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This is the latest installment in my Beginner Grip Training series. Up to this point, I’ve already touched on Plate Pinch Grip Training, and Gripper Training, but did you know that even if you don’t have a single piece of grip strength training equipment, you’ve got perfect access to in just about ANY gym around?
It’s true – you can work Thick Bar in your next workout, and this video shows you how.
What questions do you have about Grip Training, Thick Bar Work, etc? Leave a comment below – I’d love to hear from you.
All the best in your training,
Jedd
By request of the Diesel Universe, I was asked to hold a 1-Day Intensive Grip Training Seminar.
I have set this up for Thursday, March 31st, starting at 9AM in Wyalusing, PA
We’re covering the 3 main areas of Grip Training: Grippers, Pinching, and Thick Bar.
These are the foundations of developing a Mighty Grip, and you’ve gotta train them right to build your Grip right.
The goal is make sure each person there is setting Grippers correctly, and knows the ins-and-outs of Plate Pinching, Thick Bar Training, and other Open Hand methods.
We’re also gonna get into the basics of Card Tearing and Steel Bending, because these feats make up the foundation of Strongman feats.
There’s going to be a BIG EMPHASIS on hands-on training.
After all, you learn by doing, not by hearing me talk.
This is going to be an AWESOME session for a small group of 5 individuals.
However, there’s already 2 slots filled.
Which means if you want to grab 1 of the 3 available slots, you’ve gotta act fast.
It’s gonna be a sweet, comfortable and intense 5 hours of learning on March 31st.
Get ready to learn a ton, have a bunch of fun, and get your hands chalky.
All the best in your training.
Jedd
P.S. I’m also looking to set up the cameras to capture everything on film. Gonna be awesome.
Several Years ago, Zach Coulter, an avid grip competitor and steel bender during the mid-2000’s, decided to try to make an Inch Dumbbell replica out of 8″ round-stock steel for the bells with the thick handle welded into place.
With giant cylindrical heads and a 2.5″ handle, Coulter produced an extremely hard Inch Replica.
Over the years, I’ve tried many times to lift the Coulter Bell, never getting it completely to lockout without having my hand butted up against the back bell to reduce rotation.
I have gotten better though! In March this year, I broke it a few inches off the ground, before it toppled out of my grip.
Struggling with the Coulter Dumbbell
Then, in June of this year, I got it to mid-shin, before it squirmed away from the lock of my fingers.
In the video below, Eric Roussin also gets a nice pull on it, as well.
Coulter Dumbbell Attempts at NAGS Championship
And in December, after months and months of thick-bar emphasized training, I was able to get it a bit closer to knee height before it popped loose.
However, Andrew Durniat, the current owner of the Coulter Bell, took it to another level. Not only did he stroll over and do a 360-degree spin, effectively saying “IN YOUR FACE, NAPALM!” he also added 22lbs to it.
Check this out:
Andrew Durniat Destroys the Coulter Bell
There’s so many great challenge implements out there, to test your grip strength with.
And no matter how strong you think you are, there’s always someone stronger.
That’s what keeps me going, knowing that there’s always dudes out there like Andrew Durniat who are stronger than me in certain disciplines, and I will continue to train them all, with the objective of reaching and surpassing them.
All the best in your training.
Jedd
This past Thursday, Luke and I used Thick Bar Handles for just about everything on our Back Day, please we went pretty darn heavy, as well.
Here’s how the workout went:
Rolling Thunder Pull-ups with Weight Added – 3 sets of 3
Luke (203lbs) went with a 24-kg kettlebell added
Jedd (255lbs) went with 90lbs in plates added
I had to re-grip for all my 3rd reps. We also threw in some holds at the top of some of the reps.
Narrow Handle Thick Grip Pull-downs
We worked up to 305lbs and did 6 to 10 reps per set. These were extremely heavy, and resulted in some partial reps, as well as holds. We focused on controlling the weight, not throwing it.
Thick Handled Loadable Dumbbell Rows
I used a plate loadable handle with a 2.5″ grip. I started with 165lbs, then dropped it down to 150lbs.
Luke used the 120lb shot loadable dumbbell. Aimed for 5 reps per hand. We did 3 work sets.
Banded Straight Arm Lat Pulls
These might have a different name, but I’m drawing a blank. They hit your lats, teres major, posterior deltoids, rhomboids, and your glutes & hamstrings as well. They’re VICIOUS. 4 sets. 2 with black bands, 2 with purple bands.
All the best in your training.
Jedd
I’ve got a sale going on right now, on my DVD, “How to Lift the Inch Dumbbell.”
Grab it today and you’ll save yourself $20, and you’ll be instantly closer to lifting what was once considered “the unliftable dumbbell.
The Thomas Inch Replica Dumbbell, at 172lbs, with a nearly 2.5-inch handle, is a massive construction of cast iron that has tormented grip enthusiasts for too long.
This DVD gives you the weapons you need to do battle with the Inch.
From technique and grip application know-how, to training drills and programming expertise, the next time you face the Inch Dumbbell, you can rest assured that you will be ready.
You’ve struggled with the Inch Dumbbell long enough.
It’s time to ram your sword into the heart of the Inch Dumbbell, right now.
Grab this DVD today, and get the knowledge you need to take the Inch Dumbbell down, and conquer one of the most widely known feats of grip strength in the world today.
All the best in your training,
Jedd
Fat Gripz are a great tool for building hand strength and they have become more and more popular over the last few years.
Anymore, it seems like EVERYBODY has Fat Gripz.
So, everybody wants to know the best way to “Train with Fat Gripz.”
Generally, lifters are shocked when they see how much their numbers drop when they put Fat Gripz on and train with them for the first time.
And while Fat Gripz can be a huge benefit to your hand strength, it is important to know how to use them right to the get the biggest benefit.
Since I get questions about this a lot, I decided to cover How to Train with Fat Gripz in today’s video.
This is just one way to approach grip training with Fat Gripz, but in talking with lots and lots of lifters, this has been far better than throwing the Fat Gripz on everything and watching the overall poundage you lift plummet.
This way is much easier to track progress, and will give you better information as to your weaknesses and opportunities for training.
If you have other questions regarding your Fat Gripz training, check out my Grip Strength Instructional Site, The Grip Authority.com.
All the best in your training.
Jedd
Thomas Inch was a performing strongman who lived during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. He is most well known for his challenge dumbbell, an all-one-piece, cast-iron dumbbell with a nearly 2.5-inch handle, weighing 172-lbs.
To this day, replicas of what is now know as the Inch Dumbbell, remain one of the biggest challenge items in Grip.
After a short break from Inch Dumbbell Training, due to very sore shoulders that were causing pain every time I tried pulling something off the floor, I have resumed my Inch Dumbbell Training.
The Inch is never a simple feat for me. It is always something I need to have my mind right for. But I am working hard to make it easier all the time.
Here are some of the Inch Dumbbell feats I have tried and attained in recent training:
Inch Dumbbell + 55-lb Anvil
The Robo Blob is a Fatman Blob replica machined from a raw steel billet. It is pretty tough for me to lift, but not nearly as tough as some of my other Blobs, especially the Handle Blob.
Inch Dumbbell + Half 115lb Block Weight
This half 115lb Hex head has been around for a long time. Its sides actually slope out every so slightly, amking it a bit tougher than some other straight-sided blocks.
Inch Dumbbell Rows
These lifts all took place inside of one workout. I am trying to hit the Inch as many times as possible throughout the week. The idea is to make lifting it feel easier and easier and easier.
It’s time “Lifting the Inch” is no longer up on such a high pedestal.
All the best in your training.
Jedd
As if the dozens and dozens of medieval Grip torture devices I already had in my collection were not enough, one day about 5 years ago, I was looking for a tool that I could use to take my thick bar training to another level of insanity.
Singles and doubles weren’t enough anymore. I wanted to be able to train thick bar dynamically for reps after reps after reps, by picking up a thick big-handled beast and swinging it around with speed and power.
What I had in mind would create not only tremendous thick bar lifting strength, but also hyper-gravity eccentric loading that would test my fingers to the maximum capacity.
And, I wanted to be able to train both hands at the same time.
Alas, I could not find what I was looking for anywhere on the market, so I reached out to my good friend, Chris Rice, who had a way of taking my crazy ideas and turning them into reality by using very simple tools and materials.
What he came up with is something that turned out to be one of the absolute most brutal ways to train not only the hands for incredible grip strength, but also the glutes, core, legs, arms and shoulders all at the same time.
This device is called Napalm’s Nightmare.
Napalm’s Nightmare is the realization of my truly sick and twisted mind. Napalm was the pyromaniac wrestling character I pitched to WWE back in 2001, who would celebrate victories by lighting his hands and arms on fire. While they did not think that was as good of an idea as I did, at least the name gets to live on with this device.
This grip training tool combines the rotating effect of the IronMind Rolling Thunder Handle with the dynamic swinging nature of the Kettlebell. It is attached to a loading pin with weight added, making it fully adjustable for trainees of any strength level. ANYONE can benefit from this device in the way of GRIP STRENGTH and full body strengthening.
As often is the case, when one insane individual meets another, things can go much further than what the first maniac intended. While I designed Napalm’s Nightmare to be used in one way, others have taken my brainchild and produced even more sinister ideas.
Darrin Shallman, a long-time member of The Grip Authority, took the premise of Napalm’s Nightmare and has pushed the envelope of what is possible to new heights. Not happy with submaximal weight lifted for long durations of time, Darrin has begun testing the limits of Napalm’s Nightmare lifting with maximal lifts.
Here is Darrin showing Napalm’s Nightmare who is boss.
Take note, in case your speakers are busted, Darrin is only 157-lbs and his hands are about 7.5″ in length. This is a tremendous lift that only a true Sick Grip monster would attain.
My brother from another mother, Rindo, also has posted some tremendous lifts with the NN. Here is 328. His training with this tool of grip sickness is even more intense because lives in an apartment above two elderly folks, so he has to set everything down as quietly as possible so he doesn’t wake them up every day.
After watching these two Sicko’s going for their max, I had to try it as well. I worked up to 315 for a nearly full lift. It’s not counting the loading pin – who knows it might be 320 total. That kind of stuff doesn’t matter until we get to the platform. In training, i am all about feeling the BURN brotherrrrr.
As you can see, Napalm’s Nightmare is a lovely piece of home made equipment that has many benefits and many uses. To top it all off, for younger lifters or ladies who are just now beginning to get the Grip Fever, the rolling outside PVC handles can bee removed to expose smaller, yet still thick and Grip Power Producing handles.
Want to make your own Napalm’s Nightmare handle? It’s easy. Just check out my Home Made Strength 2 <=Click that link, brother. HMS2 - Grip Strength Edition will show you how to build a slew of Sick Grip Gear, plus you will learn how to use it to build Monster hand Strength.
“I Got a Fever. And the only cure is MORE THICK BAR.” – Rick Walker
All the best in your training,
Jedd
A few weeks back, I was contacted by a company about reviewing their equipment. It was called Globe Gripz, and at first I thought I would not be impressed, but reviewing equipment is fun, so I agreed.
Globe Gripz are very similar to other dense rubber, instant thick bar grip attachments that are on the market, with one major exception – they are round.
Aside from that, everything else is pretty much the same about the devices themselves.
Below, I have a video that covers my complete review of Globe Gripz.
Like many round-handled tools that are on the market, the Globe Gripz are too strong for my mutant hands, so I do not use the Globe Gripz that much. However, I have added them to straight-bar curls several times and they work perfectly. I have not done barbell curls in years due to the wrist pain and elbow stress that they cause, but with the Globe Gripz added, I don’t feel any of that.
Without a doubt, until they come out with a larger version, I think these would be best suited for smaller-handed individuals (less than 7.75 inches from wrist crease to tip of longest finger).
You can get your set here: GlobeGripz.com (non-affiliate link)
All the best in your training,
Jedd
DIESELS,
First off, I am sorry for the lack of new posts lately. I have been distracted lately with many things.
Some of them, are just plain life issues that catch you off guard from time to time. For instance, my long-time friend in life and business, my Explorer, decided to finally leave me and go a completely new direction, so I had to spend two days researching vehicles. I ended up buying a Nissan Rogue, and it has been awesome.
I’ve also had two amazing trips in the last 3 weeks. The first was my first Strongman Performance gig, where I worked as a carnival strongman as part of a 4-act circus show. It was a great time, I learned even more about the feats of strength I do and teach, and it was great watching all the youngsters enjoy themselves.
Lift, Hold, and Control Seminar Group: Dan Creter, Jan Dellinger, Sarah Shafer, Jedd Johnson, Rebecca Klopp, Paul Tompkins, Stephanie Lewis
This past weekend was the Lift, Hold, and Control seminar at Vision Fitness of PA, home of Garage Ink Powerlifting. My friend, Niko Hulslander, invited me down to his gym to speak and it was great spending some time with him and getting to know him more as well. The attendees had a great time and they learned a lot. It was my privilege to have in attendance a well-known member of the strength world, Jan Dellinger, author of The Dellinger Files. Jan worked at York Barbell for years and years and was once assistant editor of Muscular Development Magazine.
So, now that I have my feet under me, I want to share a video with you that I put up on YouTube a week or so ago.
I always welcome comments and questions on my YouTube videos, and I have been getting lots of good ones. Recently, one of my YouTube Subscribers asked a question along the lines of “What is the best way to work Crushing Strength and Open Hand Strength at the same time?”
At first I responded by telling him that it couldn’t be done, simply by definition of the two types of grip strength. To understand what I mean, here are the definitions of these two types of grip strength.
Crushing Grip: Dynamic force produced by the hands and fingers, whereas the fingers move inward toward the palm, as in making a fist or closing a gripper.
Open Hand: Static force produced by the hand and fingers where no overlap of the fingertips and thumb can take place, as in lifting a Blob or thick handled dumbbell.
So, as you can see, by definition, these two categories of grip strength somewhat cancel one another out, especially when you consider the following:
1. Crushing is almost always dynamic in nature. Gripper closing involves movement. Even crushing down on a kettlebell handle in a Bottoms-up Press manner, while the movement is minimal, it is still taking place in order to control and adjust to the balance of the kettlebell.
2. Open Hand Training is almost always static in nature. With wide plate pinching, the thumb and fingers squeeze onto the outsides of the plates, but no movement takes place beyond this. The same is true when lifting the Inch Dumbbell or other thick-handled challenge bar.
However, as I thought more and more about this question, I realized that I was being too closed-minded. I was only considering very basic forms of Grip Strength Training, and I was leaving out many other forms that do have the potential to work both aspects of gripping ability. I was really pigeon-holing myself and looking at the question with tunnel vision.
Here is the video that I made in order to address this:
This video will show you some examples of both Open Hand Training and Crushing Strength.
So, as you can see, it can be very, very easy to accomplish training the Crushing aspect and the Open Hand aspects at the same time with Bi-Polar Training, you just have to do each hand separately. Plus with the right equipment you can come very close to training the hands to crush without the benefit of a closed hand by using the Grip 4orce Handles.
There are other ways to accomplish this Hybrid form of Grip Training that have come to me since then. One such way is with Sandbags. When performing heavy sandbag lifts, as you clench the material on the body of the bag (using the handles they have would not count), the action of the fingers digging in would entail a degree of dynamic crushing (Crush Grip), while the hand stays open (Open Hand).
In most cases, Sandbag Lifting, especially when done with a large bag, will fit into another category of grip that is often not discussed, called Monkey Grip. Monkey Grip is when the orientation of the hand puts the fingers and thumb on the same side of the implement being used, instead of opposing one another in convention Pinch and Open Hand lifts.
We will go into more detail on Monkey Grip training later. For now, mull over what I talked about in today’s article and video, and as always, if you have a question, make sure to leave a comment. Also, if you can think of other ways to combine Crushing and Open Hand training, post them as well. Believe me, there are lots of them.
Want more detailed instruction to take you to your Grip Training Goals? The answers to your questions await you at my coaching site, TheGripAuthority.com. With hundreds of entries over the course of nearly three years of operation, it is the world’s most complete Grip Strength instructional Site. Join today for just $7 and let’s start working together toward your grip training goals.
What have you got to lose? Join today.
Jedd
Hello DIESELS!
As I have said many times in the past, despite my huge hands, for whatever reason, Thick Bar, the type of grip training done on round bars in an open hand position, are one of my nemeses in Grip.
Because Thick Bar was a weakness for me, over the years I began training it less and less, which really just becomes a vicious cycle because when you suck at something, and you don’t work on it, it is only going to make you suck at it worse.
You need to train on it more in order to figure out what is the best way for you, yourself to train on it. Through experimentation, trial and error, and tracking your progress, you can then hope to find tactics that work best for you.
For a long time, I wasn’t doing any of that. I was just training Thick Bar when I had to – when it was coming up in the next contest, and then after that contest I wouldn’t do any of it. Bad idea if you’re looking for progress.
This isn’t just about Grip Training – the same can be said for any other lift, or style of training, really. For instance, if your Squat sucks, and you hate it, then chances are you are going to be tempted to bag it. Maybe you put your squat day on Friday and then invent reasons to miss your Friday workouts so you don’t have to deal with the struggle.
Or maybe the thing that you suck at is Overhead Press. Maybe you’ve never been a good presser because of poor shoulder mobility, or your thoracic area is tight, or your triceps lack lockout strength. Whatever the “reason” you have in your head, they really only amount to excuses if you don’t address them. Eh, I’ll just work bench today and skip overhead…
I came to realize several months ago that if I didn’t start shifting some of my emphasis and efforts to Thick Bar, I was going to continue to be blown away on these events. I first came to this realization in doing one of my Coaching Call Recordings for my guys and gals at TheGripAuthority.com, and with that I began looking at my program.
I soon realized that I was doing a whole lot of things I was good at and not nearly enough of the things I was not good at. My weeks were very heavy with Pinch and very light on Thick Bar, with a healthy sprinkle of everything else thrown in.
So, one day I decided it was time to Change My Paradigm. For years, my main emphasis had been Pinch, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because it has a great deal of benefit to other aspects of hand strength, but I was doing Pinch at the expense of all my other training.
A Paradigm Shift is essentially a change in your way of thinking, or in this case, a change in the way I was approaching my training. It was time to make some HUGE CHANGES in my training.
What I would like to do right now is invite you to challenge your own paradigms, especially around any particular goals you might have but have been (up until now) incapable of attaining. Set up something that is totally different from what you have been doing — I mean totally different – and go after it.
For me, for years, I chased 400-lbs on an IronMind Axle, and did nothing but get worse because what I continually did over and over and over just wasn’t working. After I had a paradigm shift, I was finally able to deadlift 400+ on the axle.
However, what I would also like to mention is that there is another part to this. Although I am telling you to make a BIG CHANGE in your training, once you set up a new approach to your training, don’t keep modifying it all the time. Set something up and go for it for at least 4 to 6 six weeks.
When you set a track for a goal, you can’t just keep bouncing back and forth and switching stuff up all the time. You need to decide what you are going to try and then stick to it. That is the only way to know whether what you designed in the first place worked or not. How can you lay out a program and know if it worked if you keep switching every two weeks, continually moving away from the program? You can’t.
In February, I finally hit over 400 on the Axle and it could have been just as easy to stop the program that I laid out for myself and do something different, or go back to just maxing out all the time, but I didn’t. I kept going with it, the only changes I made being to dial back on the volume of thick bar per session when my hands were feeling over-worked.
Sticking with the movements that I decided would be beneficial over the course of the first three months this year has been awesome, as I have continued to build on two separate PR systems on the Axle which I have found to be mutually beneficial, including my 1 Rep Max on the Double Overhand Axle, which I recently got for 423-lbs and have since topped again.
After freezing at 396-lbs and over the course of 4 years and eventually even watching my numbers drop, it feels great to now be consistently working above 400-lbs, and coming ever so close to tripling near 400-lbs on many occasions.
So again, I challenge you to take a look within yourself at the goals that you want to achieve but are not achieving, and ask – Is it time for a paradigm shift? If so, make the change now.
Challenge Your Paradigms, and then Stick With Your Program
Incidentally, my entire Thick Bar Program is fully outlined at TheGripAuthority.com. I’d love to see you there.
All the best in your training.
Jedd
The IronMind Axle is the thick bar implement sold by IronMind Enterprises. It is just under 2-inches in diameter. The Deadlift on the IronMind Axle was an event in contests quite frequently up until 2011.
My memory is a bit foggy as to the Exact years but I am going to try to pin them down. I believe it was 2008 when I set my all-time high-water mark in the Axle Deadlift with (I think) 396-lbs. So close to 400-lbs, yet so far away, and I just kept drifting further from that point. In 2009, I lifted 394 at the beginning of the year and then at the end of the year could only manage the high 380’s.
I was slowly but surely getting worse and worse at this lift for no good reason whatsoever.
As I mentioned, the lift took a back-seat to other events through much of 2010 and 2011, at least in the contests I attended.
Then, out of nowhere, something crazy happened. I lifted 408-lbs on the IronMind Axle, and uploaded the video last week.
As you can see, the weight shot up off the ground and got past my knees and once I felt that, I knew it was all over. Knee height is usually like my point-of-no-return, in that if I can get it to my knees, I can usually finish the repetition.
A lot of people over the years have watched me struggle with thick bar lifting in contests, despite my large hands, so when they saw me accomplish this mark, many asked me what I changed in order to be able to accomplish this.
Here are some of the things I have been doing to which I credit my Axle Deadlift progress.
With my selection for the Mighty Mitts competition at the Arnold Classic this year, I knew I would have to face the incredible Sorinex Monster Bar, which is a 500-lb Axle with globe-like heads. Due to my lower back injuries, I have not done a great deal of deadlifts from the floor in the last 6 months, so i knew I had to start doing some more.
I chose to work with the sumo deadlift style because I find although I can lift less weight this way, it seems to be better for my back. I also chose it for its shorter lift stroke and its emphasis on the hips, which I am weak on.
I am also continuing my steadfast work on the Inch Dumbbell. My progress in that has been continuous, although never fast enough for my liking. Regardless, my confidence is growing as I continue to work hard on it.
Many of you are aware that I hold a record in the Two Hands Pinch in Grip Sport. You also know that I chased that damn record for nearly 5 years before finally attaining it. In order to get it, I had to change my way of thinking and the way I trained for it…
Looking back on my historical thick bar training, especially my Axle training, there was a common recurring thread: load on the weight, do a single, load on more weight, do a single, add more weight and fail and keep on trying for a single, all the while failing in the upper weights.
Probably no less than 50 times over the last 5 years I have followed that same pattern where all I did was add a few pounds to the Axle per attempt, do a single and then add some more and try another single. While on one hand, you could probably count the number of times in the lat 5 years that I worked lower intensities for more reps and different tempos.
Insanity, as they say, is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result. So why should I continue doing the same stuff I had always done and all of a sudden expect my numbers to go up? I decided I would no longer work any singles. All my work sets would be done with the objective of hitting triples and my PR’s would be based around them, ONLY.
I started this new approach to the Axle on 12/31/11 and by the first week in February, I had already broken the 400-lb barrier.
This of course, is not all I have been doing.
I knew that if I wanted to see progress in my Thick Bar Training, that I needed to mold it to look more like what I was doing for Two Hands Pinch. With that, I chose some auxiliary thick bar work that would mimic the auxiliary work that I have done routinely for the last couple of years in my Two Hands Pinch training.
Now, as much as I would love to put this all down here on this site, I am not going to. In order to see what all I have been doing, to get this recent explosion in thick bar strength, you need to join me at my Grip Training Instructional site, TheGripAuthority.com.
The entry that I am working on there at the TGA site involves exactly what I have been doing. I filmed an entire workout – plus I show you exactly how to set up everything. Here is what is included:
This has all worked very well for me, and I can’t wait to get it out there for my TGA subscribers to see how it works for them as well.
I’d love to work with you too. I’ve worked with lots of people over the years and I strive to help them all with their particular goals. Join TGA today for just $7 and you can see for yourself.
See you at TGA.
Jedd
I have been continuing to work toward improving my Double Inch Deadlift with plans to progress to the Double Inch Farmer’s Walk.
Last week I was able to pull a solid deadlift and even got a good pause at the top before the bells overtook my thumb and ripped the Inch out of my hands…
I recorded some of the tools and methods I have been using to bring my thick bar strength up when I wrote about the double inch dumbbell deadlift last week.
The methods I covered in that post involved solely use of the Inch Dumbbell itself, however that is not all that I have been doing on a regular basis. I have also been using two pieces of training equipment, which I am sure you have heard about – Fat Gripz and Grip 4orce Handles, quite frequently.
Until now, of the two tools listed above, Fat Gripz has probably gotten much more notoriety, but I think that the Grip 4orce handles are going to get more attention very soon.
First off, I want to say right off the bat that I like both of these handles. They both go on and off dumbbells or barbells so quickly that they add next to no time to your workout. You can literally put them on and perform a set of one lift and then pull them off and put them on something else for a superset / giant set
However, I feel the Grip 4orce handles are equally impressive, but in a different way. I see them particularly powerful tools for building thumb strength.
So I probably just lost you right? You’re probably thinking, “How can a thick bar trainer help with thumb strength?”
Well, here is why Grip 4orce builds thumb strength…
When you put the Grip 4orce handles onto dumbbells and curl them, in order to keep them on the handles, you have to squeeze not only your fingers tightly, but also the thumbs must fire throughout the range of motion and continue to adjust pressure in order to keep the G4‘s secured on the dumbbell handle.
What People Don’t Realize about Thick Bar Training
What many people do not realize about thick bar work is it actually requires a substantial amount of thumb activity, especially if you do not flex the wrist while you perform the thick-bar lift.
In other words, when you lift a thick bar, such as an axle, in a double overhand grip, if you keep your wrist in extension, you will have to apply pinching strength onto the bar in order to lift it. If you flex your wrist more, then you shift the emphasis more to the wrist and forearm flexors, and also more on the fingers and less toward the thumbs.
The same is true for lifting the inch dumbbell. If you goose-neck your wrist (if I do this, I get a terrible pain in my wrist and have for years) the thumb does not come into play.
However, if you have your wrist in extension when you lift the inch dumbbell, then you essentially have to “Pinch the Inch” in order to lift it.
Pinching the Inch
This is how I have done it for years – I Pinch the Inch Dumbbell in order to lift it because if I flex my wrist to take emphasis away from my thumb it hurts immensely, almost like an electrical shock through my wrist.
This is also why it is even tougher for me to lift the Inch Dumbbells with them sitting outside my feet as compared to straddling them. When they lie outside my feet, my wrist goes even more into extension, requiring even more effort from and emphasis on my thumbs.
Back to the Grip 4orce handles. I first got a set when I wrote the owner, Jim Hartman, about sponsoring the 2011 National Grip Sport Championship. He sent me a pair to review and a few sets for the prize package at Nationals.
The first thing I did with the Grip4orce handles was to put them onto the dumbbells for my next workout that involved curls, and I noticed how much they work the thumbs right away. The next day, my thumb pads were very sore, much more so than any Two Hand Pinch or Block Weight workout I had recently. In fact, I would compare the feeling to a Volume Workout of Dynamic Pinch, using a Pony Clamp or TTK.
I feel the reason that Grip4orce training feels so much like dynamic pinch is because when you use them on curls, your thumb is acting dynamically the entire time, adjusting the force it is creating throughout the strength curve of the curling range of motion.
I have been using Grip4orce handles on every set of curls I have done since June, and I absolutely love them. They hit my thumbs, they work the fingers, and my forearms feel completely wasted after 3 to 5 sets of curls because they too have to work harder in order to keep the handles secure throughout the curling motion.
I continue to use Grip 4orce handles on every set of curls I do, and my Inch Dumbbell lifting continues to go up. I have even seen improvement in my gripper work, nearly credit-card closing a #3 for the first time ever this week.
I strongly suggest you add these to your equipment collection today. If you currently do curls in your training, this will make them even more worthwhile, and if you are not currently doing curls, then this just might give you a reason to put them back into your routine. They certainly have done that for me.
Get your Grip4orce handles here => Buy Grip4orce Handles
All the best in your training.
Jedd
Diesels – I trust you are working your asses off and shooting for improvement in all areas of your training.
I have awesome news to pass on to you…
I have been selected to compete at Mighty Mitts at the Arnold again this year, and I can’t be any more excited.
Mighty Mitts 2010: I’m not smiling for the camera, I am trying to lift a 500-lb Axle without crapping my pants…thanks to Kevin Cronin for cheering for me – I heard you the whole time…
(more…)
I have been kicking the Inch Dumbbell’s arse lately.
If you don’t know what the Inch Dumbbell is, it is the globe dumbbell shown below.
One of the most widely recognized feats of Grip Strength is lifting the Inch Dumbbell.
The original Inch Dumbbell belonged to Thomas Inch, a traveling performing strongman in the early 1900’s (shown to the left, photo via SandowPlus.co.uk
The Challenge Dumbbell weighed roughly 172-lbs, which isn’t too daunting of a weight. However, the difficulty in lifting the Inch Dumbbell is due to it’s significant handle size (2.38 inch) plus the fact that the handle and bells are all one solid cast iron implement. Once both bells leave the ground, the entire implement begins to turn and rip out of your grasp.
Deadlifting the Inch Dumbbell proves to be a feat that few people are able to complete on their first try.
I am one of the lucky individuals who owns an Inch Dumbbell and one of the rare people who owns two.
The first one I got several years ago from a good friend of mine, Rick Walker.
I picked the other one up from a mailman on eBay a couple of years back.
Recently, Rick has set out to conquer the Inch Dumbbell, and he shot a video of one of the implements he is currently using to train his hands to be ready the next time he crosses paths with it.
This implement is surprisingly simple to make and seems to be a great way to get it done.
The video below shows exactly how to set this device up.
As you can see, this home made implement is simple to make and is comprised of very cheap materials, yet it could very well prove to be one of the most beneficial ways to train to lift the Inch Dumbbell, because it seems to replicate the violent spin of the actual dumbbell.
I am very interested to see how Rick progresses with this set-up. I also plan on training with it to increase my thick bar strength, as I sometimes still have trouble with my newer Inch Dumbbell. It will be a great addition to my collection of home made strength training devices.
Speaking of Home Made Equipment, The Home Made Strength On-line DVD is now one year old, so to celebrate it’s birthday, we are lowering the price $10 until Wednesday. If you’d like to pick it up at the lowest price ever, you can do so by clicking this link = > Home Made Strength Training Equipment.
Also, in the coming weeks, I will be releasing a new installment of the HMS Series, Home Made Strength II: Grip Strength Edition. This DVD will be full of implements you can put together and use to build serious Grip strength, whether you want to compete in Grip Contests, Strongman contests, or just want to increase your hand strength for the sport you play. This will also be an excellent resource for Strength Coaches who are still handcuffed by their university’s budget limitations.
I build everything right on camera, taking about 5 minutes per piece and then walk you through some of the best ways to train with it, all on pristine quality video.
This should be ready in a matter of weeks. I am in the final stages, so stay tuned.
Stay tuned and in the mean time, keep kicking ass in the gym.
Jedd
Here’s a video where I was peaking for thick bar and was able to row the Inch Dumbbell. I set it up to play just seconds before I lift it…
Check out my channel here = > Jedd’s YouTube Channel
Today, Chris Smith breaks off another piece of knowledge and shows us how to make some homemade equipment that will let you get your grip training on!
Fitness can be an expensive thing, especially if you want to have your own equipment. Sometimes even a very well equipped gym can be lacking a piece of equipment that you really need or, more likely, want.
READ THE REST OF THIS KILLER POST AFTER THE JUMP (more…)
You are working to put together your own collection of strength equipment.
You are a strength coach on a limited budget.
You are a student athlete with no job and need to get extra work in to make the team.
You are a personal trainer running boot camps and need more equipment to take with you to sessions.
You are an athlete and the school weight room sucks and just plain doesn’t meet your needs.
You are a strength enthusiast putting together your own garage/basement gym.
You are a strength coach looking to add new training methods to your program.
You are a strength enthusiast who wants to hit new PR’s.
You are a person involved with some form of weight training with limited money to throw at expensive equipment manufacturers.
Napalm’s Nightmare is a sick freaking grip device I got made by my good friend, Chris Rice. The handles on this thing revolve and are about 2.5″ in thickness. This thing is no joke.
I modeled this device from something available from Sorinex called the Hungarian Core Blaster. When I first saw the HCB, I thought it was perfect except for one thing – THE HANDLE WAS TOO SMALL. That’s when I contacted Chris and he came up with a great design that works outstandingly.
This thing literally tries to rip your hand open when you swing it. My best is with 180 lbs attached to a loading pin for a total of 3 swings before it shot out of my left hand.
This year, one of my goals has been to bring up my thick bar strength, and this has been a staple in my workouts. It has also been great for working the posterior chain. Believe me – not only does your grip get fried after using this, but so do your glutes, erectors, lats, and delts.
All the best in your training,
-Jedd-
Check out the Card Tearing eBook and RIP STUFF UP!
How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site
Napalm’s Nightmare is a sick freaking grip device I got made by my good friend, Chris Rice. The handles on this thing revolve and are about 2.5″ in thickness. This thing is no joke.
I modeled this device from something available from Sorinex called the Hungarian Core Blaster. When I first saw the HCB, I thought it was perfect except for one thing – THE HANDLE WAS TOO SMALL. That’s when I contacted Chris and he came up with a great design that works outstandingly.
This thing literally tries to rip your hand open when you swing it. My best is with 180 lbs attached to a loading pin for a total of 3 swings before it shot out of my left hand.
This year, one of my goals has been to bring up my thick bar strength, and this has been a staple in my workouts. It has also been great for working the posterior chain. Believe me – not only does your grip get fried after using this, but so do your glutes, erectors, lats, and delts.
All the best in your training,
-Jedd-
Check out the Card Tearing eBook and RIP STUFF UP!
How to Build Muscle | Muscle Building Workouts | How to Lose Fat | Six Pack Abs | Build Muscle, Muscle Gaining Workouts | Build Muscle Membership Site
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Here is a new article from Joe Hashey from Click to read the article
Joe just released the Bull Strength Training Manual this weekend. In it, he covers plenty more ways to develop all around strength and more grip strength secrets!
Check it out – BULL STRENGTH.
-Jedd-
