Hello DIESELS!

When I left off the last time, in Part I of the Sorinex Series, I had just told you about how Andrew Durniat and Tex Henderson battled in the Rolling Thunder Pull-up Challenge and how Chad Woodall worked his ass off to pinch two Old Style York 45′s in each hand, and came so friggin’ close!

Well, my friends, as they say, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.

Next up on the docket was Rich Williams. On this day in history, Rich Williams would be attempting to Clean and Press the Inch Dumbbell.

Just in case you are not familiar with the Inch Dumbbell, let me give you a quick run-down.

The Inch Dumbbell Replica – 172lbs, 2 and 3/8 inch Handle

The Inch Dumbbell is named after the traveling strongman from the late 1800′s who used to take it around to circuses and expo’s and challenge people to lift it – his name was Thomas Inch. The original Inch Dumbbell is owned by Kim Wood, and at some point both Sorinex and IronMind got molds made and sold replicas up until about 2004 or 2005.

The Inch DB has a 2 and 3/8 inch handle that is roughly 4 or 5 inches long and has large globe heads. This is a solid dumbbell weighing in the neighborhood of 172-lbs, and because it is cast iron and one solid piece, once you try to lift it, the globes start to turn and rip your thumb away and pry your fingers open at the same time.

Deadlifting the Inch Dumbbell is a World Class feat. To walk with one or even Two is out of this world and to clean and press it is damn near godly.

Let me show you what it looks like to clean and press the Inch Dumbbell, Rich Williams style…

As Richard Sorin states at the beginning of the clip, the Inch Dumbbell in this video has only been cleaned and pressed one other time and that was done by the WWE’s Mark Henry in 2002. Other Inch Dumbbells have been clean and pressed in the past, but the people that have done it can all be counted on one hand.

Now, once that was over, plenty of other people tried giving the Inch Dumbbell a ride.

Below, a serious Highland Games Competitor goes for a continental of the Inch Dumbbell. He doesn’t get it, but I am pretty sure he has gotten it in the past, I just can’t recall his name.

I did not bother trying to continental the Inch, but instead, I tried deadlifting it and the original Blob at the same time. As you’ll see, I miss pretty badly on the Inch…

…and then Andrew Durniat came up and hit it pretty easy. Before doing so, he talks about the different disciplines in Grip Sport and how strengths and weaknesses come into play.

Now, it was time to give the baby Inches a try. Both of these lighter Inch Replicas weigh in the neighborhood of 139. They were some of the original replicas that were cast and they did not come out quite right, so Richard just held onto them.

Again, I tried deadlifting the 172 Inch in one hand and one of the baby Inches in the other. Unfortunately, that didn’t go so well either, but instead of just stopping and setting the lighter Inch Dumbbell down, I kept my grip on it, walked it over to the other baby inch, picked the second one up and did a Slow Motion Irish Jig.

Now, something to point out. Sorinex also has a 150-something baby Inch, but I did not try it. I wish I had and here’s why…

I can control the 139 baby Inch like Andrew can control the actual 172 Inch. So does that essentially mean that he can out thick bar me by 30-lbs? If so, how much must Rich out thick bar me by if he is cleaning the Inch dumbbell? 60-lbs? 100-lbs?

Scary thoughts. I really wish i would have tried the 150-something Baby Inch.

More Baby Inch Mayhem

In this next video, a Pro Strongman from the area jumps up and does a continental and several presses. Again, sorry, but I did not catch his name. I then gave it a shot and cleaned it to my shoulder pretty easy and then got three push jerks. These guys are freakin’ monsters for being able to press these things with no leg drive. AWESOME!

Again, Rich came up and showed us how it is done, cleaning it with ease and then pressing it for 20+ like it was his job.

Andrew also tried to snatch the damn thing, but it proved to be just a bit beyond him. Some day it WILL happen.

OK DIESELS, that’s it for Part II. In Part III, we are going to break away from the Inch stuff and get some serious BLOB-bery going…

Hasta la proxima, all the best in your training.

Jedd

We received one submission for the Home Made Strength Grip Challenge, but it was a strong one.

In the video below, Brian Lederman shows he’s a man who takes action.

He’s had the DVD for two weeks and has already built AND IS DOMINATING nearly half the equipment.

Great job brother!

Brian Lederman

Brian, thanks for the great feedback on the new Phone Book Tearing eBook, Phone Book Mass Destruction!

And, since you already have Dave Whitley’s Lessons of the Old-time Strongmen, I’d be glad to send you a Diesel Crew Shirt. Please email me your shirt size and I will get one right out to you, bro!

Check out the site on Monday for next week’s Weekly Grip Strength Challenge, everybody!

Jedd

(more…)

What craziness will we see this week in the Diesel Grip Strength Challenge???

The Week II submissions are posted below. Please vote for who should win for best video by leaving a comment below. Voting is open until 8PM EST on Sunday.

Week 2 Submissions

Zach Lister

Darrin Shallman

Dave Depew

Paul Thompkins

Mark Hrko

Adam Oswalt

Josh McIntyre

Aaron Newman

Derek Girven

Weekly Diesel Grip Feat Challenge

Card Tearing

I’ve been thinking of ways to make the Diesel Crew site more interactive, and I think I have come up with a cool way to do it.

Starting next week, we will have the Weekly Diesel Grip Feat Challenge. Here’s how it will work:

1. Every Sunday, I will post a video of a Grip Strength Feat of some sort. It could be anything from Pinching, to Support, to Crushing, to Wrist Strength, or anything else in Grip.

2. You will then have until the following Friday to upload a video of yourself performing the Feat.

3. In the video, you must say your name and state the Feat you are doing for the Weekly Diesel Grip Strength Challenge, Something like this: “I’m Conway Martin, and this is my video for the 5-10′s Pinch Lift for The Weekly Diesel Grip Challenge at DieselCrew.com.” Then you just hit the feat on film!

4. You must then hit me with an email with the link to the video. I must receive the email with the video link no later than 8PM EST on the Friday of the challenge.

5. I will post all of the videos that have been submitted here on the Diesel site. My goal will be to post all of the videos I receive by Saturday at 8PM, EST.

6. Viewers at the Diesel site will leave comments, deciding who has the best video and who should win a prize. Voting will continue until Sunday at 8PM, EST.

7. Whoever is voted “Best Video” for the Weekly Grip Strength Challenge, will receive a special limited edition Diesel prize. What is it exactly? You’ll have to take part in order to find out!

8. Videos can not contain anything that may be offensive to Diesel readers. Getting pumped up is fine, but you WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED if you use racial, ethnic, sexual slurs and things like this. We do reserve the right to disallow a video if we deem it inappropriate.

500-lb Axle Deadlift (Photo – Kevin Cronin)

I think this is going to be a very fun and interactive feature here at the Diesel Crew site. I look forward to seeing all of your videos.

            Two Hands Pinch

By the way, I’m not wasting any time getting started. The first Weekly Grip Strength Challenge will be posted here on the site on Sunday afternoon, January 2nd, 2011.

So get your chalk, and get ready to do some serious Grip Training in 2011.

Remember, the first challenge will be here this Sunday – don’t miss it!

If you have questions, please leave a comment below.

All the best in your training!

Jedd