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

Jujimufu and Tom Train Grip Strength Training

Jujimufu and Tom Boyden visited PEAK Strength and Fitness last week and we helped them out with their grip technique. Especially on Grippers, technique is a major factor. This is evidenced by the fact that Juji was able to close a #3 gripper for the first time ever, after we covered gripper technique with him.

They took a bunch of footage and put out the first video last night. Check it out:

I can’t put enough emphasis on the importance of technique for Grippers. If you aren’t doing it right, you’re holding yourself back.

The absolute best resources for Gripper Training are below. Grab one today, and get ready to close bigger grippers almost instantly:

GRIPPER RESOURCES:

CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination
The Must-Have Gripper Video for ANYONE Serious about their Gripper Training

Operation: Gripper Certification
Training to certify on the #3 Gripper, guys? Then you need to watch this video with Paul Knight, one of the best gripper guys in the USA.

Cadenced Based Gripper Training
Want an 8-week program, designed to build your gripper strength the way you’d build your Bench, Squat or Deadlift? Then you need this!

The Push and Crush Workout
Want to spice things up in the weight room a little bit? Try combining your gripper work with your upper body training to break through plateaus –

Full Sweep Crush Builder Is it time to specialize on the credit card set for a while? This workout helps build your crush strength by intensely working on the longer gripper stroke.

In this video, NAPALM answers the question, “Do grippers get weaker over time, with use?” Many gripper guys and gals have asked me this and it’s a reasonable enough questions. So, does the gripper “season” and get easier? Will the spring weaken and make it easier to close the gripper over time? Will the spread of the gripper eventually narrow, and make closing the gripper easier? Or will the gripper get HARDER to close over time? All of this is explained in today’s quick Grip Strength QnA video.

GRIPPER RESOURCES:

CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination
The Must-Have Gripper Video for ANYONE Serious about their Gripper Training

Operation: Gripper Certification
Training to certify on the #3 Gripper, guys? Then you need to watch this video with Paul Knight, one of the best gripper guys in the USA.

Cadenced Based Gripper Training
Want an 8-week program, designed to build your gripper strength the way you’d build your Bench, Squat or Deadlift? Then you need this!

The Push and Crush Workout
Want to spice things up in the weight room a little bit? Try combining your gripper work with your upper body training to break through plateaus –

Full Sweep Crush Builder Is it time to specialize on the credit card set for a while? This workout helps build your crush strength by intensely working on the longer gripper stroke.

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!

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.

Wanna Build a Set of FREAKY FOREARMS?
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Captains of Crush Certification

I’ve gotten lots of questions recently about the Captains of Crush Certification, and how it works. Many viewers have asked about the process for getting certified on the Captains of Crush grippers, as well as the Red Nail. They want to know if they can film a close and send it in, or if they can use their own gripper or buy it from CPW, so I give my experience with it, based on what my coaching clients and friends have had to do in order to get certified by IronMind.

In today’s video, I cover all of that, to help set you in the right direction, once you’re ready to cert.

IronMind COC Certification

How to Train for the Captains of Crush Certification

If the Captains of Crush Certification is on your list of goals this year, then you need this DVD, that I put together with Paul Knight, one of the best gripper guys in the United States: Operation: Gripper Certification

Gripper Training

Gripper training continues to be the most popular form of grip training.

Gripper training has often been labeled the “gateway drug to grip sport” because once people get their hands on grippers, they often get hooked, and want to try out many other types of grip training, as well.

Once you get serious with your gripper work though, it’s time to start doing things the right way, and that means optimizing the way you train with grippers.

Gripper Training Frequency

It’s no surprise that many people want to know how often to train grippers is best. After all, lifters love the idea of closing big grippers.

However, if you’re not careful, you can really overdo it with your gripper training and make your finger skin and your hand tissues very sore.

Plus, with too much volume, or too frequent of training, you generally end up stalling on grippers or even sliding backwards.

Today, I share my views on the optimal frequency for gripper training in the video below.

How Often Should I Train with Grippers?

Gripper Training Programming

Hopefully, the video above makes sense for you. Doing anymore frequent training has never been effective for me, and generally it throws a monkey wrench into the rest of my training when I try to push the frequency.

In addition, approaching Gripper Training frequency with a 2-day-per-week program has been effective for close to 100% of all the people I’ve coached as well.

On top of that, I’ve received lots of feedback from customers who’ve bought my Cadence Based Gripper Training Program, who have said that the 2-days-per-week has been great and helped them make good strides in their gripper training.

In my opinion, based on my own training results, and the results of people I’ve designed programs for directly, and those who’ve followed my gripper products, 2 days/week is the DEFINITELY the way to go for grippers.

Gripper Training Technique

It should be noted, however, that if your gripper technique (placement and set) are not optimized, it’s likely that no matter how often you train them, you’ll never see much improvement past a #2 gripper.

Large-handed and naturally strong-handed individuals will be able to overcome grippers up to about the #2 through plain brute strength and raw power, but to go beyond that will require you to develop your technique.

Therefore, I recommend anyone who wants to seriously attempt to climb the gripper ladder get my DVD, CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination, so they can properly iron out their technique for maximized crushing power.

Wrap Up: How Often To Train on Grippers

I love hearing you guys tell me about hitting PR’s and smashing bigger and bigger grippers.

That’s why I put out all the gripper training information I do.

If you’re just starting out with grippers, do yourself a favor and get the best resource in the world on gripper training technique and drills: CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination

And if you’ve got a good handle on the proper gripper mechanics, then it’s time to formalize your training over the next 8 weeks with this solid program: Cadence Based Gripper Training.

All the best with your gripper training.

“Napalm” Jedd Johnson

This Week in Grip

This Week in Grip is the (nearly) weekly podcast show that Allen Heineck, Riccardo Magni, and I do on YouTube. In This Week in Grip, we discuss the latest things going on in the sport of grip, as well as feats of grip strength that we see posted on-line, grip training topics, grip q&a’s, oldtime strongman feats, grip certifications, grip world records, and much, much more.

Please be sure to subscribe to the channel and click the bell for notifications on your mobile device. Also, if there’s any commentary or questions you’d like to put forth, please do so in the comments section under the video, and we will do our best to cover and answer them in the upcoming shows.

Specifically, we are wondering what you feel are the Top Feats of Grip Strength that you saw go down in 2018. Please post your thoughts!

Episode 37

Episode 38

Episode 39

Will “Greasing the Groove” Help Me Close Bigger Grippers

I got a question on my YouTube Channel about Greasing the Groove for Grippers, and I answered it in a recent video.

Mainly, the writer wants to know if the commonly known “Greasing the Groove” method, which is often used for Pull-ups, Push-ups, and other strength maneuvers, can work to help increase crushing strength with Grippers.

Additional Resources:

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

It’s been a while since I posted the episode of This Week in Grip. Below, you’ll find episodes # 24, 25 and #26.

This Week in Grip – Episode #24

This Week in Grip – Episode #25

This Week in Grip – Episode #26

Thanks for watching and be sure to subscribe!

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Turn Your Hands Into Mighty Weapons
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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:

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.

Since January of this year, I’ve been teaming up with Allen Heineck, one of my long-time members of TheGripAuthority.com & Team Napalm on a (near) weekly podcast on GRIP, called This Week in Grip.

I’m a bit behind in posting those episodes, so I want to go ahead and get caught back up right now.

This Week in Grip – Episode 11

This Week in Grip – Episode 12

This Week in Grip – Episode 13

This Week in Grip – Episode 14

This Week in Grip is getting a lot of good, positive feedback. I really appreciate it!

As much as I’d like to continue adding in the videos for each feat, I literally just can not do it anymore, because it has been taking so very long.

My plan right now is to keep peppering in a few stills of some of the stuff that’s harder to envision, and some of the key moments from the week, and especially highlighting other gripsters around the world.

Please keep on using the hashtag #ThisWeekInGrip on your social media posts so Allen and I can continue to find the feats we miss, and connect with more and more gripsters that are out there!

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Beginner Gripper Training

I’m posting a series of grip training videos for beginner grip guys and gals, here: Beginner Pinch Grip Training. I’ve already posted beginner pinch grip training, and today, I’m sharing beginner gripper training.

Gripper Training is a way to build and measure how much CRUSHING force you have in your hands. Grippers are a lot of fun to train and close, and can be quite addicting!

Take note, there are a lot of things to know about gripper training technique, if you decide you want to go for certification, if you want to close the biggest grippers possible in your training, or if you ever decide to compete.

If you’re ready to take the jump into Gripper Training, then you want my video, CRUSH – Total Gripper Domination. Available as both a digital online DVD and a hare copy video, it will cover everything you need to know about gripper technique and the drills that will help you fully develop your crush.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

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

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

In the world of Gripper Training, there are an incredible number of little things that are very important.

Mash Monster Level Four – CLOSED
Jedd Johnson – June 2016

Each one of these little details can give you a boost.

Sometimes that boost can be HUGE, like figuring out that you don’t just set the gripper with your hands, but rather your whole entire body.

Other times, that boost might be smaller, like where the dogleg goes in your hand.

Regardless of how big the impact that each detail makes, you should really be trying to get your technique as good as possible with your grippers. Remember, a bunch of little boosts will equal out to a really big boost!

While my DVD, CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination covers TONS of technique details that will add up to dramatic improvements in your gripper closing abilities, today, I’m going to share something with you that I wasn’t yet aware of until AFTER I released CRUSH.

Introduction

Putting It Into Action: Training Footage

Finding out how well this combination has worked for me, has definitely been one of the little details that’s given me a BIG BOOST in my Gripper Training, and I’ve heard several other top Gripper guys say the same thing.

I certainly think you should try this out and see how it works for you. And there’s a lot more things like this that you can do to get a boost in your training.

CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination – Just starting out with Grippers? This video will run down all the technical knowledge you need for Gripper Training. Available in digital or hard copy. Grab your grippers and grab your copy today, and watch the PR’s start coming in.

Top 10 Gripper Training Mistakes – Been doing grippers for a while, but need a little refresher? You better make sure you’re not doing these 10 things that will kill your gripper training progress.

Cadence Based Training – If you’re already doing the right things technique-wise, then the next step is to follow a program to tie it all together. This program isn’t about doing a bunch of sets and reps though, it’s about correcting your weaknesses, just like you would your Bench Press. CBT is what I follow in my training, and I’m turning my weaknesses into strength every single workout session.

And remember, several little boosts, add up to a BIG BOOST. Who knows where you can be in the next year if you take advantage of some of these small and easy-to-implement modifications.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Grippers – Are You Wasting Your Time?

In many of my videos and DVD’s, I have said that Gripper Training is a waste of time.

This is a statement that catches many people by surprise when they hear me say it, since I do Gripper Training on a regular basis.

After about the 50th time getting asked what I mean by this, I decided to put together a quick video to explain.

Why Grippers are a Waste of Time

Want the BEST Grip Training Methods for MMA?
Then You Want Grip Training for MMA Athletes:

As you can see, sometimes Grippers ARE a Waste of Your Time.

Naturally, if your objective is to close big grippers just for the sake of closing big grippers, then you NEED to train grippers, and you need to train them the right way.

If you want to maximize your Gripper Training, then you need these resources:

CRUSH – Total Gripper Domination: The Video Encyclopedia of Gripper Training Technique and Crushing Strength Development. If your gripper technique is lacking, there’s no drill that will help you get to your ultimate gripper goal. This video will make sure you’re doing everything right.

Cadence Based Training: This is an 8-week Gripper Training program that works by helping you strengthen the entire range of motion of the gripper sweep. The drills in the CBT program will help you strengthen your set, improve your sweep, and ensure that you’re strong enough to finish off your goal gripper.

My hope is that the information in this post will help you get the best results from your training, and maximize your training time as well as possible.

Thanks and all the best in your training.

Jedd

As I always say, don’t EVER count yourself out.

At the beginning of last Thursday’s session, I was questioning if it was even a good idea to train with all the aches and pains I had all over my body. It was hard getting warm, and it seemed like even the equipment was working against me, as my Pull-down Machine was giving me a hassle and so was my Glute Ham.

It would have been easy to just say, “Screw It,” and wrap the session up before it even started, but Luke was making the drive down, so I just put my head down forged ahead.

The resolve paid off BIG TIME, as I had what I can only describe as my absolute best day of thick bar training in my lifetime.

I’ve rarely been able to even Deadlift 2 Inch Dumbbells more than once in my lifting career, so to be able to carry them multiple times in one session is out of this world for me.

What’s crazy is my best DIFW probably would have been my first one, but I wasn’t prepared to even walk them. They just felt good when I stood up, so I decided to take a few steps and had to set them down because I ran out of platform to carry them on.

My training has definitely been dialed in as of late. I thank God for that.

After years and years of Inch Dumbbell Frustration, it is nice to have finally carried these beasts a few times the other day. I pretty much carried them on Thursday, in that one session, just as many times (if not more) than I have carried them in all the rest of my life, put together.

Next time, I gotta get them outside for some REAL distance!

All the best in your training!

Jedd

Are You Training to Lift the Inch Dumbbell? This DVD Will Help You:

Mash Monster Gripper Certification

Last week, for the 12th time (or something like that) since 2004, I attempted the Mash Monster #3 Gripper. Here is some history about this Gripper line and my battles with the MM3.

The Mash Monster Grippers

The Mash Monster Grippers are a series of Grippers at Gripboard.com that has existed since 2004 to crown the ultimate King of Crushing.

The Mash Monsters were all produced by Warren Tetting, so they are essentially the same springs and handles as you would find in the Beef Builder and Tetting series.

Tetting has produced grippers for decades and the Mash Monster series is just as high of quality as his other gripper lines.

What makes the Mash Monster Grippers so awesome is that they are a very detailed incremental system of grippers, with gradually increasing spring sizes and gradually modified spring depths, so you have a ladder of grippers that are slightly harder with each rung you climb.

My Battles with the Mash Monster Grippers

I began my climb up the Mash Monster ladder in 2004 and quickly closed the MM1 and the MM2.

When I tried the MM3, however, it was a different story. I missed my first attempt, which I believe was in early 2005.

I think a few weeks later, I tried the MM3 again, and once again I had no luck.

Ever since then, I have tried, on average, one time a year to close the MM3, and every single time I have failed.

It has actually become quite a funny story amongst some of my friends. Of course, many of these friends have never tried the MM3…ha ha ha, in your face. WOOOH!

Last week, I decided it was time to get this monkey off my back.

I signed up for the MM3 and it arrived on Wednesday. I took my attempts on Thursday night, and here is the video of all 3 of my attempts.

Jedd Johnson Mash Monster #3 Gripper Attempts – 6/11/15

As you can see, I was definitely able to close the gripper on the 1st and 2nd attempts. I felt it was closed on the 3rd when I took the attempts, but by the video it is hard to tell.

Unfortunately, despite my closing the gripper more than once, I was failed because I was unable to properly document the spacing of the handles after the set and before the crush-down attempt.

The Mash Monster Rules state there must be a clear shot showing that the handles are no closer together than parallel, so I was red-lighted.

I will sign up for the MM3 again very soon and put more attention on my setting for the camera.

Despite all that, I must say that this is without a doubt the STRONGEST my Crush has ever been.

After missing so many times, I am now closing the Mash Monster #3 Gripper.

On top of that, I PR’d in Grippers with both hands at Nationals on June 6th, closing a 180-rated gripper right-handed, and that felt much harder to me than the MM3.

All of this progress has come from following the structure of CBT, Cadence Based Gripper Training, a program I released in the Fall of 2014.

If you haven’t started following CBT in your gripper training, you should.

I KNOW the Cadence Based Training program will help you. Let me prove it to you.

Pick it up today => Cadence Based Gripper Training

All the best in your training.

Jedd

It will produce the BIGGEST EXPLOSION in newly certified Captains of Crush since 2003.

Will YOU be in that wave of new Giants of Crushing Strength?

Don’t be content doing the same old stuff, and getting the same old results…

Be on of the FIRST to get this new video, Operation: Gripper Certification.
It will be here soon!

All the best in your training,

Jedd Johnson

In September, my friend from Finland, Juha Harju put up a video of himself lifting the Inch Dumbbell in one hand while doing a #3.5 Silver Bullet Hold at the same time.

I have written about this type of training many times in the past, and it is called Bi-Polar Training.

Here are a couple of examples of past articles on Bi-Polar Training:

• Bi-Polar Strength Training
• Bi-Polar Training: Inch + Kettlebell Flip

This feat was called “Feat of the Year” by someone on Facebook, and the name stuck.

I tried the feat and couldn’t quite get it at first, but with time, I was able to get it.

I then challenged Juha to perform the feat both hands: the gripper in one hand and the Inch in the other, and then reversing the combination within 2 minutes of completing the first one.

This has been a crazy challenge for me, as it combines two of my poorest events, but it has been great seeing the progress come along, brotherrr.

First Attempt at Feat of the Year (Misses)

The FRUSTRATING Feat of the Year Challenge

First Successful Feat of the Year & First Attempt at Double Feat of the Year

First Official Double Feat of the Year

Training this feat has unfortunately slowed to an absolute HALT.

At some point along the lines of performing this feat, I strained something in both shoulders, either a triceps muscle, a lat muscle, or worst yet, a rotator cuff muscle.

At this point, deadlifting anything off the floor has become impossible to do without substantial pain, so I have shut down most one-handed grip lifts from the floor in order to give the injured tissues time to heal.

What this also means is that I can’t train most of the lifts in the King Kong of Grip Challenge taking place at the end of this month.

I was really looking forward to it, but I would rather write this one off in order to get back to 100%.

I will still be running the Pennsylvania Leg of the King Kong here at my place in Wyalusing though, and not competing will enable me to run a more organized contest and help out the new competitors.

So, if you have been kicking around the idea of competing here, by all means come over and go for it, brotherrr!

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Are You Training to Lift the Inch Dumbbell? This DVD Will Help You:

A few weeks back, I released my first full-length Gripper Training Program, called “Cadence Based Gripper Training.”

And ever since it came out, the positive feedback has been rolling in.

I am PUMPED to share it with you.

Just finished reading your Cadence Based Training ebook, it has to be one of the best out there for improving gripper strength. I’m going to note down a few things from the book and implement when I start training hand grippers after King Kong… While going through CBT, I couldn’t help but notice something very interesting, that there is some similarities that is also in an experimental program I’ve been working on. Like volume and having the pr syndrome. Any how, it was a very good read and I’ll use a number of the ideas presented in there.

-John McCarter-

Loving it so far!

-Don Bentley-

I’ve been plateued for awhile on grip so I’ll see what your program does for me. I’ve dabbled in things like hose-clamped grippers, but have noticed how in many cases you end up holding the gripper slightly differently then you normally would which probably changes the strength curve and subsequent training effect. I’ve considered holding closes and it’s nice to find a program from someone with years of experience who has experimented with the concept.

William Bradt

Great e-book Jedd. It contains a lot of good information… I think the the most important factor in closing grippers is holding them in the closed position, preferably slightly (just 2-3 millimeters) beyond the range. That is what i started experimenting last Monday.

Jorg Keilbach

A little over a month ago I couldn’t quite close my 124 CoC 2.5. I have now closed my 132-rated #2.5 and my GHP 6 which is rated 132 as well. Both with a block set.

-Chase Scott-

Cadence Based Training is my new secret weapon to finally get certified on the COC 2.5. Much of my baseline grip strength has come from years of training holds for time on a variety of events, both grip and strongman. While that approach has been highly effective, it’s now become my limitation. Cadence Based Training, not only integrates this concept, it provides detailed structure and direction to gripper training which WILL get me certified on the COC 2.5. Thank you for your direction, expertise and passion.

-Amy Wattles-

I am really excited to have received this feedback from so many different customers. Lots of my products are geared towards complete beginners ONLY, but in the case of Cadence Based Gripper Training, it is something that has appealed to many seasoned veterans as well, so it is nice to know this ebook is helping people at all levels of Gripper Training.

For instance, Amy Wattles is a certified Women’s Captain of Crush for the #2 Gripper. She is REALLY close to becoming the 1st Woman to certify on the #2.5. I truly feel the principles of this program are going to help her out toward finally certifying on the #2.5 and getting that monkey off her back.

Also, John McCarter just recently certified on the Mash Monster Level 3 Gripper, a gripper that I have failed on about 10 times, so to get the feedback from him that I did was really exciting.

But perhaps the best feedback I have received so far comes from Chris Andrade. He has been a member of both my members-only site, The Grip Authority, and my on-line one-on-one coaching, Grip Task Force, so I am very familiar with some of his frustrations.

After working so closely with him for so many months, it was awesome to get this from him the other day:

This program is the sh*t my man. I’m MANHANDLING grippers that were busting my balls a few weeks ago. Did my week 4 workout today and then did an attempt on my #2.5 and was a few mm from closing it. MILES better than my last attempt a few weeks back. I gotta thank you again brother man.

-Christopher Andrade-

Chris, it is AWESOME to hear it my man! That #2.5 will go down soon, brother.

Diesels, one thing you need to know about Chris. This dude is a worker. Believe me – he NEVER misses or blows off a workout and is willing to put in work in order to progress. He doesn’t let stuff bother him, or get in the way of his focus. He trains his ass off. I know, because he has been here and trained with me and he doesn’t just “try to close” grippers. He attacks them. It’s just a matter of time until he smashes that #2.5 and starts working toward the next gripper in his collection, and he’s got a lot of them!

Listen DIESELS, if you want to improve your grippers, get this program. That’s all there is to it.

Pick up the Cadence Based Gripper Training Program by clicking this link

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Gripper Training Program: Cadence Based Training

Of all the different facets of Grip Training, you ask me about one WAY MORE than the others.

There’s no doubt about it that Gripper Training, developing a monstrous crushing grip, is the most popular type of Grip Training today.

And the one thing I have heard from you over the years is that you needed a program to guide you to your gripper training goals.

You’ve talked to be about your aspirations.

And you’ve talked to me about your frustrations.

You’ve talked to be about your Personal Records.

And you’ve talked to me about your Personal Plateaus.

You’ve told me about your successes, when everything you were doing was working.

And you’ve told me about your injuries, when what you were doing was doing more harm than good.

Well, about a year ago, I decided it was time to finally put together the Gripper Training Program to help YOU ALL attain your goals.

And now, I bring you Cadence Based Gripper Training.

This program is built upon 4 Core Concepts, each designed to help you continually make progress with your grippers, while also helping you stay injury free.

4 Core Concepts of Cadence Based Gripper Training

Purposeful Effort

Every single set, rep and attempt you take in your gripper training must have a purpose. There must be a reason behind it. You should never do repetitions just to meet a quota or hit some rep count. With Cadence Based Gripper Training, the volume is limited to what is necessary. Nothing more, nothing less.

Success Based Training

With Grippers, failure should never become the norm. Too many misses in gripper training creates serious problems. The hand does not get worked properly and glaring weaknesses develop. Before you know it, you are missing more and more. Cadence Based Training is designed to prevent misses and keep you closing grippers with authority.

Erasing All Weaknesses

Often, too much emphasis is placed on the Gripper attempt, when you are squeezing on the handles with the crushing hand. In reality, there are many other weaknesses to be aware of and address to fully maximize your crushing grip capabilities, and Cadence Based Training addresses these opportunities.

Stay Healthy at All Times

For a long time, it’s been clear to me that you have no problem putting the effort into your gripper training sessions. However, it seems that your focus is so intensely fixed on the training, that you often forget to take care of yourself as well. You can’t get stronger when you are hurt. This facet of the Cadence Based Gripper Training Program is designed to ensure that you stay healthy, putting together more quality workouts, and attaining your goals even faster.

I think this program is going to be a breath of fresh air for a lot of people. It is not built on the same principles that other programs have been built on.

Cadence Based Gripper Training is built on becoming stronger on grippers. Bottom Line.

This is the program you need. Grab it today for just $19, during the introductory period.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

By eliminating these 2 mistakes in my Gripper Training, I was able to increase my CRUSH Strength by 15 between both hands…

Are you making these Gripper Training Mistakes? => 2 Big Gripper Training Mistakes

All the best in your training.

Jedd

DIESELS!

Recent #4 Gripper Attempt

I have worked with a LOT of people over the years on their Gripper form, and the biggest thing I see with them is TECHNIQUE ISSUES.

We need to talk about this RIGHT NOW.

Technique is EVERYTHING.

You can throw everything else out.

If your technique is off when you try to close a gripper, you are reducing your chance for a successful close by AT LEAST HALF and maybe more.

The number one thing I see people doing is they place the gripper wrong in their hand right from the very beginning.

Specifically, they place the Gripper too deep in their hand…

…so WHY is this a PROBLEM?

Well, think about it this way.

How far do you usually miss by when you fail on a gripper attempt?

My guess is that you probably miss by around 1/4 inch.

Maybe it’s an 1/8th, maybe 3/8ths, but it’s probably right around there.

Well, in my experience people are placing the gripper between 1/4 and 3/8 of an inch TOO DEEP INTO THEIR HAND.

This is a problem because the farther the back handle is in their hand, the farther their fingers have to move the front handle in order to complete the close!

If you make the adjustment on the placement of the Gripper, your hands will have a bit more gas left in the tank because they won’t have to work over such a long distance.

This one change in your form could give you just the boost you need to finally close that gripper you have been trying to close.

And that is just one TINY technical adjustment having to do with how you place the thing in your hand.

Imagine what else you will pick up on when you pick up CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination today.

CRUSH is a two-disk DVD that covers all the ins and outs of Gripper Training and it is loaded with technical information that you might not be thinking about.

I kid you not, I have seen guys going from missing the COC #1 to coming within 1/4 inch of closing the COC #2.5, just by making the right technical adjustments.

What are you waiting for? Pick it up today => CRUSH DVD

All the best in your training,

Jedd

P.S. CRUSH comes in digital or hard copy formats, so if you live overseas, you do not have to worry about paying big shipping charges or duties and other fees.

Gripper Training Update

I have not given up in my quest to re-certify on the IronMind #3 Gripper, which I originally wrote about here: Evolution of the #3 Certification and My Quest to Re-Certify

During August and September, my Gripper Training was primarily focused on 20-mm Block Set work though, because I was preparing for the Holdfast Gauntlet.

Credit Card Set Training: 10/15/13

Here are some clips from a recent session where I worked the Credit Card Set intensely:

I am actually continuing to work both the Credit Card Set and the 20-mm Set for both hands during this time. I will continue to do so until I stop seeing improvement.

Gripper Training with 20-mm Block

I recently was able to smash my Atom Gripz Quad Band for a solid Double and a near Triple with the 20-mm Block:

No doubt my crush is getting stronger this way, as I am getting doubles with that gripper every workout now.

Mash Monster Level 0 Qualification

And, it is not just my right hand that is seeing improvement. I recently attained my MM0 status for the Gripboard Mash Monster system with my left hand, something that took me three different tries in order to attain.

With the Mash Monster Cert, the requirement is to set it to visual parallel prior to closing it. The set and close must be captured clearly for the judges to make their pass/fail call.

The gripper I closed is a 139# rated #3 gripper. This is a light end #3. My plan, at this time, is to sign up for the MM#1 and see where I stand with it, and to be able to try to pin-point a gripper in my collection that rates similarly, so I can focus my left-handed 20-mm training on it.

I truly feel one of the biggest things I have going for me in my gripper training in the near future is that I
now have almost every single gripper I own rated.

What I mean is, I have run each gripper through my own gripper rating system using the same device under as strict
parameters as possible.

So, I essentially know the order all 50+ of my grippers go from weakest to hardest, and I know how all 10 or so of my #3’s compare with one another.

I will now be able to approach my gripper training like someone would build their Bench Press or Squat, gradually moving up in weight a couple of pounds at a time.

This is a HUGE advantage, because there is no more guess work for me.

I just move to the left or right 1 or 2 places on the gripper table and I know
I am squeezing a gripper just a touch harder or slightly weaker.

I feel that gripper rating is a key component to my gripper training, and it will soon create an explosion in the number of new Captains of Crush, similar to the one that took place in and around 2003.

People will know exactly where their grippers lie and be able to set better goals and outline better programs for themselves.

If you are interested in having your grippers rated by me, please let me know.

We can set it up so that you send them, I get them, and I have them rated for you and on their way back the next day.

I have a special going on right now where it will cost you only $5 per gripper to get them rated.

Just email me to set everything up, or contact me on Facebook.

I also have other things I am working on along these lines that will make it EVEN EASIER for you to accomplish your gripper training goals in the future.

More to come. Stay tuned.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Take Your Crushing Grip to New Heights
Check out CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination

Why is it Harder to Close Grippers Left Handed?

One viewer on my YouTube Channel recently asked me all about this, something to the effect of:

“Jedd, why is it harder for me to close my grippers with my left hand? I am even with everything else and I have double-checked my technique, but still my left hand lags behind on Grippers. Do I have some kind of strength imbalance in my off-hand?”

Grippers are awesome but they can also be frustrating as Hell too. Sometimes, this frustration can make someone wonder what in the world they are doing wrong, and even make them think that they might have something wrong with their technique or that they have a hand strength imbalance.

However, that is not the case at all. As I explain in this video, this kind of thing happens to just about everyone, including people who are left handed and generally stronger with their left hand on other types of Grip Training.

I explain exactly why grippers feel tougher to close with the Left Hand in this video:

Why Grippers are Tougher to Close with the Left Hand

Naturally, this is not the only frustration I hear about in regards to grippers. From gripper technique, to frequency of gripper training, to designing gripper programs, I have heard it all.

And I have a great product that will address all of these concerns and more. It’s called CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination, and it is the go-to source on Gripper Training. If you train grippers and don’t have this DVD, you are damaging your progress.

Check out my Gripper Training DVD today. You will eliminate your frustrations, feel better about your training, and will set some very impressive PR’s.

Recent feedback on CRUSH from David Macpherson:

CRUSH DVD: Stunned Amazement

“Hello Jedd, just thought I’d send you a message to say hello. You asked the other day what things we’ve done to improve our training this year…For my gripper training the best thing was your Crush DVD. From being a millimeter or 2 from closing the COC2 with my right hand to closing it twice and holding in closed in stunned amazement. Now I’m a millimeter or so from closing it with my left so hopefully it shouldn’t be long. Anyway, keep up the good work. Take care. – David Macpherson”

Imagine how good it feels when you make the adjustments you need to, set that goal gripper in your hand and smash it shut for the first time. It’s happened over and over when people watch CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Captains of Crush Certification

The Captains of Crush Certification is the most widely known Gripper Certification in the world. For men, it involves closing a brand new IronMind #3, #3.5, or #4 Gripper. For the women, it involves the #2 and the recently added #2.5, as well the #3, once Red Sonya hits that mark.

And while this much is fairly common knowledge for those who practice Grip Strength, what many people don’t realize about the Captains of Crush Gripper Certification is that it has changed over the years.

Most who have come into Grip the last couple of years have no idea that some of the people on the list of certified #3 closers actually did it slightly differently from how the guy these days must do it, and they are shocked when they learn about it when watching my On-line DVD, CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination.

Please don’t take this post the wrong way. I am in no way saying the guys who certified on the #3 under the old rules are pussies or cheaters or any less than the athletes who are doing it today.

In fact, I am one of the guys who certified under the old rules. I certainly believe that closing a #3 gripper with a deeper set is a fine feat of grip strength, after all, the hardest part of the gripper sweep is the finish.

What I am saying, however, is that I think it is definitely a tougher feat for those who have certified under the new rules.

As you will see in the video below, I can not close a #3 with a credit card set. But I want to very badly.

Before we get into that, for those who are not familiar with these changes over the years, I have put together a short timeline of how the cert has evolved since I got into Grip. Take note, I may be slightly off on actual dates of when things changed, but they are close enough to give the story a solid outline.

Captains of Crush Evolution Timeline

2002 – I found out about the IronMind Captains of Crush grippers and the certification from Rick Walker. The passion with which Rick spoke about Grip training was extremely infectious and I soon wanted to get certified as well. This is what got me involved in Grip Training.

2003 – I certified on the #3 Gripper at Fitness Headquarters in Johnson City, NY. My witness was Dave Thomas. At this time, you could use the off-hand to position and pre-close the gripper, provided the last inch was clearly visible by the judge. This is how I certified, along with an explosion of new CoC’s that year.

2005 – I believe it was sometime during this year that the rules governing the set were modified. You could still position and pre-close the gripper with assistance from the off-hand, but prior to going for the close, you had to be able to insert a credit card clearly between the handles to show proper set-width. Soon, IronMind began making their own credit cards to be used. These are pretty cool Grip collection items.

2006 – One of the first men to certify under the credit card rules, Tex Henderson, certified at the Sorinex Facility in Irmo, SC following the gripper event at the Global Grip Challenge. I served as the witness, and slid the card through for him.

After this, my memory gets really shady without doing some research. I know there was quite a drop-off in the number of newly certified CoC’s for a while. I also remember that eventually a rule was established that the certifying athlete had to swipe the card between the handles himself.

2007 – Richard Sorin, the first man to ever certify on the #3 gripper, re-certifies under the new credit-card rules.

2010 – Paul Knight, owner of one of the strongest crushing grips in the world re-certifies on the #3 gripper. Paul has since certified on the #3.5, closed many #4 grippers with a deeper set, and is a Mash Monster Level 7. He also inspired me to write the Push and Crush Workout, a Gripper Training System I have followed off-and-on since 2010 and steadily for a year.

Since 2010, there have been plenty of men who have certified on the #3 and #3.5 under the new rules, but I do not know of any other athletes who have re-certified, although there certainly could be some.

Since the rule change in the mid-2000’s re-certifying on the #3 has not been one of my main goals. I keep my sites set pretty firmly on deeper sets because that is what is used in contests. From 2006 to 2010, I was constantly training for Grip Contests and almost always a parallel set or 20-mm set was used, so I figured it would be counter-productive to work both the credit-card set and the deeper sets…but I was wrong.

My Students Have Inspired Me

In working with some of my clients in my on-line coaching system, I have found that without a doubt, it is possible to improve your crushing ability, both with credit-card sets and deeper 20-mm or 30-mm block sets.

Whereas I figured your hands would be too tired to get quality work on narrow block sets after working with the credit cards, as it turns out, if you are properly conditioned, and if you monitor your volume appropriately, you can progress at both ends of the setting spectrum, while training both sets in the same workout or in separate workouts.

Seeing the people I was working with improve at both ends of the setting spectrum on grippers inspired me! After watching person after person making increases, I decided that after the 2013 NAGS Championship Grip Contest, I would begin working the wide-set gripper training harder with the end-goal of re-certifying this year.

I see many benefits of this training goal:

1. Training the wider sets will strengthen the hands more, and contribute to my contest closes with deeper sets

2. Training the wider sets will most likely strengthen my thick bar lifting, because the hands will perform more work in the same general range as thick bar lifting

3. Training the wider sets actually seems easier on the muscles of my hands and forearms. Whereas sometimes my hands and forearms feel tender after deeper set gripper work, they do not feel this way with credit card work.

4. I will no longer have to tell everyone who asks me, “I certified under the old rules.” There has been more than one occasion where people did not know about the rule changes and when they have learned that I certified with a deep set, they look at me as if I have a third eye growing out of my head. Those couple/three times have been enough, believe me.

And so, I plan on posting more routinely about my gripper training, specifically on my credit card gripper training. The plan is to gradually work up through the many #3 grippers that I own. Each one is a little bit different in strength as per my gripper rating system, so it will be a good way to progress slowly.

For instance, I know my easiest #3 is rated at 138#, while my hardest #3 is rated at 154#. I figure once I am able to close the #154, I should be able to close a brand new #3 gripper, right out of the package, which has been another part of the rules for quite some time now, although I do not know exactly when it was instituted – in 2007 perhaps?

My Starting Point with the #3 Gripper

Here is a video of some credit card #3 attempts from this week. This is a 139-lb rated number 3. As you will see, I am VERY close to closing this one, as I am routinely getting it down to the 1/8″ mark or deeper, although I have not sealed the deal as of yet.

Incidentally, if you are interested in having your Grippers rated, I highly suggest it Getting them all done on the same rating device by the same person is the absolute best way to get it done, because it gives you an accurate comparison of all of your grippers. This is also a great way to know as accurately as possible, where all your grippers lie, which is particularly useful if you have several grippers that all fall in the same general range, and you can’t quite tell which are harder than the others.

To find out more about my Gripper Rating process, click here: Get Your Grippers Rated.

Thanks for all the support from everyone on my journey to re-certification. If you too are training for Captain of Crush status, I wish you the best as well.

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

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