World's Strongest Hands series - leg 2

I won. Another, relative to what I have done and can do, off day on the pinch still saw me place 2nd on that lift. Followed by a 3 way tie for 1st on the Wrist Developer (I may not like it but I seem ok at it) and a tied 2nd on the Vulcan was enough over all to secure me a first place. Leg three is in about 5 weeks time and I already made plans on what I'd like to do on that day - enough again across the board rather than out and out wins. We'll see.

Andy Bolton competing in grip competition... true!

Pic of H, Andy and myself from 2008 (?) when he came to the yard for some grip training advice from Paul Savage and myself.

Yep, I can barely believe it myself but Andy contacted me via facebook this week and asked for a date to compete in a grip competition. So... he'll be here on December the 18th for our annual Whey Power Challenge and I've made sure the two handed pinch is the grip event. He's done a very nice number (later, later) which was done around the same time as his 1008lb deadlift. Make of that what you will.

World's Strongest Hands - leg 1 results

This past Saturday (14th) saw leg 1 of the WSH four legged event. You can see the results HERE

I managed 2nd out of 59 athletes - not too bad considering it was only 2 weeks after the Euro competition

David Horne's - Worlds Strongest Hands

Today's the day. Who will, time differences allowed, be the winner of the first of four series events? I fancy I'll do ok on the first two (2HP and Vulcan) but not so well on the reverse DH Wrist Developer. If my hands feel ok, as I have been saying this week, I'll also take a crack at what seems to me to be a low 305lbs 2" V-Bar record.

As per a post elsewhere: for whom does the bell toll?

Euro write up

Monday
Silly o'clock in the morning at Amsterdam airport...a few minutes left on the clock so here I am posting before I catch a 1050 flight back to Bristol. Then feed the cats, pack orders and crash and burn in that order.Bare in mind thesestupidkeyboardsticks(yes) and I'm tired. I'll get it all down asap.

This weekend I won my second (and consecutive as I won the last one) European Grip Championships. It went exactly as predicted.I hated every minute of an otherwise uneventful journey out. More on that later,arrived well enough then had problems using my mobile in Spain (+ or 0... why would it not work!!) eventually the host and promoter found me (no doubt looking moody ha ha). The Hotel, as I later found, cannot understand emails (2 nights with breakfast morons, not one without grrr). But I'm wasting time so lets get to the show.

Saturday
There was, as per, 5 events. This time it was grippers, 2-hand pinch, thick bar (axle) double over hand deadlift, one hand deadlift and weaver.

Grippers: I came 2nd. Although I closed a harder gripper with my right Gabriel Sum closed a better combined total to take the lead but by a small margin (important as we will see). There were no mistakes unlike the last Euros.

Scores (left/right and total)

Right Hand
1. Steve: 3.54
2. Gabriel:3.45
3. Jorge: 3.17
4. Stew: 3.1
5. Pablo: 2.84
6. German: 2.7
6. Rene: 2.7

Left Hand
1. Gabriel: 3.59
2. Steve: 3.26
3. Jorge: 2.84
3. Stew: 2.84
5. Pablo: 2.32
5. Rene: 2.32
7. German: 2.19

Total:
1. Gabriel: 7.04
2. Steve: 6.8
3. Jorge: 6.01
4. Stew: 5.94
5. Pablo: 5.16
6. Rene: 5.02
7. German: 4.89

Two hand pinch I killed this. The next best was Gabriel's 88-kilos or so (88.85kg) and I did a mahoosive 112+. This made me not just 1st but first by some margin. Indeed, I won with my opening lift (97??) and then carried on to make the damage worse. I think I went 97.2, 102.2, 107.2 and ended on the 112.2. The Spanish humidity made an attempt at an WR not a great idea.

Scores
1. Steve: 112.2 k
2. Gabriel: 88.85 k
2. Stew: 88.85 k
4. Pablo: 79.35 k
5. Jorge: 71.35 k
6. German: 64.35 k
7. Rene: no valid lift

Double over-hand thick bar deadlift. I followed this pattern again by opening with 165-kilos where the 2nd place guy ended up, then doing 180, 200 and finally taking 216kg. As it was not an official IM Apollons Axle it may not count as a record but I'll let everyone else worry about that (too tired to give a **** right now). The official scores show Gabriel pulling 170-kilos for his final best effort (a bunch of guys bombed as the weigh fell from their hands) but I opened with 5kg less!

Scores
1. Steve: 216 k - New European Record.
2. Gabriel: 170 k
3. Stew: 150 k
3. Jorge: 150 k
3. Rene: 150 k
6. Pablo: 142.5 k
7. German: 130 k

One hand deadlift (thumb over): again the same pattern. Most were done and dusted at 120kg and I'd pulled WR level 152.5kg once in training. So I did 120kg, 130kg, 140kg and then (as above) using the promoters record breaker discs (so-called little gems of 125g, 250g and so on) I pulled a tiny bit more than the old 151kg WR. So now I had potentially not only a EU record (?) but a WR in the same meet. One might say it was going according to plan...

Score
1. Steve: - right hand 151.95 k - New World Record
2. Gabriel: - left hand 120.45 k
3. Pablo: - right hand 112.95 k
4. Stew: - left hand 110.45 k
4. German: - right hand 110.45 k
4. Rene: - right hand 110.45 k
7. Jorge: - right hand 105.45 k
Weaver to the rear: Some of the guys had been a little confused by the rising bar rule earlier on and now Gabriel was thrown by the clearly explained 'if you used you right on the one hand deadlift you must use your left or vice versa. Speaking to him he said that he'd only trained one hand- wtf? I'd been nagging/advising fellow Brit Stew Killick, throughout and now, with this event his anyway, here was his chance to get a few percentage points ahead of Gabiel and take 2nd overall behind me. So it was, Gabriel did 4kg and with everyone else out, it was just me and Stew left. Using my left hand (one hand deadlifting with my right) I did enough for another 2nd place (3 firsts and 2 2nds meant I was about 80+pts ahead of the next guy). Not only had I won but it was a British 1 and 2 so our team slaughtered Johhny foreigner ha ha

Score
1. Stew: -right hand 7 k
2. Steve: - left hand 6.4 k
3. Rene: - left hand 5 k
4. Jorge: - left hand 4.75 k
5. Pablo: - left hand 4.5 k
6. German: - left hand 4.25 k
7. Gabriel: - right hand 4 k
More when fed, watered and rested...

Final Results:
1. Steve Gardener (England): 487.99
2. Stew Killick (England : 405.59
3. Gabriel Sum (Germany): 394.22
4. Jorge Gonzalez (Spain) : 355.54
5. Pablo Garcia (Spain) : 348.42
6. German (Spain) : 320.29
7. Rene Kirschner (Germany : 282.44

By teams:

1. England: 13 points
2. Spain: 9 points
3. Germany: 6 points

As Jose says elsewhere we then went out with Feleces (?) a huge Spanish powerlifter and loader for the day and talk utter shite and BS (as one does) about all things strength. The beer and burgers helped. I had an issue with the hotel in that they'd emptied my room even though I had booked for TWO NIGHTS!! via the internet. This was followed by being out of the room at 12 noon on Sunday which meant I literally sat around, slowly getting sun burnt, until my pre-arranged pick up six hours later. As my phone battery had died it was all I could do.

All was well at Madrid airport but the 11 hour wait at Amsterdam is BORING!! and time I will never get back. Then, minutes after we took off (around 11am the next day) we had to make a u-turn over the North Sea as an engine was playing up. That's a first. I started goofing off and laughing (scenes from Father Ted etc played through my head) otherwise my tired ass, gritty eyes and surly demeanor for what was an already over long journey would have meant a popped blood vessel.

Regardless of my usual old age grumblings on the journey, the bed, etc I must pass on my thanks to Jose. A stellar promoter and ref and he took me everywhere I needed to go with good grace. Cheers Jose.

Two new records and two times Euro champ

I'll be doing a full write up but sufficient to say I came, saw and kicked Euro ass

World of Grip - Worlds Strongest Hands 2010

18th British Grip Championships

18th British Grip Championships... today's the day. That is all.

Some photos from Leg 4 W.O.G super series...

Thanks to 'G' for putting these up on my personal site - click

Me no like 2nd place

Yep, another 'not first place'. Yesterday in what was the 4th and final leg of the W.O.G. Super Series I came 2nd and 2nd overall in the series. But I don't like 2nd. I much prefer first and so will be motivated to, as the saying goes, 'bring game' for the next events or three.

Mighty Mitts post 308... finally

Just in case you missed it I finally managed to post my full write up on my new site Enjoy.

Mindset of a champion

I've written loads on this but one aspect is we don't see limits the way some do. I've a few buddies in this grip stuff we do that are, at least by what they say, limited to 90-kilos/200lbs or under and, in their words 'not able to get past it'.

There in lies the rub. I can and do write out plans for increases in my 1 rep max (1RM) usually looking to hit an on-platform PB of 105% (5% more than my old PB). While right now I am using a longer type of program due to the frequency of competitions of about 1 per month I'd usually aim for a big number once a year (around the British).

Whether I'm doing 4, 6 or 8 singles and the more I do the higher the 1RM there's a small but obvious rise in what is added to the bar so that close to the competition, say a few weeks out, I'm doing multiple singles with what last years 1RM/PB.

You can see from that I am not limiting myself to some predetermined number, as in the above example 200lbs, but am constantly looking forward. If there is an upper limit among the elite grip guys at the moment it's 120-kilos or 264lbs. Like 500lbs overhead back in the 70's it MAY be our imagined limit... although I'm hearing hints of in gym numbers a little above. I also know, like the 500, that once it's done our aim will become higher. Equally those struggling with 200 should set out a plan for 205/210 and then I'd hazard a guess once it's done they'll add even more because 200 will soon become but a memory.

There are other aspects to the elite athletes make up which makes them so and I'll touch on one more today. Hunger.

Not the 'feed me now' kind but that which makes them want more, more, more when it comes to weights. At a certain level ALL sportsmen and women push their bodies to places they aren't normally seen to go. So the prevalence and likelihood of injuries rises. Be it a wrenched back or, for grip guys, hand strain, tendons aching or, more usually, torn skin. The elite knows this will happen and is, if not exactly happy when it does, willing to accept the toll. Others are not. They stay at under 200lbs.

Read into this what you will.

12 hours in A&E/ER

What a day... but I'm still coming!!

Last MM session today

Sunday
Tip of the day. Do not show boat on the last successful attempt and throw down a 200-kilo bar with what was meant to be contempt. Because it'll bite you on the arse by clipping you on the right knee as it goes past. It hurt (and still does) like a BITCH!! Fortunately not in a way that will prevent me competing, just in a 'oh that's gonna bruise nicely' and 'how much skin did I just peel off?' kind of way. Good grief.

@ GN

Double over hand thick bar deadlifts
Bar (35kg) x 12 reps - easy
75-kilos x 3 reps - easy
105-kilos x 1 rep - easyish
135-kilos x 1 rep. All the above done with support belt only
165-kilos x 1 rep. Lever belt as well from this point forward.
185-kilos x 1 rep.
200-kilos x 3 x 1 reps - see note above re whacking the hell out of my knee. I was giving the large one going 'all fucking day' etc only to give my right tear drop / quad muscle an almighty wallop as the bar went past on the throw down. Guess who's a dick. Regardless this is my best ever session pre-competition.

Oh if you've not yet checked it out check my new site Steve Gardener

W.O.G/BHSA Super Series Leg 2

Did ok. Tied for 1st with Loz here and 2nd overall by virtue of David Horne having a better days 2 hand pinching than Loz and I. We had success with 109.99kg and him 112 or so. All three of us attempted more than the current world record so that's a good sign. Loz beat me on the weaver (strapless is BRUTAL) and I pulled the most across both camps on the Rolling Thunder (I think I've only lost once in competition on that) with 107.9-kilos or around 240lbs'ish.

I've also just seen on facebook a guy who works for the company which makes equipment for the WSM (or at least the last one). I'll load some photos as and when he adds me as a buddy. Loving their axles and dumbbells.

Mighty Mitts post 307

Ok, 306 LOL (might be less he he). I see, having had a 'butchers' (hook = look) that Wade is umming and ahhing in his blog as much as I do in my training logs. Makes me feel better. No matter what level you are it's as much about analyzing your performance as anything.

I also see Mark Felix has posted a YT video of his Inch Farmers walk training.

Is it on? Oh yes IT'S ON!!

The more of this I see the more heat I feel.

Physio tomorrow and assuming she says nothing (or I don't tell her) I think I'm doing Inch walk work myself followed by heavy ass dumbbell deadlifts.

Mighty Mitts... some big names with us.

I'm not much of a fan boy. I rarely if ever ask for autographs, get photos taken with people and so on.... but there are going to be some GREAT names on stage with us. I've just had another update (via Jan Todd this time) and we've also got Dennis Rogers reffing and doing a bit of what he does on stage too.

Given that we've Kaz, Sven, Vasily Alexeev and more... all on stage while we do our thing. Words fail me.

I'm about to do some Anvil stuff and the only black cloud today is it's now to the side and not straddle.

'Haters'

In the modern parlance and for my purposes a 'hater' is someone who post what amounts to disrespectful comments on websites. So, as I just saw, a photo of an ahead of his time Arnold becomes 'so-so legs'. Equally, as per a post and later an article by Lee Priest when you're told of the latest pro being videoed and that said video will shortly be available for you to enjoy instead of thanking said site and the pro (training hard, dieting hard and not really wanting to be distracted) for said video instead, as per Lee's comment, you get 'where the fuck is it then?' and worse.

I even found myself having to ask on a well-known grip site for the over eager members, metaphorically speaking out loud (wondering who will be chosen and why for the MM event) to 'please not shoot us in the foot and killing off of those who might be chosen chances before it's actually been decided.

On one level it's annoying because the 'expert' making said snide comments isn't even worthy of the Brit title 'Back Room Lawyer' (would be expert who actually knows nowt but sounds good). No, 9/10 it's someone who at best holds an opinion but when pressed shows little or no knowledge. I've even had some experience of being told that I am 'not doing it right' when I'm the record holder on the event in question and in another case I was the one making up the rule to be followed. Less of an issue is some poor sod using every known exercise technique ever invented and then getting nowhere and me doing far, far less and kicking ass.

One point, in light of the above, is genetic freaks (I may qualify... I may not) being told 'you're not doing it right' yet who blatantly are far, far better than those making the comment. This often happens with said monster pro being questioned about 'no full range reps'.

There's examples of this all the time. It's annoying - give it a rest. At worst the constant negativity wears both parties down and can also end up damaging said sport. That works thus: member of a news program, paper etc, signs up to get a sound-bite or view of the sport and finds nothing but sniping, back biting and worse and goes away and writes to the world of how shit we are. Sometimes the world doesn't actually need your input. Think on.

BHSA and 2010 pt2

World of Grip Strongest Hands Series (Under aegis of BHSA)

The BHSA are going to run this innovative series of events early in the year, away from the major comps, as a tune up for all the British competitors. We hope to also include one of these at a particular arm-wrestling contest, and get some new blood involved. If the series is successful then we will run others.

There will be 4 contests, which will include 3 events in each contest.

Dates

1. January 30. Venue: Stafford, and possibly Gloucester
2. February 20. Venue: Stafford, and Gloucester
3. March 13 Venue: Rossendale, and Gloucester
4. April 10 Venue: Stafford

May, BHSA Championships, prob Gloucester (not part of series)

Where there are two venues mentioned, you can compete at the nearest venue. The same events and apparatus will be used. We think it'd be fun to have a them vs. us attitude to these events.

All competitors will need to be BHSA members (single member or club member (see association rules regarding club membership).

Contest events will be chosen soon (likely to inc 2HP, V'Gripper, Old RT, weaver stick (no wraps). Although the championships will mirror the Euros with a small twist or so.

BHSA and 2010

Grip events, inside and outside the BHSA calender, are looking good. With dates to be confirmed we already have Neil 'Twig' Belcher's ANGER comp in January (10th I think). I'm hoping to host a comp with the intention of raising the bar in the 2 hand pinch late Feb. I know that David Horne will hold something similar and then we have Mighty Mitts at the Arnold Sports Festival in early March.

That will be followed by April's annual Peter Horne memorial competition and then May's British Grip Championship's. Looking at the short list which takes us to more or less the middle of the year we have a little over one a month. David has a couple of promo events taking place at some of the bigger arm wrestling events and those will be followed in August by the 2010 European's being held in Madrid, Spain.

All of these are on this side of the pond (Atlantic) bar the Mighty Mitts. With the GGC, Chad Woodall event (if it happens again) and more in the US you can see that activity is high.

Go get to it!!