23 Replies to “Thanks!”

1. Squid says:

   March 30, 2011 at 12:20 pm

   Fitnessequipmentgrubber!

   Yeah, I said it.

2. Jeff G. says:

   March 30, 2011 at 12:25 pm

   I know what you meant, Squid. Even if you didn’t say it explicitly.

   Yes. It’s possible.

3. Ella says:

   March 30, 2011 at 12:28 pm

   DOG WHISTLE!

4. mojo says:

   March 30, 2011 at 12:38 pm

   Nothing Freudian about that.

5. LBascom says:

   March 30, 2011 at 1:33 pm

   I was going to send you a “medicine” ball, but then I thought of John Belushi and decided not to.

6. Seth says:

   March 30, 2011 at 1:34 pm

   I’m impressed at the heft of the balls you slam, Jeff.

7. Squid says:

   March 30, 2011 at 1:38 pm

   I’m in a better mood this afternoon, because I got an e-mail that a group I’ve worked with in the past is looking at leasing a 40,000 sq ft former car dealership near my house, to use for workshop space. Trick is, they only need half the space, and they’re looking for partners to share costs. And here I am, with a group of guys that were just looking for a space to use for our car restoration, woodworking, and sailboat projects.

   I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but I’m already imagining the space, the tools and equipment all set up, the bar and the TV and the dartboard in the corner…

   Jeff, if you’re ever in the Twin Cities, I’ll make sure we have a medicine ball for you near the bar.

8. Seth says:

   March 30, 2011 at 1:42 pm

   Squid, that sounds like a slice of heaven. I’m jealous.

   I tried to rent out a space in one of the old mill buildings in my town to put in a small woodshop. The response I got was that that sounded a little too blue collar for the artists that mostly occupied the other spaces, and I should try the next town over. Bastards, but unsurprising.

9. Jeff G. says:

   March 30, 2011 at 1:56 pm

   I’d love to get out there at some point. My wife is in WI a lot, as well, so I’m going to have to meet up with bh at some point, too.

   Incidentally, my hands are absolutely fried. In addition to all the thick bar lifting, I’ve been working out with this, this, this, this, and this a lot lately, and I have to tell you, my hands are really toughening up.

   But they are tired, as well. I took the FatGripz off my heaviest dumbbells to do curls because I just couldn’t squeeze any more today.

10. Seth says:

    March 30, 2011 at 2:33 pm

    Jeff, how do you like the clubs? What do you do with them? I was eyeing those the other day, but not sure if they were really effective.

11. Jeff G. says:

    March 30, 2011 at 4:30 pm

    I love them, Seth.

    I have one loaded up to 18lbs and I use it as is shown in the video at the link. I also switch my grip and swing them with an underhand grip, a thumb and 2 finger grip, etc. You can also use them to do levers, deadlifts (as with the sledge hammer vid I posted), offset curls (particularly effective), wrist curls, reverse wrist curls, clean and presses, triceps extensions, shoulder pulls, and even exercises you might normally do with a mace. The fact that you’re holding onto a ball or a thick handle while handling the club really taxes your grip and wrist. And the swinging works the core, as well.

    I have the other club loaded up at around 10 lbs and I use it for more traditional Indian club swinging. The mace I tried for the first time this week. It’s a bear of a workout. To get the hang of the swinging motion before moving on to the mace, I practiced with the shorter clubs.

12. Jeff G. says:

    March 30, 2011 at 4:36 pm

    I’m thinking about contacting Ryan (the guy who runs Stronger Grip) about selling his stuff through my site. Would any of you guys be interested?

13. Seth says:

    March 30, 2011 at 5:55 pm

    Sure. I’d at least get some clubs, better you than somewhere else. Could be a way to drive some new traffic to your site.

    Come for the grips, stay for the wits. The internet works in mysterious ways.

14. Blake says:

    March 30, 2011 at 6:38 pm

    Jeff, I’d be interested.

15. Blake says:

    March 30, 2011 at 6:49 pm

    On a side note, I purchased a couple of “Captains of Crush” grip strength thingies. Figured 100lb would be a good place to start and work up to the 140lb. (I weigh a whopping 170 and am 52 before anyone is too quick to point and laugh. Although, pointing and laughing is expected)

    Oops, easily closed the 100lb with either hand.

    Still be good to use during my 60 minute commute, though.

16. Jeff G. says:

    March 30, 2011 at 7:02 pm

    Blake: flip the gripper over and do an inverted close. Also, hold it closed for time.

    Close the #2 (most guys won’t get the 1.5 closed; hell, most won’t get the 1 without some specific training) and you’re starting to really get somewhere on your crushing strength.

    Of course, a lot goes into closing grippers. (Quick note: CoC grippers, along with a couple other brands, are serious grippers. Not like the kind you pick up at Dick’s. A whole different animal. Gold standard.) Hand size is important; setting the grippers properly is important; training the grippers themselves to close them (as opposed to training general hand and grip strength and closing grippers based on that training) makes a big difference. And so on.

    Right now, I’m not really training the grippers — though I do use them in my training. There’s a distinction. To train grippers, you really want to avoid training other aspects of grip. At some point, I’m going to concentrate solely on the grippers because I want to close a 3 and then work my up. I can close the 2.5 now on a good day. But when you start getting into these numbers, every .5 jump feels HUGE.

    Now, however, I’m working all aspects of my hand and arm strength — and so I train lots of open hand grip, wrist, forearm, pinch, etc.

17. Timstigator says:

    March 30, 2011 at 7:22 pm

    Maybe you should work out with them before anything else. Just kinda sayin’.

18. Jeff G. says:

    March 30, 2011 at 7:45 pm

    Not sure what you’re saying, Timstigator. At the beginning of a workout? Before training other aspects of hand / wrist / arm strength?

19. vaguely says:

    March 30, 2011 at 7:59 pm

    And I second the motion to slam it regularly, Senator!

    For *hic*

20. Blake says:

    March 30, 2011 at 9:20 pm

    Jeff, thanks for the tips, much appreciated. I’ll give it a whirl.

21. Blake says:

    March 30, 2011 at 9:25 pm

    Interesting, Jeff’s bad habit is fitness equipment.

    What’s your other bad habit, Jeff? Helping little old ladies across the street? Holding doors for the elderly?

22. Timstigator says:

    March 31, 2011 at 9:26 am

    Jeff: just trying to add sexual humor to the conversation. Fail.

23. Jeff G. says:

    March 31, 2011 at 9:45 am

    Oh. Heh.

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