Grip training…

Monday, 30 May 2011

20 mins, 95kg

WARMUP: gyro ball, stretching

Midi red gripper: 14, 12

Heavy Grips 150: 10, 8

(l.h. not all closes)

CoC #1.5: 6, 6; 6, 6; 1 forced negative (~15 secs r.h./l.h.)

(5 closes r.h., 3 closes l.h.)

(4 closes r.h., 2 (?) closes l.h.)

Heavy Grips 150: 10, 10

COOLDOWN: Gyro ball, stretching

+++

Rather depressing. I wasn't really "up" for this workout, but I knew I had to stick to my training. I was so nonplussed that I didn't think to do more than 6 reps for my right hand. I was of half a mind to let my gf see me try the CoC #2 for the first time, but she had to catch a bus and, clearly, trying it right now would be quixotic. I dreamt last night, though, that I did close the #2, so let's hope my subconscious imaging stays positive!

On the bright side, my gf landed a job and a nice apartment all in about a week last week and I have gotten back on the Chinese-studies horse (primarily learning "four-character proverbs"). I was sucked into my semi-annual "9/11 riddles" vortex last week.

+ + +

"POST-OP"

Got home, chilled a bit with Michael Sandel's "Justice lectures" lectures (before and during the workout), and did the following…

Leg-band raises: 25, 25

Gut wrench: 30, 30 @ 14kg

Drawing water: 15/15, 15/15 @ 14kg

Chopping mace: 15/15, 15/15 @ 8kg

Shoveling mace: 15/15, 15/15 @ 8kg

Ab wheel: 20, 20

Heavy Grips 150: 10 r.h., 12 l.h.

CoC #1.5: 6 r.h. (6 closes), 6 l.h. (4 closes)

Gym regimen - May 2011

SATURDAY, 28 May 2011
Even Keel 1
60 mins, 95kg

WARMUP

Bent over row (wide T-bell): 20, 22, 25 @ 40kg, 42kg, 42kg

2" bb BP: 20, 23, 25, 17 @ ~52kg, ~52kg, ~52kg, ~60kg

Snatch DL: 20, 20, 20 @ ~52kg, ~56kg, ~56kg

2" db standing press: 8, 16, 16 @ 22kg, 15kg, 17kg

2" db seated curl: 16, 14, 12 (r.h.)/15 (l.h.) @ 12kg, 16kg, 18kg

Front squat (2" bb): 15, 14, 12 @ ~52kg

+++

I did all this in my room tonight. Lots of time spent on switching out plates but it was an intense workout. Afterward I and my gf went to a hot spring for recovery. The weights are approximate (~) since I still don't know how heavy my 2" barbell and dumbbell are. I seem have shed more weight, but my strength has increased. So, good.

Tired now, sleep I will!

Core work, etc.…

FRIDAY 27 May 2011

SESSION 1 (afternoon)

WARMUP: chest expanders, etc.

Leg-band raises: 25, 25

Gut wrench: 30, 30 @ 11kg

Drawing water: 15/15, 15/15 @ 11kg

db pullover: 20, 20 @ 9kg
[I liked using my two 10lb db's for these. Keeping the heads together gave a nice additional squeeze to the pecs.]

Ab wheel: 20, 20

SESSION 2 (night)

WARMUP: chest expanders, etc.

Reverse bench (2" bar): 15, 20, 20 @ ~43kg
[I say ~43kg since I still don't know how heavy my 2" barbell is.]

Wide grip bench (2" bar): 10, 15, 10 @ ~43kg
[See above.]

2" bar curl: 18, 18, 18 @ ~25kg
[See above. I used a more or less half and half mix of wide/neutral and close grip.]

db pullover: 15, 15, 15 @ 9kg

Gut wrench: 30, 30 @ 11kg

Drawing water: 15/15, 15/15 @ 11kg

Ab roller: 20, 20

Grip training…

Wednesday, 25 May 2011

SESSION 1 (20 mins)

WARMUP: gyroball, flail, stretching

Forearm bar: 10/10, 10/10 @ 10kg x 3

Finger-board roller: 4kg x 3

1" wrist roller: 10kg x 3

2" wrist roller: 10kg x 3

Levering:
Extension: 15/15 @ 1kg x2
Flexion: 15/15 @ 1kg x 2
Rotation: 15/15 @ 1kg x 2
Plate planing: 1kg --> release x 2

Pinching:
4x4 @ 10kg --> release x 2
2x4 @ 10kg --> release x 2
1x4 @ 10kg --> release x 2

SESSION 2 (15 mins)

WARMUP: gyroball, flail, stretching

Finger-board roller: 4kg x 2

1" wrist roller: 11kg x 3

2" wrist roller: 11kg x 3

Levering:
Extension: 15/15 @ 2kg x 2
Flexion: 15/15 @ 2kg x 2
Plate planing: 2kg --> release x 2

Pinching [cf. LINK for visuals]:
4x4 --> release @ 11kg
2x4 --> release @ 11kg
1x4 --> release @ 11kg

+ + +

I have written "release" instead of "failure" since "failure" is a taboo word. All the same, for my iso drills, I held it until couldn't hold it any longer, which is laymanese for "to failure."

So called "plate planing" is something I discussed in my 15 May notes: I hold the plate attached to my leverage bar (a table leg) and keep it level for time. You can throw in some tilting, twisting, etc., but I'm not looking to overtax my wrists again.

Oh yes, my abs are sore from my core workout a couple nights ago and my legs are really sore from my higher volume Even Keel workout yesterday. I'm actually eager to do another high volume workout next week, about 5kg higher on all (big) lifts. My biceps, triceps, and pecs are not really sore at all, so I need to go heavier next time.

It's nice to feel my wrists getting stronger without pain, but I know today was a heavy load for them, so I will take things easy tomorrow and ice my hands. Even Keel on Friday and then another crush session Saturday (or Sunday)!

Gym regimen - May 2011

Even Keel Workout 2
60 mins, 97kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

SQ: 15, 12, 9 @ 90kg, 95kg, 100kg

Incline BP: 15, 12, 11 @ 60kg, 65kg, 70kg

DL: 15, 12, 9 @ 100kg, 105kg, 110kg

Bar pushdown: 15, 12, 12 @ 25kg, 30kg, 35kg

Hyper-pronated seated db curl: 15, 12, 12 @ 12kg, 14.5kg, 17kg

Seated lever row: 15, 12, 9 @ 90kg, 100kg, 110kg

+++

Pretty tough. I'm interested to see how the past two weeks effect my next month of "heavy ascent."

Grip training…

Sunday, 22 May 2011
15 mins, 97kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Red midi: 12, 10

Heavy Grips 150: 10, 8

CoC #1.5: 10, 6
[r.h. 8? closes, l.h. 4? closes;
r.h. 4 closes, l.h. 2 closes;
external aid on last reps for l.h]

Heavy Grips 150: 15
[some external aid on last few reps r.h. and last several reps l.h.]

Red midi: 25

+ + +

What can I say? I couldn't resist. I will go to the gym Tuesday so I wanted Monday between then and a grip workout. My right hand has really come along (authority!) and it won't be long before it's ready for the CoC #2.* Even so, I decided tonight that I will stick to the following regimen:

day x (as above): crush training, 15–20 mins
day y (2–3 days later): other grip training (curling, pinching, flexing, etc.) 15–20 mins
day z (2–3 days later): crush training like on day x
x,y,z, etc.

The rate of x,y,z days will also, of course, depend on how my forearms feel. No reason to crush against the goads, as it were. Also, I will stick to this regimen until my left hand catches up with my right. That means there will be a "harbor" period during which my right hand will be treading water while my left hand improves. I must resist the temptation to add more for my right hand. I think I will let my right hand improve until I get 12 closes with it and then maintain that till my left hand catches up.

* I got a Heavy Grips 150lb last week and tonight I put it to the test (though I had tried it Friday night just for a couple fun squeezes). It's a good medium between the CoC #1.5 and my red midi gripper. But it won't be long until I will want to use a Heavy Grips 200. The craftsmanship of CoC's really shows compared to Heavy Grips.

+++++++++++++++++++

MONDAY, 24 May 2011
30 mins, 97kg
Ab/Core workout

WARMUP: chest expander moves

Band leg raises: 25, 25
[Secure yoga/pilates bands to the floor and raise legs; kind of like reverse leg throws]

Gut wrench: 60, 60

Drawing water: 15/15, 15/15

Bar spar: 20/20, 20/20

Ab wheel: 40, 40

Gym regimen - May 2011

Friday, 20 May 2011
Even Keel 1 Workout
50 mins, 97kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Pullup: 10/5, 10/5, 10/5

BP: 11, 9, 6 @ 75kg, 80kg, 85kg
[Close call on rep 11 of set 1, but I got it racked. Slight spotter help on tail end of sets 2 and 3.]

Snatch DL: 12, 9, 6 @ 100kg, 105kg, 110kg
[Straps on sets 2 and 3.]

Standing press (EZ bar): 12, 9, 6 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg

Spider curl (EZ bar): 12, 9, 8 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg

Front squat: 12, 9, 8 @ 65kg, 70kg, 75kg

“COOLDOWN” (later that night):

Reverse grip BP: 15, 15, 20 @ 30kg, 30kg, 40kg

Wide grip BP: 20, 20 @ 30kg, 40kg

2" bar curl (neutral/close): 10, 10, 10/10 @ 30kg

Gut wrench: 20/20 @ 10kg

Drawing water: 15/15 @ 10kg

Bar spar: 10/10/10/10 @ 1okg

+ + +

Higher volume was not simply going through the motions. A real challenge, in fact, on the big lifts, at least. I will go even lighter next week on a higher rep volume (e.g. 15, 12, 9). My forearms are coming along, not so creaky or "skittish" as before. I got a Heavy Grips 150 (about 17 lbs. lighter than a CoC #1.5) last night and did give it a shot. I got an easy-ish 4 closes or so with my right hand and a much less authoritative 2 closes with my left hand. I will do some calisthenics and rope skipping this evening, just to keep my spirits and momentum up. I will save some non-crushing grip work for tomorrow, then do Even Keel 2 Monday or Tuesday.

Home workout…

18 May 2011
Core work
30 mins, 98kg

CIRCUIT:

Gut wrench ––
steering: 15/15 @ 10–15kg x 3
drawing water: 15/15 @ 10–15kg x 3

Plate pullover: 25 @ 15kg x 3

CIRCUIT:

Ab roller: 15, 15, 15

Bar-spar: 25/25 @ 15kg x 3

CIRCUIT:

Mace bell––
Chopping: 15/15 @ 8kg x 2
Digging: 15/15 @ 8kg x 2
Overhead swings/swoops: 10/5 @ 8kg

[Notes, in case I myself forget what they mean:

/'s mean I did the drill for both sides, left and right.

My last 5 reps of the bar-sparring were two-handed in the center, but the first 20 reps were 4 subsets of 10 reps per side.

Bar-sparring is just getting under the gut wrench bar to grapple with it like an opponent over me.

Steering is just swinging the gut wrench from left to right with both arms straight.

Drawing water is a one-handed drill where I stand oblique to the gut wrench, let it drop in my hand towards the floor, stop it for a gut flex, and raise it to stand up, and repeat.

The mace bells are pretty standard mace movements, but also draw on the shovelglove regimen. The key, for core work, is to keep the lower back locked, so that the end of every motion "goes into the gut." The shoulders swings were just brutal. My forearms were complaining too, heh! Need another good night of sleep. Amen.]

Gym regimen - May 2011

Even Keel Workout 2
50 mins, 97kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

SQ: 12, 9, 6 @ 100kg, 105kg, 110kg

Incline BP: 12, 9, 8 @ 65kg, 70kg, 75kg

DL: 12, 9, 6 @ 120kg, 130kg, 140kg
[Straps on set 3.]

Bar pushdown: 12, 9, 8 @ 30kg, 35kg, 40kg

Seated db curl: 12, 9, 6 @ 17kg, 19.5kg, 22kg

Seated lever row: 12, 9, 6 @ 105kg, 110kg, 120kg

+ + +

The nice thing was the rain cooled things off, though it was still extremely humid. I got a poor night of sleep last night so I was a bit undercharged for this workout. The Evil Squat is always a bear. As I was warming up, I felt to myself, "Wait, this is happening too quickly, after I warmup, I have to really train! Help!" A very mental workout. By the time I finished my first set of squats, I said, "12, 10, 8 is insane! I'll just do my old 12, 9, 6 rep scheme." I did break the mold on the bench press and tricep pushdown, since it felt good to push through.

My arms were pretty fried on the curls. On my last set of seated rows, I chalked up, though a little voice inside––my Grip Challenge Demon––told me to go chalk-free, so I'd have more of a grip challenge on the rows. "Eff that," I barked back, "I don't want a grip challenge, I want my wrists to be well." My wrists weren't too painful after the workout, so they are recovering. Give them another week and then I'll try some grip training without much crushing.

Speaking of which, last night I made a pinching block, a 2x4 wrist roller, and another simple flail from a sledgehammer handle and a chain (inspired by this webpage (scroll down), which has oodles of other homemade "grip quip", as I call it. [Actually, I was just puttering with some extra pipe I had and constructed a full metal flail!]).

Grip training…

Sunday, 15 May 2011
20 mins, 97kg

WARMUP:
Gyro ball
Pipe-chain flail
[I made this up last night. Loop a chain around a capped pipe and spin. Numerous variations based on weight and girth of pipe, length and weight of chain, hand position and rotation speed, etc.]
Eagle catcher

CIRCUIT:

Midi red: 10, 8

Heavy red: 8, 6

CoC #1.5: 6, 6
[4 closes r.h., 3 closes l.h.; 3 closes r.h., 2 closes l.h.]

1" wrist roller: 10kg x 3

2" wrist roller: 10kg x 3

2" finger roll: 1kg x 1
[I made this up. Hold both ends of the pipe and roll with fingers. Gotta go light!]

Extensor-flexor levering: 15-15, 15-15 @ 1kg

Plate hold: 1kg x 1 min
[I also improvised this. Hold the plate on the head of the leverage bar. You can rotate, twist, tilt, etc. the bar, but I just held the bar level, which was an awesome pump.]

+++

Had a reality check recently: I've only been working on my #1.5 for two weeks and have only been "seriously training" my grip for a couple months. Ergo, I need to slow down a tad, keep my wits, and forestall injury. I was reading various grip training sites earlier and was struck by how frequently the phrase "after a couple/few months" was used. A couple months, not weeks! I trained my grip quite heavily last Wednesday and my forearms, especially my left hand, were tender for a few days afterward. Life didn't make things better. In one class the following day, for example, two little girls asked me to lift them up, which I did (sucker!), and my forearms were aching for a little afterwards. An hour or two later a coworker asked to see the #1.5. He couldn't close it and wanted to see me do it. So I did (sucker!), once for each hand. Cue forearm aching for a couple hours.

The next night I hung out with some guys at a pool hall and gave a gyroscope "power ball" to one friend as a gift, whereupon a few other guys wanted to play with it. I got into the fun too (sucker!) and after we left one guy swung by to check out my home-gym equipment. Naturally I showed him the grippers and he tried to close the #1.5. He got very close with his right hand but had no chance with his left hand. The upshot is that he asked to see me close it, so I did (sucker!), a couple times for each hand. Cue forearm aching once more! I think it was the hard negatives I have been doing the last few workouts which have overtaxed my tendons. When I get back to crushing, I will "settle" for maximum efforts, even if they're "partials".

Last week my gf surprised me with a CoC #2 as a "Mother's Day gift" she asked me to pick up upon delivery (sucker!). She joked that I would tear it open and try it, but I explained that I'm actually afraid of it. My tendons have been complaining since late last week so last night I soaked my wrists in hot water and then iced them for at least half an hour. I decided to train today so I could take Monday off before training at the gym Tuesday. I lacked a certain confidence today and kept things short. I will ice my wrists again tonight but will not do any crushing at all, apart from what's involved in my normal workout, for a week. Meanwhile I will do plenty of icing and stretching. The week after I will see about a crushing workout, but won't do any hard negatives or extreme stabilizing work. This is good, actually, since I haven't been put in check by an injury for several weeks, even months. Very humbling, which is a path to virtue, too! So it's time to slow my roll and keep focused on prayer and study as I actively recover.

On top of that, the next two weeks I am doing a recovery cycle at higher volume (a 12, 10, 8 rep scheme at 90% of last week's intensity next week and at 95% the week after). I made some solid gains in the past month on my pilot run of the Even Keel regimen, so now it's time to get my endurance back up. Maybe that can be a real cycle: 4 weeks of Even Keel followed by 2 weeks of active recovery and higher volume. I have also taken to jogging again and need to keep at training my core.

Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - May 2011

Friday, 13 May 2011
Even Keel 1 Workout
60 mins, 97kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Pullup: 15, 11 + 5kg, 10 + 7kg

BP: 8, 6, 4 @ 75kg, 85kg, 95kg
[Spotter on rep 4 of set 3.]

Snatch DL: 8, 6, 6 @ 105kg, 120kg, 130kg
[Straps on sets 2 and 3.]

Standing press (EZ bar): 8, 6, 4 @ 45kg, 55kg, 65kg

Spider curl (EZ bar): 8 + 2, 6 + 4, 6 + 6 @ 35kg, 45kg, 50kg
[Wide + narrow grip.]

Front squat: 8, 6, 6 @ 70kg, 80kg, 85kg

“COOLDOWN”:

Reverse grip BP: 10 @ 60kg

Wide grip BP: 14 @ 70kg

Narrow grip BP: 13 @ 50kg

2” bar curl (narrow/wide): 5/5 @ 40kg

Grip goals…

Make a Rolling Thunder handle:
2" pipe, 6" length x 1
1–2' chain and carabener or oval lock
1.5"/1" T-coupling
1" pipe, 1' length
1"/2" flared coupling

Make 2 x 2 wrist/finger "roller":
LINK

Try cable fly negatives:
Set plates
Get handles into position at sagittal plane or so
Attach safety lock (oval lock or carabener)
Hold for time

Warmup with chain-flail:
Loop chain on pipe and spin!

Ice forearms every couple days:
Hot water… not so much

Gym regimen - May 2011

Wednesday, 11 May 2011

Grip training

30-40 mins, 97.5kg

WARMUP

Midi red: 12, 10

Heavy red: 7, 6

CoC #1.5:

6 [4 closes on right hand, 3 closes on left hand]

6 [3 closes on r.h., 2 closes on l.h.]

1 hard-neg ~20 secs

1 hard-neg ~10 secs

Midi red strap hold (1kg?):

l.h. ~30 secs

r.h. ~30 secs

l.h. ~20 secs

Leaning towel grab: 1+ min, 40 secs

[I wrapped the towel around an emergency crane post by the window and leaned by while grabbing the towel. Hard to go to failure on these, but they're quite unpleasant.]

Stool leveraging (brachioradialis, extensor, rotation)

r.h. 15, 15, 25 x 2

l.h. 20, 20, 30 x 2

+ + +

I did this workout at my cram school in a classroom not being used from 5-6PM, which was a boon, since I could blast the A/C and not be a sweaty beast for my next class.

My right hand is taking the lead over my left hand, so I need to do some supplemental training for my left hand. I had trouble keeping the gripper set right in my hand today. I have found my left pinky doesn't wrap far enough around my midi- and heavy-red grippers, so I am having to compensate for a posture weakness in that.

It should be another month before I invest in a #2 CoC. I think if I did a light warmup and tried for max closes on the #1.5 now, I could do 6 and 5 r.h./l.h. Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - May 2011

Even Keel Workout 2

50 mins, 97kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

SQ: 8, 6, 4 @ 100kg, 112.5kg, 122.5kg

[When I asked the owner for a spot, he declined, saying, "That's… too dangerous. Do you really… need to do that heavy? We have a rack, etc." Weak sauce!]

Incline BP: 8, 6, 5* @ 70kg, 77.5kg, 85kg; Reverse-grip BP: 25 @ 40kg [LINK]

[Spotter on set 3. He and another guy commented on "how heavy" it was, "too heavy," might better I get a more suitable spotter next time. Weak sauce again! Reverse BP was a little awkward, as expected, but I think it will help my upper pecs.]

DL: 8, 6, 6* @ 110kg, 130kg, 160kg

[Straps on set 3. Quite a pump.]

Bar pushdown: 10, 8, 6 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg

Seated lever row: 10, 8, 8 @ 100kg, 115kg, 130kg

Seated db curl: 8, 6, 6 @ 18kg, 22kg, 22kg

+ + +

I think I should try db DLs this week or next week. Maybe it will simulate the feeling of a trap bar. I won't train grip again until Wednesday and will train Even Keel 1 Thursday. Saturday I'll train grip and do some floor presses (incl. reverse grips), core work, overhead squats, all lightish stuff, at home. I'm hoping to complete ten more chapters of SCG by next Monday. Stay tuned. It's nice not being distracted by Facebook anymore.

Grip training…

Saturday, 7 May 2011

30 mins

Warmup

Midi Red gripper: 12, 10

Heavy Red gripper: 10, 8

CoC #1.5: 8, 6, 1 hard-neg (~20 secs), 1 hard-neg (~10 secs)

Forearm bar: 12/12, 12/12 @ 14kg

Forearm curl (two-handed grab): 15, 12 @ 10kg

Extensor levering (table leg+): 12, 12 @ 1kg

Plate pinch: to-failure x 2 @ 12kg

[I inserted a 2kg palte between two 5kg plates, which was unwieldy to set up, but added a nice fail-detector: as my grip weakens, the 2kg-plate scrapes downward.]

2" dumbbell throttle: to-failure x 2 @ 12kg

2" wrist roller: 12kg x 3

+ + +

This was a scorching workout! I hurried home after class and had to train fast so we could get to a movie (Thor, which was better than I expected, not that I had low expectations, though I would have opted out of a 3D viewing) on time.

I closed the #1.5 twice with both hands, though my right hand had greater authority. Maybe it will only be a couple more months until I invest in #2!

I did a nice little ab/core workout tonight (gut wrencher, mace bell, ab wheel, etc.).

I'd like to do Even Keel #2 tomorrow, maybe in the early afternoon. I want a good night of sleep.

I had a disturbing dream last night about not being able to find my scooter/motorcycle in what was an existential blend of my college campus and my life as a teacher in Taiwan, as well as about covert cartel operations going on in my mom's house, unbeknownst to us for years. Well, God bless and Happy Mother's Day!

Gym regimen - May 2011

Even-Keel Workout 1
50 mins, 97kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Pullup: 15, 14, 13
[I kept my form tighter, with less quasi-kipping. I think I should try weighted pullups next time.]

Bench press: 10, 8, 6* @ 75kg, 85kg, 92.5kg
[Spotter on last couple reps of set 3. Gains, baby, gains! Next week I'd like to try 8, 6, 4 @ 75kg, 80kg, 95kg.]

Snatch deadlift: 10, 6, 6* @ 100kg, 115kg, 130kg
[Straps on set 3. Such an awesome pump, I was tingling! I would like to use straps on set 3 of my DL next week and do 160kg. Next week: 8, 6, 4 @ 110kg, 120kg, 130kg.]

Military press: 9, 8, 6 @ 50kg, 55kg, 65kg
[A good bit of body English on set 3, but solid eccentric control. Next week stick to 8, 6, 4 with tight form.]

Spider curl: 10, 8, 8 @ 37.5kg, 42.5kg, 47.5kg

[Am I using a cheat on these? Cf. VIDEO. I see that I need to set the bench closer to horizontal and have the bar farther away from the frame. I should go lighter and keep tighter form. Next week 10, 8, 6 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg 好嗎？]

Front squat: 10, 6, 3 @ 75kg, 80kg, 85kg
[Sets 2 and 3 felt very good. Set 3 took all I had and my wrists were sore from the bending. Must keep elbows up! Next week do 8, 6, 4 @ same weights.]

* * *
I got a good night of early sleep last night, and felt good this morning. I brought my "grip pack" to the gym today: my bag of crushers and assorted gear. No one could close the CoC #1.5 and they had nearly as much trouble with my Heavy Red. I left my heavy-negative device there and I might train with it Saturday.

After the gym, I had lunch with a friend and then he visited my place to check out my homemade "toys". While showing him the #1.5, I closed it with my right hand, and with some authority. Gains! My left hand is still lagging by a hair.

The night before last I used half (yes, half) of my thick barbell to do floor presses––quite an experience! I loaded 30–35kg on one end, attached a handle outside the plates with a coupling, and held the other, thick end in my other hand. I did 4 sets of high reps (approx. 15/15, 10/10, 15/15, 15/15). Good stuff.

Next week I need to stick to a strict 8, 6, 4 rep-pattern but set the weight a little higher on all fronts.

Stay tuned.

Gym regimen - May 2011

WARMUP:

2" wrist roller: 10kg x 3; gyro ball; ab roller: 20 reps, 20 reps

TRAINING:

Sub-maximum effort:
10 reps, 8 reps

Maximum effort:
8 reps, 6 reps, 1 double-hand-set negative (20 seconds), 1 double-hand-set negative (10 seconds)
[I think I invented a great new way to set the gripper for a closed negative: pliers adjusted wide. Set the gripper in your palm and clamp it shut with the pliers at the top of the handles, near the springs. I wrapped the plier teeth in duct tape to minimize scuffing/grinding the CoC knurling.]

2" wrist roller:
10kg x 3

Forearm bar (angled and straight grip):
11kg x 2, 11kg x 2

Plate pinch:
11kg x 2
[I stuck a 1kg plate between the 5kg plates to add width to the plates.]

2" throttle:
9kg x 2

A lot of chalk was used tonight, my friends! I was going to train grip tomorrow, but I was antsy and realized the day would be too busy, so I just went for it tonight.

Gym regimen - May 2011

Even Keel Workout 2
80+ mins, 96.5kg

WARMUP

CIRCUIT:

Squat: 8, 6, 4 @ 105kg, 110kg, 120kg
[Wore a belt and put the safety rack in place for set 3.]

Incline bench BP: 9, 7, 3/3 @ 70kg, 80kg, 85kg/82.5kg
[Had the safety rack in place for set 3.]

Seated lever row: 10, 8, 6 @ 100kg, 110kg, 130kg

Rope-handle pushdown: 9, 7, 5 @ 35kg, 40kg, 45kg

Seated DB curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 17kg, 19.5kg, 22kg

Deadlift: 8, 6, 6 @ 110kg, 130kg, 140kg

CIRCUIT:

Leg extension: 10, 8, 6 @ 45kg, 50kg, 55kg

DB pullover-press: 10, 8, 6 @ 32kg

Overhand EZ-bar curl: 10, 8, 6 @ 35kg, 37.5kg, 40kg

It has begun!

I got my first official Captains of Crush (CoC) gripper yesterday, a #1.5! (And there was much rejoicing in the land. Or… in the hand?) My very first attempt for each hand left a few millimeters between the handles. Sometime later, though, just before taking a nap, I did manage to close it with my right hand and I'm certain I got within a millimeter for my left hand, if I didn't close it outright. When I got up, I did a training session, as per the instruction booklet that came with the gripper, followed by some exercises I like:

Warmup effort:

10–12 reps x 2

Sub-maximum effort:

8–10 reps x 2

Maximum effort:

8 reps

1 double-hand-set negative (~20 seconds)

1 double-hand-set negative (~6 seconds)

Wrist roller:

6kg x 3

Forearm bar

5 kg x 3

Thick bar "throttle"

11kg x 2

[For these I kneel, rest my forearm on a stool, and clutch my 2" dumbbell until my grip gives out. This time I tried one set with the weights above my hand, which was an interesting adjustment, since the weight wobbled and thus activated my rotational strength. I discovered a similar drill last week on my standing press: try the press with an H-bar! Your hand wobble like mad. Reduce your normal weight by at least 15%.]

Gut wrench core drills

The upshot is that, before I ordered the CoC, I said that, if the #1.5 were not too difficult for me, I would commit to closing the #3. So––I'm on the road to closing a #3! I will not invest in a #2 until I can close the #1.5 at least 5–7 times and do some strap holds with the #1.5. It was nice to discover that my homemade "heavy red gripper" was very close to a #1.5, and may even count as more difficult since the handles are noticeably broader and angular than the CoC's round handles. Now I have a nice range of resistance levels to train: medium red gripper (with some rubber bands removed to make a real warmup level), heavy red gripper (also with some bands removed), and the CoC #1.5.