A couple weeks back I blogged about how I was going to start taping my workouts and posting them to YouTube so that I could get help from you all and so that I could spread the word about Grip and Strongman training.

If you missed that post, you can read about it here: ===> Training my Ass off in my Garage – Fire Walk with Me. I have had a lot of fun putting these together and my workouts have just gotten better and better.

So I had to let you all know that I was able to accomplish something HUGE in my Grip training last night.

For the first time ever, I was able to lever my 16-lb hammer, free standing, from the vertical position, down to my face, and back up again. I did it very strictly, meaning I didn’t bounce it around or anything. My hand dropped a bit which makes it easier, but I was very happy to be able to get it back to the vertical position, regardless.

Sledge hammer levering is great for strengthening the wrists for nail bending and card tearing.

I must warn you, levering a heavy sledge hammer is not a walk in the park. Dominating a lighter hammer for multiple can make you think you are ready to jump up a couple pounds, but once that hammer head starts moving downward, it can feel totally different.

If you try sledge levering, watch your lips. The moment that hammer gets near parallel, it starts picking up speed in hurry, and you can’t just call time out and stop it.

The Hardest Block Weight I Ever Saw

I was also able to get some good work in on my GIGANTIC half 115-lb block weight.

If you’re not familiar with block weights, the most common type is half of a dumbbell, Block weights are great for hand strength because they force you to generate strength in an open hand position, training you to engage your finger tips and your palm.

Anyway, back to the half 115-lb hex block weight.

In like 2004, a very strong grip dude named Shane Larson from North Dakota sent out 3 of these half 115-lb block weights. He sent them to 3 of the top block weight lifters at the time – Sean Dockery, Heath Sexton, and me.

These half 115′s are freakin’ HUGE, my friends!  The slope on these things is over 7 inches across, meaning from the end of one side slope to the end of the opposite side slope is over 7 inches.  I have a hard time even getting a purchase on the vertical sides of this hunk of iron and my hands are pretty damn big.

I’ve had this thing for 5 years and have only broken it off the ground a handful of times and I was able to do more than that last night.

In fact, nobody in the world has ever lifted one of these block weights to a full deadlift!

So check this video out.

This one is my bench workout and my Grip stuff.

This one is just my grip stuff – it’s the same video, just I auto-started it after all the bench footage.

Right at the end of the video is when I start ramping it up for this killer half 115-lb block weight. Wait for it, it’s worth it.

-Jedd-Similar Posts:

• Levering a Giant Hammer
• This Week’s Challenge – Sledge Hammer Deadlift
• Diesel Grip Strength Challenge – Week 3 Results & Week 4 Feat
• Grip Strength Training – Block Weight Lifting
• Isometric Hammer Work for Bending Success