2-21-11, Monday
20MM BLOCK SET GRIPPERS
This is one of the events at the 2011 North American Grip Sport National Championships in Crooksville, Ohio in July. Follow this link to see the posting on the Diesel Crew website: http://www.dieselcrew.com/north-american-grip-sport-national-championship-2011
I’m not very strong on the 20mm Block Set. So it’s time to work on it before I get shamed too much at the contest – if I can work out getting to go. Hope to drive up with Josh Dale and another grip buddy or two. Have never done a real 20mm Block Set workout before where I actually focused on doing more than one or two Block Set closes in a single workout.
-#2×1-both hands
-146lb #3×1-both hands *Notes: Hard lefty.
-154lb #3×1-right hand *Notes: Harder than it should’ve been on an easy gripper like this.
-146lb #3-MISS-left hand
-160lb #3×1-right hand *Notes: Solid close but it is going to be my max for a while I think.
-Atomgripz Triple Band-x1-left hand *Notes: Hard close. This gripper is excellent and it binds up hard at the close.
-169lb Super Elite-MISS-right hand *Notes: By about 1/8″. That’s a mile away on this gripper. Got a lot of work to get consistent with this by July.
-146lb #3×1-left hand *Notes: Very hard.
-160lb #3×1-right hand *Notes: Another solid close.
-Atomgripz Triple Band-x1-left hand *Notes: Solid close.
-160lb #3×1-right hand *Notes: Solid close.
-Atomgripz Triple Band-x1-left hand *Notes: Solid.
-160lb #3×1-right hand *Notes: Barely got it closed.
*Overall Notes: Not a bad workout for not having access to anything but a very light coating of chalk on the handles at the beginning of the workout. I’d like to close a gripper in the mid-170s at the contest though.
GOAL ORIENTED TRAINING BLOG 
Ben, I’m doing this for David Hornes BSH. I really suck on grippers and finding it really difficult especially with the 20mm set for the first comp. I guess I’ve gotta break it down and get some real work in. Any sort of advice would be appreciated
Cheers Rob
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Rob,
The best and simplest advice is to use the 20mm block for a LOT of your gripper training.
Getting used to inserting the block and wasting the least amount of energy possible doing that is going to give you the best payoff in the short-to-medium run.
Most guys at the contests that feature the 20mm block will put it in their mouth (the block) and then use their other hand to set the gripper to about parallel. Then as quickly as possible they will pull the block out of their mouth and insert it between the handles and then close the gripper.
I’ve helped a few guys in person (hands on) with their Credit Card Set (CCS) closes and I’ve seen increases of 10 pounds heavier on the gripper closed in as little as a week of practicing the CCS and minimizing the time spent fumbling around with the block – and the time spent in an isometric squeeze with the gripping hand while the other hand inserts the block.
Watch every 20mm block set gripper video you can find of the top gripper guys – David Horne, Mobster, etc. – and mimic what they do because they are very efficient at minimizing time spent wasting energy.
Film yourself doing a gripper video with the 20mm block and I’ll critique it too if you’d like.
Hope this helps!
Ben
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Cheers for that Ben
I did a video here> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjYL4wPt-9o
Not really sure there’s much for you to see. But may be you’ll spot something. I guess as you say more work is probably needed!!
Thanks Rob
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That looked very smooth actually Rob! I’d still recommend working on the 20mm Block Set as often as possible – but with a gripper level that’s very near your current max.
Also will help to work on deep setting (or at least setting to parallel) a level or 2 harder than what you’re able to close on the Vulcan. That will help you make the set easier on the contest day and save some strength for your crush.
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Thanks again Ben, things seem to be getting better at the top end near my max. Hopefully on the day I’ll squeeze out that last mm. Have been working on deep setting too
Cheers
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