This Week in Grip

Finally catching up on This Week in Grip Episodes

This Week in Grip Episode 55

This week, we interview Luke Raymond, the 2018 North American Grip Sport Overall Champion

This Week in Grip Episode 56

This week, I cover some of the biggest feats from the month of June, cover some big announcements from Grip Sport International, and talk about a competition I’ll be running in Syracuse on July 21.

This Week in Grip Episode 57

This week we sit down with Mike Rinderle and he shared information from his experience with Rhabdomyolisis. We also talk about the history of the IronMind Captains of Crush Certification.

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Here’s a write-up from 2018 North American Grip Sport Absolute Champion, Luke Raymond, 93kg weight class

Well to start I definitely did not think that I was going to win at the start of the day with Eric Roussin and fellow Canadians including Justin Major and Tom Bryson I was hoping to sneak into the top 3 overall.

To start the day I woke up at 4:15am super anxious for the contest which is normal if anyone knows me. My weight was somewhere near 205 but wasn’t too concerned whether i would be in the 93k or 105k class so i ate a small bowl of oatmeal and drank a creatine drink. I had a bunch of stuff I needed to load in my truck and planned on being at the gym early to help Jedd setup what he didn’t have done. After the 50 minute drive there it was 7:45 and only Jedd and Nigel were there. This was my first time meeting Nigel but following him on IG and FB I feel like I already knew him. After messing around with the two different scales we realized they were both about 1 lb over after checking them with the calibrated plates so we were both good for our respected weight classes. After getting everything settled in an people slowly coming in I relaized there must be something in the water in Canada that makes the people grow bigger because their smallest guy was over 6’ tall and the lightest Dan Fleming is a grip monster.

Chez had put together a list of the USA team for each event and after going through it, the lineup was set and knowing it was going to take some serious lifts to surpass the team from up north.

Event 1- Grippers– I hadn’t been able to train heavy grippers R handed due to injurying my R middle finger when chalking the hub in the Armlifting Contest in Philly (yeah quite the way to injure your finger); so I was unsure how I would do and I was hoping I could get 1-2 decent closes RH on the first two attempts and then if I had to go LH. First attempt I decided to go fairly high with a 155 and smashed it closed, immediate sharp pain in my finger but dissipated enough for me to try 160; close but no cigar. Next attempt I took LH and wasnt close and final attempt RH again no close. Finger held up enough to get me where I was hoping to end up.

Event 2- Euro Pinch – Last contest I was training and consistently pulling 227+ training but wasn’t able to reproduce those numbers in contest. This event I didnt even train Euro specifically instead training flask and IM blockbuster so I was unsure where I was going end up especially since tearing on my last flask session. Warming up I felt pretty good and was able to a few singles at 216 lbs on the warmup implement but is much more seasoned. After hitting my first two attempts at 203 and 208, Rob and I decided to jump up to 218 and both of us unsuccessful.

Event 3- 60mm Napalms Nightmare – thickbar has always been where I lag behind compared to the other elite 93k people and this was no different. I started light at 323 and took my next three attempts at 333, 338, and 348 all successful. The three thickbar giants from Canada still hadn’t even started; Eric, Justin, and Tom. I wasn’t paying full attention but I believe Tom finished around 380-390 and the Eric and Justin at 412. Justin was frustrated as he had pulled 430+ in training which is just unreal strength for both guys. I knew at this point I was close to the top 3, after figuring out the scoring I was indeed 3rd place behind Justin and Eric and felt I had a possibility of moving up based on the medley and wrist roller event.

Event 4- Medley – based on the items and the weights I was hoping to coming in at 53-56/60 but trying to determine the order to which I could maximize the points without fatiguing and failing on items I would normally lift is that planning part of the medley that makes it challenging. Knowing fatigued I wouldn’t be able to lift the 160lb crusher or the fatman blob those were the first two items I did. I was able to get everything I wanted except the 50lb inverted DB which I ended up with 55/60 which was the winning score wit the next highest being 51/60. After this event Eric and I were tied for first and Justin close behind.

Event 5- Wrist Roller – Ive had success with wrost roller events in the past and Jedd and I tried to figure out an appropriate weight that would lead to about a 40% success rate for the competitors and came up with 115lbs added to the sled. So 130lbs, 34’ and 60 secs was the course. As contestants went through the first competitor to finish was Nick Carigan (Canada) and then 3-4 more competitors coming in around 51-54 secs. Then in third place Justin Major sets a blazing fast pace with 39 secs with Eric and I still to go. In my head I now have to see how Eric does but also have to be able to stay within a few seconds of Justin to win the overall. Eric came up 2ft short of finishing and now I had to pick up my game as this was mine to win. No one else to help and all on me, I win or lose it’s all me. Prior to my attempt my anxiety was kicking in, heart rate was elevated, a little shortness of breath; so after chalking up I decided I would set a timer on my phone for 75 secs and when it said 60 I would start. As I am going I am focusing my eyes on the rope as it is winding on the wrist roller and nothing else, I could hear people yelling including Adam with the time but couldn’t decipher the words and the first time I looked up the sled was about 6’ from the line and I kept cranking on it until it crossed the line and looked at my phone which said 25 sec remaining so I had finished it in 35 secs and then In the excitement and couple yells I realized I had won my first overall contest and just happened to be NAGS.

Jedd had informed me that Brad Martin the gym owner had donated a prize for the overall winner and to find out it was a genuine replica of the 1988 Winged Eagle WWF Championship belt was truly badass.

It was a pleasure not only being in one of the closest grip contests but also competing with a bunch of new people that I had only ever seen on social media including; Nigel, Vinnie, Tom B (who made the trip from western Canada), Justin M, Nick C, and Bernie. Not to mention everyone that I had previously met an competed with. I look forward to many years to come and hopefully team USA can bring the team championship back!

Today’s guest post is from Nigel Blackburn, 66kg competitor from the 2018 North American Grip Sport Championship, which was held on June 2, 2018, at Titan Strength, in Elmira New York. Nigel is a virtual coaching client of mine in the Grip Task Force, and put this post together, reflecting back on his performance…

I’ll start off with a little background before the competition:

I come from a strength training background. I was a competitive powerlifter who also messed around with a few strongman events. Powerlifting inevitably became a “chore.” I didn’t look forward to training, which is always my favorite part of the day. I started brainstorming and realized that grip, to me, is the most fun thing to train. When I get into a hobby, I REALLY get into a hobby. I contacted @Jedd Johnson about getting serious about grip, and we started working together. In January, we started discussing possible opportunities to compete; we both agreed that NAGS 2018 was the way to go. I weighed about 158 at the time, so I hit the qualifying numbers for the 74kg class, but I knew 66kg was attainable (my previous powerlifting weight class). I was given the green light, so I booked a hotel and got my flight from Florida to Elmira.

Fast forward a few months:

After a full day of traveling, I made it to Elmira. My meals consisted on protein bars, unsalted cashews, and a small amount of water. I have always had a lot of anxiety about weight class sports. Making weight is something that scares me. After a poor night of sleep, it was game day. Jedd picked me up and drove me to the gym a few hours early. I had about 3 hours until comp time, and I was damn near ready to get it going. I made weight–not by much. It was a figurative sigh of relief. Weight was taken care of (66kg); now I could shift my focus to the competition. I had the pleasure of meeting and talking to all the competitors, which was great! Everyone was friendly and supportive–surely a nice change of pace from the near-toxic level of competition I have experienced in other sports. Time was flying; before long, it was go time!

The first event was a 20-mm block set close. This event worried me because I had discovered very close to the competition that the block I had been using was closer to 19mm. I ended up packing a Jenga block of all things. I was a tidbit wider than 20mm, but I was set on using my own block so I could place it in my teeth for a super quick transition into the block set. Once it was announced that the lightest weight class starts it off, a fire was lit; that meant I was the first person to take an attempt. Immediately my nervousness transitioned into laser-sharp focus. A deep breath, and I was off. I started off with a BB rated at 130. The set felt spongy and easy, I quickly transitioned and slid the block through, and crushed the first attempt. I was off to a hot start and confidence was high. My goal was to close a gripper rated at my bodyweight, so my sights were set on the 145. My confidence got the best of me for my next attempt. I took a big jump and missed the 140. No worries. My third attempt, I got the 135, but not very convincingly. I ended up fumbling around with the block set and had trouble opening it wide enough. The fourth and last attempt crept up on me, and I retried the 140; close but no cigar. I was admittedly a little discouraged as I closed much heavier in training, but it seemed like everyone had a rough gripper day, so I couldn’t be too mad. Regardless, the 135 gave me a WR by a wide margin, shattering the previous 115 in my weight class (although it was not contested many times).

The 2HP was next. I had my number in mind: 172. 172 would break the recently set WR. I was really thrown for a loop here, as I ended up unintentionally halting the competition as I was trying to find out exactly what I needed. I felt like I was inconveniencing everyone and felt a little embarrassed as a result. After hitting 160 convincingly, I attempted 173, which was the closest it could get to 172. I broke 173 off the floor, but I couldn’t lock it out. Not only would this be a WR but also a 10-lbs PR. I was visibly frustrated, but I tried it again. This time, no budge. Hindsight bias really got into my head here. I knew I could’ve gotten 170 and posted a better number, but I got greedy.

The Napalm Nightmare followed shortly after. My goal was the hit around 260. I knew this would likely be my worst event, and I was right. I hit my opener at 235, and it went downhill from there. Despite hitting 238×4 in training, I couldn’t get 245 on my next 3 attempts. I was actually just happy I didn’t bomb out on this event.

The medley room was a sensory overload–12 objects in 90 seconds. I never got to practice medley because I ended up resting about a week and a half before the meet to mend up a few aches and skin tears. Once the timer started, I moved quick and efficiently. I had a plan, and I executed very well. I made two huge mistakes, one of which I did not even notice until after: I forgot the anvil completely and did not lift the crusher. The clip on the Crusher got stuck on the loading pin, so I skipped it and came back at the end. By that time I was gassed and failed to lift it. Rookie mistakes, undeniably.

Last event: the dreaded wrist roller. I can’t write much about this. It was honestly a blur, and I’m 100% convinced I have already repressed the memory. All I can tell you is made it about 26 feet and my forearms nearly exploded. So, yeah…. that’s all I have to say about that.

Initially, I was very disappointed in my performance. I took gold and set a modest WR, but my main goals remained unachieved. I then gave it some though. This was my first ever grip competition–WHO CARES. It was that simple. I’m 23 years old, and I just finished my first competition. My main goal was to get my feet wet and experience what gripsport is all about; I did just that. I also got the meet the community–every single person I met was kind, encouraging, and well-spoken. I had competed and had a blast doing it. With that being said, I would consider NAGS 2018 is be a great success and a day I won’t forget. I’m already looking forward to all my future competitions where I will get to meet more people and run back into the great people I have met. I would list everyone out, but I feel this post is already way too long as is.

My Note to Nigel: I thought you did awesome my man.

To wrap up…awesome job. You attacked everything, bro. That’s what you need to do. Can’t wait to see you at the next contest, now that you’ve gotten the taste of grip competition!

2017 North American Grip Sport Championship

Grippers Right and Left Hands

Two Hands Pinch

Axle Deadlift

NAGS Championship Medley Runs

Aaron Corcorran Medley Run

Tanner Merkle Medley Run

Jedd Johnson Medley Run

Gil Goodman Medley Run

Post Contest Feating – Sahlaney Bell Combo Lifts

Jedd Johnson 180/172 Sahlaney Bell Attempt

Tanner Merkley 180/172 Sahlaney Bell Attempt

Jedd Johnson – First Try at 180/172 Sahlaney Bells

Eric Roussin 180/172 Sahlaney Bell Lift

Post Contest Feating – 180lb Sahlaney Bell + Fatman Blob

Jedd Johnson – 180lb Sahlaney Bell + Fatman Blob

Tanner Merkle – 180lb Sahlaney Bell + Fatman Blob

Jedd Johnson – 180lb Sahlaney Bell + Fatman Blob

This past weekend was “Nationals,” the North American Grip Sport Championship.

If you’re not familiar, the way Nationals works is you must qualify via 1 of several ways.

One way is based on your finish in a sanctioned contest. Generally, top 3 in your class will get you qualified.

Another way is by breaking a long-standing record, such as a bodyweight record for certain lifts, or by breaking a World Record in other lifts.

Still, another way is to certify on highly recognized 3rd party feats of strength, such as the IronMind #3 Gripper or Red Nail.

Finally, if you can qualify one year, and you go to the NAGS Championship and compete, then you’ll be qualified for the next year.

Various contests take place all over the United States and Canada throughout the year, and competitors qualify at every single contest, for the chance to compete at Nationals, the biggest and most prestigious competition all year long.

In 2014, I was lucky enough to win the overall competition. The events were good for me, and I trained them hard, and it resulted in a strong win over top competition.

This year, the events were a bit different. They were events that I was OK in, but the mix wasn’t anywhere near as strong for me in 2014, so I knew I had my work cut out for me.

Going in, I knew my main competition would be Andrew Durniat and Kody Burns. Andrew and I have been battling it out in Grip Sport since 2008, and Kody has proven to be extremely talented in all forms of grip in the last few years.

Grippers

I knew going in that Grippers would be strong for me. I have been closing my 170-rated Tetting 7 on a regular basis in training. I’ve done it before, but more sporadically.

The grippers used at Nationals are only used at Nationals. They were first used in 2014, so the 2015 contest was only the 2nd time they’ve ever been out of a shipping box.

Last year, I managed a 155 Left and a 170 Right. This year, I PR’d on both hands with a 160 Left and a 180 Right. I believe this makes me only the third or fourth person to ever close a Top Row gripper. There are three rows of grippers on the table, and 180 begins the top row. It’s a strange feeling being able to say that, as I have never been crazy strong on grippers.

Right Hand Grippers

Left Hand Grippers

Two Hands Pinch

What was once my best event that would be a sure overall win for me has turned into a nightmare. Training for this event went straight into the toilet mid-way through April for unknown reasons. In April, I had lifted an all-time training PR of 258lbs and broke 260 off the ground. Then, the next workout it was like I had no idea what I was doing.

I was able to get 235 fairly easy on my 2nd attempt, but 245 laughed in my face in my 3rd and 4th attempts. It would have been really nice to get those points, but I ended up just an inch or so shy on my 3rd lift and less than an inch on my 4th lift.

Kody Burns hit a successful lift of 254. This was the first time I’ve been beaten on 2 Hand Pinch in a contest since 2005, when Chad Woodall beat me at the Global Grip Challenge.

Double Overhand Axle

In contrast from Pinch, my Axle had been super strong throughout April and May. I was lifting 393 for multiple singles and some doubles in May. I just recently hit my first ever lifts of 400lbs on the Axle at the New York Grip Throwdown in April, so I figured this year would be the year I finally got 400lbs in competition at Nationals as well.

Unfortunately, I didn’t quite get legal lifts. I got them very close to Lockout, but didn’t have enough control over the bar to get good calls. Close but no cigar.

Wrist Roller

The Wrist Roller this year involved an elevating lift arm and a sled drag. I feel like I prepared very well for this event, as I cut my time down to a third of what it was in March when I tried it at Andrew’s gym in March. I got a little over 10 seconds.

Medley

Going into the Medley, I was sitting in 2nd Place. I didn’t know how far behind I was of the Leader, Kody Burns, though. I knew I beat him in Grippers, and that he had beaten me in Pinch, Axle, and Wrist Roller, so for all I knew I was down 3 to 5 points.

I didn’t worry about the deficit I was facing. Instead, I just focused on seeing each one of the implements coming up when it was my turn to make my run.

The way the Medley worked was there were two rows of 12 implements. One row was lighter, one row was heavier. If you completed the lighter implement, you got half a point. If you got the heavier implement, you got 1 point. You could try the harder one, and if you missed, you could go do the lighter one, but you would only get points for the heavier variation. So, the best possible score was 12 points.

I honestly thought I was going to Stack the whole Medley, except for the Sledge Lever to the Face. I figured I would run out of time to even try it, so my goal was 11 points.

To my surprise, the Saxon Bar loaded to 205lbs was EXTREMELY tough. The finish was very slick and chalk would not stick to it, so NOBODY ended up getting it.

Also, the Sorinex Anvil proved too heavy for me. I got it an inch off the floor, but nowhere near lockout. In both cases of the Saxon Bar and the Anvil, I had to go to the lighter versions and settle for half a point each.

Additionally, the adrenaline must have given me a kick, because I shot through the entire Medley and had time to try the Hammer Lever, and I completed it. So, that gave me 10 of the 1-point feats and 2 of the half-point feats, for a total of 11 points, exactly the total that I wanted.

The scores must have been closer that I anticipated, because the 11 points was enough to allow me to inch my way past Kody Burns in the Final Standings, and I was elated to learn that I had won the Overall competition.

With this victory, it makes my 3rd consecutive Division Champion and 2nd consecutive Overall Champion. I honestly couldn’t believe it.

I am beyond thankful to God for my health and my ability to stay focused. In past contests, my disappointing finishes in the Pinch and Axle would have resulted in a great deal of anger, but this year I was able to remain focused.

I am thankful to my wife, Delraine, and my family for supporting me in my endeavors in Grip Sport.

I am so thankful to have a great partner like Luke Raymond who trains his butt off every bit as hard as I do and truly pushes me to be better.

I thank my other training partner, Mark Gannon, who pushes me hard on Friday mornings and lets me work a little thick bar into the sessions, even though it eats up some time and makes me grumpy to train with.

I sent a note to my parents who have supported me in athletics since I was a child and these days listen to my Grip stories with the same attention they used to listen to my baseball and basketball reports.

I sent out thanks to my massage therapist, Rachelle and my chiropractor, Dr. Napp for helping to keep me healthy throughout the year and especially the last few weeks.

And I want to thank all of you in the Diesel Universe for all the continued support over the years.

I couldn’t have done this without any of you. Thank you.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Many have asked me what’s next for me. The primary goal is to lean up a bit. I have already made some modifications to my diet and added back in morning and lunch-time cardio sessions. If you’re interested in taking off a few lbs, check out Napalm Fat Burning. That program covers exactly the kind of stuff I’ll be doing in the next few weeks leading up to my August family vacation to the beach!

On June 14th, 2014, I competed in the North American Grip Sport Championship at Durniat Strength Gym in Wooster, Ohio.

This is the 3rd year in a row it was held at Andrew Durniat’s gym. He has also been the reigning North American Champion every year since 2011. Andrew runs a nice demanding competition every single year, featuring a mix of the classic events (Grippers, Two Hands Pinch, and Axle Deadlift) plus other new challenge events as well (this year the Pinch Block Curl and the Sledgehammer Choke).

Recognition is in Order

Before I get too far, I absolutely must give credit where it is due. This year I am in the best shape of my grip career and I owe all the thanks to a handful of people.

First and foremost is my dietary coach, Joe Carabase. Without him, my diet would be a mess and I would most likely still be fat, in poor condition, and hurting all the time.

Next is Luke Raymond and Dan Ely – I began training with Luke in the Fall of last year and Dan Ely came on in the Winter of this year. Having these two guys around so we can all push one another has been HUGE for my training. I can only hope that they have gotten as much out of training with me as I have from training with them.

The Competitors

The list of competitors was quite a bit different this year from last. It seems like about half the group is truly a core group and shows up to throw down year in and year out, while the other half is more dynamic and changes from year to year. Either way, this year saw many hardcore veterans and first-time competitors who will be forces to reckon with for years to come.

Competitor & Bodyweight in Lbs

Brent Barbe (Pennsylvania) 204.5
Charles Chartan (Quebec, Canada) 144.6
Andrew Durniat (Ohio) 227.5
Brandon Gerber (Ohio) 211.2
Michael Hann (Texas) 162.7
Jermey Hartman (Ohio) 226.85
Jedd Johnson (Pennsylvania) 228.4
David Labbe (Virginia) 275
Malcolm Majesky (Ohio) 247.8
Eric Milfeld (Texas) 182.75
Robert Miller (North Carolina) 265
Lucas Raymond (Pennsylvania) 204.6
Nic Rosendaul (Ohio) 244.25
Eric Roussin (Ontario, Canada) 204.25
Tom Scibelli (Maryland) 220
Darrin Shallman (Michigan) 156.1
Yori Skutt (Texas) 129.75
Bob Sundin (North Carolina) 180
Jonathon Vance (Ohio) 196.65
John Wojciechowski (New Jersey) 273.15

First Event – Grippers

Grippers have been an event that have been known to give me trouble, as my crush generally lags behind my other events, especially in comparison to other top grip athletes. This year, my goal was to make up some ground. I began training grippers every 4 to 5 days, and many times more than once a week, and it paid off, as I was able to close a 175-rated gripper Right-handed. I also got a 155 shut lefty.

The grippers used were a set that was purchased from Cannon Power Works by a few members of the North American Grip Sport committee. They were all rated by Cannon, meaning the same device and practices were followed, making it the most valuable gripper set in the world, ranging from 80-lbs up to over 200, in 5-lb increments. I can only imagine the hundreds of grippers that would need to be rated in order to obtain these 30 or so grippers.

By the end of the first event, I found myself behind Andrew Durniat and David Labbe, both competitors in this year’s Mighty Mitts competition at the Arnold Classic, but the gap was not so far that it would be insurmountable.

Here are the videos of Luke Raymond’s and my attempts on Grippers.

NAGS Championship Right Hand Grippers

NAGS Championship Left Hand Grippers

Event Two – Two Hands Pinch

As much as I would love to hold the World Record in this lift again, this year it was just not in the cards. I tore the hell out of my right thumb and I had to modify my training through all of April, May and June. I was super stressed about it, because I had actually set some pretty lofty goals made some hard plans, but they went awry, so I had to do the best I could.

Since the implements used for NAGS were virgin plates – they had never been lifted on ever before that day – numbers were down across the board. I sealed the victory in the event on my first attempt with a lift of 224, which was enough to top Andrew’s 219 and 209 put up by David Labbe and Eric Milfeld. On my second attempt, I lifted 239.69, a lift of 105% of bodyweight.

Two Hands Pinch – NAGS Championship – Jedd Johnson

Two Hands Pinch – NAGS Championship – Luke Raymond

Event Three – IronMind Axle Deadlift

The third event was another one that is a classic thorn in my side. But, since my Two Hands Pinch training had to take a back seat leading up to NAGSC, it made room for more Axle work. In training, I actually worked up over 400-lbs for the first time since 2012, and I think if I would have switched to Sumo Technique a little sooner, I think I could have pushed my training numbers even higher, and perhaps even attained a lift over the 400-lb mark in competition at NAGSC.

As you will see, on my last attempt, I went for 402-lbs, and got it well over the knees, but couldn’t quite hold on until lockout.

IronMind Axle Deadlift – Jedd Johnson – NAGS Championship 2014

IronMind Axle Deadlift – Jedd Johnson – NAGS Championship 2014

Fourth Event – Pinch Block Curl

The Pinch Block Curl was a new event this year. The design of the implement is to replicate the act of performing a Plate Curl, without having to attach weight to the end of an actual plate. This tests the strength of the entire lower arm and hand at the same time.

Many of the competitors are experienced at training the Plate Curl, so no one really knew what to expect going into the event. I know I had no idea where my lifts would fall against the other competitors, so I made my training as hard as possible, loading my implement with as much of a leverage disadvantage as possible. Apparently, my preparation paid off, as I was able to finish with 44.66lbs with each hand, good enough for second place right behind David Labbe.

NAGS Pinch Block Curl – Right Hand

NAGS Pinch Block Curl – Right Hand

Final Event – Sledgehammer Choke

Still a fairly new event, the Sledgehammer Choke has only really been contested since about April of 2013. However, I think I have been at 4 of the 6 competitions where it has been held, so this has been a big advantage for me. The biggest advantage was seeing the way other people do the Choke at Gripmas 2013. Instead of trying to radially deviate the wrist, some were allowing the wrist to kick into ulnar deviation and then lock it there, allowing for a bigger tilt and bigger lifts.

Luke really took to this technique in training, working up to over 22 inches almost immediately, once we started training it heavily in May. This variation is MUCH more intense on the wrist though, and he found he could not recover from training it very quickly, so he actually stopped training it about half way through May. I was not getting the lingering soreness that he was, so I continued to work on it, with the main objective of catching up to him as much as I could.

Unfortunately for me, I couldn’t narrow the gap quickly enough, because Luke hit 23 inches righty and 27 inches lefty, to my 22 inches each hand. Despite the fact that 22 inches on a 14-lb hammer (308 inch pounds) actually beat the previous work record on the 12-lb hammer of 25 inches (300 inch pounds), it wasn’t nearly enough to catch up to Luke’s 322 righty and 378 lefty inch pounds. CRAZY!!!

Sledge Choke Right Hand

Sledge Choke Left Hand

I knew going into the last event that I was slightly ahead of Dave Labbe, by just tenths of a point. So I knew that the entire contest was mine to win or lose. But I really had no idea what Dave was capable of on the event – I wasn’t even sure if he had trained the event before, so I went for broke and tried an all-out PR on my second attempts, both right- and left-handed. Both of those lifts proved to be enough to beat out Dave, so I knew he had him beat.

2014 NAGS Champion

To hear my name called at the end as the Absolute Champion, winning the Overall, was amazing. Once I knew, I gave my parents a call to let them know, since they have been behind me every step of the way.

What was even more awesome about that is they were babysitting my daughter and I even got to tell her about the win and hear the excitement she had in her voice.

Naturally, there are dozens of people I can thank, but the biggest credit has to go to Luke and Dan. I can’t describe the impact it has had for me having them here in the gym.

I hope you have enjoyed the write-up, and I hope it inspires you to try your hand at Grip Sport sometime soon.

From what I hear, Dave Labbe is HOOKED.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Last week, Doc and I posted the latest episode of Grip Strength Radio. You can Download it Here

Main topics from last week’s show:

• What has been going on since the last show (December)
• Info on my Thoracic Outlet Syndrome condition
• Mighty Mitts 2013
• Grip Sport Nationals
• Recent Media Coverage for Grip Sport

Regarding the last topic, the Recent Media Coverage for Grip Sport, some of you may not realize the awesome press that our sport has received recently.

Wall Street Journal Article on Grip Sport: First off, there was a full-length feature article on the Grip Sport National Championship in the Wall Street Journal recently. Ben Keisling reported and wrote the article. He interviewed several grip athletes as well as myself prior to the competition and then also attended the contest as well.

Here is where you can read the Wall Street Journal write-up on the NAGS Championship.

EliteFTS: Also, Nic Bronkall put together a great post of his experience at Grip Nationals on the EliteFTS Website <=Check it out. Next Episode: Be sure to stay tuned for the next episode of Grip Strength Radio. Doc and I will be talking with Eric Milfeld. Eric, in case you don’t know, challenged himself to unheard of levels, cutting nearly 40-lbs of bodyweight in less than 2 months, in order to compete in a much lighter weight class. In doing so, he set several new world records in his weight class, and we can’t wait to talk with him in detail about it. If you have anything you’d be interested in us discussing with Eric, please leave a comment below.

All the best in your training.

Jedd