This Week’s Challenge – Towel Pull-ups

One of the easiest ways to implement Grip Strength Training is with Towel Pull-ups. This exercise trains not only your arms, back, and shoulders, but also makes your hands tough as nails.

Josh McIntire has won 75% of the Weekly Challenges. Will he add this week’s feat to his list of Grip Feat Domination? Or will someone else step up and kick the King off his Throne?

Rules for the Weekly Diesel Grip Strength Challenge:

1. Every Sunday/Monday, check DieselCrew.com to see what the Grip Feat is for the week.

2. Shoot a video of yourself by the following Friday completing the feat.

3. In the video, you must include the following phrase: “I’m ____________, and this is my video for the Weekly Diesel Grip Challenge at DieselCrew.com.” Hit the feat and upload it to YouTube!

4. The Information for your YouTube Video Must Be:

Title: “DieselCrew.com Grip Strength Challenge – Name of the Feat”

Description: http://www.dieselcrew.com Name of the Feat for the Week

Tags: Grip Strength, Grip Training, Hand Strength, Hand Strength Training, Strong Wrists

5. Email me at jedd dot diesel at gmail dot com with the link to the video. I must receive the email with the video link no later than 8PM EST on Friday.

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

7. 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.

8. Whoever is voted “Best Video” for the Weekly Grip Strength Challenge, will receive a special limited edition Diesel Tee Shirt.

9. 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.

Are you the next Conan?

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Similar Posts:

• Diesel Grip Strength Challenge – Week 7 Winner and Week 8 Feat
• Build Sick Strong Thumbs – Diesel Grip Challenge Week 13
• Week 4′s Winner and Week 5′s Feat
• Upcoming Feature at Diesel
• Sledge Hammer Finger Walking

Sometimes people ask me why the heck I would want to put all of that time into training only 5% of my body.

I understand why people ask this. In fact, when I first heard about training Grip, I thought it was a waste of time too.

However, I did think it would be cool to tear a deck of cards in half so I decided to give Grip Training a try.

Within a few weeks I was tearing decks of cards, but to my surprise, a lot of my other lifts were also going up.

For instance, at this time, I went from being able to strictly perform a seated curl with a 65-lb dumbbell to a strict curl with an 85-lb Dumbbell.

So I could curl a bit more – who cares right?

Well, the fact is, I also started seeing increases in many of my other lifts as well. My Bench Press, Squat, Overhead Press, and my Deadlift all went up when I started seriously training for Grip Strength.

This was somebody who had already been training seriously for full body strength, not just bodybuilding, for a couple of years, and my numbers went up in just about EVERYTHING that involved my hands somehow.

One of the first things I tell anybody that writes me an email, calls me, leaves a comment on YouTube or at the website is that if you want your numbers to go up, you need to start training the grip seriously.

Now, I am not saying that you have to set aside an hour per workout to train all Grip disciplines. And I’m not saying that if you take a sheet of newspaper and crumple it up once you roll out of bed in the morning you are going to PR in the Bench Press – YOU HAVE TO DO IT RIGHT TO GET THE RESULTS.

If you do include Grip training for all aspects of lower arm performance on a regular basis, you will see significant improvement.

When your Grip is strong, EVERYTHING else gets stronger. And it doesn’t have to be a pulling movement like a deadlift, row, or curl.

Even if you are performing a press – Bench Press, Overhead Press, Military Press, if your Grip is more secure, you are going to move more weight. Check it out:

Four Reasons YOU Should Train Grip

1. Confidence:

When you grab the bar and you are shaky, how confident are you going to be in trying to move that weight? You’re not – you’re going to be more worried about dropping the thing on your throat than you are pressing it.

On the other hand when you grab onto the bar and control it so it doesn’t even waver a millimeter from the point of lift off, to the descent, and to the lockout, you’re going to push up bigger numbers because mentally, that is all you’re going to be thinking about – Smashing PR’s.

2. Endurance:

Let me ask you this question. When you are trying to get stronger, do you ALWAYS stay within the 1 to 3-rep range? How about if you are trying to burn off that beer gut, or trying to look better for the gym? Do you just hit a few sets of singles and then head home for a recovery drink?

Hell no.

You probably perform hundreds of reps when you go to the gym. So that’s where Grip comes into play again. Many people I have seen stop their set when their grip gives out. Their set is dependent on how long they can hold onto the implement.

Is that you? Do you set the bar back down when your hands or wrist start to tire out? Wouldn’t it make sense to strengthen your hands and wrists a bit more so your rep per set average went up?

Get stronger hands, and you’ll get more reps whether its with with 60%, 85%, and 100% of 1RM in the Bench. Think I’m crazy? Check out how many articles Jim Wendler has written about Grip Training for a bigger bench.

3. The Link Between the Hands and Body:

Your hands are hard-wired into your central nervous system, guys. When your hands fire harder, everything between them and your spinal cord gets activated more intensely and allows for better performance.

Have you ever seen an arm wrestler arm-wrestling with a limp wrist or hand? NO. They squeeze the other dude’s hand in order to load tension. Loading this tension solidifies their forearm, their elbow, and their shoulder.

It’s got many names – Radiant Tension, Irradiation, Co-Contraction – it doesn’t matter what you call it. When you activate the hands, you will Bench more. PERIOD.

4. Injury Prevention:

Have you ever tried to bench when your wrist hurt? Have you ever tried to bench when you had a sore spot in your forearm? Have you ever tried to bench when something in your elbow was giving you trouble? Chances are most people reading this have felt this and unfortunately when you have pain, it makes your lifts go down and makes you perform fewer repetitions.

Grip has a stereotype of being a “hand strength” thing, but it isn’t. Grip is everything from the elbow down. The muscles in the forearms help keep the elbow stable and safe, while also strengthening the entire region. The same goes for the wrist. So, if you train your Grip the right way, you will have fewer injuries, miss fewer workouts, and lose fewer reps in the gym.

Grip Helps Everything

Right there are just four benefits of having a strong grip. And Grip doesn’t just help you in the bench press. Grip helps everything.

Even if you are doing crunches , if you flex the Grip muscles, you WILL get a better full body contraction. Don’t believe me, then try it right now.

Here are more ways a stronger Grip will help you in your training.

…A Stronger Grip helps you perform more reps per set in your workout.

…A Stronger Grip helps you have better endurance in longer duration sets and in strength complexes…

A Stronger Grip helps you feel more confident with heavier lifts so you can push more weight without worry…

A Stronger Grip helps you you have fewer injuries, by being more resilient. AND if you do get an injury, having stronger lower arms and hands helps you bounce back quicker.

So how do you get a stronger Grip?

Well, a little over a year ago, I started a website dedicated to helping people accomplish their specific grip training goals.

It’s called The Grip Authority, and every single month, I upload information-packed articles, videos and interviews that I guarantee will help you get stronger.

Grip Strength is a Forgotten, Neglected, and Improperly Trained Element in many training programs. But it doesn’t have to be like that anymore.

Join me, and I’ll show you how to take your hands from being weak and feeble to being strong and reliable.

You’ll be amazed how training your hands THE RIGHT WAY will help you out in all aspects of your training.

Join The Grip Authority today. As soon as you join, I will be in contact with you to discuss your needs and begin plans to helping you accomplish your training goals.

I look forward to working with you this year.

Jedd

P.S. I have put up tons of free articles and videos here on this site and my YouTube channel, but that is nothing compared to what I share on The Grip Authority.

P.P.S. If you are already strong enough and your grip never fails you, please don’t worry about joining. I only want people to join my site that are willing to work hard, improve by leaps and bounds, and really love getting stronger in ALL THEIR LIFTS by enhancing their current weak points.

Similar Posts:

• Strength Coach Resources – Team Grip Training
• This Week’s Grip Challenge: Plate Curl for Reps
• Row Variations for a Big Back and Monster Grip
• Wrist Pain and the Bench Press
• Dessert For Your Workout – 5 Finishers to Work Your Grip

It’s time for a showdown…

Grip Strength Feat = 25-lb Plate Curl

Please leave a comment with your vote for best video in this week’s Grip Strength Challenge.

Zach Lister

Mark Hrko

Paul Tompkins

Josh McIntyre

Kevin Greto

Matt Hunt

Derek Girven

Aaron Newman

Thanks to everyone who sent in submissions and to everyone who takes part in the voting.

Jedd

Similar Posts:

• Diesel Grip Strength Challenge – Week 2 Submissions
• Diesel Grip Feat Challenge – Week 1 Submissions
• Week 5 – Diesel Grip Feat of the Week
• Barbell Snatch Submissions
• Wild Card Qualifier – Two Hands Pinch

Week 1′s feat of strength was Pinching Two 25′s.

To vote, please watch each video and leave a comment below for the one you think is the best video.

Thanks!

Zac Lister

Josh McIntyre

Matt Hunt

Darrin Shallman

Jason Steeves

Warren Morgan

Mike Rojas

Mark Hargo

Derek Girven

Thanks to everyone who put in a submission, and thanks in advance for voting!

JeddSimilar Posts:

• Diesel Grip Strength Challenge – Week 2 Submissions
• Diesel Grip Strength Challenge – Week 3 Submissions
• Slim Lever Submissions
• Classic Strongman Feats Tournament – Week 2 Submissions
• Phone Book Tearing Submissions

We just got done with the World’s Strongest Hands Series in November. I have been told by the head promoter of that series, David Horne, that there will indeed be a WSH next year in the Fall, but there will be 3 Legs instead of 4, and there will be more like 5 events per Leg instead of just 3.

David has been quiet about what the events will be, but has hinted at them, so I have begun training them a bit here and there where they fit in my training. I’m not waiting until Leg 2 next year to start training. that decision screwed my placing up from the very beginning this year.

Since this is the “Off-Season,” I have been focusing on three goals:

• 1. Mash Monster Level 3 – This is a Gripper certification on the Gripboard that I have been chasing since 2004. I should have my butt kicked for not closing this Gripper yet.
• 2. No-Set / Credit Card Set Training – I have never trained Wide Gripper sets for more than like 2 workouts in a row for years and thus my Wide Set Strength is weak. I am using Knurled Grippers like the Captains of Crush and Beef Builders as well as the Vulcan for this Training.
• 3. Block Weights – My hands usually feel the strongest when I am hitting Block Weights hard so I have been doing a lot of stuff with them lately. One of the measures I have used in the past is Lifting my half 115 Block Weight. Another one is the Fat Man Clone. Both of these are large freakin’ Blocks that require huge hands AND serious Grip Strength. I’ve got both of those, but they are still pretty tough for me. More on that later in the week…

With these goals in mind, here are a couple of recent videos I’ve put up on my YouTube Channel.

Blob Transfer by the Face

If you don’t know what a Blob is, please check out this post = > What is the Blob.

A Blob Transfer is when you pass it from one hand to another. You can hand it directly over, or you can toss it. This is where it is in the air for an instant.

Here, I lift the Blob and Transfer it Hand-to-Hand.

That lift was done “By the Face” meaning the Blob was turned over and lifted by spanning the thumb and fingers over the Face of the Blob.

I want to keep working on this and see if I can get a little more control with the second hand and pause it at the top. I am confident I can do this with just a little more work.

No-Set Level 12 on the Vulcan

As I mentioned earlier, my No-Set stuff sucks, plain and simple, so I have been trying to work more of it in.

On this night, I was watching the baby, so I had her judge my close, and since it has been an average temperature of about 36 degrees in my Garage Gym lately, I didn’t think it would be a good idea to take her down there, so I brought my stuff upstairs.

Now, I have trained JayCee to be very strict. I’ve told her, “It isn’t closed unless you can actually see the handles touching,” and since the handles are jet black on the Vulcan it can be tough to see.

As you’ll see, JayCee is pretty strict…

I love every single minute I get to spend with my daughter.

Going to continue working on these three goals for the rest of December.

In January, I am going to modify my training to more of a Thick Bar emphasis, as if I were going to be competing in the Viking Challenge in California at the end of the month. Medical issues in my family will make it impossible for me to travel to that competition, but I plan on doing my own comp here at my house to see how I stack up to everyone’s numbers from that show.

Later in the week, I’ve got a couple more posts planned

• Did you know there are Benefits to Cold Weather Training? I’ve got the details coming up.

• Looking for a way to get your ass in shape? I’ve got a guest post for you this week that will show you simple stuff you can do in circuit format to build strength while you condition.

I hope you have a fantastic Christmas (if you celebrate) this week. And if not, then please take the opportunity to spend as much quality time with your friends and family as possible.

All the best in your training this week.

Jedd

P.S. If you want the most complete reference on Grip Training and Lower Arm Health, Go here = > Ultimate Forearms

P.P.S. If you want to accomplish your specific Grip Strength goals, join The Grip Authority

P.P.P.S. Free stuff = > Improve Your Grip Strength

Similar Posts:

• Grip Strength Training – Block Weight Lifting
• Worlds Strongest Hands 2012 Information
• Wild Card Qualifier #2 – Block Set Grippers
• Grip Training: The Fatman Clone Block Weight
• Vulcan V2 Grippers from David Horne / World of Grip