Gumpster's Gripping

[gumpster]

22Feb09

Stacker Lift - R&L 20# 5sec, 30# 5sec, 31.25# failed, 30# R failed L 5sec, 25# 5sec

(inches between hand and head of hammer)

8# Sledge Front - R&L 5sec holds - 22"/20"/20"/20"/20"

8# Sledge Rear - R&L 5sec holds - 28"/28"/28"/28"/28"

8# Sledge Side - R&L rotation to both sides - 12"x1/14" failed/12"x1/12"x1/10"x3

8# Sledge Overhead - R&L - 28"x1/28"x1/28"x1/28"x1

2 7/8" DB Reverse Wrist Curls - R&L 10# 5reps, 15# 3reps

2 7/8" DB Wrist Curls - R&L 40# 5reps, 45# 1rep

Plate Wrist Curls - R&L 20# 8reps, 20# 7reps

2 7/8" DB Lift Thumbless - R&L 80# 10sec, 80# 10sec, 82.5# 5sec, 82.5# 10sec, 82.5# 10sec

Grippers - R&L - #1 TNS x3

#2 R&L - TNS x1 5sec hold

#2.5 R&L - MMS x1

#2 R&L - MMS x1

#3 R&L - Choker @30mm - failed

#1 R&L - 20 parallel reps

#2.5 R&L - MMS x1 5sec hold

Bending - ISOs on 7mm stainless bar, was at 100deg/4" between ends...now at 112deg/3 15/16" between ends

Still feeling a little fatigue from the bending on Wednesday but I had to do something. Felt strong on the stacker and got 30# up with both hands. Also did a little better on the front levering but didn't feel so great on the others. I think 8 reps on the plate wrist curls is a PR for me and I know the thick DB thumbless weights are the most I've ever done. The thumbless lifts are now equal to the regular lifts I do on my pinch day. I can't move up in weight (no big plates/space on bar) so I'll just keep working with 82.5# and do longer holds and more reps. Got in a little gripper work but felt weak as a kitten on the #3. Did a barely measurable amount of damage to the 7mm stainless bar - 1/16". Didn't feel strong on the bending portion so I may do better when it's bending day and I'm not all worn out. Still having trouble finding a good position to get any power to the bar in this middle area.

[easyWeight]

I'm seeing some high volume workouts in here! Great work man!

Edited February 23, 2009 by easyWeight

[easyWeight]

I missed that scrolled square piece you did. That's awesome man!

[gumpster]

I'm seeing some high volume workouts in here! Great work man!

I missed that scrolled square piece you did. That's awesome man!

Thanks!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

26Feb09

Bending

DO - FBBC 1/4" x 5.5" Square CRS - failed but got it to 2 1/4" in 5 min, killed it a couple minutes later

DU - 7.3mm x 7" CRS

DO - FBBC 1/4" x 5.5" Grade 8 bolt - PR!

Reverse - 7.3mm x 7" CRS

DU - 6.7mm x 5.5" Square HRS (PR with this stock)

Reverse - 7.65mm x 5.5" CRS (PR with this stock)

Reverse - 7.65mm x 5" CRS - failed but got it to 32deg

7mm x 15cm stainless - still working on the same bar from a few weeks ago, was at 3 15/16" between the ends, now it's at 3 7/8"

Tearing - easy deck of cards (halved/quartered)

Had a good workout today. Definite progress from just a couple weeks ago which was unexpected. Hugo had asked me about the 5.5" square (FBBC 1/4") so I thought I'd give it a shot today first thing (I got my previous attempt to 80deg and finished it later that workout, total of about 15 minutes bending time). It wasn't easy during any part of the bend but I managed to get it much further and almost completed it - 2 1/4" by the time 5 minutes had rolled around. I rested for a minute or two and got it crushed down. Another couple weeks and I think I can mark this off my list. Since I was feeling pretty good about the 5.5" stuff today I went for the Grade 8 that I had cut 1/2" of threads off. I think this still counts as a 5.5" even though the bolt was born a 6". That was way easier than I figured it would be and even felt easier than the 6" I did a month ago. I feel like I've neglected my DU & reverse bending a bit so I went after PRs using locally purchased stock and got one in each style. I went back to the old trusty 7mm stainless bar and gave it a few good hits. I managed to move it yet another massive 1/16" but at least it was progress. I'm sure I would have done more damage to it had I just spent all workout hitting that bar but killing those other bends was quite satisfying. I also ripped up another deck of cheap (fake) Bicycle cards. I've got 3 videos to upload but I won't get it finished tonight so they'll be up by tomorrow - the FBBC square (even though I failed), the 5.5" Grade 8, and the card tearing.

[gumpster]

4Mar09

Grippers - R&L - #1 TNS x3

#2 R&L - TNS x1

#2.5 - TNS attempt R 1mm L 2mm

#3 R&L - MMS attempt 1/4" away

#3 R&L - Choker @30mm attempt - 4mm away

#2.5 R&L - MMS 10sec hold

#3 - Choker @30mm attempt - R 2mm L 4mm away

#2.5 R&L - 2 parallel reps (almost got 3)

#2 - parallel reps R 8 L 5

#2.5 R&L - MMS 10sec hold

#3 R&L - Choker @30mm attempt - 5mm away

#2 - parallel reps R 5 L 5

#2.5 R&L - MMS 10sec hold

#1 R&L - 20 parallel reps

#2 - parallel reps R 4 L 4

#1 R&L - 20 parallel reps

#1 R&L - 20 parallel reps

Bending - ISOs on 7mm stainless bar, was at 3 7/8" between ends...now at 3 3/4" between ends (1/8" of progress, woohoo!)

ISOs on bastard bar cheat kinked to 21deg...looks to be at 23deg now

DO - 7mm x 7" square HRS (crushed down to just over 1")

Tearing - easy deck of cards (halved/quartered)

easy deck of cards - longways (first time ever! ) - pic here

Decided to hit the grippers hard today. Just missed the #2.5 TNS and on my first shot at the #3 it ripped 3 nice round patches of skin off my left hand. I guess a couple extra days off made my skin start to soften up. The good thing was the skin tore off but it didn't get any worse and the skin underneath wasn't tender. I believe this was the first time I attempted parallel reps on the #2.5. I got 2 easy but the third stalled out just a couple mm away. I may have to add this to my gripper workouts more often since it'll be easy to track progress. I did some card tearing and gave the "longway" rip a go - success! It looks good and felt relatively easy. I think next I'll go for a deck in the box then maybe start working on adding cards and progress towards a second deck. I made another 1/8" of progress on the 7mm SS bar I got from Hugo. Tried to give it long hits (maybe a dozen or so). Did some ISOs on the cheat kinked bastard but barely moved it. Maybe I should have kinked it a bit further. Finished up with a complete bend of 7mm square HRS and tried to crush it way down (got it almost to 1").

[tja]

Well done on the tearing PR!

Just under 4" on the stainless sounds exactly as my usual sticking point. Bar is around 100-120 degrees, right? What's your grip at this point? are you doing the 'posting the other hand' thing, or goint straight?

[gumpster]

Well done on the tearing PR!

Just under 4" on the stainless sounds exactly as my usual sticking point. Bar is around 100-120 degrees, right? What's your grip at this point? are you doing the 'posting the other hand' thing, or goint straight?

Thanks - I'm getting consistent with the regular tearing so I had to mix it up.

Yeah, the bar is sitting at about 105deg now. I can't seem to get anywhere with the kink/sweep hand position as my fists are hitting each other so I went to interlocking the fingers but it's just a little wide to get a lot of power in that position. I've tried the posting one hand thing but due to my weak upper body it doesn't seem to give me much. I'm just trying to keep my elbows out to the sides and bracing my fingers under my chin. I'm able to make a little progress each week but they're "baby steps". I'll get there eventually but it might be a couple months. I've got a few more of the exact same bar waiting to kick my butt when I finally kill this one. Should go faster the next time (I hope).

[John Eaton]

Looks like you're knocking on the door of the #3. Do you have just one #3?

Great work on the tearing

[gumpster]

Looks like you're knocking on the door of the #3. Do you have just one #3?

Great work on the tearing

I've been knocking on the #3 door for about a year now...nobody is answering. I've closed it in the choker from this same setting a couple months back. It's like a roller coaster - some days it gets better, some days not so much. Consistency is hard to come by on some (if not all) grip exercises. Yeah, I only have the one #3 and it's not calibrated so I haven't a clue if it's easy/medium/hard. I got the #2.5 closed TNS style a few months back also and thought I would be able to MMS the #3 around the same time...I was way wrong.

Thanks John!

[tja]

Well done on the tearing PR!

Just under 4" on the stainless sounds exactly as my usual sticking point. Bar is around 100-120 degrees, right? What's your grip at this point? are you doing the 'posting the other hand' thing, or goint straight?

Thanks - I'm getting consistent with the regular tearing so I had to mix it up.

Yeah, the bar is sitting at about 105deg now. I can't seem to get anywhere with the kink/sweep hand position as my fists are hitting each other so I went to interlocking the fingers but it's just a little wide to get a lot of power in that position. I've tried the posting one hand thing but due to my weak upper body it doesn't seem to give me much. I'm just trying to keep my elbows out to the sides and bracing my fingers under my chin. I'm able to make a little progress each week but they're "baby steps". I'll get there eventually but it might be a couple months. I've got a few more of the exact same bar waiting to kick my butt when I finally kill this one. Should go faster the next time (I hope).

I did progress some with the posting-style, but found out eventually that it's not my strongest position. The best for me is, when the fists hit, is to take one index finger away (like i'd interlock it with nothing). Then crush a tad further. Then take the other index finger off and push a bit. At this point, I can usually already benefit from interlocking all fingers.

[odin]

Gumpster, have you thought of putting on a "strongman show" for the locals for fun? Looks like you're ready; I'll bet you never thought of yourself as having the "potential" to do some of the things you are doing.

[gumpster]

tja - I'll have to see if that helps me any. It can't hurt I guess.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gumpster, have you thought of putting on a "strongman show" for the locals for fun? Looks like you're ready; I'll bet you never thought of yourself as having the "potential" to do some of the things you are doing.

Well, not exactly a "show" (I don't think I'm ready for that), but I have done a few demos for local folks who were interested. Usually just one thing - like ripping a deck of cards or bending a nail/bolt. They look at you a little weird when you buy a dozen decks of cards and sometimes ask what I want them for. One auto parts store where I can buy 5/16" grade 2 bolts wanted to know what the bolts were for (I handed them a bent bolt and asked if they had some). So, after buying a few bolts I wrapped one up (had my wraps with me) and bent one. They thought I was nuts of course but they were impressed. I did a couple bends for the guy I buy rice from and he asked to keep the bar and bolt to show others. Now, each time I stop by he asks if I have any new feats to show him. It's a little motivation to keep working hard at this stuff and try new things. I workout in front of my apartment building and there are always people passing by who often want to give whatever it is I'm doing a try. The adults usually think I'm crazy but the kids enjoy it. If you had handed me a deck of cards 6 months ago and said I would rip it longways in 6 months I wouldn't have believed it. The same goes for a lot of the unbraced bending. I'm not a big strong guy like a many of these guys who end up bending a red/bastard in their first month of training, but I'm making slow steady progress so I know eventually I will get to that level.

[gumpster]

8Mar09

FBBC Chunk - R&L 20# 5sec, 25# - 5sec, 30# - 2sec

IM Hub - R&L 30# - 5sec, 35# - 5sec, 40# - 5sec, 45# - 2sec

3" Pinch Block - R&L 40# - 5sec, 45# - 5sec, 50# - 5sec, 55# - 5sec, 60# - 2sec

2 7/8" DB - R&L 82.5# 10sec hold

82.5# 10sec hold

82.5# 10sec hold

82.5# 10sec hold

82.5# 10sec hold

Grippers - #1 R&L - TNS x3

#2 - parallel reps R 5 L 4

Bending

Back to work on the 7mm stainless. It was at 3.75" last time and today I gave it at least a dozen more good hits - it now sits at 113deg & 3.5" between the ends. Comparatively, this was a huge day as I moved it 1/4" and my best on any other day was 1/8". It doesn't really feel like it moves at all. I try to interlock my fingers the best I can and push/squeeze with everything I have - the bar flexes but then feels like it just pops right back where it was. This has got to be making my crush stronger. I'm excited to give the FBBC 1/4" x 5.5" square another shot as I failed last attempt with it at 2.25". Also did a few hits on the cheat kinked bastard bar but no damage was done.

Tearing - easy deck of cards (halved/quartered)...I got the deck halved in one continuous hit which I haven't done before so a kind of PR I guess. It still took a few seconds but no "pause-regrip-tear again".

[gumpster]

12Mar09

Stacker Lift - R&L 20# 5sec, 25# 5sec, 30# failed, 27.5# R failed L 5sec, 20# 5sec, 25# 5sec

(inches between hand and head of hammer)

8# Sledge Front - R&L 5sec holds - 22"/20"/20"/20"

8# Sledge Rear - R&L 5sec holds - 28"/28"/28"/28"

8# Sledge Side - R&L rotation to both sides - 14" failed/12"x1/12"x1/12"x1/12"x1

8# Sledge Overhead - R&L - 28"x2/28"x1/28"x1/28"x1

2 7/8" DB Reverse Wrist Curls - R&L 12.5# 5reps, 15# 3reps, 12.5# 4reps

2 7/8" DB Wrist Curls - R&L 40# 5reps, 45# 5reps, 45# 2reps

Plate Wrist Curls - R&L 20# 10reps (PR), 20# 4reps, 20# 2reps

2 7/8" DB Lift Thumbless - R&L 80# 5sec, 80# 10sec, 80# 10sec, 80# 10sec, 80# 10sec

Grippers - R&L - #1 TNS x3

#2 R&L - MMS 10sec hold

#2 - parallel reps R3 L2

#1 R&L - 16 parallel reps

Bending - crush work on 7mm stainless bar, started today at 3.5" between ends...now at 2.5" between ends Best progress to date! I may have this thing finished by the end of the month. I know the last 1/2" will be tough. Maybe sometime in April I will give a fresh bar another shot.

Felt weak on the stacker and 30# just wobbled. I got 10 reps on the plate wrist curls, a PR for me. I wanted to get in a few squeezes on a gripper or two but wrist day seems like it's not meant to be. I did a full inch of damage to the 7mm stainless bar. I tried to do long Gazza-style hits since it's in the crush portion. I can't say I felt it move at any point but each time I measured it the gap was shrinking.

Next stop: the Red (will give it my first ever attempt on Sunday I hope)

[ewokhugo]

Perry:

u wont need one month to finish the 7 mm ss!

all u need is ONE more training session! trust me ... the hardest part its done (move it up to 3") now ITS easy.

(i moved from 3" to 2" in one training session 1.5 months ago and my crushdown its weaker than yours)

the 5.5 square will be your next gripb cert!

really excited about sunday's training!

[gumpster]

Hugo, you might be right about it not taking the rest of the month to finish that 7mm SS bar. I got close today (2 1/8").

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

15Mar09

Bending

DO - IM Red Nail (from Hugo) - first attempt ever, got it to 4.5" in the first 5-6min, rested about 10min then finished it off

DU - 7mm x 15cm CRS (from Hugo)

Reverse - FBBC 1/4" x 6" Grade 5 bolt (PR)

DU/Reverse - 7.65mm x 6" - wobbled it DU, took past 40deg reverse then crushed down

Crush work - 7mm x 15cm SS...the same bar, started today at 2.5" - finished at 2 1/8" - almost there!

Well, to be honest my arms/wrists/hands were still a little sore from my last workout so I could have used another day of rest. I wanted to give the red a shot today so it had to be done. Everyone said the red would be easier than a bastard...they were right. I got the kink on the red fairly easy (I've barely wobbled a bastard) and hammered away until it got around 90deg. Then I seemed to run out of gas and my hits weren't doing much. I tried to rest a bit between hits but I just didn't have the horsepower to finish it off in 5min. I got it to 4.5" and around 105deg by the time I gave up on it and shut off the camera. Rested about 10 minutes and then gave it another 5 hits. That was enough rest to recharge I guess because I got it down under 2" with no big problem. Then I gave the 7mm CRS bar from Hugo a shot DU. I think I'm like the 4th or 5th person to do this same bar (Hugo is a steel trading madman ). Good solid feel to it but not incredibly hard. I didn't know how much I still had in me but I wanted to give the Grade 5 bolt a try reverse. I came up short the last time I tried (around 35deg if I recall). I got it this time - a little over 50deg. I felt like doing another DU bend so I went for a 7.65mm x 6" piece of locally purchased stock. This would have been a PR for this stock/style but I barely wobbled it. So, I switched to reverse and killed it. To finish things up I went back to the old 7mm stainless piece I've been struggling with. Got another 3/8" of movement and it now sits at 2 1/8". I should be able to finish it off on my next workout in a few days.

I don't know if today was a strong bending day or not. I'm happy I was able to at least move the red but disappointed in not being able to kill it under 5 minutes. I may try again in a month or so and see if I've gained some strength.

Pic of today's bends

[Griparn]

Congrats for bending the red, very impressive!

[odin]

You are a very determined and persistent man, great work on the Red Gumpster! :rock I know you won't be satisfied until you can do it quickly, but you look to be well on the way, not that i know anything about bending.

If you could improvise and do dips (two chairs or counter/tabletops) and pullups/chins (surely there must be something, somewhere) I think it might take you up to a new level. When I was in the Philippines with my wife there was a plaza (park) with parallel bars and bars that could be used for chinning. Maybe you have some old injuries that would make this type of work impractical, but if not these two movements could substitute for most of the upper body work you cannot do without a full weight set.

[Benedikt Farsmann]

Congratulations on the red, man! Also thanks for you help regarding bending! You rock

[ewokhugo]

Perry,

incredible superkink in the beggining ...

VERY VERY strong, u may have improved your technique as a matter of fact (i think).

the bastard its offraid of u ... u are getting much better now ...

the 7 mm ss will die ... next time :one hit and u will get this thophy (very well deserved)

the 7 mm CRS its just slightly easier than the g5 from fbbc.

it was a GREAT bending session!! CONGRATS!

[gumpster]

Thanks everyone!

Bob - Yeah, I'd like to get it quick enough for a GB cert (2min in leather I think). Then I can think about working on the IM cert...but that's still a long way off. If you ever get going on bending I can probably give you some "weak skinny guy" tips and maybe send you some steel from down here.

Yes, I think could benefit from some sort of dip type exercises. I do have a bad back and right shoulder but I don't know how much it hinders my bending. I'll see about going the two chair route. I go running 4 days a week in the parking lot of a local mall (no traffic early in the morning) and noticed they have bars welded to the side of the light posts that stick out about 2 feet. I've been using them for just hanging after I run to stretch out my arms/torso. They're only about 5' from the ground so I'll have to curl my legs up to do pull-ups. I'll see how it goes. Thanks for the suggestions.

Hugo - Thanks for the steel buddy (I owe you). Looks like I'll have to buy some reds soon...they are good training bars. The 7mm SS is not going down in one hit (ever) but I think I'll get it further than the last time. The red was tough but that 7mm SS is waaaayyyy more difficult.

[ewokhugo]

i agree Perry!

7 mm ss its harder than the red specially after 90 deg.

7" 7 mm ss (if i had any) would be awesome to bend.

[gumpster]

18Mar09

Grippers - #1 R&L - TNS x3

#2 R&L - TNS x1

#2.5 R&L - TNS attempt 3mm away

#3 R&L - Choker @parallel x1

#2.5 R&L - TNS attempt 2mm away

#2.5 - parallel reps R 3 L 2

#3 R&L - Choker @parallel 10sec hold

#2.5 R&L - MMS 10sec hold

#3 - Choker @parallel R 3reps L 2reps

#2.5 R&L - MMS 10sec hold

#2.5 R&L - MMS x1

#2.5 R&L - MMS x1

#2 R&L - TNS x1

#1 R&L - TNS x5

#2 - parallel reps R 10 L 6

#3 R&L - Choker @parallel 10sec hold

#2.5 R&L - MMS 10sec hold

#2 R&L - TNS x1

#2 R&L - TNS x1

#1 R&L - 40 parallel reps (PR)

Bending - ISOs on 7mm stainless bar, was at 2 1/8" between ends...now at 2 1/16" between ends

It's been 3 days and I did another workout still feeling the effects of the last one - not the best idea, I know. Hammered my hands on the grippers today. Still having trouble getting consistent TNS closes of the #2.5 but it will come in time. The #2 used to be like that. No torn skin/painful callouses today which was surprising. The palms of my hands are beat up and I tried the crushdowns on the 7m SS bar after I was done with grippers so that may account for the meager progress. I'm fairly sure the 10 parallel reps on the #2 and 3 reps on the #2.5 are PRs but I haven't kept track very well. The only one I know for sure is the #1 - 40 I have never done before.

[ewokhugo]

Perry: one more hit and the 7 mm ss its DEAD!!!

nice progress with grippers!... your bastard is hard .. so your #3 ... damm wish someone nearby woud borrow one average #3 to u...

[gumpster]

20Mar09

Did a little demo for about a dozen folks at the open market here in the city. I talk to them every time I pass by so they kind of know me after 6 years and I had mentioned I'd show them my hobby sometime. I knew this might screw up my schedule but I didn't plan to do much. It was fun and they seemed to get a kick out of it. I even offered 1,000 pesos to anyone who could shut the #2...nobody got close. That's only about $20 US but for most of those people that was about a week's wages, so every guy in the area was trying.

Tearing - easy deck of cards (halved/quartered one half)...I was "on" with the tearing and got the deck halved in one hit, then quartered one half in a single hit. Maybe the best I've done so far. I let the onlookers have a go at another identical deck - they mangled it but never really got it to tear.

Grippers - #2 TNS - about 10 closes between both hands and a few MMS closes while showing the guys the technique to give them the best shot at closing it. The best anyone did was down to about parallel.

Bending - DO - 60d

Reverse - 60d

DO - 8.5mm x 7" HRS

A few guys gave the bending a shot but didn't even wobble the 60d.

I think everyone had a good time and I got a little workout in. I came out of it looking like the world's skinniest strongman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

22Mar09

FBBC Chunk - R&L 20# 5sec, 25# - 5sec, 30# - 2sec

IM Hub - R&L 35# - 5sec, 40# - 5sec, 45# - R 5sec L 2sec, 50# - failed

3" Pinch Block - R&L 50# - 5sec, 55# - R 5sec L 1sec, 60# - R 2sec L failed

2 7/8" DB - R&L 82.5# 10sec hold

82.5# 10sec hold

82.5# 10sec hold

82.5# 10sec hold

82.5# 10sec hold

Grippers - #1 R&L - 30 parallel reps

#1 R&L - 25sec hold

Bending - Finally got the 7mm SS bar crushed down under 2". Started today at 2 1/8" - finished at 1 7/8". I also crushed down a couple other unfinished bars from months ago (a couple short square HRS pieces). My palms are beat up.

I could definitely feel some soreness in my fingertips from the card tearing a couple days back. Just feeling a little beat up overall but still got in a decent workout.

The 7mm x 15cm stainless bar from Hugo is finally dead.

Born: 8Feb09 - 45deg@5min, 75deg later that day

Died: 22Mar09 - 1 7/8"

Number of workout sessions required: 10

Sentimental value of the finished bar: Priceless

Maybe a good goal would be to kill the next one in under a month or 6 workouts. I have 4 bars left. They are incredible for training purposes but killing one in 5min or even a single workout is not likely to happen anytime soon if ever. These things are far beyond the red in difficulty (for me at least).