Captain of Crush question

[freaky91]

Im about to order a ironmind#1 and was wondering if you guys Know how hard and how long it takes to build up to a #3?

[freaky91]

bump

[Superman64]

i don't know what your talkin about

[sfdh]

It is VERY hard and will take a VERY long time to build up to a number 3.
Unless you have already have the strength of a gorilla that is.

I would recommend buying a #1.5 at the same time and some rubber training bands.

You will probably find that with regular use you will be able to close the number 1 fairly quickly.

[jgreystoke]

Could take months or years. Or you might never climb the mountain.

For years NOBODY in the whole World succeeded in closing the #3 COC gripper from Ironmind. Then strongman Richard Sorin, who is a grip specialist, managed the feat in the conditions set down by Ironmind. He was followed by John Brookfield, strongman and probably the greatest all-round grip master.

That should give you some idea of the difficulty. Since the example of these greats of grip mania, many strongmen and weightlifters have closed the #3 after doing a lot of specific grip training.

It would be a good idea to get a set of Ironmind grippers, including ones that would be a little too easy for you for warmups and cooldowns. They are dirt cheap.

Here they are with the grip pressure required in pounds:

Guide 60
Sport 80
Trainer 100
#1..... 140
#1.5..... about 170
#2..... 195
#2.5.....about 240?
#3..... 280

The method Ironmind uses to test the strength is to put them on a fixture and see how much weight is required to close them. This is obviously the pressure required at the ends of the gripper where the leverage is maximum. You obvioualy need a lot more pressure at the middle of the handles where your grip is strongest.

But other manufacturers use a different method of testing. They put them on a leverage type fixture, and CALCULATE the pressure required to close the gripper at the MIDDLE of the handles.

This means that an Ironmind #1 at only 140lbs rating, may be stronger than a gripper from another maker that is rated at 200lbs! So don't bother buying a set of "superstrong" grippers and think they are as difficult as the Ironmind versions.

The best way to use them is to do lots of sets of low reps say triples, or even singles. Banging out 20 rep sets with a gripper that is obviously not much of a challenge will pump up your hands and forearms, but won't do much for increasing your max strength. Can lead to premature gripper failure anyway.

You overreach for weeks and back off before testing. Just like improving your deadlift or bench. Not like pumping up your forearms with high rep wrist curls at all.

Good luck.

[jgreystoke]

I forgot to mention that I'm only up to a 1.5 at the moment(170lbs) either hand, tho' I can manage more than that on my grip machine. There is an element of coordination required for the grippers, absent on the machine work, which makes it harder.

That's not a very strong grip. But it is strong enough to pull 200kg from the floor and 250kg in the rack pull(for reps), without straps or other grip aids. And it is way stronger than my hands were a few years ago after a long illness, when a 50lb(22.5kg) gripper was too much!

[John Hicks]

Im about to order a ironmind#1 and was wondering if you guys Know how hard and how long it takes to build up to a #3?

It took me two years to go from closing the #2 to closing the #3.

Others have done it in less time; I was kinda lazy about it and took my time and put in my training and rest between grip workouts.

Are you wanting to get certified on the #3? My suggestion is to get the Trainer, the #1 and the #2. You don't know your strength unless you can guage it properly and getting these 3 grippers will tell you where you're at and what you have to look forward to.

And I'll tell you something else: if you want to achieve the #3, prepare to torture your hands. Most guys can't close a Trainer and even less on something like a #1 gripper (I kid you not). Anyhow, good luck and if you need any help or advice - just ask me... I'll help ya!

http://www.ironmind.com