What’s up, DIESELS!

Several years ago, I set up an on-line shop through a site called Printfection and began selling Diesel Crew tee shirts.

I got a note recently that Printfection is shutting down at the end of July, so I thought I’d let you know that pretty soon a lot of these shirts are never going to be available again.

The artwork guy that did the designs either passed away or no longer has web service because I haven’t heard a peep from him since 2012.

Because of that, I don’t have access to the original artwork, so I can’t replicate the designs.

I invite you to grab one of these shirts, while you can. Some of the designs were pretty darn cool!

Here’s the link to the Diesel Crew Printfection Store:

http://www.printfection.com/dieselcrew/

All the best in your training,

Jedd

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Grippers

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

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

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

Right Hand Grippers

Left Hand Grippers

Two Hands Pinch

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

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

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

Double Overhand Axle

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

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

Wrist Roller

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

Medley

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All the best in your training.

Jedd

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

Question for you – –

How bad do YOU want to win?

How bad do YOU want to accomplish your goals?

Do you want it THIS BAD?

Read on…

As I was cruising Facebook last night, weaving back and forth between the nonsense about Tom Brady’s deflated balls and the lies about Bin Laden’s death, I found this gem, from my friend, Jared Fleming.

He said:

“So proud and inspired by my girl and her AMAZING performance at the USA Wrestling National Championships this weekend!!

Veronica showed more heart and internal motivation to win than I have ever seen in another person.

During her 4th match she broke her arm and tore ligaments… To the point you could see her arm was actually deformed.

She came back with 2 minutes left on the clock and WON the match with a broken arm and took 3rd place overall!!“

Can you believe that?

I actually had trouble getting to sleep last night because of this…

It inspired me so much, I got an adrenaline rush and wanted to train, but it was bed time.

I gotta get my beauty sleep, brotherrrrr!

Man, DIESELS, I hope this fires you up today.

I hope it motivates you to take your training up a notch.

It should make you want your goals even more.

Imagine having to finish a wrestling match with a broken arm.

No, not having to.

I’m sure nobody told Veronica she HAD to go out and finish the match.

She did that because of her burning desire for competition and savage hunger for excellence.

Let’s take a bite out of that today and apply it to our life, our work, our family, and our training.

What do you say?

Jedd

Gripper Guys and Gals: If your goal is to become a Captain of Crush, you need to know the specifics for Wide Set Specialization Training: Operation – Gripper Certification

Free Copy of the New DVD – Operation: Gripper Certification?

If you didn’t win, here’s where to pick up your copy:
Operation: Gripper Certification

Welcome to the Diesel Directory, Brother

This is the DieselCrew.com site directory. It has all the posts added from 2008 to 2011. The purpose is to help you find the exact information you’re looking for.

All the posts are arranged by topic, so that should help you out big time. For even quicker search abilities, hit the “Ctrl” Button and the letter “F” at the same time, to bring up a search window. You can then type in the term you are looking for, and it will help you find that specific word.

I still have several years’ worth of posts to go through, and I will make sure you know every time updates are made. Please be sure to add your email address so you know when this page is updated, as well as anytime new posts and videos are added to the site.

Get Email Notification
When The Diesel Directory is Updated

Grip Strength

Grippers / Crush Grip Training

• Article: How to Train with Grippers
• Top 10 Gripper Training Mistakes
• Vulcan Gripper in the United States
• The Vulcan Gripper
• Video: How to Set a Gripper
• Common Gripper Training Questions – Answered
• Feats of Grip: Blob Face Transfer and Vulcan Level 12 Close
• Rope Training and the Dynamometer
• Crushing Grip Strength & Wrist Stability: The Kettlebell Bottoms Up Press

Pinch Grip Training – Two Hands Pinch – “2HP”

• The Texas Boys’ Pimped Out Euro Pinch
• Two Hands Pinch World Record – 120kgs – First to 120kg
• Video: Two Hands Pinch Rep Training
• Grip Strength Challenge – Two Hands Pinch for Max
• Two Hands Pinch World Records Trades Hands 3 Times in One Day

Pinch Grip Training – Blobs & Block Weights

• What is the Blob? Different Types of Blobs
• First Time Lifting the Blob by the Face
• The Simplest Form of Block Weight Training – Inverted Dumbbell Training
• Block Weights – The Fatman Clone
• Block Weights – The Iron Grip Monster
• Block Weights – My Block Weight COllection
• Odd Object & Blob Lift Combo Feat – Shouldered Keg + Blob Lift
• Blob Handle Dimensions – Blob Snatch
• Block Weight Training: The Glob
• Blob + Inch Dumbbell Farmer’s Walks

Pinch Grip Training – Plate Pinching

• Grip Strength Challenge – Plate Hula for Grip Strength
• Article: Dynamic Pinch Training – Plate Pinch Swings
• Two Hands Pinch – 2-45’s Hold for Time
• Grip Strength Challenge – 2-45’s Hold for Time
• Increase Thumb Strength: Plate Hula

Pinch Grip Training: Hub Lifting

• Article: Pinch Grip Hub Lifting Tools and Methods
• Grip Strength Challenge: Hub Lift for Thumb Strength
• Grip Strength Challenge – Hub Lift Submissions

Thick Bar / Fat Bar Training (Open Hand): Inch Dumbbell

• Monster Grip Feat: Flipping 95-lb Kettlebell While Holding Inch Dumbbell
• My First Ever Double Inch Farmer’s Walk
• Continued Progress with Double Inch Farmer’s Walk
• Two Inch Dumbbell Deadlift
• Article: Training for Strength with the Inch Dumbbell
• Home Made Equipment to Help You Lift the Inch Dumbbell
• Killer Goblet Squats: Squatting with the Inch Dumbbell
• Developing Grip Strength – Thick Bar Training Methods
• Blob and Inch Dumbbell Farmers Walk

Thick Bar / Fat Bar Training (Open Hand): Rolling Thunder

• Developing Grip Strength – Thick Bar Training Methods
• Blob and Inch Dumbbell Farmers Walk

Thick Bar / Fat Bar Training (Open Hand): Axle Training (Thick Barbell Lifting)

Thick Bar / Fat Bar Training (Open Hand): Other Training Implements & Methods

• Porno Thumbs and Banana Fingers
• Two Inch Vertical Bar Training
• Team Grip Strength Training for Strength Coaches
• Thick Bar Training Methods
• Building Grip Strength: Myths and Methds Explained

Wrist Strength Training

• Sledge Hammer Swinging Charity Event
• Wrist Strength – Plate Curl Videos
• Wrist Strength – Plate Curl Demonstratiion
• Sledge Hammer Deadlift Challenge
• Sledge Hammer Deadlift Videos
• Slim Lever Videos
• Wrist Strength: How to Do Stool Lifting
• Wrist Strength: Stool Lifting Videos
• Wrist Strength: Sledge Hammer Levering
• Vertical Sledge Lever for Wrist Strength
• Plate Curls for Wrist Strength (Videos)
• Diesel Grip Strength Challenge Plate Curl
• Home Made Strength: Quick & Easy Wrist Roller
• Crushing Grip Strength & Wrist Stability: The Kettlebell Bottoms Up Press

The Grip Authority

• Customer Feedback: The Grip Authority – Grip Training Instructional Site

Grip Togethers

• Diesel Classic Video: Day of Strength 2004

Grip Contests

• Gripmas Carol 2011
• Next Contest: Gripmas Carol 2011
• Worlds Strongest Hands 2011
• Feats after World’s Strongest Hands 2011
• World’s Strongest Hands 2011 – Leg 3
• World’s Strongest Hands 2011 – Leg 2
• Canadian National Hand Strength Challenge
• World’s Strongest Hands 2011 Leg 2 Announcement
• World’s Strongest Hands 2011Announcement
• North American Grip Sport National Championship Write-up
• NAGS 2011 Sponsors
• Sorinex Summer Strong 2011 Part 3
• Sorenex Summer Strong 2011 Part 2
• Sorinex Summer Strong 2011 Part 1
• Wild Card Qualifier for Nationals 2011
• Upcoming Grip Contests 2011
• Beast in the East Steel Bending Championship
• NAGS Championship 2011 Announcement
• Two Hands Pinch Record Changes Hands 3 Times in One Day
• World’s Strongest Hands 2010 Leg 3 Results
• World’s Strongest Hands 2010 Leg 3 Announcement
• World’s Strongest Hands 2010
• Grip Sport National Championship 2010 Write-up
• Grip Sport National Championship 2010 Announcement

Rope Training

• Rope Training and the Dynamometer
• Diesel Grip Strength Challenge: Rope Pull-ups

Sandbag Training

• Building Grip Strength: Myths and Methds Explained

Support Grip

• How to Improve Your Grip for the Deadlift – True Support Grip
• One Hand Deadlift – Submissions
• How to Do the One Hand Deadlift
• Barbell Snatch Submissions
• How to Perform the One Hand Deadlift
• Hang from Bar for Grip Strength and Endurance
• Article: How to Do the Farmer’s Walk

Miscellaneous Grip

• Guest Post: Grip Training for Track and Field Throwers by Matthew Ellis
• Grip Medley Challenge Videos
• Article: Challenge Your Hand Strength: Grip Strength Medley
• Open Hand Grip Strength Using Ropes and Towels
• Kettlebells for Grip Strength: Bottoms Up KB Press
• Article: Got a Strong Grip? The Barbell Snatch
• Articlee: Bi-Polar Strength Training
• Sledge Hammer Finger Walks for General Hand Strength
• Towel Pull-ups for Grip Strength
• Article; Thick Bar Training – Grapple Grips
• Sledge Hammer Finger Walks
• Why You Should Train Your Grip
• Grip Training for Basketball Players
• Grip Training Finishers – Dessert for Your Workout
• North American Grip Sport
• Strength Training Goals and Updates

Diesel Crew Grip Strength Challenge

• Diesel Crew Grip Challenge: Inverted Gripper Training Submissions
• Diesel Crew Grip Challenge: Inverted Gripper Closes
• Diesel Crew Grip Challenge: Gripper Wild Card Submissions
• Diesel Crew Grip Challenge: Block Set Grippers
• Diesel Crew Grip Challenge – Week 6 and 7
• Grip Medley Challenge Videos
• Article: Challenge Your Hand Strength: Grip Strength Medley
• Diesel Grip Challenge: Inverted Dumbbell Claw Lifting
• Kettlebells for Grip Strength: Bottoms Up KB Press
• Article: Got a Strong Grip? The Barbell Snatch
• Introducing the Diesel Grip Strength Challenge
• Grip Strength Challenge 4 Tens Pinch
• Grip Strength Challenge Pinch 2-25lb Plates
• Grip Strength Challenge: 2-25’s Pinch Submissions
• Grip Strength Challenge 4 Tens Pinch
• Two Hands Pinch – 2-45’s Hold for Time
• Grip Strength Challenge – 2-45’s Hold for Tiime
• Grip Strength Challenge – Two Hands Pinch for Max
• Grip Strength Challenge – Plate Hula for Grip Strength
• Diesel Grip Strength Challenge: Rope Pull-ups
• One Hand Deadlift – Submissions
• How to Do the One Hand Deadlift
• Grip Strength Challenge: Hub Lift for Thumb Strength
• Grip Strength Challenge – Hub Lift Submissions
• Wrist Strength – Plate Curl Videos
• Wrist Strength – Plate Curl Demonstratiion
• Sledge Hammer Deadlift Challenge
• Sledge Hammer Deadlift Videos
• Slim Lever Videos
• Wrist Strength: How to Do Stool Lifting
• Wrist Strength: Stool Lifting Videos
• Wrist Strength: Sledge Hammer Levering
• Vertical Sledge Lever for Wrist Strength
• Plate Curls for Wrist Strength (Videos)
• Diesel Grip Strength Challenge Plate Curl
• Home Made Strength: Quick & Easy Wrist Roller
• Crushing Grip Strength & Wrist Stability: The Kettlebell Bottoms Up Press
• Sledge Hammer Finger Walks
• One Hand Snatch Videos
• Grip Strength Challenge: Horseshoe bending Tournament
• Crazy Ways to Bend Nails
• Grip Strength Challenge: The Zottman Curl
• One Hand Deadlift Voting
• Bar Hang Grip Challenge Submissions
• One Hand Deadlift Voting
• Classic Feats of Strength Tournament
• Classic Strongman Feats Tournament Week 5
• Phone Book Tearing Submissions
• Phone Book Tearing
• Classic Feats Card Tearing
• Cassic Strongman Feats Week 2
• One Hand Snatch Submissions
• Weekly Grip Strength Challenge

Feats of Strength

Braced Bending

Horseshoe bending

• Article: What Do You Need for Horseshoe Bending
• Horseshoe bending Tournament
• Horseshoe Bending DVD Contest
• Horseshoe Bending DVD Feedback
• Horseshoe Bending DVD: Hammering Horseshoes
• Article: What Sets Horseshoe Bending Apart from Other Feats of Strength
• Hammering Horseshoes Coming Soon
• Upcoming Product: Hammering Horseshoes DVD with Mike Rinderle

Nail / Short Non-braced Bending

• August – Classic Feats of Strength Month
• Steel Bending in Action
• Crazy Ways to Bend Nails
• Customer Feedback: Nail Bending DVD
• WHy You Should Buy the Nail Bending DVD
• Beginner Steel Bending Program
• Article: How to Improve Nail Bending Technique
• Testimonial: Nail Bending DVD
• It’s Time to Melt Steel Like Thermite
• Nail Bending DVD Contest Announced
• Nail Bending DVD COntet
• Nail Bending DVD Update
• Get Ready to Melt Steel
• Guest Post: A Beginner’s Journey Into Nail Bending by Carl Donati, Jr

Miscellaneous Feats

• Article: How to Break Chain Like an Oldtime Strongman
• Rolling Frying Pans and Managing Radiant Tension

Muscle Building & Fitness

Overall

• Article: Exercise Selection for Muscle Building
• 3 Keys to Building Muscle the Right Way
• Vince Gironda Upper Body Muscle Building Workout
• Advanced Abdominal Training
• Build Muscle and Burn Off Fat for Health
• Guest Post: Powering Up Your Plank
• Workouts for People Limited on Time

Nutrition and Fat Loss

• Smart Nutritional Practices for Athletes
• How to Get Lean with Strength Based Cardio
• Lose Fat, Build Muscle Guest Post

Legs

• 7 Single Leg Variations & Why You Should Do Them
• Extreme Hamstring Training

Back

• Full Body Tension Training for Building the Upper Back
• How to Do Rows for a Bigger Stronger Back
• Row Variations for a Bigger Back and Monster Grip

Chest

• Vince Gironda Upper Body Muscle Building Workout

Arms & Shoulders

• Blow Up Your Biceps with This Rope FInisher
• Heavy Dumbbell Curls for Bigger Biceps
• How to Perform Zottman Curls
• Workout: Monster Shoulders with Rope Training
• Workout: Big Arm Workout

Warm-up, Injury Prevention, Mobility, and Healing

• Article: How to Prevent and Heal Forearm Injuries
• Article: How to Improve Knee Stability
• Article: Foam Rolling for Grip Athletes
• Discussion: Are Foam Rollers Crap?
• Article: Warm-up – Waking Up the CNS
• Article: 5 Minutes to Shoulder Mobility
• Article: 20 Warm-up Progressions
• Article: Preparing for Max Effort Attempts
• Article: Mobility Exercises for Lower Body
• Article: Fixing Elbow Pain – The New R.I.C.E.
• Article: 3 Fast Upper Body Warm-ups
• Article: Essential Hip Mobility Movements

Strength Training – Powerlifting

Bench

Squat

• Killer Goblet Squats: Squatting with the Inch Dumbbell
• Powerful Lower Body Domination for Explosive Athletes
• Explosive Lower Body Training for Strength and Power

Deadlift

• Article: How to Improve Your Deadlift Grip

Unconventional Training & Odd Objects

Mace and Club Swinging

• Build Grip Strength with the Stronger Grip Mace
• Article: Mace Swinging Methods and Techniques
• Article: How to Perform Mace Swinging

Bodyweight Training

• Article: How to Train for a One Arm Pull-up

Strongman

• Article: Beginner Atlas Stone Training
• Interview: Strongman Training for Athletes with Chris Miller
• Article: How to Make Atlas Stones
• Article: Atlas Stone Training for Beginners
• Customer Feedback: Intro to Strongman DVD
• Feedback: Introduction to Strongman DVD
• Strongman Training Hands-on Workshop
• Beginner Strongman Training DVD
• Article: Strongman Training for the Average Guy
• Article: Olympic Lift & Stone Lifting Similarities
• Article: How to Do the Farmer’s Walk
• Article: The Husafell Stone Challenge
• Article: Beginner Odd Object Training
• Strongman WorkoutSession: Training with Rick Walker
• Article: Medley Training for Serious Athletes
• Article: The Strongest Strength Coach – Benefits of Strongman Training
• Article: How to Train for the Fingal Fingers

Highland Games

• Article: The Scottish Highland Games
• Article: How to Train the Husafell Stone

Kettlebell Training

• Monster Grip: Fliping a 95-lb Kettlebell While Holding the Inch Dumbbell
• Crushing Grip Strength & Wrist Stability: The Kettlebell Bottoms Up Press
• Grip Training Using Kettlebells
• RKC Board of Advisors
• Increasing Your Kettlebell Press
• Kettlebell Snatch DOmination DVD Set
• Kettlebell Training DVD: Jordan Vezina – The Corrections
• Kettlebell Training for Grip Strength
• How to Pass the RKC Certification – Russian Kettlebell Challenge
• Kettlebell Conditioning: RKC 5 Minute Kettlebell Snatch Test
• RKC Snatch Test Update
• Training for the RKC Kettlebell Snatch Test
• Training for the RKC Snatch Test
• Killer Goblet Squats: Squatting with the Inch Dumbbell

Strength Training for Sports

Strength Training for Baseball

• Smart Nutritional Practices for Athletes

Overall Strength, Power, Speed, and Conditioning

• Article: Explosive Power Training for Athletes
• Article: Improving Overhead Press
• Article: How to Increase Vertical Jump
• Road Trip: USA Powerlifting Competition
• Article: The Strongest Strength Coach – Benefits of Strongman Training
• Article: How to Train for the Fingal Fingers
• Article: Time Management – Strength Training with Limited Time
• Article: Killer Conditioning with Sleds and Prowlers
• Article: Mace Swinging Methods and Techniques
• Article: How to Perform Mace Swinging
• Article: Best Strength Training Exercises for Baseball
• Article: How to Train for a One Arm Pull-up
• Article: benefits of Cold Weather Training
• Aerticle: Hardest Core Exercise Part II
• Article: Improving Leg Drive for Athletic Power
• Article: Slosh Sled Dragging for Functional Strength
• Article: Extreme Hamstring Training
• Diesel Crew Compilation 2009 – 2010
• Article: Lower Body Training for Explosive Athletes
• Innovative Sled Dragging Techniques
• Article: Burpee Modifications for Athletes
• Article: Developing Pressing Power for Athletes
• Article: Lower Body Strength Training Secrets
• Article: Neck Training for Athletes
• Article: High Intensity Metabolic Training with the Prowler
• Article: Reactive Speed Training for Athletes
• Article: Hardest Core Training Exercise Ever
• Article: Metabolic Core Training for Conditioning
• Article: Intense Upper Body Training
• Article: Explosive Medicine Ball Training for Speed and Power Development
• Article: Killer Strength Endurance Challenge Workout
• Article: Medley Training for Combat Athletes
• Article: HIIT Circuits for MMA Athletes
• Article: More Medley Training for Strength Athletes

Diesel Crew Miscellaneous

Clinics and Seminars

• Seminar Report: Slippery Rock Strength Clinic
• Upcoming Strength Training Seminars (2011)

Product Reviews & Customer Feedback

• CRUSH DVD Customer Feedback
• CRUSH DVD Contest Winner
• CRUSH DVD 24-hour Contest
• New Gripper DVD – CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination
• Gripper Training DVD
• Road to the Record DVD Feedback
• Customer Feedback: The Grip Authority – Grip Training Instructional Site
• Customer Feedback: Intro to Strongman DVD
• Home Made Strength 2 Testimonial
• Horseshoe Bending DVD Feedback
• Testimonial: Nail Bending DVD
• Customer Feedback: Intro to Strongman DVD
• Feedback: Introduction to Strongman DVD
• Feedback on Card Tearing eBook
• Testimonial: Ultimate Forearm Training for Baseball

Psychology and Mental Edge

• Diesel Mindset: Misses Are Just Warm-ups
• Diesel Mindset: Small Victories
• Cold Weather Training
• Diesel Mindset: The Champion
• Article: Dealing With Failure
• Story: Why We Lift – Strength When It Matters Most
• Benefits of Cold Weather Training
• Heavy Prowler Training for Mental Strength
• Haters Gonna Hate
• Do You Want Success as Bad as You Want to Breathe?
• Never Quit – No Regrets

Diesel Apparel

• Diesel Beanies and Shirts
• Halloween Grip Shirts
• Diesel Crew Steel Bending Shirt
• Diesel Crew Misses Are Just Warm-ups Shirt
• Diesel Beanies
• Youngster Rocking the Diesel Gripmas Shirt
• Product Review: The Bison 1M
• Diesel Crew Gripmas Tee Shirt
• Diesel Horned Skull Tees

Homemade Equipment

• Guest Article: How to Build a Loading Pin
• Grip Strength Challenge: Home Made Strength Challenge Announcement & Description
• Grip Strength Challenge: Home Made Strength Challenge Subsmissions
• Home Made Strength 2 DVD: Grip Strength Edition
• Feedback: Home Made Strength 2 – Grip Strength Edition
• Home Made Strength 2 – Grip Strength Edition – Coming Soon
• Home Made Equipment to Help You Lift the Inch Dumbbell
• Home Made Wrist Roller
• What is the Best Strength Training Equipment?

Athlete Interviews and Stories

• Interview: Adrien (Blewitt) Wilson – Highland Games Competitor, Track Thrower, First Certified Women’s Captain of Crush
• Feature: Brian Shaw – World’s Strongest Man
• Dedication and Longevity: Derek Jeter Gets 3000 Hits
• Story: Go for the Win – Heather Dorniden
• Interview: Mike Fitch – Global Bodyweight Training
• Grip Sport News Story – Elmira New Station Visits Jedd
• Interview: Joe Hashey – Synergy Athletics
• The Strongest Strength Coach Competition
• Diesel Iron Masters – Slim “The Hammer Man” Farman
• Videos: Slim “The Hammer Man” Farman & The Mighty Atom – Iducted into York Barbell Hall of Fame
• Dennis Rogers and Pat Povilaitis Bending Steel at the Arnold Classic
• Diesel Crew Iron Master – Nick McKinless
• Stainless Steel YouTube Videos
• Jedd Johnson’s YouTube Channel
• Diesel Crew Iron Master – Dennis Rogers
• RIP Jack Lalanne
• Diesel Iron Master – Richard Sorin
• Training with Phil Pfister, World’s Strongest Man
• Diesel Iron Master – Bruce Eckrote 2
• Diesel Iron Master – LTC Nathan Acree
• Diesel Iron Master – Graham Bartholemew

The Next Grip Strength Competition will take place on February 7th, and I am designing it to be very welcoming to new competitors.

Grip Hogs Day

DATE: February 7th, 2015
ENTRY FORM: Grip Hogs Day

EVENTS:
Silver Bullet Hold
Two Hands Pinch
Two Hand Axle Deadlift
Pickaxe Lift
Bull Ring Lift

WEIGH-IN: Any time after 8:00am (scale will be spot-calibrated)
WEIGHT CLASSES: Your lifts will be logged per North American Grip Sport’s weight class system (59k, 66k, 74k, 83k, 93k, 105k, 120k, 120k+)

DIVISIONS: Beginner / Experienced / Expert
Places will be figured based on experience level…examples:

**Beginners – Very limited grip experience

**Experienced – 2 or more grip contests

**Expert – Seasoned Veterans

SIGN-IN: 9:00am
RULES: 9:30am
START: 10:00am

LOCATION: Jedd Johnson’s Garage Gym
EMAIL FOR DIRECTIONS: jedd dot diesel at gmail dot com

ENTRY FEE: $20. POSSIBLE THROW-IN FOR PIZZA AFTERWARDS
DEADLINE: February 1st – Paying on contest day, add $10, unless otherwise notified.
Events subject to change without notice
Events order subject to change without notice

MAKE ALL CHECKS/ MONEY ORDERS PAYABLE TO: JEDD JOHNSON

MAIL ENTRY FORM AND FEE TO:
JEDD JOHNSON
PO BOX 806
WYALUSING, PA 18853

HOTELS
Available upon request. Please contact me.

AIRPORTS (all three are about the same distance from Wyalusing, 1.5 hrs)
Scranton/Wilkes Barre PA
Binghampton NY
Elmira NY

Event Explanations & Demonstrations

Silver Bullet
The IronMind Silver Bullet is placed between the handles of a #3 gripper. The #2 can be used by women and if the athlete can not get a proper attempt on the #3.

Two Hands Pinch
The adjustable pinch device is used, with steel outside plates and rubber inserts. It is adjustable from 12 to 64mm. With a two-hand, overhand grip, the athlete lifts the device until the loading pipe contacts a cross-bar 16.5 inches high, and then must return the implement to the floor without losing grip on it.

Two Hand Axle
A 1.9-inch thick barbell, called and Axle, is gripped with two hands in an overhand grip. The athlete must lift the axle to lockout. Once the referee gives the down signal, he must lower it back to the ground without losing his grip.

Pickaxe to Front (Max Weight)
The Pickaxe device is loaded at the front and gripped at the end. It must be lifted so the front crosses the height of 30 inches, without a steel shot falling off. The steel shot prevents excessive tilt. The Pickaxe can be lowered with two hands.

The Bull Ring
The Bull RIng is a brand new event testing extensor strength. The hand is placed palm-down inside the ring, contacting only the underside of the lifting surface, and at no time can come in contact with the V-shaped supports on the underside. The athlete must lift the Bull Ring to lockout, get a good call from the ref, and the return it to the floor without losing grip on the implement.

COMING SOON

I hope to see you on February 7th. It’s gonna be a great time.

Jedd

Increase Your Two Hands Pinch
Order Your Copy of Napalm Pinch TODAY

Today is the last day I can guarantee to have your order(s) delivered before Christmas.

Due to how crazy the postal service is this time of year, today is the last day I’ll be able to guarantee you’ll receive your gift before Christmas.

I already took one load of stuff down to the post office this morning, and will be taking the next load
around 4PM, so you still have time.

If you’re looking for some last minute stocking stuffers, here’s a few ideas.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Bent Wrench Pen Holder

Of all the Diesel Designs I offer, the Bent Wrench Pen Holder is the most popular.

You can get yourself one of these bent and signed by yours truly by clicking here: Diesel Designs Wrench Pen Holder

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

The Sh*t You’ve Never Seen

This is one fo the first DVD’s I ever put out, and it is guaranteed to jack you up for your next workout.

This DVD is packed with training footage where me and my partners challenge one another, trash talk one another, complete world class feats and set PR’s one after the other.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Intro to Strongman DVD

Also, several of you wrote in and mentioned that you had trouble ordering the Intro to Strongman DVD on Tuesday, so I am extending that mini-sale through today as well.

You can grab it here: Intro to Strongman DVD

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If there’s any other titles you’re looking for, just reply to this email. I am happy to help you find it.

Thanks, and all the best!

Jedd

I recently started a new webshow on my YouTube Channel called, “Cooking with Napalm.”

In this show, I answer 3 to 5 questions that have come in via email or comments on my YouTube videos.

I grab up the handful of questions from my computer and answer them while I am cooking on the grill or in the kitchen.

This has become a pretty popular feature on my YouTube Channel, so I am going to start doing it a bit more.

Here’s the most recent episode:

Do you have any questions for me?

If so, be sure to leave them in the comments section below, here on my site, or in the comments below any video on my channel.

And if you are not yet subscribed, you can do so by clicking this link: Jedd Johnson’s YouTube Channel

Thanks and all the best in your training.

Jedd

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Get Your Technique Right & Start Closing Bigger Grippers
CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination

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I am ordering in a stash of Diesel Hoodies. Get your order in by Thursday, November 20th to make sure your hoodie order gets placed in the first round. Make your selection below. If you order more than one hoodie, there may be slightly more shipping involved. I will contact you so we can take care of it.

International Orders – please contact me before ordering so we can get the right shipping estimate for you.

Thanks so much for your order!

Grey Horned Skull

This is the Original Diesel Skull design. This hoodie will be grey. The Skull will be white and red.

Grey Horned Skull

Small $32.95 USDMedium $33.95 USDLarge $34.95 USDXL $35.95 USD2XL $36.95 USD3XL $37.95 USD4XL $38.95 USD

Grey Diesel Skull

This is the Diesel Branded Skull. This hoodie will be Grey and the skull will be silver and red.

Grey Diesel Skull

Small $32.95 USDMedium $33.95 USDLarge $34.95 USDXL $35.95 USD2XL $36.95 USD3XL $37.95 USD4XL $38.95 USD

Black Horned Skull

This is the Original Diesel Skull. The hoodie will be Black and the skull will be red and white.

Black Horned Skull

Small $32.95 USDMedium $33.95 USDLarge $34.95 USDXL $35.95 USD2XL $36.95 USD3XL $37.95 USD4XL $38.95 USD

Black Diesel Skull

This is the Diesel Branded Skull. This hoodie will be black and the skull will be silver and red.

Black Diesel Skull

Small $32.95 USDMedium $33.95 USDLarge $34.95 USDXL $35.95 USD2XL $36.95 USD3XL $37.95 USD4XL $38.95 USD

On the back in white lettering, will be “Strong ‘Til the End.” Because that’s what you’re going to be when you wear this Hoodie!

Thank you for your order. Any questions, please contact me at jedd dot diesel at gmail dot com.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

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.

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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-

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Loving it so far!

-Don Bentley-

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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

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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

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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-

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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-

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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:

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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-

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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

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Build Big Arms and Strong Wrists

One of my overall goals is to build my arms up to 20″ cold (no pump).

The way I see it, if you are going to get big, you might as well build strength to go along with it.

And if you are going to be strong, then by all means get as big as you can.

With these things in mind, I give you Scale Weight Curls.

A Scale Weight is a block-shaped weight that is used in industrial settings where scales are used.

These weights are calibrated to specific measurements and have handles so that they can be placed on the scale quickly and easily in order to test that a scale is reading accurately.

How to Perform Scale Weight Curls

Scale Weight Curls can be done like any other curl. They can be done free-standing or braced, and can be done in alternating style or both at the same time.

For me, performing them standing has gotten too easy, so I have been doing them in more of a Preacher Curl style, off my Glute Ham Machine. This allows me to keep the movement more concentrated (although cheating is not completely eliminated).

Also, what I look for is to try to keep my wrist in a neutral position throughout the full range of motion. This strengthens the wrist a bit more.

I can usually get up to 3 extra reps per set if I let my wrist buckle, so once I feel that I am losing my neutral position and breaking into ulnar deviation, I generally just stop the set.

Here is a video showing some recent Scale Weight Curls.

Scale Weight Curls

Scale Weights are somewhat hard to come by, because they are a specialized tool, sort of like anvils, and they can be cheap, but I have been lucky enough to score a couple over the years.

Believe me, the collection of grip tools I have amassed has taken me literally years to develop, tons of time to research, and of course, big expenses in order to build.

If you can’t find Scale Weights, another alternative is to try and curl your Kettlebells. Since the kettlebell handle sits out away from the rest of the bell, they will actually be much tougher to curl, and the weights will drop, but you will still get the Leverage Curl effect.

Still, I like the Scale Weight Curl a little better than Kettlebell Curls, just because I can use a bit more weight to challenge the biceps more, while also challenging my wrists.

To take it even further, you can attempt to curl your Scale Weight or Kettlebll in a supinated position. When you do this, you will have to CRUSH DOWN on the handle BIG TIME, or else you won’t be very successful.

I hope you enjoy this variation of Curls.

For more sinister ideas on how to build crazy arm strength, check out Call to Arms.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

WWE Tribute Video to Ultimate Warrior

I woke today to find out that one of my childhood heroes, Ultimate Warrior, passed away.

He was 54. He has a wife and kids. It’s a terrible thing, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Crazy enough, he just reconciled with WWE last year, was featured in their latest video game, and was not only inducted into the Hall of Fame this past weekend, but also appeared on RAW this past Monday. Unfortunately, I totally fell asleep and did not see it. I will have to watch it on WWE Network.

He had also signed a multi-year deal to be an ambassador for the company, so the plans were to make him somewhat of a fixture within the company.

The picture posted above is one I got off Facebook.

I feel, he was in his best condition ever at the time of this picture, plus, he was rocking the serious mullet.

I have used the original picture (without the text) in a couple of my power points that present with at workshops and seminars.

Despite the fact that pro wrestling is a scripted event, you can still resonate with a character, and I definitely did with Ultimate Warrior.

I think the biggest thing about him that really connected with me was his INTENSITY.

Everything that the Ultimate Warrior did was INTENSE. He sprinted his ass to the ring, his interviews were crazed, emotional, and would pump you up, his training was balls to the walls throughout his career and even long after he was done as a full-time wrestler.

And even the way he cared about the fans and the way he strove to give them their money’s worth, whether in matches, or at autograph and meet-and-greet sessions, he did these things with an INTENSITY well beyond most other wrestlers.

To this day, that is how I approach everything I do, whether it is a training session, a business meeting, a lesson with my daughter, or writing a product. I put everything I’ve got into it – mind, heart, energy, blood, and soul.

Thank you Ultimate Warrior for the lessons you have taught me.

“Load the rocket ships with the fuel. Load it with the Warriors!”

All the best DIESELS.

Jedd

Last night, I accomplished one of a handful of primary goals I set for myself this year.

The Old School York 45’s One Hand Pinch

If you think these plates look thick, you’re right. That, plus the rarity of the plates, is why only two other people I was aware of, had ever completed the feat before.

Here is a video that shows their thickness.

Thickness of York Plates

Misses Are Just Warm-ups, Diesels.

NEVER Give up after just one miss.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

I will have a new product coming out very soon with Bud Jeffries on Steel Scrolling.

Scrolling is a form of bending usually very long bars into many different angles, shapes, and even art forms.

Bud is great at this, and we are teaming up to put together the definitive product on Scrolling so that you can learn how to do it safely and correctly.

Be sure you sign up for updates about this new product as they come about.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Two weeks ago, I released my new ebook called, “Lift the Blob.”

Since then, I have been receiving near daily emails and facebook messages containing training updates, PR’s and other strides and breakthroughs that people are experiencing.

Today, I finally got the time assemble some of them together to share them with you.

Check out some of these awesome reports from new and future Blob Lifters who bought Lift the Blob:

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Brand New Blob Lifter: Ivan Ribic

Here is Ivan’s initial run-down of the Lift the Blob ebook:

“Just wanted to mention: Burned through the blob info. GREAT stuff. Back story/history on the blob was awesome, tips, tricks and program look killer. I’m starting back on blobs next week and there were several small things you mentioned that had never occurred to me but I was doing wrong all along. I’m convinced that I very well may have the strength to pick it up right now if I break some bad habits and change just a couple little things you pointed out in the ebook. But blobs aside, what I wanted to say is the info on radiant tension was a HUGE help in other avenues of strength. I applied it to my grab on atlas stones the other day (which I suck at) and flew through reps like I was throwing styrofoam balls. I’ve also found it to make a huge difference on my axle work. Even if I never touched a blob again, that one piece of info is worth the price of admission. Great work on a very well put together ebook!”
-Ivan Ribic-

Ivan has since lifted the Blob for the first time, as well. Here’s the message I got:

“I had a pretty limited training session today because my thumbs are still pretty raw from last week. After a really short warm up and playing with the chalk a little I finally got a full lift with the 50.6lb blob. Managed 5 attempts with my left hand and 1 with my right. I decided to call it quits there before I tore any more skin but am JACKED that I finally manged to pick the damn thing up.

I fought with blobs for 5 months and couldn’t even budge a 45 pounder. 2 weeks of training with the “Lift The Blob” book and I’m picking the 50lb. Kind of weird but I’m almost starting to think Jedd just might know what he’s talking about.”
-Ivan Ribic-

Congratulations, Ivan! I knew that there would be some monsters lurking around who were already packing the heat to be able to Lift the Blob or were VERY CLOSE, but just had to refine their technique a bit in order to get it. Nice job, my friend.

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Stop Messing Around. Get Lift the Blob Today. Click Below.

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Opening Eyes to New Training Ideas

“Jedd. The right hand has very little feeling since the stroke. I can feel hot and cold (to a point), hard and soft but most importantly I can feel pressure. So if I’m dropping a weight I can feel that and know to “hit the deck” especially on military presses. I gauge the pressure in my thumb by looking at the color of it. Too much “white” and I know I have an uneven grip or holding the weight too tight. Still at the beginning stages of my open hand grip strength but your blob course really gave me some good ideas on how to train my hands. I find that those ideas in the blob course carry over to a lot of things I’m doing.”
-Phil-

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Increased Confidence Right Away

“I’ve finished the first week of your blob routine and I’m loving it, I am really confident I’ll be lifting [the Blob] soon.” -Tom Scibelli

“Great job on the Blob eBook bro. Awesome! Dude, that fatman clone lift is unreal. I was lucky enough to buy one of those. That lift is unreal then again so are you. I almost fell over watching that!!! Thanks Jedd!”
-Michael Sheehan-

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Hand Positioning – SO IMPORTANT in Blob Lifting

There is substantial technique to Blob Lifting. Just as Ivan was able to coordinate his tension production in order to make strides in his Blob Lifting, this gent below now understands proper hand positioning…

“[I] purchased your E-Book on Blob Training. Particularly liked the part on hand position (I really was doing this wrong). You certainly put a great deal of time and thought into this project. Thanks again for the information.”
-Gary Gray-

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The Blob Posse: Gang Mentality in Lifting the Blob

In the Blob Posse, the closed group only for those who have purchased Lift the Blob, there are new reports of improvements with Blobs and Block Weights every day.

For instance, Mike “The Shark” Sharkey is posting new PR’s and ground-breaking feats almost every day in the Blob Posse Group. Here is some training he did during a break from work when he went home to walk his dog for a bit:

“I am recommending your book to everyone!”
-Mike Sharkey-

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Ladies Are Entering the Fray Too

And don’t think that if you’re a woman you have no place in the Blob Posse! Here’s a video of our own Gabriela Beckmann lifting two of her first Blobs on her way to Lifting the Blob…

What are you waiting for? Get Lift the Blob and clean up your approach, technique, force production and mindset that will help you Lift the Blob.

Who knows – you may already have the strength needed to Lift the Blob. The only thing you might be missing is direction.

It would be a shame to put this off any longer.

Lets do this!

Jedd

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I have a couple of our most popular shirts in stock right now, along with a brand new one.

Original Style Skull with Horns and Fangs

This is the original shirt we produced way back in 2004. Red and White print on Grey Shirt.

Front: Skull | Back: Misses Are Just Warm-ups

Sizes

Small $16.00 USDMedium $16.00 USDLarge $16.00 USDXL $18.00 USD2XL $20.00 USD3XL $20.00 USD

Diesel Skull Branded Style

This model came out in 2011. It is the blood spattered skull with DIESEL branded across the forehead.

Front: Skull | Back: Misses Are Just Warm-ups
(Sorry about the lack of quality in the pic. The paint is so shiny that it was causing flash problems)

Sizes

Small $16.00 USDMedium $16.00 USDLarge $16.00 USDXL $18.00 USD2XL $20.00 USD

Holdfast Gauntlet Contest Shirt

The 3/4 sleeve revolution is upon on, brother. These are the official contest shirts that are left over.

Front: Holdfast Gauntlet, Grip Sport Equipment | Back: Events List

Sizes

Large $20.00 USDXL $22.00 USDXXL $22.00 USD

Items generally ship out within 24 hours, except on weekends. Proceeds go into promotion of Grip Sport, and help keep the site growing.

Thanks for your purchase and all the best in your training.

Jedd

Add INSTANT INTENSITY to All Your Workouts with Grip 4rce Handles:

Check out the Grip 4rce Review I did here

Stretches for the Shoulders and Lats

I am willing to bet that it has been a while since you gave your lats a good, solid stretch.

This means your results in the gym are probably being stifled.

Tight lats will inhibit your muscle growth gains. Muscles need to be limber and flexible to allow for optimal growth, and if they are tight, your results will be stunted.

Don’t believe me?

Have you ever seen how flexible bodybuilders are? They may look muscle bound, but the truth is most of them stretch their asses off in order to maintain flexibility. If your lats are tight, you are limiting the amount of size you can put on.

Tight lats also mean your shoulders will not work right and your lifts will suffer. A great example is any form of overhead lifting: Strict Press, Push Press, Log, Barbell, Axle – it doesn’t matter. Tight lats will hinder your overhead performance.

Don’t believe me?

Try this. Do any version of overhead press with a thick hoodie on. Put a belt on your waist over top of your hoodie. You will feel the hoodie begin to restrict your overhead movement once the bar passes your head. This is essentially what happens when your lats are tight too – they inhibit your movement, and the Overhead Lifting is not the only thing they affect either.

Best Way to Stretch the Lats

Watch the video below. It will will show you my favorite stretch for the shoulders and lats. If you do this 4 or 5 times a workout, your tight lats will be on their way out the door, brother.

Obviously, this stretch utilizes bands. If you don’t have any bands, then you need to get some because these things are worth their weight in gold. If you have any questions on which bands to get, just let me know.

Places to Get Bands

If you don’t have bands, order some today. Beyond stretches like the one I show today, you can use them for tons of other things. Here are a couple of sources.

Rogue Fitness Monster Bands

RBT Rubber Band Training

Start doing this stretch TODAY and I guarantee you will see better results from your muscle building and strength training, plus, your shoulders will me healthier because of it.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

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Got Other Shoulder Issues?
Get Back to Pain Free Workouts with Fix My Shoulder Pain

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A couple months ago, some of the guys from TheGripAuthority.com were talking in our Facebook Forum about Grip Contests.

They made mention of the fact that where they live, there are rarely, if ever, any Grip Contests anywhere remotely close.

They said, since they’d have to travel in order to compete (and they want to compete in a comp like caged wild dogs want to eat raw T-bone steaks), they figured, “Hey, if we’ve got to travel to compete anyway, we might as well travel to Jedd’s place and compete so he can show us how to do it right.”

Sound Wisdom.

These guys reached out to me, and I thought it was a great idea. These guys would be able to get their feet wet in Grip Sport, and I would be able to help them out every step along the way.

If you are looking to compete in Grip Sport, this is a GREAT contest for you to attend. And if you are a complete beginner, you should definitely consider it. Many people who have confirmed that they are coming have never competed in contests before.

Here is the info on the contest.

Holdfast Gauntlet

Date: Saturday, September 28, 2013

Start Time: 10AM

Weigh-ins: 8AM

Rules: 9AM

Weight Classes: All official NAGS weight classes will be run, provided the contestants send their entry forms prior to to 9/21/13. My scale will be point calibrated, so that your lifts will be official for the NAGS Records Lists.

Entry Fee: $50 ($70 day of event)

Entry Form: Download Here

Prizes: To be determined.

Events:

• Grippers with 20-mm Block
• 2 Hands Pinch
• 12-lb Hammer Coin Deadlift to 18″
• Speed Medley
• Hold for Time or Wrist Roller

I will put demonstrational videos up for the execution of all of the lifts at TGA, another benefit of being a member.

Here is a video about the contest. It contains links to other videos that give more specific info on the contest.

Airlines: 3 airlines are almost all within the same distance to my place: Scranton/Wilkes Barre International, Elmira/Corning NY and Binghampton NY. My town I am in is Wyalusing.

There are a lot more hotels around than there were the last time I ran a big comp, so I will get that information out to you.

Confirmed Entrants:

Rick Walker (possible depending on family events)
Mike Rinderle
Jedd Johnson Definite
Brent Barbe
Darrin Shallman
Lucas Wicks
Chris Andrade
Frank DeLuca
Colt Anstine & Wife
Robby Sparango
George Bristol
Chez (depending on injuries)
Kevin Collen
Karl M. Skjelvik (paid)

Questions? Post below if you do not see the answer here.

All the best in your training, and I look forward to seeing you here in Wyalusing, PA.

Jedd

Need Help Preparing for the Holdfast Gauntlet?
Join me at TheGripAuthority.com and Let’s Get Your Ready for the Platform

Are you committing the 7 Deadly Sins of Two Hands Pinch Training?

Many of you are – you just don’t know it yet.

I have seen many people over the years, stuck at the same exact weights they have been lifting on the Two Hands Pinch.

For some of them, it has been 5 or even 10 years since I saw them make any substantial improvements.

I knew I had to do something about it, so I made a special, FREE video. There is no need to pay anything. All you need to do is give me your email address and I will send you the link to go watch it.

You can put your email in the box below, and I will get it over to you right away.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

This Spring I have begun adding a great deal more pulling movements into my training, especially types of Deadlifts.

In the past I would only perform Deadlifts or other pulls from the floor once a week in order to avoid a back injury, but these days I am trying to do more pulls from the floor, but from different heights.

Using the Farmer’s Walk handles has been great for this because there is not such a need to reach so far down to the ground in order to grip the weight and pull, as in a normal barbell deadlift.

In one recent video, I decided to see how much I could pull on the Farmer’s Handles.

Below is the video…

Max Effort Deadlift with Farmer’s Handles

I weighed the implements and they are 17-lbs. My max pull was with 310-lbs added per implement, so in total it was 327-lbs per hand.

After posting the video, my friend Nate Brous asked if I’d be willing to run a little experiment. How much would Fat Gripz affect the amount I’d be able to lift in a max effort pull?

I had never seen anything like that done, and I thought it was a pretty cool idea, so I decided to give it a try in my upcoming workouts. Here are the results…

Max Effort Farmer’s Handle Deadlift with Fat Gripz

In this workout, I pulled 257-lbs per hand with the basic, blue Fat Gripz handles. I was pretty surprised that I immediately lost 70-lbs on the deadlift, but given that Fat bar work is my absolute biggest struggle in Grip Training, it does make some sense.

Max Effort Farmer’s Handle Deadlift with Fat Gripz

In this session, we used the Fat Gripz Extreme Handles, and amazingly enough, my grip dropped nearly another 70-lbs! This time I got 197-lbs per hand.

How Do the Fat Gripz Models Compare in Size

Comparing the sizes of Fat Gripz Extreme (Orange, Left) and Fat Gripz Basic (Blue, Right)

Results of the Experiment

So, here is a rundown of the data:

Week 1 Regular Grips: 327 pounds per hand
Week 2 Fat Gripz: 257 pounds per hand (21.4% drop from Week 1)
Week 3 Fat Gripz Extreme: 197 pounds per hand (39.8% drop from Week 1, 23.3% drop from Week 2)

Naturally, I am not a Research Scientist, so there are some flaws to this “experiment.” First off, my Farmers Handles have duct tape over the gripping surface, because they are too heavily knurled for my liking. Over time, the duct tape has cracked and rolled and the adhesive residue has crept somewhat to the outside layer. So, they could have actually helped me on the Week 1 pulls, I suppose. It also could have hindered me though, because the tape is rolled up and seems to turn when in your grip.

Next, the training that took place on days prior to the days I shot these videos was not controlled. In other words, I may have not trained the day before shooting on some of the days so my hands would have been fresh, or I might have hit a killer grip workout the day before and my grip may have been a bit worn out.

Either way, despite these subtle inconsistencies, I think this experiment is still fairly accurate to show you what you can expect as far as reductions in pull numbers for lifts such as this.

It’s also important to note that in no way am I warning you NOT to buy Fat Gripz. I am not saying, “Oh No – don’t use Fat Gripz Handles because your numbers will go down.” Not at all.

Actually, this experiment just shows you that the two Fat Gripz handle will do their job – they will make your hands work harder and strengthen your grip.

Remember, Fat Gripz falls under the category of Open Hand Training because most people can not get a locking grip between their thumb and fingers. Open Hand Training is the BEST way to train your grip for increasing your general hand strength. In other words, if your hands are just plain weak, training with Fat Gripz can help you.

I plan to continue cycling through these three lift Farmer’s Deadlift variations in the coming months. It has been great getting more pulling in. My body responds well to pulls from the floor as far as muscle building and strength are concerned. So, you will see this topic revisited again in the coming months.

For now, get your Fat Gripz Handles here.

Any questions, leave a comment below.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Want to Build Your Own Grip Equipment?
Check out Home Made Strength Grip Edition

Christian Bale is my favorite actor.

Ever since the movie, American Psycho, which came out in 2000, this has been true.

But of the last 10 years or so, my favorite movie with him in it is The Prestige. In this movie, Bale plays a magician who has an on-going rivalry with another magician. They are constantly trying to one-up each other, and both of them pay dearly for their desire to be seen as “the best.”

At the very beginning of the movie, we learn that each magic trick consist of 3 parts, or acts: (1) the Pledge, (2) the Turn, and (3) the Prestige.

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In case you missed it, at the end the narration goes: “You’re not really looking. You don’t really want to work it out. You want to be fooled.”

Grip is no different than magic.

In developing a truly mighty grip, there are three parts, each building upon the other like the sequence of a magician’s magic trick. They are the Lift, the Hold and the Control.

Lift – This is the foundation of a strong grip. You are breaking something from of the ground and trying to bring it to lockout. Many times, it is something cumbersome, such as a Block Weight, or something unruly, such as a thick handled dumbbell. With Grippers, you are trying to squeeze the handles together.

Hold – The second part is more intense. It involves displaying the endurance to keep something off the ground, whether by holding the implement for time, such as a Farmer’s Hold, or over-crushing the handles of the gripper.

Control – But it is not enough just to lift something off the ground. The true skill is to dominate something and make it do whatever it is you want it to. Like in the post directly below where I go beyond Blob lifting, Control is a demonstration of all-out domination of the implement, pulling beyond normal deadlift ranges and making it succumb to your will.

All too often trainees forget about the aspect of Control. They stay within their comfort zone, within the parameters of regular “lifting” and “squeezing” in their training, and do not go far enough.

This is why I say “Control” is the forgotten aspect of Grip Training.

Control is what you need to fully apply the grip strength you build to the movements and sports you play.

As an example, you can have a strong grip and hold onto Farmer’s Implements that are loaded to incredible weights, but if you don’t have control, all you will be able to do is stand there and hold them. You won’t be able to walk with them because you won’t be able to handle their mass as they swing, sway and shift each time you take a stride.

I recently set out to attain a feat that is based entirely on the element of Control – Lifting a Giant Anvil to Shoulder Height.

In the lore of oldtime strength, there is a story of George Jowett cleaning to his shoulder a giant anvil. There is confusion about the validity of this feat, as the story changes depending upon who you ask, but that is not important to this article.

What is important is developing the strength to perform such a feat.

I decided to try this feat recently, using my 112-lb Anvil. Here is my first, of curely many, attempts…

Anvil Lift to Shoulder Height Attempt

I have been told, and I agree, that the term “Clean” is not correct for the movement I am attempting. A true Clean starts in front of your shins and moves upwards with no swing, as I am performing. With that, going forward I will not use the term “Clean” to describe this lift until I can actually do it without the swing. For now, it will be called the Anvil Lift to Shoulder Height.

It is important to remember that having ultimate grip strength means to be able to not only lift, and hold something, but to exhibit complete control over it, so that it follows your command and it moves in complete obedience to your will.

And to get this Control, you must be willing to go further in your training.

If you don’t take the next step, then in the pursuit of Control, “You’re not really looking. You don’t really want to work it out. You want to be fooled.”

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Grip Training Resources:

Learn the basics and the advanced techniques of Gripper Training with CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination

Take your Grip to the next level at The Grip Authority. Click the banner below.

Anvils are a tool that have been used by Blacksmiths to mold steel for hundreds of years.

They are also very cool for lifting.

What you may not realize though, is the fact that each individual part of an Anvil has a name, as show in the image below.

In most cases, an Anvil is lifted by the horn, or the pointed end. In some contests, such as Mighty Mitts, the Anvil is picked up and carried for distance. Other times, the Anvil is lifted atop a loading platform as part of a medley.

However, lifting an Anvil by the horn is not the only way to lift it.

The end of the anvil opposite the horn is the heel. By leaning the anvil over so the horn points down, you have the perfect angle to lift the anvil in a Clamp Grip. This is a rarely discussed gripping action, but it is similar to crushing, where the fingertips are driven towards the palm.

I was first introduced to this feat by the guys from Farm Strength, Sean Dockery and Nick Rosendaul. At a training session one night, Doc pointed me to Nick’s 55-lb Anvil. He said he had seen an absolute grip freak, Heath Sexton, reach down and pick one up by the heel some time before that.

Try as I might, I could not replicate the feat.

A year later, I was back training in their garage again, and the 55-lb Anvil was off in a corner somewhere calling my name. I pulled it out to the center of the room and tried lifting it. Nothing but pain in my forearm!

Then, I watched Chris Rice, another good friend of hours with 40+ years in the Iron Game, walk over to it and pick it up with seemingly no effort at all.

My eyes bugged open in amazement.

After having seen it done right in front of my eyes, I went over to it and tried one more time, this time lifting it to lockout.

At some point, I attained my own 55-lb Anvil from a good friend, Dan Cenidoza, as a gift. I began training with it more often and even included it in a medley event in a Grip Contest or two. But eventually, it just because another item in my gym, collecting dust.

Recently however, I have had a renewed interest in training with Anvils, in particular the Anvil by the Heel Lift. This is one of those feats of strength where no matter how many times you do it, you ALWAYS have to put maximum effort into it. It is also a feat that requires a great pain tolerance, because not only does the razor sharp edge want to cut into your thumb skin, but the torque that takes place in your forearm makes it feel like your lower arm is going to break, right in the center of the ulna and radius bones.

Nevertheless, I have been having some luck in my training lately with the Anvil. Grip has been keeping me motivated, especially since Doctor’s orders are only 30% on lifts affecting my shoulder.

Here are some of the things I have accomplished.

Lefty Anvil by Heel for Reps Against Time

Righty Anvil by Heel for Reps Against Time

55# Anvil High Pull

I am DETERMINED to either clean and then press this Anvil, or to perform some kind of awkward snatch, but some day I will get this thing overhead. It may take me years to do it, but it is one of my long-term goals. Below is just a high pull, trying to get the Anvil up as high as possible with speed behind it as well.

I have decided that one thing I need to do in order to accomplish the goal of an Overhead Lift with the Anvil is to make the 55# Anvil feel lighter.

55# Anvil by Heel +5 Lbs

Using a boot string with two-2.5-lb plates tied to either end, the anvil goes from 55-lbs to 60-lbs.

Now, some may ask when seeing these videos, “What Are These Drills Working?”

The short answer is that Feats of Strength like this Work Your Grip.

Many people who are new to this kind of thing and come from more of a bodybuilding style background, are used to choosing exercises based on the bodypart worked. For instance, Curls work the Biceps and Rows work the upper back.

Because they are used to grouping exercises together like that, when they see stunts performed like an Anvil High Pull, they may be confused.

No worries. I perform all of those other lifts as well in my training, but because I compete at Grip Sport Competitions, where hand and wrist strength are tested, similar to Strongman competitions, I dedicate time in my workout to strengthen my grip during each training session.

Of course, having a strong grip is not only useful for Grip Competitions. Grip Strenth can also bring you better results on your other lifts. Imagine being able to perform more reps on Rows because your hands are stronger – more reps during each set will lead to better strength and muscle gains down the line. Having to constantly set the weight down to rest the grip, however, will hinder your progress.

Plus, if your grip is strong, you don’t have to eat up segments of your workout wrapping your lifting straps around each barbell, dumbbell or lifting bar on every work set. That’s called training economy.

If you are new to my site, I encourage you to add some Grip Work into your training.

If you need more ideas on how to train your grip, check out my older posts or my YouTube channel. It is PACKED with Grip Training Methods.

Before I go, if you dig Anvil Lifting, make sure to sign up for my newsletter. I am currently sitting on some Anvil Lifting Feats that I don’t think have ever been done before, and I will be releasing the video footage soon.

Until then, all the best in your training.

Jedd

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Get Your CRUSH Right.
Find Out Everything You NEED to Know to Achieve Gripper Glory with
CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination

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Article by Logan Christopher, Legendary Strength

In this article I’m going to share a secret of strength that is rarely if ever spelled out in detail. Yet if you utilize these factors in your favor you can easily and dramatically increase the strength that you have. What I’m talking about is training with partners or a group that is strong, where the expectation of strength is high. Doing this, and this alone, will almost assure that you become strong yourself.
(more…)

Good times were had over the weekend, at the International Pinch and Pull here in Wyalusing as well as something like 10 other locations around the world.

Here are the videos of the attempts.

Two Hands Pinch Lift

Attempts: Green = Good Lift; Red = Failed Lift

Axle Deadlift

Attempts: Green = Good Lift; Red = Failed Lift

Half Penny Lift

Attempts: Green = Good Lift; Red = Failed Lift

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Instead of going over my lifts, I want to point out two important areas for any form of strength training, whether it be bench press and other powerlifting movements, or if it’s Grip Sport and Steel Bending.

These are two things that I’ve noticed at both of the competitions I have run this year. These are a couple of often over-looked factors that can have a huge effect on the numbers you put out. As you run down through them, think about whether or not you might be making these mistakes or missing these marks…

1. Managing Tension

Tension is necessary for optimized performance. If your body is too loose, there is no possible way you can produce the force that you need to lift properly, and that goes for any type of strength sport where heavy weights are used. There is a level of coordination between the various muscle groups and the joints of the body in order to create strength and express it.

In the contest, I saw several degrees of Tension management ability. For instance, Jim Storch, the man with the camouflage pants, was able to coordinate this tension much better than Brian, the youngest lifter in the competition. Jim is an experienced Olympic Weightlifting coach and competitor, as well as Powerlifting competitor, so he has been able to hone this ability. He is also able to better parlay this skill into the Grip Lifts that Brian. You can hear in the videos, I am cuing him to produce tension on several of his lifts, unless they got cut off when I edited everything. I think once he develops this skill to a further degree, he will see improvement in many of his lifts, not just Grip Sport Lifts.

I am not trying to pick on Brian. talked about these things with him while he was here, and with the way he walks around with that Razor Ramon bad-ass toothpick, I don’t think he will have a problem with me putting these out there.

2. Upper Back Strength / Torso Strength Balance

Upper Back Strength is very important as well. One of the things I talked about with Brian before he left, just as coaching points, was to bring up his upper back strength. One several of his lifts, you can tell that his upper back caves in at times, which hindered his ability to finish off some of his lifts.

This is something that I have to constantly be harping on toward myself. In any deadlift-type of movement, I almost always film myself to see if I am losing my tension in my upper back. Storchy is great at this. That is what I aspire for.

Up to this point I haven’t mentioned Parris Jannusek. I think Parris is going to kick a lot of ass in the coming years when it comes to Grip Sport. He has HUGE hands and is able to 180 his pinky and thumb very well. A 180 is when you open your hand as wide as you can, and then see how close you can come to drawing a straight line through your thumb and pinky. This is a huge asset to Gripping. But on top of all that, he is very strong. he told me he wanted to hit some squats and promptly threw on 225 for a set of 10. This was with no warm-up. he pretty much just walked in out of the car, hit 225, then loaded it up to 315. Once Parris refines his technique, brings up his ability to manage tension, and gets some more time on the implements, I think he is going to be a contender.

Most important of all is he recently quit smoking cold turkey. This is his most important feat of all those he has done, so I wanted to give him some recognition for that.

So, how’s your tension? Are you working to apply it and see how much is right for you? You don’t have to squeeze things until your knuckles pop and connective tissues fail, but tension is key, and when you learn to manage it, it will pay dividends.

Also, how is your upper back strength? Be honest with yourself, now. Are you doing too much pushing exercises and not enough pulls? Is your posture poor? If you answered yes to either of these, then a weak upper back might be holding your numbers back.

OK, that’s it for now. All the best for a killer week. Start it out strong, DIESELS!!

Jedd

P.S. Been getting lots of questions about the Nail Bending eBook lately. This ebook covers Tension Management in great detail and will help you to understand Hydraulic Tension and apply it better, not only in steel bending but all your other lifts as well. Check it out below.

Nail Bending eBook

Good times were had over the weekend, at the International Pinch and Pull here in Wyalusing as well as something like 10 other locations around the world.
Here are the videos of the attempts.

Two Hands Pinch Lift

Attempts: Green = Good Lift; Red = Failed Lift

Axle Deadlift

Attempts: Green = Good Lift; Red = Failed Lift

Half Penny Lift

Attempts: Green = Good Lift; Red = Failed Lift

---

Instead of going over my lifts, I want to point out two important areas for any form of strength training, whether it be bench press and other powerlifting movements, or if it’s Grip Sport and Steel Bending.
These are two things that I’ve noticed at both of the competitions I have run this year. These are a couple of often over-looked factors that can have a huge effect on the numbers you put out. As you run down through them, think about whether or not you might be making these mistakes or missing these marks…

1. Managing Tension

Tension is necessary for optimized performance. If your body is too loose, there is no possible way you can produce the force that you need to lift properly, and that goes for any type of strength sport where heavy weights are used. There is a level of coordination between the various muscle groups and the joints of the body in order to create strength and express it.
In the contest, I saw several degrees of Tension management ability. For instance, Jim Storch, the man with the camouflage pants, was able to coordinate this tension much better than Brian, the youngest lifter in the competition. Jim is an experienced Olympic Weightlifting coach and competitor, as well as Powerlifting competitor, so he has been able to hone this ability. He is also able to better parlay this skill into the Grip Lifts that Brian. You can hear in the videos, I am cuing him to produce tension on several of his lifts, unless they got cut off when I edited everything. I think once he develops this skill to a further degree, he will see improvement in many of his lifts, not just Grip Sport Lifts.
I am not trying to pick on Brian. talked about these things with him while he was here, and with the way he walks around with that Razor Ramon bad-ass toothpick, I don’t think he will have a problem with me putting these out there.

2. Upper Back Strength / Torso Strength Balance

Upper Back Strength is very important as well. One of the things I talked about with Brian before he left, just as coaching points, was to bring up his upper back strength. One several of his lifts, you can tell that his upper back caves in at times, which hindered his ability to finish off some of his lifts.
This is something that I have to constantly be harping on toward myself. In any deadlift-type of movement, I almost always film myself to see if I am losing my tension in my upper back. Storchy is great at this. That is what I aspire for.
Up to this point I haven’t mentioned Parris Jannusek. I think Parris is going to kick a lot of ass in the coming years when it comes to Grip Sport. He has HUGE hands and is able to 180 his pinky and thumb very well. A 180 is when you open your hand as wide as you can, and then see how close you can come to drawing a straight line through your thumb and pinky. This is a huge asset to Gripping. But on top of all that, he is very strong. he told me he wanted to hit some squats and promptly threw on 225 for a set of 10. This was with no warm-up. he pretty much just walked in out of the car, hit 225, then loaded it up to 315. Once Parris refines his technique, brings up his ability to manage tension, and gets some more time on the implements, I think he is going to be a contender.
Most important of all is he recently quit smoking cold turkey. This is his most important feat of all those he has done, so I wanted to give him some recognition for that.
So, how’s your tension? Are you working to apply it and see how much is right for you? You don’t have to squeeze things until your knuckles pop and connective tissues fail, but tension is key, and when you learn to manage it, it will pay dividends.
Also, how is your upper back strength? Be honest with yourself, now. Are you doing too much pushing exercises and not enough pulls? Is your posture poor? If you answered yes to either of these, then a weak upper back might be holding your numbers back.
OK, that’s it for now. All the best for a killer week. Start it out strong, DIESELS!!
Jedd
P.S. Been getting lots of questions about the Nail Bending eBook lately. This ebook covers Tension Management in great detail and will help you to understand Hydraulic Tension and apply it better, not only in steel bending but all your other lifts as well. Check it out below.

Nail Bending eBook

I’ve often been asked about single finger training, and whether I ever do it. My answer is ALWAYS a resounding NO!

This came up a lot a few weeks ago when Dmitry Klokov posted the Grip Challenge lift below:

There are two reasons why I don’t suggest people do single finger lifts.

First off, there is very little reward for doing them, compared to the extremely high risk of injury, especially for those who have never done this type of training before. Most people who ask me, are just now getting into grip training, so their hands are not yet conditioned for the stresses of whole-hand grip training yet. Many of the others have been doing grip training for a while, and think single-finger work might be good for them to get an edge.

The second reason why I do not suggest single-finger lifting is because I have felt the pain of finger injuries, and I know what it’s like to have to stop training due to finger injuries. In February of 2011, I hurt both of my middle fingers so severely, both in the same workout, that I had to miss Mighty Mitts that year because of it, and wasn’t even able to train my hands at full intensity until May, just weeks before Nationals that year.

To add insult to the injury, I wasn’t even doing a single-finger lift that time. I was demonstrating how to do the Rim Topz lift to some friends. I wasn’t warmed up, and just reached down and tried to pull a light weight, and first my right middle finger popped, and then my left. BOOM – on the shelf for about 3 months due to 12 seconds of stupidity. I can only imagine how much worse the injury could have been, if it were just the middle finger working alone.

Obviously, Klokov is an exceptional strength athlete with years of training under his belt. And for all I know, he could have been doing that sort of training for a long time, before putting up that video. Either way, since single digit force production is not something he needs, it DOES surprise me he would take that risk, given his outstanding weightlifting career and how much is always riding on his hand health.

And when guys like Andrew Durniat post videos trying the lift, I don’t worry as much. Andrew does a significant amount of rock climbing and climbing-specific grip training, so his finger are more conditioned than most peoples, and his risk is more calculated.

But, when it comes to my training, and the training programs I set up for my clients, single-finger lifts DO NOT have a place in the program.

Recently I was lucky enough to come in contact with Stan Hunter, the man behind the Hunter Push-up Spikes. Stan runs a sports medicine fellowship at Summa Health System and provides team medical coverage for everything from high school to NCAA D1 to professional level athletics in the Akron, OH, area. So he knows a thing or two about hand injuries.

Actually, his understanding of the hands is quite impressive, and we were emailing recently about the risks of single-finger training, and he was nice enough to put together a nice article on the risks of this sort of training from a more medically-based perspective. I really want to thank Stan Hunter for putting this together. I know he is extremely busy in his studies and practice, so it means a lot to me that he would put something like this together for us here at DieselCrew.com. Now, I turn it over to Stan Hunter…

The Risks and Injury Potential of Single Finger Training

by Stan Hunter

Sometimes in sports we do odd and unnatural things that tax our body. For instance, as with a climber trying to hang from a small hold, a sports pursuit may require a substantial load to only one finger. In general, however, single-finger loading is something our bodies did not evolve to do. Several anatomic features of our hands and forearms demonstrate this as they limit our ability to perform strenuous one-finger tasks, and one-finger loading is associated with a variety of classic injury patterns.

One anatomic feature that limits our ability to perform challenging single-finger tasks is the juncturae tendinum. This is a group of thin bands of tissue that run between and interconnect the extensor tendons of our fingers. They function to distribute loads between the extensor tendons, assist in the alignment and tracking of the extensor tendons, and provide some collateral finger extension even if an extensor tendon ruptures. They also, however, couple the fingers so that extending each individually is difficult. To illustrate by example, “flipping the bird” with any finger other than the index, and sometimes even with the index, is not possible with full extension. Try it and you will find that the metacarpophalangeal joint – the joint at the base of each finger – will not extend as far as it will when you extend all fingers simultaneously. To do this experiment properly, remember to keep the fingers you are not extending in a fully closed fist. The limited range of motion you experience, as well as some of the tension and discomfort you may feel in the back of your hand, is due to the juncturae tendinum.

The structure of one of the two main finger flexors is also poorly adapted for single-finger feats. The tendons of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP) that go to the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger, and sometimes also the tendon to the index finger, share a common muscle belly. This makes it difficult to flex the joints nearest the fingertips individually, particularly if approaching the limit of muscle contraction. The FDP tendons attach at the bones of the fingertips (the distal phalanges), and although the FDP tendons can help flex the bases of the fingers (metacarpophalangeal joints) and the middle joints (proximal interphalangeal joints), they are the only tendons that can flex the last joints of the fingers (distal interphalangeal joints). This is why we cannot flex, say, our ring finger into the same position it is in when we make a fist while leaving our other fingers straight. If you start with an open hand and try to flex your middle, ring, or little finger at all three joints, you will find the last joint just will not flex. That is because these tendons arise from the same muscle and cannot be flexed individually.

More evidence that the FDP functions poorly for individual finger tasks is the quadriga effect. If a single tendon of the FDP ruptures and is surgically repaired at slightly the wrong length, or if it develops an adhesion that limits its motion, the motion of the other three fingers is affected. If the FDP to one finger ruptures and is surgically repaired slightly too short, that finger will reach full flexion before the other fingers, and the other fingers will never be able to flex fully. They will stop when the repaired finger reaches full flexion. A related phenomenon occurs if the FDP to one finger is too long. The involved finger will never be able to flex fully, always stopping when the other fingers reach full flexion. The four fingers are connected by four tendons to one muscle belly, like four horses connected by four yokes to the same chariot. If one yoke is shorter, all four horses cannot run side-by-side, as the shorter yoke will always hold one horse closer to the chariot. The quadriga effect derives its name from this metaphor, as quadriga is a term for a Roman four-horse chariot.

As for safety, plenty of injuries happen with one-finger loading, particularly with sudden or eccentric loading. (In eccentric loading, the muscle is getting longer despite attempting to contract, such as when doing a “negative” rep.) Jersey finger, or avulsion/rupture of an FDP tendon, classically happens when an athlete tries to make a tackle by grabbing someone’s jersey but manages to hook only one finger. This either ruptures or tears from the bone (avulses) the FDP tendon of the unlucky finger. Despite the name jersey finger, this injury also happens with single-finger loads not involving jerseys.

Another injury common with single-finger loading is pulley rupture. To keep the flexor tendons against the bones and prevent them from “bow-stringing” when the fingers flex, the tendons run through a series of straps that hold them down. These straps are called pulleys. With heavy isometric (muscle staying the same length – neither elongating nor contracting) or eccentric one-finger loading, particularly if the finger is in a position of proximal interphalangeal joint flexion, these pulleys can rupture. The second annular pulley, or A2 pulley, is the most commonly ruptured pulley. Sometimes called “climber’s finger,” this often results from a crimp grip, especially with a single-finger, eccentric, or sudden loading component.

In general, single-finger maximal efforts are high risk and non-natural ways to use the hands. Single-finger deadlift, for instance, involves a maximal effort on a single finger and is isometric if the lift is successful and eccentric if not. Any high-speed or explosive training makes the lift sudden and almost surely eccentric. Participation in many sports comes with substantial risk, sometimes well beyond hand injury, but for many people the pursuit is worth the risk. Athletes should understand the risks and think deliberately before participating in such sports or competitions. If risky motions, such as described above, are not required in a sport, athletes should deliberate even more seriously on whether the risks are worthwhile simply for training.

Stan Hunter

Inch Dumbbell Overhead (Photo by Joe Mugovero)

One of my main body strength goals for 2012 was improving my Overhead Pressing ability, so I really began to look at all the contributing factors to a big press. Things like a strong core, lockout strength and speed off the shoulders were some of the things I looked at most heavily, because when I was doing strongman training, those were the things I focused on most often for building the press.

However, one of the things I did not take a real close look at, at first, was my flexibility and mobility in my shoulders and torso. To my surprise, working stretching into the routine has proven to be the absolute biggest factor in my increase in pressing strength recently.

It’s kind of ironic that including the simple practice of stretching would have such a big effect. I remember watching Lee Haney videos on ESPN when I was a teenager, so it’s not like this is the first time I ever heard of the concept.

My absolute neglect for stretching and any kind of range of motion or mobility maintenance came when I started studying NSCA materials. The literature stated that if you performed exercises with a full range of motion, then there would be no worry for loss of it.

More recently, several proponents of Biofeedback/Gym Movement have even spoken of their lack of use of stretching and mobility work in their routines.

Well, here is the problem with all those organizations and belief systems, from Lee Haney, to the NSCA, to GM: they are only referring to lifting and NOT what is going on the other 22 hours in the day.

For me, and maybe some of you reading this, the most important factor for my flexibility and range of motion status (aside from sheer genetics), I feel, is my positioning during those 22 hours.

The amount of time I am in a seated position, whether it is working, driving, or just lounging around is staggering. Sometimes, it seems as though if I am not walking to or from my car, or if I am not training, then I am sitting on my ass, and getting more and more locked up.

In relationship to my pressing numbers, I posted a few weeks back how I was able to make incredible jumps in pressing strength with some stretching and soft tissue work prior to and during my pressing workout. That post is here: What’s Working Now – Improving Overhead Press.

Now, although the improvements I saw in that workout were impressive as far as the actual weight jumps from one workout to the next, the numbers were still not where I would want them because in the past I have been capable of much more.

So, I began going back through some old video clips of myself pressing, and one thing I noticed was that several years ago I looked much more fluid. These days in my videos, I walk like Frankenstein, as if my spine is fused and when I press, I have almost zero lean in the thoracic region of my back at all. In the past, my thoracic mobility was far greater and a real strength of mine, so I knew I had to do something to get back there. Once I began incorporating drills right into my workout, I began instantly seeing some good results, thus the post I mentioned above.

And once I started seeing progress, I began trying out even more movements to see what would work the best. I’ve come up with three movements that I have gotten continued good results from and I want to share them with you so you can try them.

Pipe Roll Thoracic Arch

Squat Cage Doorway Stretch

Squat Cage Shoulder Point

These three movements have proven to have the biggest benefit for me in my training, of the dozens I have tried. If you think you are lacking in the mobility department for your thoracic spine, or if you think your shoulders are inhibited in some other way, then you should give these a try.

If these drills don’t seem to do anything for you, then I encourage you to do some experimenting. We are all different and have different limitations, so in turn we will all need to do different things in order to address those limitations.

Results From 8 Weeks of Concentrated Mid Workout Stretching

Barbell Military Press – Recent PR

In recent memory, in the Barbell Press out of a cage, my best has been 215. I have gotten that number so many times I have lost count. That really irritates me, because it is about 40 lbs under my best strict press on a barbell.

Without stretching or soft tissue work, I was topping out at 215 whether I did overhead press first or if I did Bench Press first. And that little factoid irritates me because you would think that after benching the triceps would be too tired to match my best PR, but it has seemed to have no effect whatsoever.

So, here is a recent video of some new high water marks for the Barbell Press out of the cage.

Barbell Military Press – Old Working Set

I am not sure if you can tell in the video clips, but I am able to get a bit more extension in my thoracic spine in the new PR video (I could certainly feel the difference that day). In the working sets video from a few months back, I don’t get anything at all. The benefit to getting this fluidity in the thoracic portion of the spine is that each repetition feels better, and feel less like I have two baseball bats running from my shoulders to my glutes, restricting me. Being able to bend ever so slightly back near the shoulder area lets me press much easier.

Take note, I am not talking about bending the lumbar spine like a 1950’s Olympic Press, as shown above. That is something that you should try to avoid. I played Russian Roulette with that too often back in the day and have no desire to go back to it. What I am looking to improve is my thoracic spine, the mid to upper torso (shown below)

Dumbbell Military Press PR

My numbers in this had been so bad, that I was pretty much stuck at 50’s. Then with time working on my ROM and soft tissue, I was gradually able to work up to 70’s and now 85’s is becoming my new standard. Below, I hit a set of 6 with 85’s, a set which felt so easy up until the last set, it is hard to put it into words.

In the video above, I think it is a bit easier to see the extension I am getting in the thoracic spine. This video was shot two pressing workouts after the Barbell Press workout where I pressed 235.

To sum things up, although my upper back/torso issues are not so bad that I walk around with like Quasimodo or have scapular winging, I still have issues with tightness in the shoulders and lack of thoracic mobility. Like an addict with a gambling problem, it took my a long time to admit to having these issues, but now that I have owned up to them and begun addressing them, as well as seeing the results, I feel I will be able to continue to improve.

Look for more updates coming down the pike on this. Until then all the best in your training.

Jedd

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Plate Pinching is one of the main forms of testing Pinch Grip Strength. Plate Pinching involves placing two or more plates together so that the outside plates are facing smooth-sides-out, and then lifting them in a Pinch Grip.

I’ve always wanted to be able to Pinch Two 45-lb York Plates. I’ve pinched several sets of 45-lb plates over the years, but pinching two old-school York 45’s is a feat altogether different.

I only know of two Grip Monsters who have ever pinched two old-style York 45-lb plates with one. One is Richard Sorin, shown to the right. I can only imagine how many times he had to pull the feat off so the camera man could get the shot right.

Richard Sorin is probably the only man with a great enough love for strength exploration and pushing ones own limits to even try this feat. If you’ll remember, he is also the originator of the feat of strength and definitive test of open hand strength, pinch grip lifting the Blob, which is a half of a 100-lb Old School York Dumbbell. I have tons of information on that feat of strength here on the site as well if you are a newcomer: What is the Blob?

Aside from Richard, I only know of Chad Woodall as someone who has accomplished this feat.

Slide this video to the 3:00 minute mark and watch Chad stomp a mud hole in two York 45’s:

I watched him do that again at the Sorinex Summer Strong 2011, and almost got it with a pair in each hand on one attempt. He would have been the first person any of us know of to have accomplished that feat, and he was seriously close that day:

So the way I figure it, it is time for someone else to accomplish this feat, so I have put aside all of my other personal grip feat goals and am going to be focusing on this one.

To me, this is a good goal to focus on for many reasons:

1. It is a Pinching Goal, so it will support my other goals within Grip Sport, including the Euro Two Hands Pinch, Grip Medley Demands, etc

2. It is a lofty goal, meaning I feel I am nowhere close to it right now, so it will force me to think, work, and try new things, i.e. Further Challenge My Paradigms.

3. It is Wide Pinch and Open Hand Dependent, which means it involves the same qualities as Block Weight Training, and the same benefits for general hand strength as well.

The long and the short of it is that this feat is world class and I want to do it. Grip Feats are cool, especially when almost no one else in the world can do them.

So, in order to keep myself going on this, I wanted to involve someone else. Daniel Reinard, one of the most impressive newcomers to Grip Sport in the last 5 years in my estimation, is a superstar when it comes to accomplishing feats. For his bodyweight, he just may have the best all-around Pinching ability in the world, so I did what anyone else would have done in my position.

I called him out…politely of course, after all I am a Pennsylvania Gentleman.

Aside from knowing that I want to Pinch Two 45’s so bad I can taste the rust on the old ass plates, I also know that Daniel has his eyes set on pinching two 45’s as well, so I reached out to him to see if he would be interested in an on-line challenge. His goal would be to Pinch Two Regular 45’s – mine would be to Pinch Two Old School York 45’s.

Daniel has accepted, so I went ahead and made this video to show where I am at with this challenge.

As you can see, these Two OSY (Old School York) 45’s barely even stir when I hit them, so this is sure to be an interesting ride. These are so hard to lift because they are very wide and their edges are rounded so any tilting, which would generally make pinching two 45’s easier, makes OSY 45’s slide apart.

Incidentally, in the video above, I have a small section of pipe running through the plates, to keep them from sliding around. I will focus on lifting them like this first, and then graduate to a completely loose pinch of them.

Wish me luck and make sure to subscribe to my channel to see how the training goes.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

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IronMind Axle Axle Deadlift

The IronMind Axle is the thick bar implement sold by IronMind Enterprises. It is just under 2-inches in diameter. The Deadlift on the IronMind Axle was an event in contests quite frequently up until 2011.

Past Training History with the Axle

My memory is a bit foggy as to the Exact years but I am going to try to pin them down. I believe it was 2008 when I set my all-time high-water mark in the Axle Deadlift with (I think) 396-lbs. So close to 400-lbs, yet so far away, and I just kept drifting further from that point. In 2009, I lifted 394 at the beginning of the year and then at the end of the year could only manage the high 380’s.

I was slowly but surely getting worse and worse at this lift for no good reason whatsoever.

As I mentioned, the lift took a back-seat to other events through much of 2010 and 2011, at least in the contests I attended.

Then, out of nowhere, something crazy happened. I lifted 408-lbs on the IronMind Axle, and uploaded the video last week.

IronMind Axle 408-lbs

As you can see, the weight shot up off the ground and got past my knees and once I felt that, I knew it was all over. Knee height is usually like my point-of-no-return, in that if I can get it to my knees, I can usually finish the repetition.

A lot of people over the years have watched me struggle with thick bar lifting in contests, despite my large hands, so when they saw me accomplish this mark, many asked me what I changed in order to be able to accomplish this.

Progress on the Axle

Here are some of the things I have been doing to which I credit my Axle Deadlift progress.

Thick Bar Training Frequency

With my selection for the Mighty Mitts competition at the Arnold Classic this year, I knew I would have to face the incredible Sorinex Monster Bar, which is a 500-lb Axle with globe-like heads. Due to my lower back injuries, I have not done a great deal of deadlifts from the floor in the last 6 months, so i knew I had to start doing some more.

I chose to work with the sumo deadlift style because I find although I can lift less weight this way, it seems to be better for my back. I also chose it for its shorter lift stroke and its emphasis on the hips, which I am weak on.

I am also continuing my steadfast work on the Inch Dumbbell. My progress in that has been continuous, although never fast enough for my liking. Regardless, my confidence is growing as I continue to work hard on it.

The Big Change

Many of you are aware that I hold a record in the Two Hands Pinch in Grip Sport. You also know that I chased that damn record for nearly 5 years before finally attaining it. In order to get it, I had to change my way of thinking and the way I trained for it…

Looking back on my historical thick bar training, especially my Axle training, there was a common recurring thread: load on the weight, do a single, load on more weight, do a single, add more weight and fail and keep on trying for a single, all the while failing in the upper weights.

Probably no less than 50 times over the last 5 years I have followed that same pattern where all I did was add a few pounds to the Axle per attempt, do a single and then add some more and try another single. While on one hand, you could probably count the number of times in the lat 5 years that I worked lower intensities for more reps and different tempos.

Insanity, as they say, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. So why should I continue doing the same stuff I had always done and all of a sudden expect my numbers to go up? I decided I would no longer work any singles. All my work sets would be done with the objective of hitting triples and my PR’s would be based around them, ONLY.

I started this new approach to the Axle on 12/31/11 and by the first week in February, I had already broken the 400-lb barrier.

This of course, is not all I have been doing.

Specialized Thick Bar Auxiliary Work

I knew that if I wanted to see progress in my Thick Bar Training, that I needed to mold it to look more like what I was doing for Two Hands Pinch. With that, I chose some auxiliary thick bar work that would mimic the auxiliary work that I have done routinely for the last couple of years in my Two Hands Pinch training.

Now, as much as I would love to put this all down here on this site, I am not going to. In order to see what all I have been doing, to get this recent explosion in thick bar strength, you need to join me at my Grip Training Instructional site, TheGripAuthority.com.

The entry that I am working on there at the TGA site involves exactly what I have been doing. I filmed an entire workout – plus I show you exactly how to set up everything. Here is what is included:

• Axle Work Sets: You will see every work set that I do, as I nearly set yet another PR! Plus I explain exactly why I choose the loading that I do, technique, and tracking too.
• Auxiliary Lift 1: In this portion, I show a slight modification I use on the axle, modifying the lift slightly to make it more difficult
• Auxiliary Lift 2: This is a pre-exhaustion technique I have been using to strengthen the thumb in order to reinforce the open hand position of the axle deadlift.
• Auxiliary Lift 3: I show an awesome piece of home made grip equipment that goes further in strengthening the hand specifically for thick bar lifts such as the axle and the Inch Dumbbell.

This has all worked very well for me, and I can’t wait to get it out there for my TGA subscribers to see how it works for them as well.

I’d love to work with you too. I’ve worked with lots of people over the years and I strive to help them all with their particular goals. Join TGA today for just $7 and you can see for yourself.

See you at TGA.

Jedd

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Click below to join The Grip Authority

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This is a video I shot as part of an article for my buddy, Murph, recently on what to do with lighter grippers you might have laying around, especially if you have family members like I do, that don’t quite understand what it is you do in your Grip Training.

Check it out.

Taking requests for upcoming videos – anybody got anything they want to see?

Thanks,

Jedd

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I would be doing you all a disservice by not posting this video.

Prepare to be blown away by the most amazing Euro Pinch Set-up ever designed, owned by the Texas White Boy Rapper, Paul “Up All Night” Knight and Certified Red Nail Bender and Horseshoe Bending Pioneer, Eric “The Pointed Goatee” Milfeld.

Now, if you are clueless as to what the heck is going on with this video, let me point a few things out.

In Grip, everything is weighed to precise measurements in order to calculate exactly how much is being weighed. So, we don’t just count 4-25’s as 100-lbs. In reality, each plate is most likely off by a few ounces, so we either take our plates to a post office or we calibrate a scale we own against another calibrated scale and we identify the exact weight of each plate.

For instance, if you saw all of my plates that are used in competitions here, you will see that each one of them has a number on it and it has the weight in pounds and ounces. So, a certain 25-lb plate might be marked with the number 17 and have 24 – 14.4 on it. That means that this specific plate was identified as being weight number 17 and it weighs 24-lbs, 14.4-oz. I then log that into an Excel spreadsheet and am able to calculate exactly how much weight is being lifted on each attempt.

What Eric Milfeld and Paul Knight have done is they have modified the internal rubber inserts so that the base apparatus weighs exactly 38 kilos, so they are starting with a nice round number each time. If you are doing everything on paper, which some do, this can make it a lot easier to count everything up. Normally adding things up on paper is a giant pain in the ass, but Eric and Paul have also gone to the expense of purchasing calibrated lifting plates, so they are dealing with a series of nice round numbers, instead of having to add up 2 to 4 decimal places on a sheet of paper – AWESOME!

Why a fiberglass cross-bar you might ask? In the past everything from rulers to elastic cord to steel bars have been used for the corss-bar or stick. Each material has it’s own benefits and risks. For instance, we used a long metal ruler one year for our stick. Everything was awesome until John Mannino missed an attempt and got fired up about it and pushed down on the metal ruler and bent it.

In 2008, I traveled 8 hours to compete in a Grip Contest and had the World Record weighton the apparatus. Thee “stick” cross-bar being used was made of either steel or possible lead or some other extremely heavy material. Also, Dave “The Genius” Memont failed to secure the front loading collar like a man. He must have hands like a bitch, because he did not compete in the contest. You are only a cool promoter if you promote and lift in the contest. The result of the loose front collar and the ultra-heavy cross-bar was that the weights ended up falling off on my World Record attempt and my lift was disqualified.

One of many times it just wasn’t “meant to be.”

By using the fiberlass cross-bar, Mannino can press down on it as hard as he wants to and it appears it will retain its natural shape. Also, it looks to be so light that it will not interfere in the pull-to-height or angle of the loading pipe.

Many other things are intriguing about the Texas Fella’s Euro Set-up. They are using a solid steel loading bar. It will be interesting to see how numbers are affected by using an implement with such a heavy loading bar. Will it make tilting easier or more difficult? Will the length play a factor? Will plates loaded on the bar take up so much acreage that only a nub of it will be jutting out from the plates? It will be interesting to see, as well, how the size of the plates being used affect tilt as well.

In the end, without a doubt this is definitely the most Pimped out Euro-Pinch in existence. Paul and Eric truly love the sport to invest that much money into it. Eleiko calibrated plates are not cheap, no matter where you buy them, and the rest of the set-up right down to the collars and the bull-nose shaping of the stainless steel loading bar were all appreciable expenses tambien.

My hat is off to these two for being a good example of taking pride in the sport of Grip, as well as showmanship and playing to the power of social media by cutting up a classic like this for all to see and share.

I do think Paul’s little raps could have been better if done with a fat lip of Copenhagen, and with Eric Milfeld scratching a record or doing beat-box off to the side, perhaps next to the fern int he garage.

All the best in your training and Happy New Year to you!

Jedd

I would be doing you all a disservice by not posting this video.
Prepare to be blown away by the most amazing Euro Pinch Set-up ever designed, owned by the Texas White Boy Rapper, Paul “Up All Night” Knight and Certified Red Nail Bender and Horseshoe Bending Pioneer, Eric “The Pointed Goatee” Milfeld.

Now, if you are clueless as to what the heck is going on with this video, let me point a few things out.
In Grip, everything is weighed to precise measurements in order to calculate exactly how much is being weighed. So, we don’t just count 4-25’s as 100-lbs. In reality, each plate is most likely off by a few ounces, so we either take our plates to a post office or we calibrate a scale we own against another calibrated scale and we identify the exact weight of each plate.
For instance, if you saw all of my plates that are used in competitions here, you will see that each one of them has a number on it and it has the weight in pounds and ounces. So, a certain 25-lb plate might be marked with the number 17 and have 24 – 14.4 on it. That means that this specific plate was identified as being weight number 17 and it weighs 24-lbs, 14.4-oz. I then log that into an Excel spreadsheet and am able to calculate exactly how much weight is being lifted on each attempt.
What Eric Milfeld and Paul Knight have done is they have modified the internal rubber inserts so that the base apparatus weighs exactly 38 kilos, so they are starting with a nice round number each time. If you are doing everything on paper, which some do, this can make it a lot easier to count everything up. Normally adding things up on paper is a giant pain in the ass, but Eric and Paul have also gone to the expense of purchasing calibrated lifting plates, so they are dealing with a series of nice round numbers, instead of having to add up 2 to 4 decimal places on a sheet of paper – AWESOME!
Why a fiberglass cross-bar you might ask? In the past everything from rulers to elastic cord to steel bars have been used for the corss-bar or stick. Each material has it’s own benefits and risks. For instance, we used a long metal ruler one year for our stick. Everything was awesome until John Mannino missed an attempt and got fired up about it and pushed down on the metal ruler and bent it.
In 2008, I traveled 8 hours to compete in a Grip Contest and had the World Record weighton the apparatus. Thee “stick” cross-bar being used was made of either steel or possible lead or some other extremely heavy material. Also, Dave “The Genius” Memont failed to secure the front loading collar like a man. He must have hands like a bitch, because he did not compete in the contest. You are only a cool promoter if you promote and lift in the contest. The result of the loose front collar and the ultra-heavy cross-bar was that the weights ended up falling off on my World Record attempt and my lift was disqualified.

One of many times it just wasn’t “meant to be.”
By using the fiberlass cross-bar, Mannino can press down on it as hard as he wants to and it appears it will retain its natural shape. Also, it looks to be so light that it will not interfere in the pull-to-height or angle of the loading pipe.
Many other things are intriguing about the Texas Fella’s Euro Set-up. They are using a solid steel loading bar. It will be interesting to see how numbers are affected by using an implement with such a heavy loading bar. Will it make tilting easier or more difficult? Will the length play a factor? Will plates loaded on the bar take up so much acreage that only a nub of it will be jutting out from the plates? It will be interesting to see, as well, how the size of the plates being used affect tilt as well.
In the end, without a doubt this is definitely the most Pimped out Euro-Pinch in existence. Paul and Eric truly love the sport to invest that much money into it. Eleiko calibrated plates are not cheap, no matter where you buy them, and the rest of the set-up right down to the collars and the bull-nose shaping of the stainless steel loading bar were all appreciable expenses tambien.
My hat is off to these two for being a good example of taking pride in the sport of Grip, as well as showmanship and playing to the power of social media by cutting up a classic like this for all to see and share.
I do think Paul’s little raps could have been better if done with a fat lip of Copenhagen, and with Eric Milfeld scratching a record or doing beat-box off to the side, perhaps next to the fern int he garage.
All the best in your training and Happy New Year to you!
Jedd

Random Ramblings from Jedd

Please read this post and put in your thoughts / comments in the comment box below…

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Hello Diesels.

As I have posted before, I am a huge baseball (and especially New York Yankees) fan. I watch them every chance I get. I stay up to date on the Yankees’ rumor mill, trades, signings…all of it in-season and out.

However, putting all that drama aside, I also like to study what they do for strength and conditioning, and what other industry leaders are saying about strength and conditioning for baseball. I have a handful of baseball players that come to train every so often, and I like applying the stuff I learn to the training I do with them, plus I try to apply it to my own training. Although I will probably never play baseball again, I do indeed suit up for Slow Pitch softball during the summer and enjoy playing to the best of my ability because it is fun as hell and it is a good break from the “hardcore” training I am normally doing in the gym.
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This is a guest post by Chris Smith from Train Better Fitness. Chris is promoting the Cyberzone Strongman & Fitness Challenge on June 12 in Rockaway Beach, NY. If you want to try it out and you are in the NYC area, get in contact with Chris, TODAY, because like Chris says, you don’t have to be as big as Bill Kazmaier to enjoy the sport of Strongman! Go here for more info = > Train Better Fitness Strongman.
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Diesels,

We need your votes. Who has the best video? Who did the best job with 185-lbs in the One-Hand Deadlift?

Please leave a comment below. One vote per I.P. address, please…
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It’s time to build forearms that resemble sick twisted steel cables…

Congratulations to Darren Shalliman on his win in Week 11 – See Below…

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More Diesel Style Training – Bi-Polar Training

As you know, generating Strength involves the production of Tension systematically to overcome an object’s weight, inertia, etc.

For instance, in order to pinch lift two 35’s (shown above) , you must position your hand properly, apply tension correctly, and be able to generate enough tension/strength to lift the plates from the ground (while simultaneously keeping them pinched together).

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