Hello Diesels!

In just a few short hours, CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination will be available.

But now is the time to discuss the winner of the Free DVD Essay Contest.

The rules were simple. Write an essay with 100-words or more describing why you should win a free copy of the CRUSH DVD.

There were many entries – 40, to be exact, and they included many names I recognized from past emails, purchases, Facebook, YouTube, and more, as well as many new names I have not seen before, which was cool. Thank you to all who participated. For such a small window of just 24 hours, I thought the response was pretty darn impressive!

Within the essays, I was impressed by the wide array of background each of you come from. From Martial Artists, to Strength Enthusiasts, to Teachers, it was AWESOME to see such the diversity.

Of course in a contest such as this, it is tough to decide on a winner and it would be the easy way out to just do a random drawing, but I said I was going to choose a winner, and that is what I am going to do.

As I had said previously, the winner would be the person who deserved it the most, and with so many deserving people, I decided to choose the person whose essay conveyed, in my eyes, the most passion in their essay.

With that in mind, my choice is Mike Watson. I chose Mike because when I read his essay about his love and drive for wrestling, it really resonated with me and I saw similarities with how I feel about the sport of Grip.

Below is his essay:

“First off I need help getting my grip power up for wrestling. I love wrestling more then anything, and nothing has been able to stop me from doing this sport, which I love. The key things you need in wrestling is: grip, neck strength, speed, technique and endurance. Each part is very important, grip is essential for performing moves and starting off in the match. I have wrestled in Japan for almost 3 years before I had to come back to the states. This sport means the world to me. It keeps me out of trouble, keeps my grades in check, keeps me fit and keeps me disciplined. People can talk about why they want it, but they don’t live and breathe something everyday. If you love something as much as I do, you would understand why I want help with my grip. Wrestling isn’t a sport, you don’t play wrestling. Wrestling is a lifestyle and you respect your opponent and yourself. It isn’t a game its life, and life isn’t something you play with. Thank you for your time to read this I hope I get this DVD would help me in my wrestling career in life.”

Mike, I thought your essay was great. Thanks for posting it and make sure to send me your address so I can get the DVD to you.

There were many other great submissions. Thanks again to everyone who posted.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Hello DIESELS!

This week’s Grip Strength Challenge was the Inverted Gripper Close for Reps! This is an interesting way to train with Grippers as it puts emphasis on the first two fingers in a different way from normal.

Here are the submissions. As I said I would be I was very strict with the judging and only counted the reps if I could easily tell the Gripper went between the handles for the legal set AND if I could easily tell the handles touched.

Rick Walker – 42 Reps

Rick potentially had a lot more closes that were completed, however, I only counted the ones that I felt were clearly touching. He managed the first place spot even while blaring what seems to be Bel Biv Devoe or some other crappy late 80′s / early 90′s Hip Hop garbage! Nice classic Diesel Shirt by the way!!!

Josh McIntyre – 37 Reps

Josh may have actually been up in the 70′s with his closes but they went so fast and his big meaty hands were so bulbous blocking the camera that I could not make out if the handles were indeed touching. Damn good speed brother!

Ben Edwards – 14 Reps with #2

Ben follows the same gripper loaning system I do – forgetting he has loaned stuff out completely! Ben got 14 reps (and maybe a couple more that were obscured with a #2 Gripper, plus he did them almost completely no-set style. Very impressive brother!

Paul Tompkins – 22 Reps

Paul provided a very clear video. Having his training partner film proved to be the ticket to getting clear closes. However, his rep total was just a little low to climb to the top of the ladder this week.

Mike Turpin – 11 Reps

Great work Mike. You had another good solid 4 or 5 reps in you if you would have utilized the thumb in the Gripper close.

Darrin Shallman – 10 Reps

Darrin sent me a submission and I accidentally left it out at first – my apologies, Darrin – I did not see your video when it came in. Darrin may have tied Mike – with a little closer video, I might have been able to clear one more rep. Either way, you have identified grippers as an opportunity and know what to work on. Thankfully, the Vulcan will not be done inverted during World’s Strongest Hands 2011.

Congratulations to Rick Walker for the win this week!

Sorry for the tough judging, but that is just how it has got to be. To remedy this we will most likely not do high rep stuff like this again to avoid controversy.

Jedd

DIESELS!!!

I was away most of the weekend and with today being Father’s Day, I waited until the afternoon to get caught up with last week’s video submissions for the Grip Strength Challenge and the Wild Card Submissions for Nationals.

Let’s look at what everyone sent in this week…

Mike Turpin – #1 COC Gripper

Mike came in with the lowest entry this week, but I think he has more in him once he gets more experience on the Grippers. Good job Mike!

Paul Tompkins – #1 & #2 COC Gripper

Paul tied for second place with Darrin Shallman with a #2 close. I think once he improves his set, he will be up to a #2.5 very soon. Paul, try pinning the back handle with your thumb and grabbing the front handle with the hook of your index finger on the set, brother!

Darrin Shallman – #2 COC Gripper

I thought we might have to invoke the hand size tie breaker on this one when I got Darrin’s video. His hands seem to be much smaller than Paul, so if push came to shove, Darrin would have won the challenge. Great job bro!

Chris Vaughn – HG 250

Chris sent in a good submission, making the challenge a bit harder for himself, closing the gripper down fully, then inserting the block, and closing it again. With the variation in the HG Grippers being quite substantial they were not built into the standings for the week. Chris, try the thumb on back leg, finger hook on front leg technique for your set and I think you will be able to come pretty close on the HG 300!

Daniel Reinard – #2.5 Gripper (Both Hands)

Daniel’s close of the #2.5 Gripper qualifies him for first place this week, but he actually closed the #3 as well, in the second video submission, below! Congratulations Daniel! Please contact me if you need additional information on Nations, because you just qualified, SON!

Daniel Reinard – #3 Gripper

Next week’s Wild Card Qualifier should be up tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Thanks and all the best in your training, and of course, Happy Father’s Day!!!

Jedd

Here is a Vlog (Video Blog) about the Vulcan Gripper.

Are you in the United States and want a Vulcan? If so, leave a comment or email me about your interest.

Thanks.

Jedd

UPDATES

Update #1 – Vulcan Pricing

I have received a note from David Horne – he could not get back to me yesterday because it was his little girl Lucy’s 5th birthday – HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCY!!! But I should have info from him next week on the Vulcan Gripper Shipping situation!

Update #2 – Reader Question

I received a question in the comments from Ken, who writes…

Jedd, Thanks very much for the vlog. I now understand how it compares with the Ivanko Super Gripper. What kind of range of difficulty is available on the Vulcan? What is the easiest level (cf. the Guide in the Captains of Crush series), if I want to do very high reps? Ken

The Vulcan will accomodate you, Ken, no doubt about it. At its lowest setting with the Gold Spring, it feels like less than a #1 to me and I can click off reps so fast it sounds like an old-fashioned typewriter, clickety click click click – Just never have to slide that big long piece back to the left when you reach the end. Also, at the toughest setting the feels like you are trying to squeeze a slippery moss covered rock. It covers just about the entire full range of available Grippers on the market. Hope this helps. More updates to come as they materialize! Jedd

P.S. Get on the Strongman Training DVD Early Bird List. Put your name and email in the box below.

Right now, I guess you could say it is the Grip Sport Off-Season, if there is one of those.

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.

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