Grip Contest Results: Movement Minneapolis Grip Decathlon IV

Saturday was the forth 10 event grip contest held to test all around grip and hand strength.

I set up a few things very differently from the previous contests. This competition was as much of an experiment for me as a promoter as it was a sport day for the athletes involved.

Who came out?

Eric Roussin, 35, 227 lbs / 105 kg class
Mike Sheehan, 34, 230 lbs / 105 kg
Matt Brouse, 27, 260. lbs / 120 kg
Ryan Maier, 31, 263 lbs / 120 kg
Joe Goodin, 30, 214 lbs / 105 kg
Joe Tebbe, 59, 193 lbs / 93 kg
Jacob Eggleton, 26, 152 lbs / 74 kg
Andrew Pantke, 27 229 lbs / 105 kg
Josh Handeland, 22, 171 lbs / 83 kg
Adam King, 31, 214 lbs / 105 kg
Adam Shaw, 33, 168 lbs / 83 kg
Adam Glass, 29, 229 lbs / 105 kg

Events

Gripper, parallel set, 4 attempts Left + Right. Scoring was done for the best combination of left hand and right hand closes on torsion spring grippers.

Adam Glass – 317 lbs
Matt Brouse – 312 lbs
Mike Sheehan – 301 lbs
Ryan Maier – 294 lbs
Andrew Pantke – 264 lbs
Eric Roussin – 263 lbs
Joe Goodin – 236 lbs
Jacob Eggleton – 231 lbs
Adam Shaw – 224 lbs
Josh Handeland / Adam King 204 lbs
Joe Tebbe 125 lbs

Two Hand Pinch. All attempts were at 54 mm setting width.

Adam G – 228 lbs
Eric R – 218 lbs
Mike S – 198 lbs
Andrew P / Ryan M – 178 lbs
Joe G – 168 lbs
Matt B / Adam K – 158 lbs
Jacob E – 148 lbs
Joe T – 138 lbs
Josh H – 128 lbs
Adam Shaw – 118 lbs

Overhand Axle Deadlift. Using the IM Axle.

Eric R – 423 lbs
Adam G – 413 lbs
Matt B – 373 lbs
Mike S – 363 lbs
Joe G – 353 lbs
Ryan M – 343 lbs
Andrew P – 303 lbs
Jacob E – 293 lbs
Adam K – 283 lbs
Josh H / Adam S – 263 lbs
Joe T – 243 lbs

Ironmind Hub Lift

Adam G – 70 lbs
Andrew P – 65 lbs
Mike S / Eric R – 60 lbs
Joe G / Matt B / Ryan M / Jacob E – 55 lbs
Adam K – 45 lbs
Josh H / Adam S – 40 lbs
Joe T – 35 lbs

Ironmind Anvil Lift

Adam G – 197 lbs
Eric R / Matt B – 187 lbs
Ryan M – 167 lbs
Joe G / Mike S – 157 lbs
Adam K – 147 lbs
Adam S / Jacob E / Andrew P – 137 lbs
Joe T – 127 lbs
Josh H – 117 lbs

Two Hand Rim Lift. The set up was two 100 lbs plates with a bar through the middle. The set up was staddled and lifted using all 8 fingers by grasping the outward facing rims. This was taught in ISG Vol.2

Adam G – 425 lbs
Matt B / Mike S 385 lbs
Andrew P / Eric R 345 lbs
Ryan M / Adam K / Jacob E – 325 lbs
Adam S – 285 lbs
Joe T / Josh H 265 lbs

Ironmind Rolling Thunder. New handle.

Eric R – 237 lbs
Adam G – 217 lbs
Matt B – 207 lbs
Mike S – 167 lbs
Ryan M – 157 lbs
Adam K / Andrew P – 147 lbs
Adam S / Jacob E / Josh H – 137 lbs
Joe T – 127 lbs

Mobile Medley Event. A wide variety of objects, with a steep difficulty.

Adam G – 40 items lifted & Moved
Matt B – 33 items lifted & Moved
Eric R – 28 items lifted & Moved
Mike S – 15 items lifted & Moved
Andrew P – 14 items lifted & Moved
Josh H / Adam K – 7 items lifted & Moved
Jacob E – 6 items lifted & Moved
Joe T – 3 items lifted & Moved

Gripper for Reps (Used GHP #6 with .75″ block for 3 points, GHP 3 with 1.5″ block for 2 points, GHP 1 with Credit Card block for 1 point)

Eric R – 179 total points
Adam G – 176 total points
Andrew P – 142 total points
Mike S – 127 total points
Matt B – 112 total points
Josh H – 89 total points
Joe T – 83 total points
Adam K – 73 total points
Jacob E – 72 total points

Double York Blob Hold (with two halves from a 65 lbs original York Dumbbell)

Adam G – 41.13 sec
Eric R – 39.59 sec
Mike S – 33.5 sec
Matt B – 30 sec
Andrew P – 27.13 sec
Jacob E – 24.44 sec
Adam K – 15.97 sec

Meet Score (out of 1,000 possible)
Adam G – 986 points
Eric R – 904 points
Matt B – 822 points
Mike S – 781 points
Andrew P – 716 points
Jacob E – 600 points
Adam K – 573 points
Ryan M – 555 points
Joe T – 439 points
Adam S – 433 points
Joe G – 387 points

Format explained

This contest was done using the Last Man Standing format, which has been used extensively recently at various fitness expos. The format is very straight forward, a weight is loaded and each competitor will either attempt it or pass it. If you fail to lift the weight, you are eliminated from that round (event). Your score is the last successful lift you completed.

It was determined LMS would allow me the best time for the most competitors. As of June 2012, I had over 35 people confirmed for the event. I wanted to ensure the contest maintained the time standards I have set with previous competitions.

Later on the decision was made that LMS contests scores would not count for records purposes, as more then 4 attempts are permitted.

This gave me a chance to save more time by using marked weights rather than exact certified weights.

A big change I made to this contest was the medley format as well. As I have explained here in the past, medleys are my favorite events. One odd thing many promoters do is include objects which every single person easily gets.

So what happens is the minimal score is pushed up, which is not really the point of the event. It makes more sense to me to throw away all of the “gimme’s” and have legit challenges in the medley. Not all have to be particularly hard, but they should be hard enough that some sort of relevant strength or technique is required to do it.

I built this medley with the following items

• Inch Dumbbells 173 lbs, 150 lbs, and 185 lbs
• Block weights blob50, legecy blob, fatman blob, 100 hex, 85 hex, 70 hex, SG loadable blob
• Vertical bars – 2 & 3/8″ at 196 lbs, 2″ at 225 lbs, 1″ at 302 lbs
• Plates for hub lifting 25 lbs, 35 lbs, 45 lbs
• Loadable dumbbells 3.5″ at 88 lbs, 3″ at 103 lbs, 2.45″ at 120 lbs, 2″ at 150 lbs.
• 3″ diameter barbell with 225 lbs, and 200 lbs
• Rolling thunder handles attached to a 92 KG and 80 kg kettlebell handles
• A 20 kg, 15 kg, and 25 lbs plate to curl

The contest began at 1045, we were completely finished before 3:30. That is really good timing.

Observations

No matter how simple a given movement looks, there is an optimal positioning which allows for the most power to be displayed using the least amount of energy.

While many grip events appear very straight forward and even crudely simplistic there are a number of pointers which add more weight to the bar. If you are serious about your progress you will discover this for yourself. A number of critical details have been presented in my hand training DVD Industrial Strength Grip Vol 2.

There are certain movements which appear to be higher pay off for most people for grip sport, thick bar work is obviously a choice selection.

Mental state management and focus are perhaps even more important than physical readiness. Those who better regulate and navigate their own emotions and psychology in competition will consistently score more points, win more meets, and make more progress. I will go a step further and say they probably enjoy the entire affair more then those who struggle to do this.

A number of “usual suspects” were not present for this meet. I missed you guys, as did the other competitors. You know who you are.

What it’s about

At the end of the day it is clear – the competition is an excuse to get together and enjoy lifting. Win, lose, PR or scratch, it is all in fun. Those who do know, those who are avoiding it probably have the wrong idea about what is happening here.

Few things will accelerate your progress like a meet to test out the goal objective. Find a way to make your goal a competition, and you will find a way to do it better.