done the ovation I got from the crowd and the competitors sounded great. I really appreciated that.

Here’s how the rest of the Pinch fell:

Jedd Johnson – 249.044
Dave Thorton – 234.256
John Eaton - 223.819
Chris Rice - 218.744
Frank Snyder – 203.981
Andrew Durniat – 198.906
Brent Barbe - 193.456
Mike Rinderler – 193.456
Mike Corlett – 173.594
Robert Alva - 157.856
Zach Coulter – 157.856

The next event was the Axle Deadlift. The Axle is the official Apollon’s Axle from IronMind. It is performed with a Double Overhand grip with no hook grip. Durniat recently set a new record on this lift with 461-lbs in Georgia and I knew he was gunning for another new record-setting mark. He tried 475, but didn’t quite hoist it high enough and had to settle for 455. This cast a huge shadow on my lift of just 384-lbs.

The Axle Results:

Andrew Durniat – 455.5187
Jedd Johnson – 384.4683
Dave Thorton – 384.4683
Frank Snyder – 384.4683
Brent Barbe - 363.9687
John Eaton - 363.9687
Chris Rice - 353.7000
Mike Corlett – 313.4313
Mike Rinderler – 313.4313
Robert Alva - 253.8625
Zach Coulter – 253.8625

The next is one you may not have heard of – the Weaver Stick. The Weaver Stick involves lifting a wooden dowel with weight hanging from the end. The rod lays parallel and the athlete must lift it free of the platform and break parallel with it. It sounds like an easy thing to do, but the leverage created by the long dowel makes the lift extremely hard. Durniat got the best lift of the day and it was just 13.5-lbs added to the loading pin.

I trained this event quite a bit for the last month and a half and I was happy to get 12.26-lbs, and the 3rd place finish, especially considering my best lift in training was only a bit more than 7.5-lbs.

The Weaver Stick Results:

Andrew Durniat – 13.5
Dave Thorton – 13
Jedd Johnson – 12.26
John Eaton – 12.26
Chris Rice – 11
Mike Rinderle – 11
Brent Barbe - 10.5
Mike Corlett – 7.5
Robert Alva - 7.25
Zach Coulter – 7.25
Frank Snyder – 7.25

With four events gone, it could only mean one thing. It was time for the Medley.

I set this medley up in a way that I believe has never been done before in any grip contest. The Medley involved four stations. Each station required the completion of 6 or 7 feats. Once these required feats were completed, the athlete could then try a bonus feat.

One of the Grip Medley Stations

The main feats included Vertical Bars, Blobs, Scale Weights, Pinch Blocks, Anvils, Loadable Dumbbells, Giant Coils, 5-Tens Pinch, 2-35’s Pinch and more. My goal with this Medley was to make it challenging for everyone to make it through, yet not have it be a hand-size dependent array. I think I was very successful in doing this, and while I included the Inch Dumbbell in the Medley as one of the bonuses, the athletes truly had to earn their chance to attempt the Inch by lifting the other base feats. Aside from the Inch, the other bonus feats included ripping a deck of cards while still in the box, bending a grade 5 bolt with the reverse technique, and hitting 3 reps on the Sorinex G-Rex with 90-lbs added.

It was exciting to judge this event, because through the first 6 competitors, each athlete wither tied or topped the one before him.

One of the base feats on the Bench Station was a narrow pinch block attached to a 50-lb globe dumbbell by a purple JumpStretch band. This was an implement I put together on a whim the last week before the contest, lifting easily, but I was actually told that it was an impossible feat to perform. The elasticity of the band was making it difficult to pull the dumbbell from the floor and most could not keep a grip on the block, as it would slip out of their hands and rocket back to the floor. Another feat labeled impossible to perform was the 55-lb anvil, which had to be lifted by the horn which was covered in a thin shop towel. This was another feat that I threw together in an instant and lifted easily but the whole pack before me struggled with it. Finally, the last feat that garnered impossible status was a leverage bar with 15-lbs added. The athletes had to lay their arm on the floor and rotate it in pronation.

When it was my turn to go through the medley, the leader at the time was Dave Thornton who had completed 21 out of the possible 29 feats. I was about .7 points behind Andrew and I knew if I could get just a couple more feats done than him in the Medley I might be able to overtake him in the final standings. I tore through it, tackling the impossible pinch block and the pronation bar, but could not find the handle on the towel-covered anvil. I also could not lift the fitness gear 45-lb hub, but was relying upon adrenaline to help me get it on top of the loading surface. Because I missed the anvil and the hub, I could not go for the bonus 3 reps on the G-Rex.

When Andrew took the platform for his run through the medley, he stepped it up and blew through the fitness gear 45-lb hub with no problem and got the anvil on his second or third attempt. However, he failed on the Rubber Band Block, could not finish the deck of cards and never tried the Grade 5 Bolt. He and I tied in the medley which meant he had taken the title as the National Champion.

The Medley Standings:

Jedd Johnson – 26
Andrew Durniat – 26
Dave Thorton – 21
Brent Barbe – 20
Frank Snyder – 16
John Eaton - 15
Chris Rice - 14
Mike Rinderler – 13
Zach Coulter – 9
Mike Corlett – 9
Robert Alva – 3

The Final:

Andrew Durniat – 47.9867935
Jedd Johnson – 47.2273675
Dave Thorton – 45.11916427
John Eaton - 41.1196403
Brent Barbe – 39.81692088
Frank Snyder – 38.15500701
Chris Rice - 38.06605857
Mike Rinderler – 36.91161971
Mike Corlett – 31.2729864
Zach Coulter – 29.33211704
Robert Alva – 25.93161859

This year’s Grip season has been a difficult one for me. I have struggled with thumb pain ever since January, which I have documented here many times. My re-hab attempts, while not getting rid of the pain, actually ended up helping me peak for a new US record in the Pinch, although not accomplishing the title of National Champion makes that record pale and nearly meaningless.

For me, the next contest is the Gripmas Carol, hosted by Chris Rice in Crooksville Ohio. I look forward to starting the ‘09-’10 season off in Crooksville, competing against a couple newcomers to the sport, Craig Call, Steve Schmidt, and many other perennial contenders.

I’d like to ask you all to check out the sponsors of the National Competition. Without their support, I could not have run and presented such a fine competition.

Sponsors:

PerthStrongman.com
Fat Bastard Barbell Co.
StraightToTheBar.com
Be-More Training
Stronger Grip Enterprises
Chris Rice

I also have to thank my good friends, Smitty, Brad, Joe Hashey and the many competitors who helped out in judging, loading, and supporting me throughout the events.

And of course, my fiancee, Delraine, who without her I’d be a lost soul wandering through life.

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

P.S. After you add me as a friend on Facebook, check out the pictures from this weekend in my 2009 US Grip Championships album. (Thanks to Megan for snapping them and Smitty for uploading them)Similar Posts:

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Who Will Be the United States Grip Champion?

Jim Smith — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:32:00 +0000

This weekend is the 2009 United States Grip Strength Championship.

Athletes from all over the country will be traveling to Bradford County Pennsylvania to test themselves in 5 grueling hand, finger, thumb and wrist strength events to see who is the United States Champion in 2009.

Here are the events:

Grippers – Parallel set. All grippers have been calibrated and range from 127 lbs (BBSE) and 209 lbs (IM#4).
Two Hands Pinch – Variety of widths used to accomodate hand size. Will the record fall?
Axle Deadlift – Double Overhand Deadlift with the IM Axle. Will a new record be lifted?
Weaver Stick (Rear) – Weight will be hung from a stick and lifted parallel to the floor
Medley Menagerie – 20+ mystery implements will be lifted, loaded, dragged and destroyed.

Here is the list of competitors.

Robert Alva – California
Dave Thornton – Michigan
Jedd Johnson – Pennsylvania
John Eaton – New York
Brent Barbe – Pennsylvania
Chris Rice – Ohio
Mike Corlett – California
Frank Snyder – Pennsylvania
Mike Rinderle – Washington DC
Bobby Goodfellow – Washington DC
Zach Coulter – Ohio
Andrew Durniat – Ohio

Last year’s champion, Chad Woodall will not make it this year due to other commitments he has taken on, so that means a new champion will be crowned.

Watch the Event Live!

This year, I will make every attempt possible to stream the video on Ustream. Please sign up for our Grip Strength newsletter now. When I have the link for the Ustream, I will send the link out to you so you can tune in!

Who WIll Win? Let the debating begin!

Will past success bring about victory this weekend? Of the field the following have finished first place in one or more grip competitions this year:

Dave Thornton (2 victories)
Jedd Johnson (2 victories)
Chris Rice
Andrew Durniat (won late last season)

Will home field advantage have anything to do with the final standings?

I have the luxury of training on the grippers that will be used in the competition, but many other people have squeezed them as well, including Thornton, Barbe, Goodfellow, Rinderle, Eaton, and Snyder. Will having the chance to have squeezed the grippers before yield anough advantage for the handful that have been here before to edge out the newcomers?

What effect will travel have on the competitors?

The people traveling the furthest for the contest will be Robert Alva and Mike Corlett, both coming from California. Robert will be on the east coast living it up in NYC on vacation for several days before coming to PA to rest and mentally prepare for the showdown. Will the travel wear these guys out? Will the respite rejuvenate Alva, allowing him to be the contest dark horse?

Is strategy going to be a factor in the way the contest pans out?

Standardized equipment WILL be used for the Two Hands Pinch and the Axle Deadlift. Will anyone break records? Will the allure of owning a new record cause athletes to take too big of jumps in the rising bar events with failures causing their scores to significantly drop? I have had my my eyes set on the Two Hands Pinch record for several years.

What role will guerrilla warfare play in the competition?

Several of the athletes are coming into town the night before. During the process of putting on the addition I also installed several traps for visiting grip athletes to gt injured on. Many past GGC participants remember the trap I set for Woodall two years ago that he evaded until the contest was already through. You can bet I will be pulling out all the stops at this one, even if it means I have to cover myself in mud and bushwhack people for the victory.

What event will have the biggest effect in deciding the winner

With the exception of the Weaver Stick lift, all of the events commonly appear in grip contests. However, the medley will feature lifts and objects that have NEVER been performed in Grip contest medleys. Of the 20+ implements, there will be 4 stations. If all the feats at the station are completed, the athlete can go for a bonus feat for extra points. This has never been done in any competition I have attended nor do I remember it in any of the dozens of accounts I have read. This one just may be the event that decides the overall winner of the show, folks!

The equipment I have is pretty remarkable. This week I shot a video of my block weight collection and it is something to behold.

Will extracurricular activity weaken the competitors’ chances?

If you’ve ever been to a grip contest, you know that once the dust settles from the competition, the feats of strength that take place afterward are always remarkable. My collection of Grip toys is one of the best in the nation and I know these guys will be drooling. Will they be able to resist the urge to attempt world class feats with the implements right before their eyes, or will they try to tackle them the night before and tire themselves out?

These questions and many more will be answered this weekend, but I want to know what you think. Leave a comment with who you feel will win, whom you’re pulling for, and what numbers will take place at the US Grip Nationals.

Here is the link for the live streaming video of the National Championship: US Grip Competition

(The video will go live when the competition starts)

Thanks and all the best in your grip training,

-Jedd-

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