After learning about this, Blob and Block Weight lifting have been the most fun types of training I have done over the course of the last almost ten years.

Block Weights

Block Weights, by definition, are any block-shaped weight that can be used for wide open hand pinch training. Here are a few types of Block Weights:

• Blobs (Fatmans, Next Gen’s, Legacy’s, Blob50′s, etc)
• Dumbbell Heads (severed, broken or cut heads of a dumbbell, especially Hex Blocks)
• Chunks (pieces of iron, steel or stone that are shaped like Blobs/Block Weights)
• Globs (dumbbell heads from globe-shaped dumbbells)
• Scale Weights (block-shaped weights with handles used in industry for calibrating scales)
• Weight Plates (somehow attached to form a solid structure, i.e. 6-tens duct taped together)
• Dumbbells (inverted and lifted by the ends)

To illustrate some of these types of Block Weights, aside from just York Blob implements, check out the following video.

My Block Weight Collection (circa Sept. 2009)

As Original-style Fatman Blobs and Next Generation Blobs become harder and harder to find, it has become much more common to see people training their wide open hand pinch with other types of Block Weights, especially Hex Blocks.

Since making the above video, I have continued to expand my Block Weight collection.

I recently expanded my collection once again, adding another half 120-lb dumbbell Hex Block. This one was sent to me by a pro wrestler named PITT from the Carolina region. You have seen PITT before. He has submitted many videos for the Diesel Grip Strength Challenge.

The new Hex Block came in this week. So I immediately attacked it and applied Napalm Theory #1 to it – MISSES ARE JUST WARM-UPS.

Half 120-lb Hex Block Lift

Here’s a funny story – PITT sent this to me in a Flat Rate Box, but he emailed me and told me that just in case the mailer box broke, he first encased the Block in an old car battery box with a note on it, saying “If found, deliver to Jedd Johnson, the guy with the coolest beard in Grip,” or something along those lines.

Sure enough, the only thing I received was the car battery box, the note, and the Block Weight. Had he not put it in the internal box with extra duct tape and the note, I might never have gotten this block weight, so make sure you do something similar if you plan on shipping anything heavy like this in the future.

I plan on continuing to expand my Blob and Block Weight collection. I am on the look-out for my own Original Style Fatman Blob, more Hexes as they come, chunks, and I also really want to start getting more Hex Head Dumbbells to pinch by the head, inverted style. I find some of these to be even tougher to Pinch Lift than some cut-off hex-head block weights.

If you get the opportunity to add Block Weights to your collection, DO IT. This type of training is beneficial for open hand grip strength, regardless of whether it is a York, Hex, or other piece.

Also, if you have any cool Block Weights in your collection, I’d love to see them. Take some pics or upload a video to YouTube and send it to me with a write-up.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Sign up for Grip Strength Training Tips and a Free 8-Week Grip Training Program:

• The Simplest Form of Block Weight Training
• Grip Training: The Fatman Clone Block Weight
• DIfference Between Blob Types
• 39 Reps with the 50-lb Blob
• Wild Card Qualifier – Two Hands Pinch

Home Made Thick Grips

Fitness can be an expensive thing, especially if you want to have your own equipment. Sometimes even a very well equipped gym can be lacking a piece of equipment that you really need or, more likely, want.

READ THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP

With the way the economy has been it is very likely that new gym equipment has been sent to the back burner in favor of paying your rent. Even if you aren’t in dire straights I don’t know anyone who wouldn’t like to save a bit of cash here and there if possible.

The good news is that you do not necessarily have to choose between groceries and having a well equipped gym if you’re willing to do a little work.

If you are serious about your training then there is a good chance that at some point your grip has been a limiting factor for you.
Maybe you couldn’t hold onto the bar for a heavy deadlift or set of shrugs. Or perhaps you can’t do as many pullups as you would like to because you can’t hang onto the bar.

It’s also possible that you are just chasing some killer grip strength. Whatever your situation, you’ve probably seen or heard the great benefits of using thick grips.  Well now you can get all those great benefits without breaking the bank.

Here is what you’ll need to make two rotating thick grips:

• 1 foot of 2” PVC pipe
• 1.5 feet of 1 ¾” PVC pipe
• 2 18” long pieces of chain
• 2 carabiner clips
• A saw
• Approximate cost for 2 handles: $12

PVC Pipes

PVC pipe is very easy to find in any hardware store. Usually you will find two foot long pieces and may not be able to find a one foot piece. That’s fine. The two foot pieces usually cost around 4 or 5 bucks. Just get them and you will have extra, or you can double everything up and make four handles.

As far as the chain and clips go, make sure you find out the weight rating on both! Don’t skimp and buy some cheap novelty carabiner that is made for holding your keys: it will break. Suck it up and buy good clips and good chain.

I made four handles with chain rated to 800lbs and clips rated to 300lbs and it cost me about $24. That’s $6 a handle.

DIRECTIONS

Miter Box for Sawing PVC Pipes

Cut the 2” PVC pipe into 6 inch sections and the 1 ¾” pipe into 6.5”. If you are using a hand saw for this it really helps to have a miter box so you know your cuts will be straight. If you don’t have one, try and clamp the pipe down as firmly as you can to a table. Do I even have to tell you to watch the fingers when sawing?

Sawing Using a Miter Box

Honestly, cutting the PVC is the most difficult part of the entire process. Once you have the sections cut, put the 1 ¾” PVC inside the 2” PVC.

Revolving Fat Brip Handle

Run the chain through the 1 ¾” and close the ends with the carabiner.

Yes, it really is as simple as that. These handles can be attached to any cable machine via the carabiner, looped over a pullup bar for an incredibly challenging pullup variation, or the chain can be looped through the handle of weight plates or kettlebells for timed holds or farmer’s walks.

(A little note: if your plates do not have handles on them, you may need to use a longer chain to hold onto larger plates such as 45s. Just have a couple pieces of longer chain available to swap out if that is the case)

One of the best features of these grips, aside from their ease to make and low cost, is that if they are too difficult you can just remove the inner 1 ¾” pipe. The handles will no longer rotate, but they should be much more manageable in terms of difficulty. You can also just throw them into your gym bag and carry them back and forth. Give them a shot; I’m sure you’ll enjoy the challenge.  -Chris Smith-

Chris Smith is the owner and head trainer of Train Better Fitness, a performance training company based in New York City offering training services to people of all fitness backgrounds. He is a certified personal trainer with the American College of Sports Medicine, a martial artist and an overall fitness fanatic.

See Chris’s other posts on Diesel:

How to Start Nail Bending

Explosive Conditioning for Martial Arts

P.S. Want to learn how to build 8 other pieces of cool strength training equipment? Then check out the Home Made Strength Online DVD!

How to Bend Nails | How to Tear Cards | Feats of Grip Strength Explained | How to Build Your Own Equipment | How to Lift Atlas Stones | The Sh*t You’ve Never Seen | Sled Dragging for AthletesSimilar Posts:

• Equipment Review: Instant Fat Bar Handles
• Quick, Easy Setup for Homemade Wrist Roller
• Home Made Strength II – Coming Soon
• Home Made Strength
• 5 Important Lessons for New Steel Benders by Chris Smith

Blob Facts

Richard Sorin lifting the Blob

Origin of the Blob

The Blob was named by Richard Sorin, who is one of the modern pioneers of Grip training. Sorin had a 100-lb York Dumbbell that broke and instead of throwing it out, he decided to try to lift it by pinching it at the top. After much trying, he was finally able to lift this block weight, or broken dumbbell head, and began calling it the Blob. This test of strength would later gain popularity as awareness of Grip Training grew.

Why is the Blob so Challenging to Lift?

The Blob is more difficult to lift that a hex-shaped block weight because it flares out on the sides. Because of this flaring slope, your hand is positioned in a more open position, adding to the challenge.

What kind of Blobs are there?

There are many kinds of Blobs and it can be tough to sort them all out.

Fatman Blobs – These are the original style heads of York Dumbbells. They bulge out on both sides and are quite a bit tougher to lift than other Blobs. Richard Sorin is the first person I ever heard of who called the original Yorks by the name Fatman. In addition to having rounder sides, most of these Blobs are also 1 to 4 pounds heavy.

New Generation Blobs –This generation of dumbbell was designed slightly different from the original style. While the handle side bulge is similar to the original Fatman style, the non-handle side is flatter. This flatter thumb side makes this generation of Blob somewhat easier to lift. This style of dumbbell head was discontinued circa 2005. These Blobs are usually pretty close to 50 pounds.

Blob50 – Gordon Vizecky got a cast produced of one of the newer style Yorks in 2005 once York stopped making them. From time to time he gets more Blob50’s made at a foundry near his home in Minnesota. These Blobs vary in difficulty depending mostly on the texture. A rougher texture generally makes the Blob easier to lift. There is little data available to show how the weight of these Blobs vary.

Legacy Blobs – This is the most recent style of dumbbell produced by the York Barbell company. They have one side that is very straight making them very easy to lift when the thumb is placed on that side. Anecdotal evidence suggests that if they are lifted “backwards,” with the thumb on the rounder side, the challenge returns.

Fatman Clones – A fellow named Chris from the Baltimore area made a cast from a Fatman style Blob and produced replicas of the original style Blob. Chris sent me one of these gems and it is by far the heaviest and most difficult Blob of any design I have tried to lift. It is wide like a flatman, shoots out on both sides, and can annoy you like the hall monitor in High School. I love my clone and have another one on the way. Thanks Chris for going to all the trouble of producing these!!!

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So, there you go.

There are many types of Blobs out there. As long as they are not of the Legacy variety, they are considered a legitimate challenge to lift and something to be proud of.

I got my first Blob from Rick Walker in 2003. Blessed with large hands and great thumb R.O.M., I was able to lift it and take a few steps with it the first time I saw it.

I always include plenty of Blob work in my training, because block weight training is so great for hand strength development, whether it’s Blob holds for time, Double Blob Farmer’s Walk, Blob Plus Weight, Blob by the Face, or Blob Lift for Reps.

As I said at the beginning of this post, I recently tried to go for as many full deadlifts with the Blob as possible. By full deadlift, I am talking about standing completely erect with the hips locked and the blob up near my waist area.

I set out for a goal of 40 Blob lifts in however much time that I needed to accomplish it. Unfortunately I lost count as I was lifting and only got 39, but what a tremendous workout. Man, was I pissed when I realized I miss-counted, though…

Here’s the video of my 39 reps in about 6 minutes.

Several things helped me get so many reps in about 6 minutes time:

Pre-chalking a large area – By heavily pre-chalking a large area of the blob before lifting it, I could shift my hand around on the blob and lift it from various positions once my thumb wiped spots of chalk off the paint.

Multiple reps without re-gripping – By using a touch-and-go approach, I was able to rep out 3 or more reps in the beginning when my hands were still fresh. I was able to sneak in more reps in less time this way and as a result hand fewer irritation in my thumb skin.

Tilting – It is way easier to get the reps in if you tilt the blob prior to lifting it. This puts more of the emphasis on the fingers and wrist while taking some off of the thumb, requiring more time to wear the thumbs out.

If you have any questions about Blob lifting, please let me know. You can do this my leaving a comment below. Don’t forget to check back, though! I always try to respond to comments!

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-Similar Posts:

• DIfference Between Blob Types
• Grip Strength Training – Block Weight Lifting
• Grip Training: The Fatman Clone Block Weight
• The Simplest Form of Block Weight Training
• Double Blob Farmers Walk