Time to get caught up a little bit on This Week in Grip.

Incidentally, I created a Playlist for the Podcast, so if you’re new to the show, you can start right from the beginning and get caught up: This Week in Grip Complete Playlist

Episode 66 – Hand Shake Power & Rich Williams’ 560 Axle

Episode 67 – Joe Sullivan and the Cross Canada Grip Challenge

Episode 68 – Follow Up on Rich W & What’s the Deal with Plate Flipping?

Episode 69 – Jujimufu & Tom Visit

Episode 70 – What is the Inch Dumbbell???

All the best in your training.

Jedd

How Jedd Got Started in Grip Start

Lately lots of viewers on my YouTube Channel have been asking lots of great questions in the comments section of my videos.

I love it!

I have a whole list that continues to grow and I plan on answering all of them.

Here’s the first of many…

Question: Jedd, how did you get involved in Grip Training?

Check Out My Complete Diesel Crew Product Catalog

Join My Grip Instructional Site

Become a Member of My Grip Coaching Program

If you’ve been around my newsletter or my YouTube Channel for any amount of time, then you know I hate training methods that are a waste of time.

I mean, I want every single drill you do to mean something.

I want every exercise you do in the gym to get you closer to your goals.

And if it doesn’t help you out, then I think you should totally scrap it from your training.

One drill I thin everyone should drop like a bad habit is Blob and Block Weight Drags.

This is when you take a grip on your goal Blob, tilt it to the side and pull it along the floor.

To me, this is a complete waste of your valuable grip training time, because it takes emphasis away from your thumb and puts it on the fingers and wrists.

Doesn’t it make more sense to build thumb strength in order to lift the Blob?

Plus the “Force vectors” don’t match up, because in order to lift the Blob you need to pull it vertically. With dragging, you’re pulling it along the ground.

Doesn’t it make more sense to build strength lifting the Blob upwards, rather than across the floor?

Sure, if you work your Blob for a year or 2 with dragging, you might get it, eventually.

But wouldn’t you rather accomplish your goal quicker than that?

When it comes to Blob training, you need to focus on work that keeps the emphasis on the thumb and forces you to pull the Blob upwards. That’s why I feel that Deloading methods are the absolute best ways to train to lift the Blob or other Block Weights.

To see some of my absolute FAVORITE ways to Deload the Blob/Block Weights, pick up my ebook, LIFT THE BLOB, today.

I guarantee you will lift the blob or your other goal block weight FASTER if you get this ebook.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

P.S. There’s no resource on the planet that can touch Lift the Blob. Grab this ebook today and start forging your path to becoming a Blob Lifter.

This Week in Grip Podcast

This Week in Grip – Episode 60 – Grip Feats From July

This Week in Grip – Episode 59 – Northeastern Grip Challenge

This Week in Grip – Episode 58 – A Legend, Lifts & a Lighter

Get Started with Grip Training and Feats of Strength Today
Grab This DVD Set and Go Full Steam Ahead!

Big Goblet and Grip Feats Go Down on 1/6/18

Few workouts in the past six months have been as incredible as this past Saturday’s session.

It started off rocky, though brother. I’ll be honest.

I was in a rush to get out of the house and get downtown, and as a result, I took my mind off the ball and forgot to grab the empty propane tank for the heater I run during my sessions.

Call me a pussy for running a heater. That’s fine. But I’m not training to lift the Housafell stone in freezing temperatures. I’m training to keep myself sane. So I run a heater.

So, I made an extra trip downtown to get it, and it made a huge difference. The temperature outside was below 0, and the temp inside was freezing. The propane cooking helped make Saturday’s Savage Session one that probably won’t be topped in a while, at least as far as the strength feats that I pulled off are concerned.

Here’s a rundown of the highlights.

236lb Goblet Squats for a Double

It’s been a while since I pushed the envelope with Goblet Squats, and these Death Grip Bells, with their sharp edges will WRECK your hands, but I decided it was time to step it up. I attached a 50lb Scale Weight to my 186lb Homicide Bell. Getting it into position was an absolute NIGHTMARE, but with some redneck ingenuity, I got her done!

Blobzilla Plus 5 Pounds

This is a mark I’ve been working toward for a while now. I first started this hike back in October of 2015, but have not trained it consistently until the last quarter of 2017. I’ve been breaking it off the ground for a month or so, and came really close a week ago, but I made it a no-doubter on Savage Saturday.

Blobzilla Clean

Some people know this already, but not many. At the AOBS Dinner in October of 2015, after my performance, I successfully did an ugly Clean with Blobzilla. A combination of feeling amazing for several months, my training being locked in, and the adrenaline of having so many people around allowed me to get it done. But I hadn’t done it again since until Savage Saturday.

One of the goals that’s been on my radar, but still on the backburner is lifting the Blobfather (half 140lb York Legacy Blob). My hands feel very strong right now. I feel I am on my way, and if I can keep things going, Blobfather will be coming off the ground sometime this year. It will really come down to how much time I can put into it, as I also have some other goals I’m focused on, in addition to getting my right ring finger rehabbed in time for Nationals in June.

Stay tuned and come along for the ride.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

This Week in Grip

Let’s finally get caught up on all the past episodes of This Week in Grip.

Episode 33

Got totally skipped by accident, and we’re not gonna go back and re-do it!

Episode 34

Episode 35

Episode 36

Thanks for watching and all the best in your training.

Jedd

This Week in Grip

Still playing catch-up on the episodes of This Week in Grip that I’m behind on.

This Week in Grip – Episode 30

This Week in Grip – Episode 31 – Part 1

This Week in Grip – Episode 31 – Part 2

This Week in Grip – Episode 32 – Part A

This Week in Grip – Episode 32 – Part B

I hope you enjoy them.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

I am really behind on posting episodes of This Week in Grip, the podcast show where Allen Heineck and I cover the latest in the grip world, including Grip Sport, Oldtime Strongman Training and Feats of Grip Strength, as well as other topics closely related to Grip Training.

We also recently added Riccardo Magni to our regular TWIG Team.

Below, you’ll find episodes 27, 28 and 29. I hope you enjoy them. Be sure to subscribe and don’t be afraid to share your favorite episodes with your friends.

This Week in Grip – Episode 27

This Week in Grip – Episode 28

This Week in Grip – Episode 29

I’ll have more episodes of This Week in Grip posted here soon. I don’t want to overload you with TOO MUCH of a great thing.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

This Week in Grip

This week, Allen Heineck and Jedd Johnson discuss what went down at the North American Grip Sport Championship, also known as Grip Nationals.

Feedback on this episode: “Great episode guys! couldn’t make it to nationals, but felt like I was there with Jedd’s recount.” – Tom Scibelli

Want to Compete in Grip?
Start Out By Getting Your Crush Grip Right
With the CRUSH DVD:

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 Week in Grip

This is a SPECIAL edition of the show today – episode 18, the day before a SPECIAL holiday here in the United States and around the world – Memorial Day, and the week before the North American Grip Sport Championship – Allen and I are ready to serve YOU and cover the LATEST in This Week in Grip!

How to Lift the Inch Dumbbell

This Week in Grip

Allen Heineck and I talk about the latest events in Grip Sport, Grip Training, Grip Strength, Hand Strength, Modern Day Oldtime Strongman, and other Feats of Strength.

Allen Heineck and I have been chugging along like a steaming locomotive with This Week in Grip.

Unfortunately, I fell behind in posting them on the site.

So, let’s get caught back up! Here’s episodes 9 & 10.

This Week in Grip – Episode 9

This Week in Grip – Episode 10

We will most likely be taking a week off this weekend, as I will be traveling back from FitCon 2017. I’ll be trying to get as much video as possible, so be sure you subscribe to my YouTube Channel <= Click That Link and Subscribe Today.

Grab Your Tickets for Big J’s FitCon 2017:

All the best in your training.

Jedd

This Week in Grip – Episode #5 – Best Feats of 2016

All the best in your training!

Jedd

This Week in Grip

This week, Allen and I cover what’s happening in the world of Grip Sport, Grip Training, and Feats of Grip Strength.

Be sure to subscribe and make sure to check out Indestructible Elbows.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

I’ve been toying with the idea of starting up the Diesel Crew Grip Challenge for quite some time.

If you’re new to the site, you probably don’t realize I did a weekly challenge here on the site for most of 2011, but then got away from it and haven’t gotten back.

I want to make these something different from the normal cert lists and online stats for Gripboard.com and GripSport.com, things that we can all work on together in our own gyms.

These are also going to be feats that I feel are beneficial to training, things that will help you truly develop useful, functional grip strength, and not just silly stunts, or anything like that.

I also want to use this as a way to recognize people for their hard work. So, once you reach the top position, I’m more than happy to post your feat here on the site.

I’ll most likely add feats over time, and bring it to the front whenever there is something new.

If you want to take part, just let me know. Include DieselCrew.com Grip Challenge in the title, along with whatever feat it is, send me a link, and you’ll bee considered for posting, as long as your video is legit and you’ve followed the rules.

Here we go:

Block Weight Unbroken Reps

Rules: Can use either 1 or 2 Block Weights. Pairs can be made up of the same or different Block Weights, in order to get on multiple lists at once. Must apply your grip, lift to full lockout, return to the ground and then immediately pull back to lockout without resting or re-gripping. All reps pulled from the contact of the floor to lockout will be counted. This is where the term “unbroken” comes from.

Lists will include half 75 and up for Women and Half 90 and up for Men.

Double Half 100lb York / Blob 50

#1: Jedd Johnson (6 reps)
#2: Juha Harju (4 reps)
#3: Luke Raymond (1 rep)
#4:
#5:
#6:
#7:
#8:
#9:
#10:

Single Half 100lb York / Blob50

Rules: Can use either 1 or 2 Block Weights (the hand which gets more reps will be counted when using a pair of the same block weights). Pairs can be made up of the same or different Block Weights, in order to get on multiple lists at once. Must apply your grip, lift to full lockout, return to the ground and then immediately pull back to lockout without resting or re-gripping. All reps pulled from the contact of the floor to lockout will be counted. This is where the term “unbroken” comes from.

#1: Jedd Johnson (6 reps)
#2: Juha Harju (5 reps)
#3: Jon Vance (3 reps)
#4: Marco Buhl (5 reps – Gladiator Blob – 43lbs)
#5:
#6:
#7:
#8:
#9:
#10:

More feats to come. Any questions, please let me know.

All the best in your training!

Jedd

My grip training workouts are always changing, whether it be the main feats I’m emphasizing, the main events I’m training for contests, or the supplemental drills I’m doing to bring up individual aspects of Grip.

But, one thing that has been consistent over the last couple of years is my favorite way to finish my grip workouts: Grip Rushes.

Grip Rushes are 60-second blocks of as many reps as possible of a certain lift. By going for as many reps as possible, it enables you to train some very high volume, plus it brings about a level of conditioning, which is very important for Medley Training.

I really like using Block Weights and Thick Bar devices, because pulling them to lockout makes the quads, hamstrings, glutes and lower back really burn at the end of the 60-second period.

Recently, I tried a couple of new types of Grip Rushes.

Grip Rush: Blobzilla for Reps

Blobzilla, the half 125lb York Legacy Dumbbell Head, is starting to feel easier, so I’ve begun using it for Grip Rushes. My short term goal is 3 full lifts per hand during the 60-second period. You’ll see here, I get a couple full lifts, a partial or two, and then try a Cheat and Hold at the end.

I think by doing this, I will eventually be able to lift Blobzilla at will, and even begin adding significant weight this year as well.

Grip Rush: Blob Hula Training

I also recently gave Blob Hulas a try with my Winter Blob, a Blob I left outside for an entire winter trying to make it super rough, but when I brought it back in, it had actually become very, very smooth. Hulas are a great way to get more time under tension with your Blob, plus they force you to maintain your grip without setting it perfectly on the Blob each time you make a revolution.

If you’re stuck making only 1 rep on your Blob Deadlift, more time under tension might be what you need, so be sure to give this a try sometime soon, and let me know how it worked out for you.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

One of my most favorite type of grip work is Block Weight training.

You can’t go wrong by including this kind of training in your routine.

Not only does it build your thumbs, but it increases your lumbrical strength, the fingers get worked, and your wrist and forearms get blown up.

At Gripmas, I was introduced to a new block weight challenge item, the “Unliftable” Manna-Nuff.

This was originated by John Manna and eventually another gripster, Nate Brous, ended up with it, and until Gripmas, it had supposedly never been fully lifted, although John Wojciechowski was successful in breaking it free from the ground…

The Manna Nuff is what’s called a “drop.” It’s essentially a left-over piece of steel or iron that didn’t get made into anything and was just left as scrap.

I’ve got a couple drops in my collection. Here’s one we call the “Chunk.”

The Chunk

The Chunk only weighs 56 lbs or so. The Manna Nuff is 88.

This isn’t the first time I’ve been presented with “unliftable” Block Weights.

At Nationals this year, Andrew Pantke introduced me to his “unliftable” Fatman Blob, half of a 100lb old-school York dumbbell. The original ones are quite a bit harder to lift because of their shape, and up until June of 2015, nobody had been able to do more than break it off the ground…

The Unliftable Pantke Blob

So, there I was, faced with the challenge of another unliftable block weight.

Would having experience on the Chunk be enough to lift this “unliftable” block of metal?

When you’re presented with a challenge, you can’t just stand around analyzing things.

Sometimes, you just gotta go after it!

The Unliftable Manna Nuff

Like I said, Block Weights are an extremely valuable manner of Grip Training, with all the benefits they provide.

The strength I’ve developed from my years of Block Weight work has helped me out greatly in being able to tackle many other grip challenges.

I strongly suggest you make Block Weights an integral part of your grip training, if you’re serious about developing your hand strength.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

I recently got a call from Dennis Rogers, inviting me to perform at the annual banquet/gala of the AOBS.

From their site: “The Association of Oldetime Barbell and Strongmen (AOBS) is the arm of WLO that focuses on education regarding Iron Game history and drug free sport, while the parent (WLO) concentrates on the development of the sport of weightlifting and amateur athletes, especially for national and international competition. The organization produces an quarterly newsletter and hosts an annual gala the educates, entertains and provides an opportunity to visit with legends of the Iron Game and old time friends.”

The WLO, or Weightlifting Org., Inc., is “… a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation. It was created to educate the public and public institutions regarding the nature, benefits and history of weightlifting and related activities; the hazards of drug use and benefits of drug free sport; and to develop amateur athletes for national and international weightlifting competition.”

You can learn more about WLO and AOBS here.

I am totally honored to be invited to perform this year. In the past, true legends of strength and strongmanism have performed at the AOBS dinner, including names like Slim “The Hammer Man” Farman, Dennis Rogers, Stanless Steel, “The Human Vise” Pat Povilaitis, and Steve Weiner, just to name a few.

I feel particularly privileged to be chosen to perform this year because I’ll be doing something a little different, in my presentation.

I’ll be performing feats of grip strength, with popular grip challenge items, like the Inch Dumbbell and 50-lb Blob.

50lb Blob (right-hand) Inch Dumbbell (left-hand)

Since finding out about this incredible opportunity, I’ve totally re-examined my training, and have taken some emphasis away from my Grip Sport competition preparation (the King Kong of Grip is taking place on October 24th), and more toward refining some of my specialty feats with the Blob and Inch Dumbbell.

As a result of keying in on the Blob and Inch Dumbbell, my performance has truly skyrocketed, and I’m breaking through barriers that have been in my way for several years.

Here’s a couple examples…

Blob Deadlift for Reps

In 2009, out of nowhere, I decided to go for 40 repetitions in the Blob Deadlift. I don’t remember why anymore, to be honest. Well, I ended up miss-counting and only got 39, but that’s not important.

What’s important is it took my 6 minutes. Here’s the video from 2009:

50lb Blob for 39 Reps (2009)

I had stumbled upon this video after not watching it for quite some time, and when I watched it and saw that it took me 6+ minutes to get to 40 reps, I honestly couldn’t believe it. I remember thinking back then that this was pretty much unbeatable.

What a fool I was. There have been times in my life where I have gotten complacent, and this, obviously, was one of them. As I watched myself struggle to get to 39 reps, like a man with concrete boots trudging uphill through a quagmire, I knew that I could beat this.

So, the next workout, I dragged the Blob back out and went for 40 reps again, as fast as I could. Here’s the video:

50lb Blob for 40 Reps

It’s like my Dad always said to me as a kid. “You can never rest on your laurels.” In other words, you can never feel that what you’ve done is enough. You’re always capable of more. You need to know that you can surpass what you’ve done in the past with the right training.

Inch Dumbbell Rows

Another feat I just recently FINALLY was able to reach, involves Inch Dumbbell Rows.

I have been able to perform a Side Dumbbell Row with the Inch Dumbbell since the mid-2000’s. I think I got my first one in 2007.

Here’s another case, where I was letting my mind get the best on me.

For nearly 8 years, I’ve been stuck at 1 Rep. In fact, I remember a few times thinking that I’d NEVER be able to get 2 reps, meaning 2 consecutive reps, without dropping and/or re-gripping the Inch Dumbbell.

Inch Dumbbell Rows (2011)

Again, what a fool I can be sometimes! Why would I ever think that something is impossible? Talk about mentally painting myself into a corner. Unbelievable.

Finally, for the first time I was able to perform 2 consecutive reps in the Inch Dumbbell Row. Here’s the video:

Inch Dumbbell Rows

I’m still not totally pleased with these, as there’s quite a tilt going on, but I’ll continue to work on them.

Here’s the thing guys, take a lesson from my mistakes, and get your head right with your training.

The mental side of training is HUGE. If you’re head isn’t right, it will keep you from attaining your goals.

And you can’t rest once you hit a certain mark. You can’t get complacent. You can’t hit a goal and just get comfortable. Keep pushing hard and keep growing.

Get your mindset locked in, starting today.

And if you need help with that, stay tuned for a message from me next week called Mental Muscle.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

P.S. Wish me luck at the AOBS on 10/17/15!

Grip Training with the “Chunk”

The Chunk

My gym is filled to the brim with cool grip training gear I’ve accumulated over the years.

That’s what happens when you collect stuff for over 10 years!

Every so often, I like to dig one of the hidden gems out of the corner, dust it off, and give it a few pulls.

Recently, we pulled out the “Chunk.” This one isn’t really “new” to me, as I’ve had it since 2006, but I don’t think I’ve ever put anything out in the public about it until now. So, in that sense, I guess you could say it’s new…

The Chunk Block Weight

The Chunk is a 66-lb steel or iron drop, or scrap piece, essentially a piece that was cut off and never used. The Chunk is what’s considered a Block Weight. Even though Block Weights are usually one of the heads of a dumbbell, they can be any block-shaped implement that you lift with an open handed pinch grip.

Block Weights can be very beneficial for your training. They work the thumb very hard, and they make the entire lower arm work together in order to perform your lifts.

Block Weight Training is a great form of grip training to add into your routine.

Block Weights develop hand and grip strength in a general sense, which means it has the potential to improve strength in order types of grip training, and will carry over to other types of lifting because you’ll be stronger overall from doing Block Weight Training.

Here’s a few videos where we lift the Chunk and try some cool variations by adding weight to it…

Intro to the Chunk

Just taking a look at the Chunk to see its weight and features such as edges and surfaces.

Protected Training on the Chunk

With the sharp edges the Chunk has, we tried protecting our skin with a suede bending wrap and lifting it.

Throwing Chains on the Chunk

Adding chains makes it tougher to complete the lift because it gets heavier, the higher you pull it. It’s an excellent way to train your grip, borrowed from the world of Powerlifting (Louie Simmons introduced me to the concept).

Major Take-aways from Today’s Post

Here’s a few things to remember from today’s post for your training.

• Block Weights are beneficial because they target the thumb (often neglected in training) and develop the entire lower arm in a general sense.
• Block Weights come in nearly endless shapes and sizes and can be used for many different types of lifts.
• Don’t be afraid to pull from other established training protocols and try the concepts in your grip training in order to spice things up a bit and keep yourself progressing. Naturally, do so safely!

If you’d like to get started with Block Weight Training, but don’t know where to begin, then grab my Block Weight Training DVD today. It also comes in digital format so you don’t have to mess with shipping.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Discover New Levels of Hand Strength with Block Weight Training

It’s hard to argue with the Grip Strength enhancing capabilities of Block Weight training.

Block Weights make you lift with an Open Hand, so your fingers and thumbs work much harder than when training on regular-shaped barbells and dumbbells, plus they make your wrists and forearms work harder as well.

Most people train Block Weights with just one hand at a time, but if they are so beneficial, why not train with one in each hand (if you have them).

Last week, I posted some video on Blob Block Weight Holds for Time, even showing a cool weight-added variation with chains – SICK!!!

Today, I’ve got a couple more videos showing you how you can take your Blob and Block Weight Training to the next level.

On Sale $10 Off Right Now

Double Blob Farmer’s Walk

If you have a nice lawn or a big gym to train in, try picking up your Block Weights and then carrying them as far as you can go, Farmer’s Walk Style!

It has been a very long time since I tried this out.

In March of 2008, I completed this run across the road from the Arnold Classic at Goodale Park.

Double Blob Farmer’s Walk – 2008

Double Blob Farmer’s Walk – 2014 – Part 1

After seeing Juha Harju having some fun with this test of strength recently, I decided that I had to give it a try as well. Below, I for my best distance in a very wet and hilly back yard.

Double Blob Farmer’s Walk – 2014 – Part 2

As good as 83 feet is in this lift, I knew I had more in me. So, a few days later, we carried the Blobs back outside, only this time it was to the front yard, where it was a bit drier and a little flatter. I was very happy with the results, making it over 100-feet 3 separate times.

The carry of 121-feet, as far as I know, is a new “World Record,” insomuch that it can be considered one, since it was done during training and outside of a contest format. Naturally, the tape is not flat either, making the distance somewhat subject, but sometime soon, maybe I will take the Blobs to a track or some other spot where it is flatter and we can get a more accurate measurement of the true distance.

Either way, the main thing is developing more strength. I have no doubt the training that I have been doing has been helping me develop more Grip Strength, specifically better Pinching Strength, which I will need on May 3rd at the Bragging Rights Grip Contest.

For more info on on the May 3rd Contest, go here => Bragging Rights Contest.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Blobs and Block Weight Training are great for building hand strength.

Because you grip them with an open hand, they make your hands work harder than some other forms of training.

What’s even more awesome is having one in each hand!

Why have one hand just hanging out waiting for its chance to work, when you can have one Blob or Block Weight in each hand.

So, if you are looking for ways to bring up your hand strength, I definitely recommend Block Weight work, and the best resource available on it is Lift the Blob:

On Sale $10 Off Right Now

That ebook will tell you not only how you can work up to one of the classic feats of grip strength, but also dozens of drills that will take your grip strength to the next level, NO MATTER WHAT YOUR MAIN TRAINING GOALS ARE!

Related to Double Blob Training, on May 3rd, Juha Harju and I are going head-to-head on the Double Blob Hold for Time.

Here is some of the recent training I have done with Double Blob Holds:

Double Blob Hold for Time Training

That was cool and all, but I wanted to take it to the next level, so the next thing I did was loop a chain over top of the Blob. This made the Blobs heavier, the higher I pulled them, plus I couldn’t get the same bite on them with my hands, since the chain made my hand sit higher on them this way.

Double Blob Holds Plus Chains

The Blob Lift Plus Chains shows up at the 4-minute mark. The first portion of the video. I ask about whether people would be interested in challenges held here at the site.

My buddy Juha tried a similar challenge, adding chains to the Blobs, but he did it slightly differently, with magnets. I thought that was a great idea, so I gave it a try myself.

This was super challenging, and I loved it. That is what Training is all about: CHALLENGING YOURSELF!

Misses Are Just Warm-ups: Double Blob Lift Plus Chains

Never forget that Misses Are Just Warm-ups. Sometimes you don’t get a lift on the first try – you need to try it multiple times. Go for it brother.

BOOM! I love getting a PR or other hard lift completed and then grunting and growling. I love the Intensity and feeling like an all-out Animal or Machine.

I have been doing other training with Double Blobs lately. I will post it up soon.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

About a year ago, the prospects of curling a 50-lb Blob were meek.

To put this into perspective, I had only done it once or twice prior to 2013, and I had a success rate of about 1 out of 20 attempts.

Last year about this time, curling the Blob came up so I decided to give it a try and I was successful.

First Curl of the Blob in a Loooong Time

If I remember correctly, I first lifted the Blob in July of 2003 and then curled it for the first time in 2005, but never did it again until 2013. Remember that for later on in this post.

The next feat that was discussed was curling the Blob with the back against the wall. This is how Curls are done in competition, so it made sense to give it a try, so I did.

Curling the Blob – Back Against the Wall

It is so much harder to not be able to shift the shoulders back or to twist with the Blob.

From that day until right now, I can’t think of anyone else who has completed the Blob Curl, whether with the Back Against the Wall or Free Standing. (If there has been, and I have forgotten, I am sorry and I am happy to edit this post. Also, if someone has completed the feat and I didn’t hear about it, please let me know.)

Fast forward to January 2014. Luke Raymond has been training intensely and regularly here at Diesel Gym since September, plus he has been putting in serious work in his other training sessions at other gyms when he is not down here.

Luke officially lifted the Blob to Lockout the first time in January.

Luke Raymond Blob Lift

What happens next is something I NEVER would have anticipated.

It’s not like I didn’t think he has the potential, but in my mind, I thought much more maturity and training age would have been required in order for it to take place.

This is what I am talking about…

Mental Strength = Physical Strength

Essentially, Luke Raymond has gone from zero specialized Grip Training to lifting the 50-lb Blob in 4 months. He has gone from Lifting the Blob to Curling the Blob in about 2 months, and from Curling the Blob Free-Standing to Curling it Against the Wall in about 2 minutes.

To reinforce how awesome this is, I put up a post on Facebook directly after these feats took place and people began guessing who it was that Curled the Blob. names like Brian Shaw, Mike Burke, and other top-level strength athletes began popping up. People whom I have almost NO CHANCE to interact with were guessed.

And NO ONE guessed it was Luke. This unassuming yet dedicated lifter was flying under the radar.

I don’t think that will be the case anymore though.

If you don’t train Grip, don’t think this doesn’t apply to you.

It does.

If you are holding yourself back due to limitations you’ve placed in your mind, it doesn’t matter what sport or activity you are training for.

Just like I said at the beginning of the video directly above, the things I have witnessed over the last few months have made me change the way I approach this feat and all my other training.

Have I been putting handcuffs on myself and limiting my progress in my lifts due to my own mentality?

Have you?

If so, break the cuffs – make the changes in your mind and bring about the progress in your training.

As an example of what is possible, on Sunday, March 23rd, I failed miserably to curl a 50-lb Blob.

After watching Luke manhandle the Blob, this took place on Tuesday, March 25.

Blob Curl Showdown

I hope you take a moment to think about your Mindset.

If you are holding yourself back, STOP.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

You Can Lift the Blob.
I Share Everything You Need to Know in
“Lift the Blob”

This weekend is the Arnold Classic and counting this year, I will have gone 6 out of the last 7 years. I love the atmosphere and it always triggers a spike in my training.

There’s something for everybody at the Arnold Classic. Let me paint a picture for you.

The Arnold take place in a HUGE convention center covering I don’t know how many blocks in the city of Columbus Ohio. The event started out as mainly a bodybuilding deal, but it has expanded over the years to include Powerlifting, Olympic Lifting, and Strongman contests as well as Martial Arts, Fitness and other competitions.

This year, they are also including their first ever Grip Contest on the main stage, called Mighty Mitts. I was lucky enough to get an invite and I am honored. I have been training hard and am geared up to get on the stage.

Now, here’s the deal. If you’re not prepared for the Arnold Classic weekend, you won’t maximize your experience, so here’s a few points to consider to get the most out of the Classic.

Take Water

It is extremely dry in the event center. They do sell water there, but it is like $8 a bottle, so pack your own and bring it with you.

Take Snacks

There’s very few places to eat outside the event center in the hallways, and it’s kind of expensive. There’s tons of free samples of hundreds of different supplements like shakes and bars and powders, but you can only handle so much of that stuff and some of it tastes like a pencil eraser during the SAT’s. So pack some good stuff to take in with you.

Bring Your Camera

There are lots of photo opportunities at the Arnold. There are Bodybuilders, MMA Fighters, Pro Powerlifters and Strongmen, Pro Wrestlers and dozens of Fitness chicks. They will often let you get a picture with them for free, but sometimes they do charge. Either way you’ll have photos that will last you a lifetime.

Wear Comfortable Cargo Pants

Get yourself a pair of loose fitting cargo pants with lots of pockets. This way you can easily carry your water, snacks and camera among other things. Make sure they are loose fitting and not a set of butt huggers. There are plenty of feats of strength to try in the event center, and you don’t want the seam in your ass to tear while trying to do them.

Bring a Back Pack

You may get the opportunity to get some free shirts and other swag while you’re at the Arnold. You’ll turn around and see some fitness model throwing them all over. Fight for the free shirt and stuff it into your pack. Aside from free stuff, you may want to buy shirts and stuff at the seemingly thousands of tables that are there, and the last thing you want to do is carry that stuff around in your hands all day. Now, if your back pack has the Care Bears on it, leave it at home. Some booths will hand out free plastic bags if you need them.

Try the Grip Gauntlet

Each year I have gone, the GNC booth holds the GNC Grip Gauntlet featuring IronMind Grippers, IronMind Rolling Thunder, and the Blob. If you lift the Blob, 207 on the Rolling Thunder, and close the #3 Gripper, you get a real nice gift certificate – I think it’s like $50 or $100! What’s a Blob? Check out this article = = > What is the Blob?

Bring a Towel

A lot of greasy sons-of-guns get their hands on the Blob over the course of the weekend. I mean THOUSANDS of people try this thing. The Blob is hard enough with the ultra-slick stove paint they put on it. It will just be harder if it is covered in hand sweat, so bring your towel to wipe it and the Rolling Thunder off before you make your attempt. A trip through the Gauntlet is worth just the opportunity to meet and shake hands with the Gillingham brothers.

Bring Some Cash, but Take a Deep Breath

You will have opportunities to buy a lot of cool stuff at the Arnold, so bring some cash or a credit card, but take it easy. Don’t just buy on impulse, because you could end up going off the deep end. If you are going with a friend, tell them to monitor your spending. Know what you want to look for, but set your limits.

Bring Your Diesel Shirt

When you walk through the event center, if you see me make sure to give me a holler, and wear your Diesel shirt so I can spot you easier.

Check out Mighty Mitts

Mighty Mitts will be taking place between events at the Arnold Strongman Competition on Friday Afternoon and Saturday evening. I will be competing with 10 of the top dudes in the world. Many, I have competed against in standard Grip competitions. Others, I have met before, but never competed against, and still others I have never met and never competed against. Some of these guys have tremendous Grips on them and have done awesome things Grip-related in the past, just never competed in standard contests before. With this event being all thick bar, it is going to be something to behold!

Wear Comfortable Shoes

You spend a lot of time on your feet at the Arnold and there is almost nowhere to sit down except on the floor, so make sure your shoes are comfortable or else your feet will be screaming by the end of the weekend.

Steal a Seat

It is a cut-throat process getting a chair in front of the stage. You basically have to swoop down immediately once someone stands up. This may mean if you are traveling in a group that you might get split up. The seat is worth it to give your feet a break, so steal your buddy’s seat if you have to.

Cell Phone on Vibrate

If you get split up from your crew, it’s very hard to meet back up, and it is so loud that it is almost impossible to hear a cell phone ring, so set the thing on vibrate and put it in your hip pocket so you will feel it.

Wallet in Hip Pocket

Not sure what the crime rates are at the Arnold Classic, but there are pick-pockets everywhere. it is slightly harder for someone to pick your pocket if you stick your pocket in your front hip pocket than your back pocket or leg pocket. Don’t stick it in a zipper pocket in your book bag. They are too easy to unzip by someone else while you walk and you will never know it. It’s a shame this tip even has to appear here, but it is a sad truth. Awareness is preparedness.

Alright, my friends, it’s just about time for me to hit the road and be on my way to Columbus, Ohio. If you have any more tips for the better of the order, then please leave a comment in the comment box below!

Thanks a ton and have a great weekend, especially if you are at the Arnold.

And if you see me and I don’t see you, yell, shout, hit me with a rock, poke my eye or something to get my attention. It’ll be nice to meet everybody.

Read about last year’s Arnold Classic = = > Arnold 2009

Arnold Classic Weekend Special on the Card Tearing eBook = = > 33% off on Card Tearing eBook Just $19.97!.

Blob Training

Here in Wyalusing, PA, there has been some serious training going on.

This is the kind of stuff that will scare most people.

One point of focus for us has been working with the Blob. The Blob is a type of Block Weight, a weight or object shaped like a Block that you lift in a wide, open-handed, pinch grip.

Why Perform Block Weight Training?

Block Weight Training is an EXCEPTIONAL way to train the hands due to the wide open position it creates. This makes your whole lower arm work harder, especially the thumb, but the wide position also works the fingers and wrists thoroughly.

For more information on Block Weight Training, check out my ebook => Lift the Blob

Here are a few recent highlights from some of the Blob Training that has gone down.

50-lb Fatman Blob to 50cm with 60-second Time Limit

For the recently ended Grip Monsters Challenge, the challenge was to lift a 50-lb Blob to a 50-cm platform for as many repetitions as possible in 60 seconds. I did this a few times. I didn’t really hit my potential for what I can do in this though, because my left thumb had a nasty split in it for at least two of my sessions.

Luke Raymond Hits a Blob & 5-Tens Combo Feat

Luke has been challenging himself more and more with his grip training. Here, he takes a couple of solid attempts at lifting a 50-lb Fatman Blob, then he combines a 50-lb Next Generation Blob in one hand with 5-Tens loose pinch in the other hand.

Blob Lifting Terminology

In case you are not familiar with Blob Lifting terminology, here is a short list of key terms you should know:

Fatman Blob: The original style of York pill-shaped Blobs. These Blobs are a bit wider and have a more rounded edge than later models. Although seemingly a small detail, the additional slope makes lifting them quite a bit more difficult.

Next Generation Blob: The style of Blob York produced some time later, after the Blue Blob. The Blue Blob was slightly narrower and had less slope. The Next Gen had an even narrower profile and still less slope.

Loose Pinch: Pinching done with plates that are not supported in anyway, such as with a pipe. In the video above, 5-Tens Pinch (with smooth sides of outside plates facing outward) is an example of Loose Pinch.

Stay tuned for more clips on Blob Lifting.

If you are looking for tips on how to improve your Blob Lifting, be sure to check out my ebook, Lift the Blob.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Vince McMahon

I saw an awesome quote the other day {!firstname}, and I wanted to share it with you.

It comes from Vince McMahon, and it’s about Failure.

If you don’t know Vince McMahon, he is the Chairman of World Wrestling Entertainment, and has grown this company from a small regional business to a global powerhouse.

Regardless of whether you like or agree with his product, his vision has been what has helped make it become the juggernaut it is today.

Here’s the quote:

“…I’m not afraid of failure. Don’t get me wrong – I hate failing. But I’m not afraid to take chances and fall on my ass, because if I live through it I’ll be better off, and I’ll win.”

I have read and heard many stories of this man’s will to succeed. From sleepless nights working in his basement on film footage, working men half his age into the ground, to breaking every rule in the book by expanding his promotion nation-wide, this guy has never let the possibility of Failure stand in his way.

And it’s not like he’s never failed.

Heck, some of his projects were absolute FLOPS.

He once started a Bodybuilding League called the World Bodybuilding Federation that folded about as quickly as it started. A supplement company lasted about a year, and the XFL lasted only one season.

But instead of letting each of these train-wrecks cripple his drive, he learned from them and pressed on.

And today, I have the same kind of story related to training for you, and it involves someone named Thomas Scibelli.

Thomas and I at Holdfast Gauntlet

Thomas was here in September for the Holdfast Gauntlet, the grip contest I ran that month.

He did a fine job in his first competition, and learned a lot, and I think he will be a great competitor in the near future, but one thing that stuck out about his first grip outing was that he actually was UNABLE to lift the half 75-lb Blob in the Medley.

Thomas was not the only one to miss this York Block Weight, so there is nothing to be ashamed of there. In fact, he didn’t dwell on his “Failure” at all.

Instead, he aimed to take care of this weakness in his armor.

Shortly after the contest, I released “Lift the Blob,” an ebook dedicated to training for one of the most well-known feats of grip strength, and lifting one of the most famous grip challenge items, the 50-lb Blob.

Thomas got the Lift the Blob Program, he followed it right straight through the 8 weeks, and look what he just did the other day with the Blob50, a replica of a Half 100….

Nice job brotherrrrrr!!!

I know that was an awesome feeling. I still remember the first time i picked up the Blob.

And while it’s hard to tell if Thomas got this one 100% locked out, I am sure that soon he will be lifting it with ease.

The main thing is, he put the consistent work in over the 8-week period covered in the Lift the Blob Training Program and made it happen.

So cool!

Each one of you has the potential to do the same thing.

I don’t care how big or tall you are, how big or small your hands are, or even if you own a Blob or not.

None of that really matters.

What matters is what’s going on in your head…

…what you’ve got in your heart…

…and your ability to stay consistent with your training.

Lift the Blob will walk you through the same 8-week program that Thomas went through to guide you to your first Blob Lift as well.

Grab the program today.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

I want to give Darrin Shallman, one of my TGA members and someone I have known since at least 2011 some special recognition.

Me with Darrin Shallman at the
2013 North American Grip Sport Championships

Darrin lifted the Blob50, a replica version of the 50-lb Next generation Blob, for the first time yesterday.

I want to make it clear that in no way am I trying to take any of the credit for Darrin lifting the Blob50.

Darrin is one of the hardest working guys that I know. He is the one that has put in the work, and I want to credit him for his awesome accomplishment.

The road has not always been smooth for Darrin. He has had to deal with his share of injuries and other potholes in his journey, but instead of letting them hold him back, he has always done what he has needed to in order to recover from them.

And, instead of letting body size or hand size be something that limits him, he has kept his eye on his goals at all times. With hands just 7.25-inches long, he has done something that many have thought IMPOSSIBLE – lifting the Blob with small hands.

And so, he enters a limited group of people who have accomplished this feat and an even more exclusive group of those who have lifted the Blob with hands under 7.5-inches long.

If you have read it was impossible to do, or if someone along the way said you would never be able to Lift the Blob because you have small hands, let Darrin be the example that changes your mind about that.

And if you want the best tips available in the world for training to lift the Blob, then check out my latest ebook that covers that very subject: Lift the Blob.

All the best in your Blob Lifting journey!

Jedd

Throwback Thursday

I have been meaning to do something a little bit different for you all in the Diesel Universe. I wanted to pull up something that was very cool and very special for you from the annals of the site, and I grabbed the videos from the Sorinex Summer Strong 2011 Get-Together.

Richard Sorin, owner of Sorinex and innovator of the Blob (left) and Me (right)

So many GREAT and HISTORIC Feats of Strength went down that day, I would be all day listing them. Some of the highlights include Rich Williams cleaning and pressing the Inch Dumbbell, Chad Woodall coming ever so close to nearly lifting 2 Old School York 45’s in each hand, a pull-up contest between Tex Henderson and Andrew Durniat, and much, much more.

See the original post here => Sorinex Summer Strong 2011

I hope you enjoyed today’s Throwback Thursday. If you want to see more, tell me by leaving a comment below. I can’t promise I will be able to do this every single week, but I can certainly do it from time to time.

Make sure you are subscribed to my newsletter to get future notifications whenever Throwback Thursday gets updated.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

The Blob: The Benchmark One Hand Pinch Feat

There is one Grip Strength Challenge Item out there that is parallel with closing the #3 Gripper, Lifting the Inch Dumbbell, and bending a 60D nail. It is the Blob.

This feat of Open hand / Pinching Strength was started by Richard Sorin, who when moving a bunch of broken dumbbells from one storage area to another tried pinch gripping a half 100-lb York Dumbbell. This lone half-100 was the only one of many that thwarted his efforts, and he set himself the goal to train his grip until he was able to not only lift it, but MASTER it.

This Grand-daddy of all Block Weights, which has been found in countless Grip Contest Medley, Grip Gauntlets and other Grip is called the Blob.

The story of how the first Blob came to be and the early history of it is an amazing one. Throughout the first few decades of its existence, it stopped the likes of Richard, John Brookfield, Wade Gillingham, and many others DEAD IN THEIR TRACKS at first, until they were all ready to re-group, re-strategize, and re-formulate their plan of attack.

Since then, thousands have tested themselves against the Blob in various venues across the Nation and around the World, only to have it laugh in their face like the bully at school.

But despite all of the valiant attempts that were colored by failure, there have been a few stories of dramatic inspiration that have spurred others to forge ahead with their training in order to tackle the beast…

Stories such as Rick Walker who at the time he first lifted it in 2003 was only about 200-lbs…

…like Chad Kovach who has successfully lifted the Blob with hands about 7-inches long…

…Brad Martin, who succeeded in lifting it after just a few weeks of training and hands under 7.5 inches…

…even Richard Sorin himself, Blob Pioneer, has average sized hands and can lift the Blob today, some 20+ years after first challenging himself to do so…

…and still, there are many other accounts of people putting in months or even years of dedicated time to finally accomplish the revered feat of lifting the Blob in a Pinch Grip, the true test of Open Hand and Thumb Strength.

Unfortunately, many people talk themselves out of lifting the Blob before they even try.

They think because the have small hands, they have no chance. The documented cases above prove this not to be so, in fact, as long as you can get one of two different finger and thumb combinations over the edges of the Blob, you will be able to lift it.

People think that because they do not own their own Blob, they are doomed to never develop the strength needed to lift it. Nothing could be further from the truth, as there are many suitable options that can be used in order to cultivate the wide-pinch strength needed to slay the Blob.

And many have been told that because they have little experience with Grip Training that they have two chances to lift the Blob: Slim and None. Absolute hogwash. Grip History is filled with accounts of average Gripsters accomplishing Blob Lifts and other Gigantic Feats with little training time under their belt.

The fact is, large hands, owning a Blob, specialty equipment, and years of training are indeed NOT prerequisites to becoming a Blob Lifter.

What is necessary is knowledge. Understanding key points about Blob Lifting such as technique (yes, there is technique; don’t let anyone fool you), chalk application, positioning and leverage, as well as the proper way to train on the Blob, are what you really need.

These factors will ease the frustration of the misses, the failures, and the heartache.

These intangibles will fill in the blanks between your desire to succeed and your ability to feel success.

These elements are the ones that will make you what you want to be – a Blob Lifter.

And now, all of these things are available to you in my brand new ebook, “Lift the Blob.”

If you want to Lift the Blob or any other goal Block Weight that is in your sights, then you need this ebook to help guide you.

If you want to find out more about what kind of information is in Lift the Blob < = click that link. Or if you just want to get started right away, click the button below.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Click Here to Get the Secrets to Blob Lifting

All the best in your training.

Jedd

One of my favorite types of Grip Training is with Block Weights, especially the Blob.

When training to lift the Blob, the strength the strength you build is highly functional, meaning it creates general hand, thumb and wrist strength, which can carry over to increases in other Grip Lifts as well as Gym Lifts.

In recent months, I have heard of many people who have set their sights on lifting the Blob, so this year I set forth to complete a project I have worked on sporadically since April of 2012, and this project will be ready to be unleashed very soon.

I am also very excited to release this because I got someone else involved in the project as well. Watch the video below to see exactly who I mean.

Blob Lifting eBook Announcement

To say I am excited to have this person associated with this project would be an understatement.

This new eBook will be out soon. To get it as soon as it comes out, be sure to put your information in the box below.

Stay tuned.

Jedd

I am going out of town this weekend to visit my sister, so I want to learn more about you so I can help you out more with your training in the future.

Be sure to sign up for further updates on Grip Strength Training.

Thanks for filling out the survey and Happy Memorial Day.

Jedd

Special Offer from My Mad Methods until June 15:
Free Tank Top with a 24/48-month Digital Subscription

The Blob

First named by Richard Sorin, the Blob is 1/2 of a 100-lb York Dumbbell.

Ever since Richard challenged himself to try to lift the Blob, grip enthusiasts have marveled at it and tried to obtain their own for their collection in order to test their strength and to develop the hand power to match one of the most well-known feats of grip strength.

Several years ago, we as a community discovered that there are actually more than one type of Blob, a fact that derived from Richard, himself. Soon we came to realize that the original style of Blobs, now known by the moniker “Fatman” due to its larger profile and wider slopes.

Of course, when something is rare, that means its price increases.

And of course, if the price on something increases, someone will be around to capitalize.

Over the years I have heard stories of people being told they were getting the rare Fatman original-style Blob, only to find out later they had a Next Generation, and overpaid severely.

I have also seen several videos where someone will lift a Blob and claim it is a Fatman, when in reality, they are making an incorrect claim, generally accidentally or due to lack of awareness.

With that in mind, I recently made a video showing all of the different types of Blobs and Blob-like implements that I have in my collection, as well as a couple of tools that are on the market for training to lift Blobs.

In the video below you will see a Fatman Blob, Next Generation Blob, Blob Clone, Blobzilla, Stronger Grip Blob, and a PDA Blobette. Unfortunately, I do not own a Blob50 or a Blue Blob, but I mention them in the video and cover them with pictorials in my The Different Types of Blobs Article.

I hope you enjoy the video and that it helps you discern what type of Blob you are buying if you seek one via an on-line purchase, or through an in-person encounter.

Video on The Different Types of Blobs

If you are looking for a Blob Trainer, you can get a Stronger Grip Blob here.

For many of you out there, finding a Blob, understanding the difference between them, and knowing how they all compare is of very little importance.

For many of you, all that stuff doesn’t matter because you already have a Blob and have no plans of getting another one.

Instead, the only thing you care about is lifting the damn thing!

And for you, I will be having something VERY SPECIAL coming your way. This Summer I will be releasing How to Lift the Blob, the Definitive Guide to Blob Domination.

Whether you’ve just attained a Blob and want to get on the Fast Track to lifting it, or if you’ve had one for years and have been slapping yourself in the head out of frustration with it still being stuck to the ground, this ebook will be for you.

If you want to stay up to date on developments surrounding the Blob ebook, make sure to add your best email address to the form below.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Straps? He was probably shrugging 950lbs

This site is about getting you STRONGER.

Being STRONGER will lead you to becoming more powerful, faster, help you become more resistant to injuries, and help you recover more quickly if an injury does take place.

We’ve established many times over that when your hands are stronger, all your lifts will go up. Bigger curls because you’ll be gripping the barbell harder. Bigger Bench Press because you will be able to control the barbell better. Bigger Squats because you will be more confident under the barbell.

For all these reasons and more, you must begin training your grip if you are not already.

If you have begun training your grip – AWESOME.

However, if you are not doing the right stuff, your gains will be limited.

If all you are doing is Gripper work, it’s time to step it up.

If you are hitting your grip from multiple angles, working many different facets or disciplines over the course of each week, then you are one step ahead of everyone else.

If you want to take another step ahead of everyone else, then I have a few movements for you to try with Block Weights.

Block Weight Training for Grip Strength

There should be no confusion as to how much I love Block Weight Training for developing Grip Strength. Ever since I read about it in John Brookfield’s manuals, I began implementing it. And any time my Block Weights are rolling strong, all my other lifts are going strong as well.

What is a Block Weight?

Block Weights are generally one head from a broken or cut dumbbell. However, they do not have to be dumbbell heads. They can be whole dumbbells that are stood on end (Inverted Dumbbells), scale weights, stones, throwing weights, shots, plates taped together – ANYTHING in a block-shape that forces you into a no-wrap, open hand position, is a Block Weight.

Don’t Limit Yourself

Here’s the problem with most people’s Block Weight Training when I work with them. Once they deadlift a Block Weight, they think they’re done.

No way, brotherrrrr.

Once you deadlift it, then you train to walk with it. Then you train to high pull it. Then you train to clean it. And then you Snatch it.

In an effort to push myself in my Block Weight Training, since anytime my block weight work is solid everything else is solid, I have been striving to push my Block Weight Training to the next level.

Below are some clips of some recent work with the Blob, a particularly special block weight that is cut from a 100-lb York Dumbbell. Not only hard to find because they are so rare, Blobs are hard to lift due to their sloping edges.

Double Blob Clean

This feat requires speed on the Blob with both hands. Often, people are strong enough to control the Blob with one hand, but are lacking in their off-hand, making this a rarely seen feat of strength.

Blob Snatching

The difference between a Clean and a Snatch is that the Blob is brought to the shoulder position for the Clean. It is then put overhead with some type of shoulder action, be it a press, jerk, or hybrid movement. With the Snatch, the Blob reaches the overhead lock-out position in one movement from the floor.

What you want to look for is no press-out for an absolute snatch. I had a bit too much arm action going on in this video, so I called it a Near Snatch. Call me the Feat Police. Who cares.

Get Crazy

Recently, I saw my friend, Rick Geise, get into a One-Arm Handstand propped against the wall and lift a Blob in the inverted position. That is the kind of stuff I love to see – people thinking outside the box and taking their Grip Training to the next level.

The chances of you seeing me try a One-Arm Handstand are ZERO, so I grabbed my Inversion Boots and did some attempts with Blobs that way.

Just lifting the Blob or rowing it in this manner is pretty easy for me, so ultimately, what I would like to do is “clean” it while in the inverted position. This would be an extremely fast lift where I could essentially create enough momentum to flip it over and catch it. Some day. Stay tuned.

As I’ve said before, you don’t NEED a Blob in order to get the benefits of this training. Hex dumbbell heads work great, as do any other block-shaped implement that keeps your hand open.

If your hand strength is still like an old lady’s hands, then join The Grip Authority like so many others have.

Monthly new Articles, Instruction Videos, Q & A Sessions, and now Interviews from other Awesome Grip and Bending dudes – you can’t help but get better and stronger being exposed to this level of information.

Join today: The Grip Authority Grip Strength Coaching Site – Just $1 for 30 Days <= Special Offer See you on the INSIDE Diesels. Jedd

The Blob, one head from a 100-lb Old-style York Dumbbell, is one of the most widely recognized challenge objects in all of Grip Sport.

The term “Blob” was coined by Richard Sorin, of Sorinex.com. As he related to me, he was finishing a gym install at a YMCA and the owner asked him to clear out the broken York Dumbbells that were laying all over. To do so, he bent over and picked each one of them up in a pinch grip until he came to the half 100 pounder. He couldn’t manage to lift it, so he dedicated himself to developing the grip strength to lift one with a pinch grip.

Isn’t that freaking awesome? Even though most likely NO ONE before him had ever tried to lift block weights like this, when the challenge presented itself, he took it on full team ahead. INSPIRING.

Recently, there was a challenge that was discussed that involved curling the Blob. Specifically, it involved first deadlifting the Blob and then curling it strictly with the back against the wall.

Like Richard Sorin many years before, I took this challenge on.

Now, I am no stranger to Blob Curling.

Many years ago, I had completed a very loose curl of the Blob. I stood up with it in my hand and with momentum, continued the curl up to the completed position.

However, there really is no comparison between that and a strict curl with your back against the wall. I knew I had my work cut out for me, but I went after it anyway, just to see what I had in me.

Here are the clips from the first workout where I went after the Blob Curl.

Blob Curl Against the Wall Attempt

Having tried strict curling in the past, I could remember the pain I would feel when trying to move the Blob through the sticking point, so i was kind of dreading it. Here was my attempt.

This feat felt so freakin’ hard, I could barely believe it. In the video, you saw where it was moving smoothly and then all of a sudden it just shut down and I couldn’t move it any further. Although I came nowhere near completing the lift, the good things was it really didn’t hurt that bad.

As I have said before, during that period of time in 2004-2005, I suffered a couple of cases of really bad upper forearm and wrist pain due to poor training choices, too much volume, etc. So, I am wondering maybe the pain I was feeling back then was no necessarily due to trying to curl the Blob, but rather, just from the injuries I was dealing with.

Blob Curl NOT Against Wall

After having such a hard time getting any real height on the Blob with the back against the wall, I decided I would try curling it free-standing.

Although the movement of the Blob was very slow, I didn’t really experience any pain here, either. This was the confidence booster I needed. I had no proven to myself that I had the strength to perform the curl. It would now just mean tightening up the form a bit.

Second Try – Blob Curl Against Wall

A few days later, I tried the Blob Curl Against Wall on more time. This time, not only did I have the confidence from being able to curl it out away from the wall, but I also had a partner that day. J.T. Straussner, one of the best benders in the entire world, has been living only 25 minutes away for about 5 months, but we never realized how close we were until a few weeks ago. He came up and I gave the Curl another go.

During the attempt, it felt like my shoulder came off the wall. I wasn’t sure if it would count or not, so I tried it again. That is why I hit it twice.

Jon Vance commented on the video, “Dude that has got to be one of the sickest feats ever with a blob.” I don’t know about all that, but it is definitely one of the hardest things I have done with the Blob. I literally have to put in an all-out effort on every attempt I make on it.

Now, this is really only the beginning. The next progression, should I attempt it, is to be able to perform the Strict Curl with each hand. At the time of the video, I was still very tentative to put in that kind of effort with my left hand, which is the one that was experiencing the Thoracic Outlet Syndrome symptoms. I haven’t tried this since then, so I am not sure what I have at this time.

Naturally, once I can curl a Blob with each hand, then I would try an Alternating Curl with one Blob in each hand. This would be attempted first free-standing, and then eventually up against the wall.

But before any of this can happen, I need to figure out why the eccentric portion of the lift is so damn hard! Right now, as the Blob nears my thigh on the eccentric portion of the lift, I lose total control of it.

Now, of course, to get the benefit of this training, you do NOT need to use a 50-lb Blob. Instead, just use any block weight that you have and just curl it.

The great thing about this lift is that the block weight will work the fingers and thumbs thoroughly, and when you curl it like this, the wrist and forearms are hit hard too.

Plug Block Weight Curls into your next training session and let me know what you got and how they felt. Come back and leave a comment.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

A Pile of Block Weights. I Love Grip

There’s no doubt about it: One of the greatest ways to bring up your hand strength is to train with Block Weights.

Because they have no handles, you must span your grip over their slope and pinch with all your might, in order to lift them.

They build thumb strength as well as well rounded hand strength.

As you can see in the image above, Block Weights come in all kinds of shapes and sizes, but the most famous type of Block Weight is the Blob. The Blob is one half of a 100-lb York Dumbbell. The term “Blob” was coined by Richard Sorin, when he decided to train to lift this monster in a pinch grip.

The original style of Blob that Richard trained on has two sides on it that flare outwards much more than later models, and since it has a plumper slope to it, it is often called a Fatman Blob.

Recently having increased the volume and intensity of my grip training in preparation as Alternate for this year’s Mighty Mitts competition, I began training with Blobs to a much higher degree.

I was looking for a way to pack as much volume as possible into my training, while also keeping the loading a difficulty level intense, so I began training for as many successful lifts as possible within a short time, keeping track of how much time passed by placing a clock on the floor. I called this “Gripping Against Time.”

In the videos below, you will see a couple of the ways I turned up the volume on my Blob training.

Fatman Blob Plus 5-lbs for Reps Against Time

One way I like to make Blob Training more challenging is to add weight. You can do this by tying weight plates to a boot string and then draping it over the top of the Blob.

Fatman Cleans for Reps Against Time

In this video, I decided to increase the pull distance with the Fatman by perform cleans for reps instead of just deadlifts.

You can add these methods in your training as well. Take a Block Weight that is not really a test for you anymore and either add weight to it for your slower, grinding reps, or try increasing the pull-distance somehow, whether you go for Cleans like I did or something different like High-Pulls or even loading it to a platform that requires you to pull beyond the basic deadlift lockout position.

These methods will get you strong, so make sure to give these a try.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

BLOBZILLA – Laughing at my past attempts to lift him.

If you’ve been reading this site for a while, or following the sport of Grip for a while, then you have heard the name Daniel Reinard.

Daniel Reinard found out about the sport of Grip in 2010 and within less than 2 years has made it his home.

Daniel has accomplished many amazing feats of strength up until this point, including attaining the World Record for the 83-kg class on the Two Hands Pinch at one time, lifting a Fatman Blob in the normal fashion, backwards, and by the face, and he even coined a new Griplement, BLOBZILLA.

You see, after mastering the York Fatman Blob quicker than most people with much more experience and much more bodyweight (Daniel weighs only about 200), Daniel was “looking for a project.”

This project was to be a block weight that would take him several months or even longer to train on in order to accomplish – a true “long range goal.”

Well, Blobzilla, half of a 130-lb York Legacy Blob, proved to be no match for this climber from Southern California either, because within about 2 month’s time, he lifted it as well.

Daniel Reinard Lifts Blobzilla

Daniel was readily posting training videos of his sessions working on Blobzilla and the more I had Blobzilla thrown in my face, the more I knew I had to have one. So I arranged a pick-up of two 130-lb York Dumbbells through my cohort in Braced Bending mischief, Mike Rinderle. He went to York and got them. In the words of Johnny Cash, he went “right up to the factory and picked them up – it’s cheaper that way.” Mike picked them up and even chop-sawed them and shipped them to us. What an awesome guy!

Another perennial Giant in the Block Weight world is Wade Gillingham. He was actually the first person in the U.S. to lift Blobzilla, doing so the first workout he did after receiving it in the mail. He was in on the group that got them along with me.

Another HUGE star of Block Weight Lifting and also Thick Bar Lifting is Laine Snook. He gave the European Kilogram-equivalent version a serious ride, cleaning it to his shoulder with EEEASE. This actually happened many, many months ago, as Laine is an ELITE Block Weight Lifter.

Finally, after several months of having Blobzilla laugh and blow flames in my face, I was able to tame this sucker in my gym, the first workout after the recent Mighty Mitts competition.

Completing this feat on this particular day was totally unexpected. I pretty much brought Blobzilla to the lifting area between lifts, tried to pick it up, and it broke off the floor. I would have been happy just to get that on tape and show some of my friends I was making progress, so I filmed it and pulled it off the ground a few inches with each hand.

That was when I knew it just might be the day for a Blobzilla showdown.

I had just finished several months of INTENSE thick bar training for Mighty Mitts with very little work on Blobzilla the last few weeks as I was passing through a high specialization phase of my training.

Here are the videos showing how it all came to be…

My First Ever Full Lift of Blobzilla

Several years ago, I was told by someone who doesn’t even train Grip anymore that “going off” like this was unprofessional. Well, I am sorry, but if this offends anybody they are just going to have to get used to it.

About a year ago I suffered an injury that I wasn’t sure I would ever come back from. It kept me from competing in Mighty Mitts 2011 and I was unsure of whether I’d ever be top-form again. Grip Training is my favorite part of of training and I do it to push myself to higher and harder goals. And after all these years, big PR’s like this come fewer and farther between.

The training and the constantly dealing with failure for weeks, months and sometimes years at a time can get down right emotionally draining, so when something big like this finally happens, I am NOT ever going to restrain myself again. To me, accomplishing something like this is damn close to winning the lottery, so shoot me if I carry on like a lunatic when I finally succeed.

First Time Lifting Blobzilla Lefty

It’s always more impressive when you can do a feat with each hand, so I was again extremely excited when I was able to lift Blobzilla lefty as well.

Comparing Blobzilla to Other Blobs and Blob-like Implements

This video shows you just way Blobzilla is so damn tough to lift. To be 100% honest, I originally thought this feat would be fairly easy, due to the flat side for the thumb, but when 65-lbs bulges out on the finger side like this one does, it makes for a damn tough feat.

One of the comments I got when I posted this at Gripboard.com was that it reminded them of my first Red Nail Bend from 2004 and my first Blob Face Lift from 2006, where I obviously blew up on camera and went nuts. I never thought about it that way.

Pretty much the only time I have “let myself go” on big feats the last few years has been when breaking the Two Hands Pinch Record. Other than that, I have been locked in this “stay professional no matter what” mode that I was told was more appropriate.

Well, it isn’t going to be like that anymore. To me, lifting is something I do to enjoy. No matter how many partners come and go, how much distance keeps good friends from visiting, or how much I would rather stay home to train than miss time with my little girl, nothing will stop me from enjoying my grip training, and when big sh*t like this goes down, don’t stop the clip – you might just see a madman speaking in gibberish, cutting promo’s, clotheslining training partners, and slapping benches.

If that kind of emotion doesn’t seem professional to you, then I guess you won’t enjoy my PR videos.

Now, there are still a handful of other people who own Blobzillas in the US (and there may be more soon), so there will be more guys who tame the York Beast with time: Paul Knight, Fernando Rodriguez, Andy Thomas, and Russ Farver all own Blobzillas, so it is really just a matter of time.

I can’t wait to see the videos.

All the best in your training,

Jedd