Jujimufu and Tom Train Grip Strength Training

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

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

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

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

GRIPPER RESOURCES:

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

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

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

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

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

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

GRIPPER RESOURCES:

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

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

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

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

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

Captains of Crush Certification

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

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

IronMind COC Certification

How to Train for the Captains of Crush Certification

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

Gripper Training

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

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

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

Gripper Training Frequency

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

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

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

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

How Often Should I Train with Grippers?

Gripper Training Programming

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

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

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

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

Gripper Training Technique

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

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

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

Wrap Up: How Often To Train on Grippers

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

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

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

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

All the best with your gripper training.

“Napalm” Jedd Johnson

Will “Greasing the Groove” Help Me Close Bigger Grippers

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

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

Additional Resources:

Beginner Gripper Training

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

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

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

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

All the best in your training.

Jedd

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

Mash Monster Level Four – CLOSED
Jedd Johnson – June 2016

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

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

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

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

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

Introduction

Putting It Into Action: Training Footage

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

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

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

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

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

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

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Grippers – Are You Wasting Your Time?

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

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

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

Why Grippers are a Waste of Time

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thanks and all the best in your training.

Jedd

Mash Monster Gripper Certification

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

The Mash Monster Grippers

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

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

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

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

My Battles with the Mash Monster Grippers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Pick it up today => Cadence Based Gripper Training

All the best in your training.

Jedd

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

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

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

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

All the best in your training,

Jedd Johnson

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

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

I am PUMPED to share it with you.

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

-John McCarter-

Loving it so far!

-Don Bentley-

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

William Bradt

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

Jorg Keilbach

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

-Chase Scott-

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

-Amy Wattles-

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Christopher Andrade-

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

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

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

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

All the best in your training.

Jedd

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

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

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Blasting Apart a Phone Book

Hope you had an awesome Mother’s Day Weekend.

I have not had a chance to visit my Mom yet. I was only able to give her a call, as I was out of town from Thursday on and just got back late last night.

I was away to Spokane, Washington at the Empire Classic, a big expo consisting of bodybuilding, physique, strongman, and powerlifting competitions.

I had the opportunity to perform Feats of Strength in front of 1200 people and it is something I will never forget.

Strongman Feats Show

Here’s the video from Saturday Night’s performance…

You will see I struggle quite a bit with the phone book. I warmed up with the same dumbbells and plates that the bodybuilders were using and my hands got super greasy and were slipping on the pan and book.

Also, I have been fighting with a sinus infection for weeks and weeks and was struggling with the hot water bottle. The first night, I totally failed because my beard was not letting me get a good seal on my face. The second night, I just couldn’t breathe very well through my nose at all, making the feat 10 times harder.

I really wish I would have gotten the Friday show on tape, because I wasn’t as rushed and really did a better job speaking. Recognized the promoter, the competitors, talked about Grip Strength’s importance, the sport of Grip, explained the feats, and even recognized the Veterans in the crowd, which is something I always try to build into my shows.

Either way, I had a ton of fun and learned a lot over the course of the entire weekend about promoting contests. Ivan and Erin Ribic operate a whole other level compared to what we do in Grip Sport. I was blown away at the level of organization.

Public Service Announcement: If you try a hot water bottle, use safety glasses. I forgot my glasses both nights and could have really gotten hurt badly.

Grip Strength Challenge

While I was there, I also ran a Grip Challenge booth.

As always, one of the biggest attractions was the Grippers I had spread all over the table.

One dude, a strongman competitor, was trying as hard as he could to close a #1 gripper, but just couldn’t get it.

Just as I figured his technique was off.

He had it positioned wrong in his hand from the start.

Bad positioning throws off the way the fingers pull on the front handle, making a gripper 25 to 50 pounds harder to close.

So, I ran him through 3 or 4 simple technique modifications and within minutes he had not only smashed the #1 gripper shut, but had also managed to close the #2.5.

While this kind of a jump is rare, I see guys going from missing the #1 to closing the #2 just through technique improvements ALL THE TIME.

That is why I urge you to pick up CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination.

The technicality of Gripper training often surprises people.

They are blown away by how much easier it is to close grippers once they understand the right technique.

No other source out there comes close to my Gripper Video.

I show you the stuff you MUST know in order to get good at Grippers.

Pick it up here today: http://thegripauthority.com/gripper-dvd/crush-dvd2.htm

All the best with your gripper training,

Jedd

Is Your Gripper Technique Holding You Back?
Click the Banner Below to Finally Find Out

Gripper Training Update

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

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

Credit Card Set Training: 10/15/13

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

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

Gripper Training with 20-mm Block

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

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

Mash Monster Level 0 Qualification

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More to come. Stay tuned.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

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

Why is it Harder to Close Grippers Left Handed?

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

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

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

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

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

Why Grippers are Tougher to Close with the Left Hand

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

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

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

Recent feedback on CRUSH from David Macpherson:

CRUSH DVD: Stunned Amazement

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

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

All the best in your training.

Jedd

If you would have told me two years ago that it would make sense to train lifts that build up the Beach Muscles, like the Bench Press, in order to improve your Crush Grip and close bigger grippers, I probably would have laughed in your face.

But, when I was talking with Paul Knight, official IronMind 3.5 closer and unofficial IronMind #4 closer, and he told me that is what I needed to do in order to spur improvement with my Gripper Training, I said, “OK brother, thanks for the advice.”

Paul Knight, certified IM #3.5 closer
and closer of several #4’s over the years

When someone who is the best in the world at something tells you what he does to improve, you NEED to try it out for yourself, in my opinion.

And that is what Paul is – one of the best in the United States at Grippers – if not the WORLD.

Yesterday, I released PUSH and CRUSH, a workout based entirely upon Paul’s teachings.

It is named PUSH and CRUSH because of the pairing of Upper Body Pushing exercises like Bench Press, Military Press, etc, with CRUSH Grip exercises.

This workout is on sale for $17 this weekend only and then the price goes up, so make sure to pick it up today = > Get PUSH and CRUSH.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

One of the great things about Gripper Training is that there is a nearly endless variety of training methods you can do with grippers as long as you get your imagination going a bit.

If you have trouble thinking up cool and interesting variations in your gripper training, just think about a more conventional form of training and apply it to your gripper work.

For instance, one common method of increasing the number of reps and sheer volume you do in your regular strength and muscle building training is Drop Sets. This is where you perform a certain number of repetitions in a lift, and then once you come near to or actually hit the point of failure, you set the weight down and perform more repetitions with a lighter weight.

Drop Sets are also a great method for pre-exhaustion. The set is broken down into two or more parts with the earlier portion(s) of the set being used to pre-exhaust the part of the body doing the work and thus making the later portion(s) harder than normal.

For instance, in the Deadlift, you can hit a set number of repetitions with a starting weight, and then pull a plate off the bar and continue.

Here is an example of how to do Drop Sets with the Deadlift. Also make sure to check out the cool Lumberjack Beard that I am sporting. You will get a good close-up at the end.

In this case, I did not wait until I hit or came near to failure. I had the drops already planned. Either way will work fine for increasing the volume you are performing with grippers. Also, by the time I began lifting 135, my hands and posterior chain were thoroughly pre-exhausted and I had to put in more effort and drive in order to finish the set how I wanted.

The very same concept of Drop Sets can also be performed with Grippers.

In order to do this, you will need at least two grippers. One of them will be “heavier” and the other one will be “lighter.”

In this video, I perform a Gripper Drop Set, first hitting a filed Elite Gripper, then hitting a lighter, #3 gripper.

Normally, that #3 would go down no problem, but because I already attempted the Elite gripper and performed a static hold near the end range, I was pre-exhausted and it made the #3 gripper somewhat harder to close than it actually is.

This technique is especially useful if you have only a limited number of grippers in your collection. The lighter grippers will seem tougher to close and you will have to work harder to make the handles touch.

You can also set this up so that you do the lighter gripper first, followed by the heavier gripper. For instance, if you only have a #1 and a #2, you can perform a pre-exhaust set with the #1 gripper and then move to the #2. If you are currently closing the #2 when you are fresh, after pre-exhausting with the #1, the #2 will feel somewhat more challenging to close.

If you want to take this method even further, you can use a whole series of grippers and run down the table in almost a medley-type format.

Other variations for your gripper training include modifying the set depth used, the period of time holding the gripper closed, the number of repetitions with the grippers, etc.

Like I said at the beginning, the only thing limiting you in your gripper training is your own imagination. There’s no reason to ever get completely bored with grippers.

There are always more ways you can challenge yourself.

For more gripper training variations, check out the following posts:

• Common Gripper Questions
• How to Set a Gripper
• Advanced Gripper Training Methods
• My Complete Gripper Video PlayList on YouTube

Also, if you are really serious about your Gripper Training, then you need to pick up my On-line DVD called CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination. With over 2 hours of training instruction, you will increase your awareness of what is possible with grippers and see new progress moving up the gripper ladder.

All the best in your training,

Jedd Johnson

Grip Sport, like any sport, has its funny little quirky things about it that strike people funny.

At least once a month, I am asked by someone on YouTube the same question, so I thought I’d go ahead and do a video and blog post about.

What is the Metal Thing Used with Grippers?

The metal object that you often see used by those closing grippers, especially during official certification closes and when competing or training for contests, is called a Block. The Block is used to make sure all athletes are using the same set depth (or wider) when they close the gripper.

In this video, I show you exactly how this is done.

The History of Gripper Sets in a Nutshell

I found out about Grip specialization training in 2002 and since I was a bodybuilder at the time, I thought it was insane to spend so much time training so hard on such a small portion of your body.

The Old IronMind Set

Then, I found out that there were Gripper Certifications that you could attain, and being that I was always hungry to prove myself physically, I decided I wanted to pursue the Captains of Crush certification through IronMind.

By 2003, I was certified for closing the #3 Gripper. At the time, the rules stated you could pre-position the gripper with your off hand, provided the last full inch of the gripper sweep was clearly visible by the judge and unaided by the off-hand.

Mash Monster Set

Well, how easy is it to judge the space between two handles, exactly? Not really that easy, and pretty controversial, as it would turn out. Eventually another gripper certification was started by the Gripboard, called the Mash Monsters. A set of grippers in graduated difficulty was produced, and in order to make judging easier, instead of one inch, a parallel set was used, so you could set the gripper with the off hand, but before closing it, the video being shot of the attempt had to clearly show a parallel handle position prior to closing the gripper. This certification still remains unchanged to this day at Gripboard.com.

New IronMind Set – Credit Card Setting

The way I remember it, IronMind caught wind of some gripper certs that were done with deep sets, so they changed their certification around 2004 or 2005 (I don’t remember exactly without googling), and they began requiring a credit card set – the handles could still be pre-positioned with the off-hand, but prior to closing the gripper, a credit card had to be inserted width-wise between the handles. This is what they require to this day.

GGC 2006 – I certified Tex Henderson.
He was the first to certify with the credit card.
My hair was awesome then, too.
Image: IronMind.com

In 2006, at our Grip National Championship, then called Global Grip Challenge, we implemented a credit card spacer that the judge would slide through the handles for the athlete. Unfortunately, this created a great deal of debate because for smaller handed individuals, the wide set was giving them serious troubles.

Block Sets

Around this time, the use of a marker narrower than a credit card also started popping up. You could see videos from European grip contests where the competitors would set their gripper and then either they or a judge would slide the marker between the handles.

20-mm Block Set with Vulcan Gripper

Over the years, this practice evolved. In some competitions, it was used, while in others it was not required. Then, in 2010, David Horne required a 20-mm block was required to be put between the handles prior to closing them together. In 2011, David shipped official setting blocks out to the all the promoters of the World’s Strongest Hands series. This has pretty much become the standard of setting blocks used in competitions. In almost all cases that I can think of, the athlete must pass the setting block between the handles himself. The judge is no longer permitted to do it.

20-mm/30-mm Block – Image: David Horne’s World of Grip

To me, while using a setting block makes the close slightly harder because there is a pause and hold prior to closing the gripper handles together, I think is a great addition to the sport. I think the blocks that David Horne produces are awesome because the narrow way they serve for a 20-mm set, and the wider way, they serve for a 30-mm set. These are the two most commonly used setting widths and they seem to be comfortable for just about everyone who competes.

Plus, with the use of the blocks, you always know that every single competitor has closed their gripper from a legal set width. There are no partially shielded closes, no drifting closes and no complaints or excuses. If someone has a weak set, they may end up taking an attempt from a wider distance, which is fine, but there’s virtually no chance someone uses too deep of a set because they must clearly show the properly swiped block between the handles.

DIESELS, I hope this has been a helpful post for you that clears up some of the questions. Setting Blocks may seem as foreign and strange as a right-handed pitcher being allowed to fake to third base before throwing to first base, but like that deceptive baseball pick-off move, setting blocks are just part of the game.

(Actually, I heard recently that the fake to third pick-off move to first is going to be out-lawed next season, but it rarely worked for anyone besides the Yankees’ Jeff Nelson anyway, and he’s been retired for several years now…)

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Are you looking for ways to improve your performance with grippers? Do you want to certify on the Captains of Crush, or finish higher at Grip Contests? Then, you should check out my Gripper Training Instructional Video.

Here is a review of the DVD, from Bill Long.

Thanks to Bill for his outstanding review.

When I designed this DVD, I wanted to make it very detailed so that you could literally follow along with the video improve your technique. Everyone has certain portions of gripper technique we need to improve.

Here are some common areas of opportunity that I often coach people on in their gripper training technique:

Gripper Placement

Where you place the gripper in your hand is very important. If you get this part of it wrong, then it has the potential to throw off everything else involved in closing the gripper. Closing big grippers is just as much about technique as is having a smooth jump shot in basketball or having a sweet homerun cut in baseball.

Thumb Training

Believe it or not, the thumb is also very important with grippers. The thumb acts as a base or foundation during the gripper close. Many of the guys closing the big grippers have big, meaty thumb pads which helps keep the gripper in position. But those with thinner hands can close big grippers, if you use your thumb properly, which is something I cover in detail in the video.

Last Two Fingers

Recently, I have read comments, messages, and emails from people discussing how much success they are seeing in their gripper training by putting more focus on training their last two fingers which help finish off the sweep of the gripper handles. Tools are sold to help train these fingers specifically, but I also show a couple of drills we have used in the past for last two finger training. One of them, you can make for about $5. The other one uses block weights. Both are easy to implement in your training without having to move a bunch of stuff around in your training week or having to play around with your volume. Most people will be able to just plug them into what they are already doing.

Mindset / Visualization

Right before you squeeze a gripper, do you think, “Man I hope i close this,” or even worse, “I probably won’t get this, but I will try anyway?” If so, I have some Mindset training at the end of the video that will really help you out.

Grippers are by far the most popular form of grip strength. Grippers are not only used by grip enthusiasts, but also strongman competitors, football players, track and field throwers, and the list goes on. With CRUSH, all of them can take their gripper training to another level.

And remember, Grip Training is multi-beneficial. Not only do you improve your hand strength for better performance on the field, but you also improve your hand strength for the rest of your training, and when you improve your numbers in the rest of your training, that will increase your sporting performance even more.

If you’re going to train with grippers, invest in something that will show you how to do it the right way for the maximum benefit.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

This is a combo article from me and my buddy, Mike Rinderle. Mike is Mash Monster Level 2 Certified, and rarely trains grippers due to all the bending he does, YET, has found that he maintains his gripper strength very well, again, because of all the bending he does.

**IMPORTANT** Be smart about your training. If these are new tactics, work them into your training slowly and don’t go overboard. Everyone is at a different stage of development with their CRUSH training, so be sure to train wisely, and if you have any questions, please feel free to ask.

Isometrics for Gripper Strength

What we are going to look at today is Isometric and Near-Isometric Work that you can do with your Grippers in order to strengthen the end range of the close, or the Finish.

Training the Finish of the close is important. You can have a strong set, and monster sweep strength, but if you die at the end of the range, then none of that really matters.

After all, the objective is to close the gripper, not sweep it down to 1/4 inch…

What Are Gripper Training Isometrics?

Isometric exercises involve ranges of motion during muscle contraction which are very small or non-existent. They permit maximum exertion over a very short distance (or statically). They build stronger tendons, the ability to fire your CNS more efficiently, and increased time under tension, driving strength gains.

The three types of isometrics used to increase gripper strength are static, short concentric (positive), and short eccentric (negative).

Over-Crushes

Overcrushes (static): Use a gripper that you can close and hold for at least a few seconds. Close the gripper and squeeze as hard and as long as you can.

Take note that the objective here is to squeeze like you are trying to flatten the handles together, using more force that is necessary to hold the handles together.

When you hit 15 seconds, it is time to move up a gripper level. Do no more than 3 of these per hand to prevent over-training.

Don’t just touch the handles together – squeeze with everything you’ve got until the gripper starts to open up. This is not a negative! Doing a negative after a hard overcrush can injure you, so do not try to resist the handles as they open.

Choker Closes

Choker closes (concentric/near isometric): This technique is done with the purpose of shortening the stroke of the gripper handles and focusing just on the last portion of the range. These are also generally done with explosive power in order to train the CNS to power through until the handles touch.

Get a sturdy hose clamp, tape the tops of the gripper handles and clamp your goal gripper to parallel or closer (whatever width you need to close it). Remember to perform explosive singles with this technique. Explode into the close and click the handles as fast as you can.

Wait until you recover and do another one just as hard and as fast as the last. Once the closes start to get a bit slow, or you can’t touch the handles anymore, STOP. PERIOD. This means your hands are fried and going further with this technique will teach you to be slow.

If you can get more than 5 – 7 of these then it is time to open the clamp up slightly wider or use a harder gripper next time. My gripper was too light to be effective for my crush, BUT it was the only one I had with a choker on it, so I used it for the demonstration)

Bounce Force Negatives

Bounce Forced Negatives (BFNs) (eccentric): Use a gripper one level higher than your goal gripper. Use your leg, or off hand to cheat close it and then fight to keep it from opening. When it gets to parallel, use your other hand (or leg) to force it back shut and fight again to keep it shut. Repeat one more time when it gets to parallel. That’s one set of 3. Do no more than 2 sets.

Also, this will be a bigger gripper than you are used to and if it has sharp knurling you need to not just let it spring open after the last negative gets to parallel, or you could lose some skin. Open it slowly.

Conclusion

These three gripper techniques are much more demanding on the CNS and the soft tissues of the hand, so we advise to only perform one of these gripper training techniques per workout. In other words, don’t do three sets of over-crushes, followed by some BNF’s and top it off with some choker work. That is a sure-fire way to make your progress go backwards, or worse yet, get you hurt.

Also, alternate these high-intensity techniques for best results. Each movement trains the muscles, tendons, and CNS in a slightly different way. To get the most out of these techniques, you can incorporate one of them at a time on a regular basis and see how your Crush improves, then try the next technique.

Of course, these are advanced gripper training techniques. If you don’t already have a solid grip on the basics of gripper training, then you might not be ready for these techniques.

In that case, check out my Gripper Training DVD, CRUSH, Total Gripper Domination.

CRUSH will show you how to develop a good base of training with your grippers, a solid foundation on which to build upon for the future.

There’s no reason why you, yourself, can not one day certify on Grippers. You just need the right information to get you going in the right direction.

Start out on the right foot with the solid information you need to excel with Grippers, which you will get in CRUSH.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

Important Gripper Acronyms / Terms Featured in this Article:

• TSG – Torsion Spring Gripper(s) – Grippers like the Captains of Crush Grippers
• Straight Coil Spring Grippers – Grippers like the Vulcan or V2
• RGC – Redneck Gripper Calibrator, a device which Rates Gripper Strength at Close
• Richard MacLean – Person who pimped out his RGC to rate Vulcans
• HG – Heavy Grips Grippers
• CoC – Captains of Crush Grippers, registered trademark of IronMind Enterprises
• #3, #4, etc – CoC Grippers from IronMind
• Level 3, Level 4, etc – Settings on the Vulcan or V2 Gripper
• Black Spring – Current spring issued with V2 Grippers. Equivalent to Gold, Silver Black Dip, possibly others.

How to Compare the Vulcan / V2 to Torsion Spring Grippers

There has been a decent amount of information put out regarding the strength levels and the ratings of Torsion Spring Grippers like the IronMind Captains of Crush and other similar grippers. With the development of the RGC device which is able to rate these grippers by testing how much weight it takes to touch the handles together, we are now able to compare grippers from different companies, despite the different numbering systems that the companies use.

In the following video, I talk at length about the results that we have found from rating grippers using the RGC device.

However, with all of the information out there for TSG ratings, where this type of information has fallen short is with the Vulcan V2 Gripper, and many people want to understand this better. They want to know where the various levels of the Vulcan V2 Gripper stand against the Torsion Spring Grippers.

Below is a chart that was put together by Richard MacLean. It shows strength ratings of the springs on the Vulcan V2 Gripper across various settings. But, before you check it out, you must understand a few important points…

Important Details about Gripper Strength Ratings

1. All springs vary somewhat. Some springs can be just naturally harder than others, even springs from the same batches. Frequent use, stretching the springs out on the hardest settings, and poor care or irresponsible use can all have an effect, but for the most part these numbers can be used to judge what you have as well.

2. Torsion Springs (regular hand grippers) act differently from Coil Springs (Vulcan). With Torsion Spring Grippers, when you squeeze them, there is also some twisting that can take place, so you have to redirect force in order to make the handles move together. With Coil Springs, they primarily just stretch and lengthen. The point is, the springs act differently, so you have to take that into consideration as well.

What is Included in the Table

So, let me explain exactly what the table below shows. In Column A, you will see the ratings results from Richard M. on a fresh spring with very few closes on it. He tested the spring all the way out to Level 24. In Column B, he tested the same spring again, this time going all the way to 27.

You will see that the strength levels dropped at almost all of the settings on the second time through, most likely because going out to Level 24 weakened the spring somewhat, dropping the numbers.

This spring weakening (to this degree) will most likely not take place in your training with the Vulcan or V2 because there will be no need for you to go out to Level 24. Also, if you do go out to Level 24, you won’t be holding it there for an extended time, which may have taken place during the strength rating process. Upon writing this article, I know of NO ONE in the world who has ever closed this Gripper at Level 24.

Long story short, to get an estimate of the strength level of your Vulcan and Spring, provided you have not use the spring way out on the ends and done foot stomping or chest crushing, and as long as you aren’t hanging weight off the spring to deliberately weaken it, your spring is probably closer to the first run of numbers that Richard produced.

Also, take note that Richard used a Silver Black Dipped Spring on his V2, which has been rated equal in strength to the Black Spring and the Gold Spring. So if you have those springs, you can bank on very similar strength ratings.

Rich MacLean’s V2 RGC Ratings Results

Here are the numbers that Richard MacLean found during his testing.

  Column A|     Column B |
  Fresh Spring|     Seasoned Spring |
  L3 = 66.8   |     L3=55.6 |
  L4 = 72.7   |    L4=61.1 |
  L5 = 72.7   |    L5=61.1 |
  L6 = 79.0   |    L6=64.7 |
  L7 = 84.8   |    L7=72.1 |
  L8 = 88.0   |    L8=75.2 |
  L9 = 95.5   |    L9=80.8 |
L10 = 102.2   |   L10=88.2 |
L11 = 106.6   |   L11=89.0 |
L12 = 114.5   |   L12=97.2 |
L13 = 119.8   |   L13=104.7 |
L14 = 121.5   |   L14=107.3 |
L15 = 131.7   |   L15=115.2 |
L16 = 139.1   |   L16=122.9 |
L17 = 141.9   |   L17=126.5 |
L18 = 150.7   |   L18=133.8 |
L19 = 159.4   |   L19=142.9 |
L20 = 160.9   |   L20=146.5 |
L21 = 172.0   |   L21=153.8 |
L22 = 177.7   |   L22=165.0 |
L23 = 182.2   |   L23=167.9 |
L24 = 187.7   |   L24=175.5 |
                       L25=184.3 |
                       L26=189.2 |
                       L27=197.4 |

Big thanks to Richard MacLean for not only producing these results, but also for letting me post the results here.

Comparing Vulcan V2 Ratings to Torsion Spring Grippers

Unfortunately, if you are looking to use those numbers as direct comparisons to Torsion Spring Grippers, then you are out of luck. With the Vulcan, the force at close reads out much lower than with a torsion spring gripper.

For instance, the bolded numbers above are the ranges that I usually equate to the feel of a #3 Gripper, levels 13 to 15, depending on the stiffness of the spring.

David Horne has pointed out in many cases I have read that with the Black, Gold, and Silver Black Dip spring, level 13 is right near the difficulty of a #3, when the spring is fairly new.

Now, if you have used the same spring on a Vulcan, a V2, and a Wrist Developer and do one of those movements every workout, then the strength of the spring might be a bit reduced due to all the use, and so the squeeze may not feel like #3 strength until you get up around Level 15.

Either way, that range is what you want to shoot for if you are gearing up for closing the #3.

Other Comparisons and Estimates

We can also assume that a Level 22 is also pretty close to a #4 Gripper close. This is based on the fact that I have seen video of Paul Knight closing both a #4 and Vulcan Level 22. Harder #4’s would be up in the range of Level 24 or higher. These are just my personal estimations.

David Horne lists the following estimates on his site:

• #2 = Level 7-8
• #2.5 = Level 10-11
• #3 = Level 13-14
• #3.5 = Level 17-18
• #4 = Level 20-21

Remember, these estimations are for the Black, Gold, or Silver Black Dip springs. There may indeed be other springs that are equal in strength that I am not familiar with. I am just going on my own experience with them.

In addition, if you do not have IronMind CoC Grippers, in order to estimate where your Vulcan closing strength lies against Torsion Spring Grippers, you can use the estimates above and compare them against results taken from testing done with other similar Grippers.

For instance, if you know that your Beef Builder Elite Gripper rates at 159 on an RGC, then that is slightly above most #3 grippers, which these days come out around high 140’s and low 150’s. A 159 TSG would probably be around a Level 16 on a Vulcan (estimating).

I hope this post has been helpful for you. If you are in need of any further explanation, please let me know – since this topic has been such a source of confusion for so many people, I would be glad to go back and add in details where they are needed. Please just leave a comment below.

Thanks and all the best in your training.

Jedd

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

Each and every day I get new visitors to my site. If you are new, I want to welcome you.

Please take the time to put your email into one of the boxes to the right. You can get some of my free reports, sign up for the RSS feed, and get email updates every time there is a new post.

I want to share with you some of the most popular videos I put up last year.

I looked at all of my videos on YouTube that I uploaded last year and grabbed the top 10 most popular ones and pasted them below.

As you will see, I have three main focuses in my training.

First and foremost is Grip Strength. I work to develop as strong of a Grip as possible for the Grip Contests I compete in and because I have seen the benefits of a strong grip in my other training. Also because I love Grip Training and Grip Sport so much, I love talking about it here on the site, sharing my experiences and helping others succeed.

Next, I love Strongman Training, both Strongman like the competitions involving Atlas Stones, Log Lifting, and Odd Objects, and Strongman style training involving Feats of Strength such as Bending Nails and Tearing Cards.

Finally, I do a great deal of training with the objective of building muscle and strength. While I am not the biggest, most muscular, or strongest, I am very well rounded and understand the proper technique of lifts and want to make sure readers do lifts correctly and safely so that they can enjoy their training and see benefit.

It’s really all about helping others succeed in their goals. Much of what I post is based on questions I get from readers who are shooting for goals and want to know how to get there. Helping you attain your goals is awesome for me, so keep me posted on your journey.

So, again, make sure to subscribe to my newsletter and make sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel, so that you are always up to date on what is going on here at DieselCrew.com.

Now let’s check out 2011’s top videos – Enjoy!

#10 – How Often Should You Train with Grippers

Grippers are easily the most popular form of Grip Training and one of the biggest events at Grip Competitions. Unfortunately, there is not nearly as much good information about Gripper Training as there are people trying to sell them, so I put out this and many other Gripper Training videos last year.

Check out the post here on Diesel: Gripper Training Questions

#9 – Slim Lever – Grip Strength Challenge for Slim the Hammer Man

Of all of the Grip Strength Challenges I ran last year, this one was perhaps the most special, because it was devoted to Slim “the Hammer Man” Farman, who was recognized by being inducted into the York Barbell Hall of Fame Last Year. The Slim Lever is a very intense sledge hammer lift, and if you can do it by the rules described in the video below with a 16-lb hammer or heavier, then you are the freakin’ man!

Check out the post here on Diesel: Slim the Hammer Man Farman

#8 – Full Body Tension Movement – Camel Clutch (posterior chain)

For this one, I wanted to figure out a way to replicate some of the effects of the Glute Ham Raise, if you don’t have one. This variation is something that someone can do to blast the posterior chain until you save up your loose change to get the real thing.

Check out the post here on Diesel: Innovative Posterior Chain Training

#7 – Backwards Blob Lifting

See more Blob Lifting Videos

#6 – Build Muscle Mass and Strength – How to Do Rows the Right Way

I hate when I see exercises being done incorrectly on the web. It’s one thing to do them incorrectly if you have been training for many, many years. However, when new trainees see long-time veterans doing movements on-line incorrectly and they try to replicate that form, the new trainees can get hurt pretty badly. Since Rows are such a beneficial movement, I wanted to put this one out there and people seemed to get a lot of value out of it.

Check out the post here on Diesel: How to Perform Dumbbell Rows

Those are 10 through 6 for the year’s most popular videos. Check back later in the week for the rest of the 2011 Top 10 Most popular Videos.

Make sure you are up-to-date. Sign up for updates in the box below.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

The coolest thing about putting together products for all of you is the feedback that I get. Here is a note from Chase Scott, who recently picked up CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination.

  Jedd,

Once again, CRUSH was great. Even though I am a Grip Authority member and follow all of your stuff, I still learned a tremendous amount from the dvd. A big thing for me was my set for the Vulcan 2. I noticed a huge difference in my next workout just trying to nail the technique. This dvd will help anyone but I would have to say that if someone is just starting out or somewhat new to grippers, they NEED to get this dvd. I can see how it could easily take months or even years off one’s learning time. I think most people would agree with me that I wish I had this video when I first started. I wouldn’t have so many bad habits to break and I could have saved a lot of time on trial and error. As usual, thanks for putting together an awesome product that is easy to follow and offers something for everyone.

Chase

When I started this project, it began just as a bonus video for those who were buying Vulcan Grippers from me, but before I knew it I had put together the Ultimate Gripper Training Resource.

I continually added to this video over the course of two months in order to make it as complete as possible. Still, as complete as it is, it does not drag on. The DVD is a little over two hours worth of material that is broken up into Modules so that you can focus on one aspect of Gripper Training at a time.

The video also contains close-ups and slow-motion clips, especially in the very important technique sections to ensure that the learning points are clear and well understood.

If you want to be good at Grippers, then feel free to just bounce around and try things here and there and learn by trial and error.

But if you want to cut to the chase and start going in the right direction, right now, then pick up CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination.

Click the Banner Above

All the best in your CRUSHing,

Jedd

I got into Grip Training in 2002 when I was introduced to Grippers by a friend named, Rick Walker. From Rick, I learned about training to close big Grippers and different feats of strength like tearing cards and bending nails. At that point, all I wanted to do was rip one deck of cards and I was willing to do anything I needed to in order to accomplish that feat of strength.

Soon, Smitty got a #1 Gripper from IronMind. I thought squeezing Grippers was a bit boring at the time, so I didn’t get my own right away. Instead, I just raced Smitty to closing the number 1 at the gym and while we rode in the car. We nearly wrecked the first time I closed it while riding in the passenger seat…

“YOU CLOSED IIIIITTTTTT!!!!” he said as he swerved back into his lane, avoiding two or three cards in the process. I’ll never forget that day!

I eventually tore my first deck of cards, but it wasn’t until I began practicing all forms of Grip and Wrist Strength training.

Once I came to understand that strengthening my hands in multiple dimensions was so important for ripping a deck of cards, I continued doing it and I also began seeing my performance in other more traditional movements as well, such as the Bench Press, Overhead Work, Squats, and of course Curls.

As I got more interested in developing stronger hands for lifting purposes, I began getting more and more interested in Grip Sport as well and before I knew it, I had half a dozen grippers. Soon I was buying them from others who had extras or who had bought them in a rush, but really had no idea how to train with them and figured the best thing would be to just unload them on someone else.

I’ve lost count of how many times I have seen grippers for sale on-line because people just gave up training with them, their drive burnt out, their interest dwindled down to nothing, mainly because they were sick of beating their heads against a wall trying to make progress with them.

When I first found out about Grippers, there were three main companies making and selling them and one other company was getting out of the business.

The three companies that were going strong were IronMind, Beef Builder, PDA, and the other company was Lemley.

IronMind, I am sure everyone reading this has heard of. I would say they are the most widely recognized name in gripper training with their Captains of Crush line. They, as well as Beef Builder, are still around and going strong. PDA, Piedmont Design Associates, went out of business in 2004 if I remember correctly.

The other company, Lemley, produced left-handed grippers, meaning their springs were wound in the opposite direction of the Grippers we have today. This was fine, but the problem was that after 50 to 100 closes, the glue holding the handles would fail and the handles would come off.

Then in 2004 or 2005, another style of Gripper came on the scene, Heavy Grips. They are still around and are being sold on countless sites all over the internet. Resellers and drop shippers love these grippers because they come in a nice large set with lots of options to choose from. The problem with them, in my opinion, is their spring. Somewhere along the lines they changed their springs and got weaker. When they first came out, their 300-lb Gripper was about equal to an IronMind #3. Once they went to the new shinier springs, the strength levels changed.

As the years have gone by, many more Gripper manufacturers have popped up. Robert Baraban makes a large variety of Grippers, even varying the handle spread for smaller handed individuals. NutritionGeeks.com began marketing their own gripper line, the T-grippers, made by Warren Tetting, the same person who makes the Beef Builder line. Nowadays, even GNC has jumped into the Gripper Market, selling their own Grippers at their stores, which I believe are modified Heavy Grips Grippers, although I am not 100% sure.

The gripper companies and lines that I have mentioned here are nowhere near a complete list. These are just a few examples of Torsion Spring Grippers, the kind with the knurled handles and the twisted spring. When you throw the adjustable grippers and the coil spring grippers in there, the number of grippers available gets even larger.

My point is not to point out the sheer number of types of grippers on the market. I will get to my point in a moment though…

Think back to the last time you bought a tool, like a handsaw. How about when you bought your last car? How about your last computer / laptop / or other electronic gadget?

What was it that came with each and every one of those things to help you be sure you were able to use them properly?

That’s right – an OPERATOR’S MANUAL.

Now, think back to the last time you bought a Gripper. Did it come with an operator’s manual? Or how about even a guideline of instructions for use?

No, it probably didn’t. In fact, I don’t know of any Grippers on the market that do come with instructions on how to progress with them. No instructions on how to set them in your hand, no advice on the best way to train with them and no guidelines as far as what to expect or how to succeed with them.

This is where I come in.

I have designed the next best thing when it comes to Gripper Training, my new On-line DVD, CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination.

After working on this for the last several weeks, and reworking it until I was happy with it, it is now ready to go.

This Piece is TWO DISKS!

Check out everything CRUSH has in it:

Module 1 – Bulletproofing the Hands and Lower Arms

Nothing will set your Gripper training behind worse than having injuries. I will show you the Preventive Measures to do now in order to keep injuries away and keep the gains coming.

Module 2 – Types of Grippers

I cover many types of grippers and show their differences, strengths, and weaknesses so you can understand what you have and in order to make wise purchases down the line

Module 3 – Gripper Training Basics Everyone MUST Know

Here I cover the basics of grippers, their terminology, techniques, and help lay a solid foundation for your gripper training.

Module 4 – Supplementary Training: Strength from Start to Finish

Closing a Gripper requires you to move the handles through three stages: the Set, the Sweep, and the Finish. When you watch this module, you will discover how to build strength through all three of these individual parts of the close.

Module 5 – Supplementary Training: Addressing Weaknesses

Many trainees do not realize the role that individual parts of the hand can have in closing Grippers. In this section you will understand why each part of the hand is important and how to make them strong and powerful.

Module 6 – Advanced Training Techniques

Once you have developed a strong foundation in Gripper training, you may want to challenge yourself even further. In this section, you will learn ways to take your Gripper work to the next level in order to develop upper levels of crushing grip strength.

Module 7 – Other Important Gripper Training Concepts

In this section I will cover with you additional concepts you can start building into your training to accelerate your progress and strength gains. These are concepts that are often skipped, missed, or ignored by new Gripper trainees.

In addition to the basic program, I have also included several bonuses for the electronic version only.

Module 8 – BONUS Gripper Training Program

During the Spring and Summer of 2011, I developed a Gripper Training program that produced more “Personal Records” for me than anything I have ever tried. Up to this point, I have showed this Gripper Training Program only to my On-line Coaching Clients and V.I.P. Customers, and it has gotten overwhelmingly positive reviews. This Program is completely free when you pick up CRUSH today.

Module 9 – BONUS Gripper Strength Rating System Demonstration

I will take you through the Gripper Strength Rating Process on one of my Grippers in order to show you how Grippers are rated in Grip Sport. This is a very interesting process and will serve to educate you on real, tangible, numeric classifications for Gripper Strength Levels.

Module 10 – BONUS Top 10 Gripper Training Mistakes

I gave this video away for free during the pre-launch period, but I am including it in the bonuses for those who did not see them.

Module 11 – BONUS Top 3 Gripper Training Myths

This video was given away as a follow-up to the video above only to those who subscribed to my Gripper Training Tips Newsletter.

CRUSH is a culmination of every bit of hard-hitting instruction I have learned and developed over the years related to Gripper Training.

If you are serious about your Gripper Training but need some direction, or if you thought it was hopeless to master the grippers you bought months or even years ago, but gave up due to lack of knowledge, than you better check this piece out.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Hello Diesels!

In just a few short hours, CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination will be available.

But now is the time to discuss the winner of the Free DVD Essay Contest.

The rules were simple. Write an essay with 100-words or more describing why you should win a free copy of the CRUSH DVD.

There were many entries – 40, to be exact, and they included many names I recognized from past emails, purchases, Facebook, YouTube, and more, as well as many new names I have not seen before, which was cool. Thank you to all who participated. For such a small window of just 24 hours, I thought the response was pretty darn impressive!

Within the essays, I was impressed by the wide array of background each of you come from. From Martial Artists, to Strength Enthusiasts, to Teachers, it was AWESOME to see such the diversity.

Of course in a contest such as this, it is tough to decide on a winner and it would be the easy way out to just do a random drawing, but I said I was going to choose a winner, and that is what I am going to do.

As I had said previously, the winner would be the person who deserved it the most, and with so many deserving people, I decided to choose the person whose essay conveyed, in my eyes, the most passion in their essay.

With that in mind, my choice is Mike Watson. I chose Mike because when I read his essay about his love and drive for wrestling, it really resonated with me and I saw similarities with how I feel about the sport of Grip.

Below is his essay:

“First off I need help getting my grip power up for wrestling. I love wrestling more then anything, and nothing has been able to stop me from doing this sport, which I love. The key things you need in wrestling is: grip, neck strength, speed, technique and endurance. Each part is very important, grip is essential for performing moves and starting off in the match. I have wrestled in Japan for almost 3 years before I had to come back to the states. This sport means the world to me. It keeps me out of trouble, keeps my grades in check, keeps me fit and keeps me disciplined. People can talk about why they want it, but they don’t live and breathe something everyday. If you love something as much as I do, you would understand why I want help with my grip. Wrestling isn’t a sport, you don’t play wrestling. Wrestling is a lifestyle and you respect your opponent and yourself. It isn’t a game its life, and life isn’t something you play with. Thank you for your time to read this I hope I get this DVD would help me in my wrestling career in life.”

Mike, I thought your essay was great. Thanks for posting it and make sure to send me your address so I can get the DVD to you.

There were many other great submissions. Thanks again to everyone who posted.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

I am running a 24-hour contest to choose a winner of my new DVD, CRUSH: Total Gripper Domination.

You can enter the contest for free, and there is no purchase required.

All you have to do is write out an essay of 100 words or more telling me why you should win the free copy of the DVD and I will make a selection and announce the winner tomorrow, during Monday Night RAW.

This video will describe the process in more detail.

You must post your comment in the comment section below.

Thanks and all the best in your training.

Jedd

CRUSH – Coming REALLY Soon

Hello DIESELS!

My new DVD is set to come out very soon. It’s called, CRUSH! Total Gripper Domination.

I have been extremely excited about it for the last few weeks. Let me tell you a bit about it…

This whole thing started when I first began marketing the Vulcan V2 Gripper through David Horne’s World of Grip.

Many of the guys who were picking them up were interested in a short demonstration of how to modify the strength level of the Vulcan, so, eager to oblige, I shot something to cover how to move the spring and how to tell which level you were on.

Once I got rolling, I ended up covering a bunch of other points, so I re-worked the entire thing into a complete How to Train with the Vulcan video.

As I edited that, I realized there was so much more training to do in order to improve performance on the Vulcan, that I needed to shoot that information as well.

So, essentially, this project kept growing and growing into the definitive resource for Gripper Training.

And now, I have amassed all the information anyone could possibly need in order to train with Grippers and develop a crushing grip.

And I know there are many of you out there who need help with Gripper Training.

From knowing what grippers to buy, to how to set them, to the number of reps to do, Gripper Training is the topic I am asked questions about most often, whether it is here on the site, through the newsletter, or on YouTube.

The fact is people love training with Grippers, and you can’t blame them, especially with the alluring Gripper certifications that are out there, like the Gripboard’s ever-growing Mash Monster Ladder and IronMind’s ever-evolving Captains of Crush list! It’s pretty damn cool to be part of an exclusive group.

I still remember driving to my witness’s location in order to get certified as a #3 closer, and when I mashed the handles of the Mash Monster 1 Gripper for several seconds was an even bigger day for me because my friends and training partners were there cheering me on.

Over the years, I have worked hard on grippers, since they are a key part of every grip contest. It’s important to get out of the gates on the right foot or else you’re battling back from behind right from the beginning.

And I also know there are hundreds of people who have their sites set on certification with the #3 Gripper, and many more who will try once they find out about it.

And even if certification and grip contests are not even near your radio, and you just want to use Grippers the right way to improve your grip strength for your job, your sport, or other reasons, this DVD will help you get there.

I want to help you all get there. That is why I have been working so hard on this Video the last two months.

Stay tuned, DIESELS. The wait will be over soon.

All the best in your training.

Jedd

P.S. Want to avoid the Top 10 Gripper Training Mistakes? Sign up for the video here: Top 10 Gripper Training Mistakes

Grippers are one of the most popular forms of Grip Strength Training.

I’d say that Grippers and Bending Steel get more people involved in Grip as a practice and as a sport than any other aspects.

This might be because the concept is so simple. You put the gripper in your hand and you close it.

And while the concept is simple, if you want to close upper level grippers, then you need to get serious about it and dedicate yourself to mastering them.

The problem is, people sometimes do things that seem to make sense at the time, but in the long run don’t do much toward helping them improve on Grippers.

If you like Gripper Training and want to get the most out of the time you put into it, then check out the free video I just made by clicking below.

Avoid all the mistakes that beginners make and learn from someone who has been in the trenches.

Top 10 Gripper Training Mistakes

All the best in your training.

Jedd

Hello DIESELS!

Here is a quick post showing you the content that will be in the upcoming release, my Gripper DVD called, CRUSH! Total Gripper Domination.

You will not believe the artwork on this DVD. It is the best that I have gotten so far. My man Rory is an ARTWORK MACHINE.

All the best in your training,

Jedd

DIESELS!!!

I was away most of the weekend and with today being Father’s Day, I waited until the afternoon to get caught up with last week’s video submissions for the Grip Strength Challenge and the Wild Card Submissions for Nationals.

Let’s look at what everyone sent in this week…

Mike Turpin – #1 COC Gripper

Mike came in with the lowest entry this week, but I think he has more in him once he gets more experience on the Grippers. Good job Mike!

Paul Tompkins – #1 & #2 COC Gripper

Paul tied for second place with Darrin Shallman with a #2 close. I think once he improves his set, he will be up to a #2.5 very soon. Paul, try pinning the back handle with your thumb and grabbing the front handle with the hook of your index finger on the set, brother!

Darrin Shallman – #2 COC Gripper

I thought we might have to invoke the hand size tie breaker on this one when I got Darrin’s video. His hands seem to be much smaller than Paul, so if push came to shove, Darrin would have won the challenge. Great job bro!

Chris Vaughn – HG 250

Chris sent in a good submission, making the challenge a bit harder for himself, closing the gripper down fully, then inserting the block, and closing it again. With the variation in the HG Grippers being quite substantial they were not built into the standings for the week. Chris, try the thumb on back leg, finger hook on front leg technique for your set and I think you will be able to come pretty close on the HG 300!

Daniel Reinard – #2.5 Gripper (Both Hands)

Daniel’s close of the #2.5 Gripper qualifies him for first place this week, but he actually closed the #3 as well, in the second video submission, below! Congratulations Daniel! Please contact me if you need additional information on Nations, because you just qualified, SON!

Daniel Reinard – #3 Gripper

Next week’s Wild Card Qualifier should be up tomorrow, so stay tuned.

Thanks and all the best in your training, and of course, Happy Father’s Day!!!

Jedd

My Mash Monster Level 1 Certification – 2004

Hello DIESELS!!!

As announced, this week’s Grip Strength Challenge is a Qualifier for the National Championship, so if you have not qualified yet and want to get a spot at the Big Dance, then this is your chance.

This week, the test of Grip Strength is Block Set Grippers. This will be done by taking a torsion spring gripper from either the Captains of Crush or Beef Builder varieties, setting it with the off hand, and then passing through the handles a deck of unopened and plastic-sealed playing cards. Then you must close it down, getting all of this on video.

This is an incredible opportunity, qualifying for Nationals without having to attend a contest, so if this is something you have been dreaming about, but have not had the chance to make it a reality due to the limited number of contests in your area, then it is time to step up to the challenge, Grip your destiny by the throat, and make it happen.

Here is a video showing what you have to do for this week’s challenge, using a Vulcan Gripper. I am starting it in the middle just before I demonstrate the lift. If you would like to watch the entire video you can view it here: Block Set Grippers.

Here is the progression list of Grippers that can be used for this week’s challenge, listed lightest to toughest:

Guide
Sport
Trainer
#1
#1.5
Beef Builder Master
#2
#2.5
Beef Builder Super Master
Beef Builder Grand Master
#3
Beef Builder Elite
#3.5
Beef Builder Super Elite
#4

Common Gripper Questions…

Why do you set the gripper beforehand?

Hand size plays a role in the strength of a gripper you can close. To keep the playing field more even between individuals of difference hand sizes, a set is used in order to get the gripper handles to a near parallel position. A block is also sometimes used to be sure that everyone’s set is roughly the same and does not exceed certain distances. In this case, the suggested distance would be about 20-mm, very close to the thickness of a deck of cards.

I have heard Grippers vary in difficulty. Is this true?

Yes, Grippers can vary in difficulty. There are many factors that dictate how tough a gripper will be to close, including spring strength, spring depth, roughness of the handles, width of the handles, etc. For Grip Sport, we have a rating device that measures the pressure to close the handles together, called an RGC, which now stands for Rating a Gripper at Close. This is the best know way to rate Grippers and it is used in most Grip Contests. For this week’s challenge, however, I am using a general progression for the Grippers. Although one person’s #3 Gripper might be slightly tougher than another person’s, it is the best way to do it for this contest. To see the Gripper Rating Device, click this link = > How to Measure Gripper Strength.

How do you set a Gripper?

I want everyone to have the best chance of winning this week as possible, and yes the correct setting technique will make a huge difference. I explain how to set a Gripper in detail here = > Gripper Setting Technique

If you have any questions regarding how this week’s challenge works or what is expected, please contact me or leave a comment below.

Thanks and all the best!

Jedd

Here is a Vlog (Video Blog) about the Vulcan Gripper.

Are you in the United States and want a Vulcan? If so, leave a comment or email me about your interest.

Thanks.

Jedd

UPDATES

Update #1 – Vulcan Pricing

I have received a note from David Horne – he could not get back to me yesterday because it was his little girl Lucy’s 5th birthday – HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUCY!!! But I should have info from him next week on the Vulcan Gripper Shipping situation!

Update #2 – Reader Question

I received a question in the comments from Ken, who writes…

Jedd, Thanks very much for the vlog. I now understand how it compares with the Ivanko Super Gripper. What kind of range of difficulty is available on the Vulcan? What is the easiest level (cf. the Guide in the Captains of Crush series), if I want to do very high reps? Ken

The Vulcan will accomodate you, Ken, no doubt about it. At its lowest setting with the Gold Spring, it feels like less than a #1 to me and I can click off reps so fast it sounds like an old-fashioned typewriter, clickety click click click – Just never have to slide that big long piece back to the left when you reach the end. Also, at the toughest setting the feels like you are trying to squeeze a slippery moss covered rock. It covers just about the entire full range of available Grippers on the market. Hope this helps. More updates to come as they materialize! Jedd

P.S. Get on the Strongman Training DVD Early Bird List. Put your name and email in the box below.

So you bought the Grippers. Now it’s time to close them.

So you chalk up and you bury the thing in your hand.

You squeeze onto the spring with your left hand, you work every finger onto it with your right.

The whole time your ass is shaking like a pig passing peach pits.

Your grip FINALLY feels good after wrestling with it for 15 seconds.

You lift it up overhead so you can get momentum, just like pitcher would get ready to hurl a pitch.

You thrust the gripper down near the side of your leg and hold it there as your hand shakes like the last green leaf on a try with the Autumn approaching.

IS IT CLOSED????? you scream to your workout partner.

ALMOST he says and he holds his finger and thumb this far apart…

In Gripper Training, a distance like that is like missing by a MILE. (more…)

Here are a couple of questions I have received recently on Gripper Training at my YouTube Channel…

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