Countdown to the Global Grip Challenge

This article is Steve's diary of events in the run up to the Global Grip Challenge in Philadelphia, USA. Steve is one of the owners of The Whey Consortium www.wheyconsortium.com

With just two weeks training and 16 days to go before I make the trip to compete, for the first time, in the US of A, it's also time to get something down on paper.

So what's this all about 'dawg'? Well, pull up a chair and Uncle Mobster will tell you all about how he was helped by a nice man called Mick Hart, of Mick Hart Training Systems to travel across and ocean and compete with the self proclaimed 'worlds best grip athletes' in the grandly titled 'Global Grip Challenge'. Without Mick's help I'd be kicking back and thinking of others things. Instead, with the 2 weeks or so to go I have a ton of stuff to do and loads to think about. So...

Wednesday 1st September
Back to work (I work part time) and as usual on the journey back home by train I'm half asleep. However, the part of me that's managed to stay half awake is thinking to try and not get too involved in my emails, etc and focus for just 20 minutes or so on the torsion spring grippers. For those of you not in the know these aren't the sporting goods store grippers with wooden or plastic handles and 'made in china' or made in Taiwan'. No these beasts are heavy duty puppies. The best, make that hardest, one I have is an Ironmind Captain of Crush gripper (CoC), No 4 rated as needing some 365lbs to crush the handles against each other.

So coffee on the go, some emails dealt with and a quick perusal of my favourite websites, I nip upstairs to my home gym and grab the almost empty bag of chalk and settle in for a brief but intense session with the grippers. A relatively easy warm-up with the 195 lb rated IM CoC 2 for both hands (although it's strongest - in my case right - hand only I long ago learnt 1) to have a back-up and 2) to try and get equal strength). I do a few singles with each hand getting the blood in and doing some stretches.

Then it's straight on to the daddy - for the left it's yet another all out assault on the not yet conquered Heavy Grip 300 (rated at 250lbs) for my left hand and the IM CoC 3 for the right (280lbs). I do as many singles as my hands and my temperament allow.

Thursday 2nd September
Arrgghh I am pissed off. I was soooo busy when I go in that my intended pre-workout coffee ended up being one of two. Too much to do and not enough time. As usual I pile my metaphorical plate high and was emailing the Whey Consortium website developers, answering emails, adding new orders to next weeks dispatch sheet and more. I also missed re-arranging a much needed physio appointment. Hopefully next Friday as the constant training and no physio before the EU comp means that aches and pains are starting to creep in. However, I managed to get in a workout at about 6pm (as opposed to the intended 4.30pm).

Rolling Thunder
I have taken a step back to 80% of my intended max and will aim for 85%, 90% and 95% - all for 3-5 singles. So this session was an easy 60 kilos x 3 reps both hands, then 90 kilos x 5 x 1 rep left hand and 103 kilos x 5 x 1 tough reps right hand.

Vertical bar
The so-called 'sword in the stone' lift. A so-so workout with the left hand pulling 120 kilos x 3 x 1 rep and the right hand 130 kilos x 3 x 1 rep. I must change my training diary to reflect the 80-85-90 etc numbers mentioned previously.

Two Hand Pinch
Using the Mick Hart / John Owen donated adjustable pinch grip apparatus brought from David Horne (as used in the competitions), I worked up to a respectable 162lbs for 3 x 1 reps. I felt most happy with this left probably as I have the least expectations of the bunch I did tonight. This is because I used a very thin setting at the European competition but have, by necessity, to use a wider setting (2 x 45lb plates) in the American event.

I hate it when I have to take what feels like steps backward - what with just 16 days to go to comp day. But at the same time I don't want to be over-trained and I am very close to be that. Daily chores intruded almost immediately after and still no sign of my new cat - more stress. I also went mad after gaining dns access to the servers and up-dated untold parts of the new .co.uk site. At the same time I had Mike, my business partner access the log in page via his computer. I then logged out and made an attempted test sale - it didn't work - tried logging in - wont let me. More stress!

So… a joy email to Indian developers ('why this, why that and oh I think I cocked up as well') and finally food. Time to chill. Tomorrow is bar bending - again!

Friday 3rd of September
Challenge bar bending
Quick explanation: short cold rolled steel bars (CRS) which have been calibrated in orders of toughness by testing. In other words a 6-inch 8mm thick bar is harder than an 8mm thick 7-inch long bar. My best is the 267.5kg beast I managed to bend at the recent European championships (the week after my birthday).

I may have to get some stock in from David Horne as the bars Stan sent me seem tougher. So I fannied around with a 235kg bar and gave up and did an easy 222.5kg bar and then an already partially bent 212.5kg bar. That said my hands and forearms do feel some soreness today. Indeed, my back was aching quite nicely after the lifts yesterday.

Stress: Slightly less to do today. The cat came back five minutes after yesterdays report; the lodger gave me something towards the rent (£100) and not so much to do business wise. That said I'm still locked out of our new website Grrr! On the upside I took round someone from New Scotland Yards press office today and talked my day job up big style.

Saturday 4th September
I was, and to a degree still am, in a right mood from last night. With just 2 weeks to go Mick has gone cold on me. Apparently and in spite of the over all costs being less than originally suggested the minivan is a bridge too far. Naturally this means either forking out for it or walking from Pittsburgh to Towanda. It's not the money per se it's arguing the toss about it now. Also Chris Hart (check out The Chris Report), with just 2 weeks to go his comp was supposed to have rung yesterday re getting the clothing sorted. I was and told Mike 'Mikejag' in a mind to say screw it - put the lot on my credit card and not be beholden to anyone as I don't want to be stressing myself so close to the comp.

Seated press
to 35kg a side x 4 reps

EZ cheat curls and reverse curls
to 31.25kg a side x 4 (still too loose) reps

C.G. Bench
to 60kg a side (I may drop a few kilos (say 85% 1RM) and get 3-4 x 1 if I can.

Crunches
x 35 reps

Sunday 5th September
Other than watching Britain's Strongest Man and having been woken up at 7am by my lodgers' visitors - don't they know anything about Sunday lay-ins? - I have spent the day sleeping and sunbathing. Oh apart from - again - looking for my new Tom cat - independent little shit. 'Stuff' needs sorting tomorrow before I settle into the last 2 weeks. I suspect I am, as intended, borderline over trained as I am force feeding myself today rather than just being hungry. Basically I have about 2-3 training sessions of each of the aspects of my grip left to train and then I rest up the last few days. The week I am resting (I did some stretching only the last time) I think I only have one day to actually work (Wednesday).

If, as per some numbers I did with my training diary yesterday I can hit the targets in the gym I have set myself then I will do my very best yet. The only possible fly in the ointment is, as I thought it would be before, the bar bending. There are a few stand-out guys in the US comp who are monsters of bar bending and yet I beat some good guys at the European by still having something left in the tank after 10-11 hours of lifting. So who knows?

Monday 6th September
Are the numpties that are supposed to be doing my site gormless or what?! Cos they're doing my 'ed in!! Here I sit - 10pm and having done a days work and I have worked for an hour plus on both the site and yet another email. Confusion also reigns but is slowly clearing re the 'how I will get to the US problem. It will happen...

In between pulling my hair out, I did some work:

Challenge bar bending: 235kg bar x 1.

I was and am proper tired today. Some half decent nights kips combined with pushing myself very, very hard means I feel like having a week in bed. I very nearly panicked when informed that I might need a visa to go to the US - Arrgghh. One aspect and I discussed this with my good mate Mikejag, that isn't understood by the layman, is the stress and wanting only to concentrate on one thing and one thing only. There I am ranting and raving like a nutter on Friday at his poor ears about 'things that need sorting out'. Bottom line I needed to know that all I needed to sort out is sorted out. I don't want to be worrying about visas, websites, business, bills nada - nothing - zilch. This is where bodybuilders and strength athletes are 100% the same - we all need a great support team be they family or friends or best of all wives/partners.

Tuesday 7th September
Don't you just love it when a plan comes together! So I planned and it's working. I came back from the European Grip Championships, took 4 days off and started training. However, no plan. Then - last week - it occurs to me that I need a micro-cycle. With just over 2 weeks to go I plan on an 80-85-90-95% of one rep max micro-cycle.

Today I go to the gym and having leg pressed 1234lbs, benched 47.5kg a side and one arm pullovered 120kg for 6 reps (all top set weights only) I then worked on my rolling thunder.

If today is anything to go by I am gonna kick so much ass. I worked up, passing 60kg x 3 x 1, through 80kg x 3 x 1 to my planned 95kg x 5 x 1 left hand and onwards to 105kg x 5 x 1 right hand (total weigh 250lbs approx). Two would-be-but-not-quite-big lads (like myself - getting there but not freaky) came and asked about it and did 40 x 1, 60 x 1 and the got slaughtered at 80 x 1. Still, for novices, not that bad. I then made them feel a little off by casually mentioning the planned for 132kg plus I want for the competition - he he!

The strangest thing - once again - is that I was feeling tired all day long and yet had a blinder at the gym. I perform at my best when under pressure. I also seem to have some of my best training sessions having felt tired before hand. Go figure?

Wednesday 8th September
Just grippers today and didn't feel I was doing my best work.

Thursday 9th September
A blinder of a grip workout tonight with me hitting all my targets and feeling like I will hit the 100% targets head on come the 18th.

Rolling Thunder
To 100kg (228lbs total) x 3 x 1 reps left handed and 115kg (261.5 lbs) x 3 x 1 reps right handed. The official world record is still 264.5lbs. However, it's well worth mentioning that my handle is well worn and so doesn't rotate as freely as a new handle - like the one we will be using.

Vertical Bar
To 122.5kg (278lbs total) x 5 x 1 left handed and 132.5kg (300lbs) x 5 x 1 right handed. Indeed I was so fired up I even did a couple of singles with the right hand weight using the left - oh yes!

Two hand pinch
To 52.5kg over set up weight (167.5lbs total) x 3 x 1 rep.

Friday 10th September
Had a lie in, even though, I woke at 6.30am. I have a physio appointment at 4pm today to get the kinks out. I had to get up before breakfast to take delivery of the t-shirts etc I'll be wearing for the competition. I hope that they do the trick of getting inside the heads of the opposition he, he.

C Bar bending
1 x 235kg bar - last of the few, 1 x 222.5 and 1 x 212.5. I was, it has to be said, feeling my oats and it's coming together nicely for the competition.

It has to be said that I am training every single day at the moment and will be doing so right up to next Tuesday - and I'm coping. With just one day's work next week I shall be ok I think. God knows how strong I'll be if my body does what it should do and super compensates for the pushed to the limit work I've been doing.

Saturday 11th September
I have been resting much of the day. However, I have to watch - based on previous experience - that I don't chill too much as I have found when so rested that I don't perform at the top level I can. I had in the post a book I ordered earlier this week by Dale Harder entitled 'Strong, Stronger, Strongest'. I merited 1 and a half pages!! Ahh now that's cool. The company is, it has to be said, frigging well awesome.

I did some necessary housework this a.m. and felt slight twinges in my lower back. Not that unusual though as I sometimes feel this way a day after the physio. But it is a subtle reminder to keep tight. I have been aware of situations and times when I could have injured by hands or back and been out of the picture. With the help that Mick and others have given me, or are about to, it would be an enormous waste of time and money.

Saturday night training
Note: I ain't trying to improve at all at the mo. Just stay strong and don't get injured before the GGC.

Seated press
To 35kg a side x 4 and deeper than last week.

EZ curl
To 31.25kg a side x 4.

Close grip bench
To 60kg a side x 1

Crunches
To 35kg

Sunday 12th September
Again resting a lot, maybe too much. This am again woken early by my lodger's religious music.

Gripper workout
After the regular Sunday mega brew of 'real' coffee and whilst I finished off my 200g of choc I did a gripper workout getting a CoC 4 down to a ¼ inch again.

Monday 13th September
I felt strange today and don't know why. I went to the gym and did just the first 2 warm up sets for all of my normal exercises and then realised I had left the RT loading pin at home!! Tsk.

So back home and another coffee before hitting 102.5kg x 3 x 1 (plus 2 failures) for my left hand and 117.5kg x 3 x 1 (plus 2 failed attempts as before) for the right. I immediately did a very easy 235kg c/bar (the last one I have). I tried another and boy did the forearm ache hit me - thanks goodness for some pain killers and a frozen bag of mince.

I have also been checking with the US guys re making sure we meet up. It actually looks like I'm the first in our group to arrive at the airport.

Tuesday 14th September
I have trained, for me, to the edge. I tried to workout today and yes I may have not eaten enough but there was nothing left.

Rolling Thunder
The warm ups were ok but the work sets? I just about managed one rep with the target weights of 102.5kg left hand and 120kg right hand.

Vertical Bar
This was as close as I came to success today with an accidentally overloaded 155kg right hand nearly leaving the floor. It is worth mentioning that, in practice, I have my hand touch the plates. So with 20 kilos over the top and the bar I very nearly pulled 158.5kg. On the Grip Board yesterday one of the Vigant brothers (I'll be sharing the van with them) has pulled 160kg or about 350lbs.

Two hand pinch
Even worse than the rest. My forearms, especially the right, are still sore from yesterday's efforts and the warm-ups were easy; but top weight? Didn't even budge!

So what now? Well tomorrow I have work (early turn), then Thursday is a rest day and Friday is the epic journey. Roughly 5000 miles and up at 6am, at the airport for 8am, flight to Paris and another flight to Philly. I wait for 40 mins and meet up with the brothers. Then another hour we pick up another dude then a mini van outside the airport with another competitor takes us to the hotel 3 and a half hours away. I hope to rest as much as possible, eat well and then kick ass having fully recovered by Saturday morning.

Global Grip Challenge - part 2