I got a very interesting question recently, where a YouTube viewer wanted to know if my Grip might be stronger than Brian Shaw’s. I answer this and cover similar thoughts in the video below:

Making 2014 MY YEAR

If you are not yet subscribed to my YouTube Channel, click that link in order to do so.

I hope you have been having a great year. I set out to make this year MINE from the get go, and I am loving it.

One of my initiatives going forward to make more posts here at the site to share more of what is going down in my training, but being a subscriber to my channel is the absolute best way to make sure you are not missing anything.

Here are some cool things I am pretty proud of that have taken place this year, but I haven’t had the chance to post here.

Inch Dumbbell Plus 10lbs

The Inch Dumbbell weighs 172-lbs and has a handle that is 2 & 3/8″ in diameter. There are many ways to add weight to an Inch Dumbbell, but perhaps the strictest way to do so is to actually set the plates on top of the globes. Any rotation of the dumbbell whatsoever and the plates will fall right off, so this method shows you have excellent control of the implement.

Earlier this year, I was able to hit a lift on Inch + 10lbs.

Robo Blob Lifts

Last last year, I partnered with a local steel company to get Fatman Blob Replicas made. Our replicas, currently called Robo Blobs, are machined directly from steel billets and carved to the perfect flawless shape of a Fatman Blob.

For the longest time, I could get NO AIR underneath my Robo Blob, until finally after several months I was able to break it free from gravity’s hold. One small break was all I needed.

Order your own Diesel Robo Blob Here

Shortly after, I was able to lift the Robo Blob with about 2.5pounds added, as well.

Monster Dumbbell Curls

Over the last couple of years, I have expanded my obsession from not just developing a strength in the lower arms in the form of tremendous grip strength, but big and strong arms OVERALL. This year I have decided to set myself a goal of 20″ arms COLD, meaning not with a pump, but just walking around, regular sized.

I have been told that this is an IMPOSSIBLE goal by some, at least impossible to do it without chemical assistance, but I am determined to do so with the use of a mix of training methods, including heavy training, high volume, and other extreme tactics.

So far, the strength improvements are coming along nicely, as this year I was able to set some new PR’s in the Dumbbell Curl. Below is a set of 80-lb Curls.

A few months later, I was also able to curl 85’s.

One objective I set out for is to keep the Dumbbell Curls strict. Often, when people post Dumbbell Curl videos, there is a substantial amount of throwing going on, and I try to avoid that as much as possible.

There’s still a lot to catch up on. Like I said before, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel, and be sure to sign up for my email newsletter as well.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Want to Order a Robo Blob? Go here => Diesel Robo Blob

Want to Build Big Arms? Answer the Call to Arms today.

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

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

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

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

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

On Sale $10 Off Right Now

Double Blob Farmer’s Walk

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

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

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

Double Blob Farmer’s Walk – 2008

Double Blob Farmer’s Walk – 2014 – Part 1

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

Double Blob Farmer’s Walk – 2014 – Part 2

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

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

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

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

All the best in your training,

Jedd

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

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

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

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

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

On Sale $10 Off Right Now

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

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

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

Double Blob Hold for Time Training

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

Double Blob Holds Plus Chains

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All the best in your training.

Jedd

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

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

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

First Curl of the Blob in a Loooong Time

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

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

Curling the Blob – Back Against the Wall

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

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

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

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

Luke Raymond Blob Lift

What happens next is something I NEVER would have anticipated.

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

This is what I am talking about…

Mental Strength = Physical Strength

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

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

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

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

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

It does.

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

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

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

Have you?

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

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

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

Blob Curl Showdown

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

If you are holding yourself back, STOP.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

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

The Blob

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Video on The Different Types of Blobs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All the best in your training,

Jedd

A Pile of Block Weights. I Love Grip

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fatman Blob Plus 5-lbs for Reps Against Time

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

Fatman Cleans for Reps Against Time

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

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

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

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Hello DIESELS!

Blob Lifting Update for you guys.

I want to show you a huge PR that I recently accomplished and at the same time give you some more information I have found out about the Blob itself.

First the Feat – Blob Snatch

The video below is a Snatch of the Blob. This particular one is one of the Next Generation Blob variety.

For an explanation on the different types of Blobs, go here = > Summer Strong and the Blue Blob.

I actually accomplished the Snatch shown above the same exact day I did the Farmers Walk with the Blob and Inch Dumbbell. I just never got the chance to post the video.

The day I did this, I knew I would be rolling into Nationals in pretty good shape with the chance to break the record in the Two Hand Pinch again. I just didn’t anticipate the back injury, which as you can see by how graceful I am in the clip above, was feeling fine that day.

I’ve come close to doing this feat in the past but never got it strong enough to go out on a limb and really claim the feat. I am glad to have finally gotten this done though.

New Blob Information

Fellow Blob Lifter, John Eaton took a micrometer, a device used to measure the diameter and thickness of things, to his Blobs’ handles, (he owns both next Generation and Fatman Blobs) and posted some of the findings.

If you have a 50-lb Blob and if you are not sure whether it is one of the original-style Fatman Blobs or a later model, maybe these measurements can help you out.

John says on both of his Fatman Blobs the handles are 1 & 1/16″ in diameter.

John also says on his Next Generation Blobs that the handles are 1 & 1/8″ in diameter.

This goes right along with what Richard Sorin has said about the Blobs and their handles.

So, if you come across a 50-lb Blob in a possible transaction, if you can’t make a good judgment of whether it is a Fatman or a Next Gen, measuring the handles might be the factor you want to consider in making the decision.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

P.S. If you want develop Pinch Strength to lift Blobs, you might want to check out some of the training methods I employed training for the Two Hand Pinch record in Late Fall / Winter of 2009. I do more than just Two Hand Pinch training to build thumb strength in my program. Click the banner below…

Hello DIESELS!

This week there will not be a Grip Strength Challenge.

I am working on tying up loose ends for Grip Nationals which is this weekend.

Plus I will be away from Internet Service most of the weekend. We will pick back up with the Grip Strength Challenge next week!

However, that does not mean I do not have something cool for you to try.

I dug through the archives of Diesel Classic Footage and grabbed something from summer of 2003.

How I Got My First Blob

Shortly before making this video, I had bought my first Blob from Rick Walker. We had met at the Olive Garden in Horseheads, NY, and Rick, Rick’s Mom, Smitty, and I had a nice afternoon lunch, and then the Blob transaction was made. Once out to the parking lot, I fumbled around with the Blob for a bit until i finally picked it up after 3 or 4 attempts and walked several steps down the parking lot with it.

That was a great day!

A few workouts later, I brought the Blob up to the Gym in Horseheads and tried some crazy combination lifts with the Blob, one of which you will see below, along with a keg.

A few more points about the video (that I can remember)

• The Keg weighs roughly 150. We filled it with water out of a hose, but I can’t remember how we got the water in
• This was like the 4th damn try. The Blob kept slipping out of my hand.
• I was weighing like 226. I had just cut down from like 240 in order to compete in my first strongman contest in the lighter weight class so i didn’t get too badly schooled. Abs were RIPPED back then.
• Hair was highlighted. Do I lose cool points for this?
• That Song is “Tyler’s Song” by Coal Chamber. That’s one of my Top 10 Favorites. In the beginning of the Diesel Video Explosion, YouTube was not around, so we streamed all the videos off the site. Also at that time, I didn’t know how to capture the audio along with the video, so it was either bad Coal Chamber music or dead air over top of awesome strength feats.

I’ve got hundreds of more videos in the Diesel Archives. If you have been watching the site for a while and remember a Diesel Classic you’d like to see again, leave a comment below and I will try to find it and upload it for all to enjoy!

All the best in your training.

Jedd

A couple weeks back I blogged about how I was going to start taping my workouts and posting them to YouTube so that I could get help from you all and so that I could spread the word about Grip and Strongman training.
If you missed that post, you can read about it here: ===> Training my Ass off in my Garage – Fire Walk with Me. I have had a lot of fun putting these together and my workouts have just gotten better and better.
So I had to let you all know that I was able to accomplish something HUGE in my Grip training last night.
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A couple weeks back I blogged about how I was going to start taping my workouts and posting them to YouTube so that I could get help from you all and so that I could spread the word about Grip and Strongman training.

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

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

(more…)