Frostbite Grip Challenge, 25 Feb 2012 Movement Minneapolis

The next grip competition I will be host will be Saturday 25 Feb 2012, at Movement Minneapolis in Plymouth. See below for details.

My next grip contest I am hosting, see details below.

Date/Time- 25 Feb 2012 (Saturday) Show time 0930 for registration/weigh in. Lifting will begin NLT 1030. Contest is expected to go until 230 PM.

Location: Movement Minneapolis, 2075 East Center Circle, Plymouth MN 55441 (about 10 minutes West of Downtown MN, 20 minutes from the MSP Airport)

Events

Iron Mind Rolling Thunder deadlift, 4 attempts, maximum weight. Contestants will use the Ironmind Rolling thunder apparatus and will have 4 attempts to lift maximum weight in the single hand lift. The Rolling Thunder handle is 2.35″ in diameter and has a slippery plastic sleeve which spins when you try to lift it. The official world record in this lift is 301 lbs held by Worlds Strongest Man contestant Mark Felix.

WSM Athlete Mark Felix lifting 301 on the IM Rolling Thunder lift

Bear Hug Deadlift, 4 attempts, maximum weight. Contestants will attempt to lift stacks of lifting discs by hugging the sides of the plates and lifting them until the cross bar passes the height of the knees. This lift tests the power of the fingers, wrist, and arms strongly along with the upper back and hips. All men’s classes will lift using 45 lbs plates as base diameter, women’s class will lift with 25 lbs plates. An exception will be made for individuals who are unable to lift 155 lbs, in this event we will load the apparatus with 35 lbs plates until they attempt heavier than 155.

Simple drawing explaining the bear hug deadlift

Gripper for reps event. This will be done the exact same way as the Movement Minneapolis 2011 Fall Grip Decathlon. 3 grippers will be selected. each gripper will be worth a point value. Closes will be done with a 20 mm setting block. There will be at least a 9 lbs difference in each gripper. The hardest of the three will be worth 5 points per close. The second hardest will be worth 3 points per close. The easy gripper will be worth 1 point. Contestants will be permitted at least a 5 minute rest period in between attempts, which they can waive at any time.

Medley #1 – Maximum strength feats. Things to expect- Qualifying events for US Grip nationals set at qualifying weights:
1″ Vertical Bar – 325
2″ FBBC Vertical Bar – 200
Gripper – Close Level 13 Gold on the Vulcan or 150# Gripper Close (parallel or 20-mm Block Set
Wrist Developer Level 5 Gold
IronMind Axle Deadlift – 325
Euro Two Hands Pinch – 200
One Hand Deadlift on Olympic / Powerlifting Bar – 250
50-lb Blob to Lockout
Rolling Thunder – 180
Two 45’s Pinch to Lockout

Will additionally feature blob loading, hammers, about 11 types of deadlift, Kettlebell challenges, and even a few body weight movements. The heaviest event in the medley will be a 550 lbs partial lift on the Dinnie Stone trainers, the range of motion is about 4-6 inches.

Medley #2 – Endurance feats. This will be a 4 event medley, unlike other medleys it will have all timed events.
Start – Two Hand pinch lift and hold for maximum time. Contestants will lift the Standard European Pinch Lifting Apparatus and hold it while standing fully erect for maximum time. Lift is terminated when any part of the apparatus touches the floor, or if the contestant leans the apparatus against their body in order to gain an advantage over it.
60 second break
- Hang from the ropes, maximum time. Contestants will hang from a pair of manila climbing ropes. Clock stops when any part of your body touches the floor.
60 second break
- Gripper for reps, 30 mm setting block. Contestants will use a light gripper (likely a 55 lbs COC trainer) and attempt to successfully close the gripper for maximum repetitions
60 second break
- Farmers hold with 3″ dumbbells. Contestants will deadlift and hold two 3″ dumbbells for maximum time. Women’s class will use two 2.35″ Inch replica handles.

Classes. We will feature 4 classes, based on body weight and gender. Men’s 82.5 kg class, Men’s 97kg class, Men’s open, and women’s class.

Uniform and equipment. Contestants are asked to wear a clean T-Shirt or sweat shirt and athletic shorts or pants. Contestants will be required to bring clean footwear or may lift barefoot. A lifting belt is permitted for the bearhug deadlift and the strength medley. No other support equipment is allowed if it provides an advantage to the hands, wrist, or forearms. Chalk will be provided by Movement Minneapolis, all other types are specifically forbidden.

Scoring. This contest is a sanctioned North American Grip Sport Association (NASGA) meet and will be scored with the official scoring system. The best score in each event will be worth 100 points. All other lifts are scored according to that lift and receive points based upon that percentage. Details are posted on the NAGSA website.

The total score will be out of 800 points. Rolling thunder, Bearhug deadlift, Grippers for reps, and Medley #1 will be worth 100 points each. Medley #2 will be worth 400 total points, each of the 4 events will be 100 points each.

Qualification and Ranking. The strength medley will feature a number of challenges which qualify a lifter for the 2012 US Grip Nationals, held in Wooster OH in May 2012. To qualify a lifter can lift 2 of the qualifying events. Additionally this meet will feature the double overhand axle, calibrated torsion spring grippers and two hand pinch lift in the medley. If these numbers are better than your previous bests they will be counted towards your three lift total of Gripper+Pinch+Axle. An 800 lbs total earns a lifter Elite status for future competitions. Finally a top three finish qualifies you for US Grip Nationals.

Registration details. Contestants are requested to be at the gym NLT 1000 to sign waivers, get weighed, and pay the $15 dollar registration fee.

Additional details. Movement Minneapolis will provide bottle water for all contestants. We will have some snacks on hand, all contestants are encouraged to bring food items with them in the event they need more fuel.

This event will be a great time for you to come out and compete with some really fun people. We have had a blast in the last few events and it has been exciting to watch athletes continue to improve. Grip contests allow you to compete in a friendly sport without risk of serious injury to the back, neck, shoulders, or hips. Many people who find they are unable to lift in other sports are able to complete the majority of grip contests pain free. Most of the lifts off the floor are partial ranges of motion, and point of failure is always the hands rather than the back. I strongly encourage you to come out and give it your best.

Additionally, I would appreciate having 2-3 people to function as score keepers/refs and help handle the classes as they navigate the contest. If you are interested in assisting me please email or text.

I will post further details as we get closer to the contest.

My final request is for those who know they are coming out. Please share this on your social media and with your friends. I would like to see 6-10 people in each class. As we saw in the Fall Grip Decathlon, anything can happen when events are shifted from technical style to pure guts and power.