Paul Knight = Crip Skillz

Paul Knight = Crip Skillz

Paul Knight = Grip Skillz

Paul Knight = Clip Skillz



Sick stuff in this video. Gripping, cinematography, rap, it all adds up to a highly entertaining show.

-Jedd-

Grip Training Report - Columbus Clutch Convention

We met tonight at Nick Rosendaul's for about 2 hours of gripping. It was awesome. It was Nick, Climber, Brad Audrey (strongman) and Rick Freitag (not sure of his board name), and me.

We started out with some choked grippers. Brad and I got the 191. Chris was a pube away on the 182. I didn't see anyone else's attempts.



Next we went to two hands pinch on climber's cromed set-up. We hit it at 48 mm. We worked up to 240. I got it off the ground but couldn't lock it out. I hit everything up to like 225 for a triple, so I was a little worn out when i got to 240. It felt pretty comfortable in my hands considering I usually train on 54 by myself and only do 48 a few times a year when I train pinch with Brad Martin.

We tried some one hand pinch with the euro. the +/- 100 lbs was a bit too much for me at 48 mm. Rick didn't do too bad - got it about 3 inches or so. i could only break it off a li'l bit and then it would pop out of my hand.

Rick and Brad pinched pretty well considering they never pinch. Nick said he felt off. Chris was looking pretty solid. Keep hitting it hard Chris. I want to see 240 out of you at Gripmas. It is right there - keep your volume up brother.

We then went to 1.9 inch axle. We worked up to 205. Brad was the only one that pulled a legal lift.

We messed with hammers. This is a rough one for me. S-T-U-G-G-L-E.....

We moved through all of this very quickly and got a lot of good solid work in. My hands got a good workout.

During the last 20 minutes or so, we did some feats. Nick tried a smaller shoe. It was thick!



I pulled the blobs out. Nick has a fatman and a York Blob Replica that is of the narrower sort. I kept trying until I was able to lift the fatman with the first two fingers and a thumb. I think I did it forward and reverse. Not sure about the reverse. Maybe some of the other guys remember. My memory is shot from interviewing OSU students all week.

I then hit an easy snatch with Nick's York Blob and a tougher snatch with the Fatboy Blob he has that weighed in at 51 lbs. That was the only thing that we got on film, but it was a great workout altogether.

Thanks Nick, for having us over. You and Andrea always take care of us and welcome us and I appreciate it every time I am in town. Thanks again buddy.

-Jedd-

Four Hour Tour Training Report

Today's workout was awesome. If you didn't make it up, you missed a killer time. We streamed everything live on UStream and I know several board members were watching.

This is what we hit:

Grippers
Two Hands Pinch
Double Over Axle
One Hand Axle
Gripmas Hammer Levering
Hammer Deadlifting
BTR Block Weight Loading

This went great. It was very structured - without a doubt the most structured grip get together I have every held or attended and it enabled us to get a ton of stuff done.

We started everything with an intense warm-up, hitting full body general followed by specific warm-ups, stretching, leg swings, etc. I felt great.

We ran the grippers at contest intensity. What I mean by that is we took one round of warm-ups then 4 rounds of max attempts just like a contest. We also took two rounds of triples after that. We finished this all in about 20 minutes.

We moved on to pinch and did the same thing, cycling through to work towards a max attempt. We tried to do a couple other things up around our max, but there were cut thumbs and humidity issues, so we moved on to the axle.

In the middle of the pinch, Mike and Brent each lifted the Blob - Mike for the first time. Frank also lifted the Blob - did we ever figure out if it was the fatman guys?

The axle lifts went well and then we finished with loading block weights for as many reps as possible in a minute's time. This was just downright awesome hard work. The platform we were lifting to was 44 inches high, so it was pretty much a high pull to load it. Lifting to this height is important and so is training for the heightened work capacity.

Then we ate around 3.

Mike headed out around 4. Brent, Frank and I walked down stairs, got talking and started training again on my fitness gear 45 hub and the fatboy replica. Frank and Brent both got the fitness gear 45 by the hub, Brent multiple times. I never got it but hovered it a few times.

Today was awesome. I had a great workout. My hands are throttled. My thumbs are on fire, but never tore.

Frank tore his thumb so bad it looked like when a callus rips off in the farmers walk. Sick stuff. It looked like he could have hidden a dime in there.

Thanks for coming up guys. Thanks for pushing me.

-Jedd-

P.S. The best part was we knew there were time constraints and we shoved a ton of solid work into the time frame without any waste or rush.

Check out Jedd's Products

Nail Bending eBook - The Most Complete Reference on Nail, Bolt, and Steel Bending in the World


Card Tearing eBook - Learn How to Tear Cards with Your Bare Hands


Stone Lifting Fundamentals DVD - The Premier DVD on Stone Lifting, Hands Down


Home Made Strength On-line DVD - Build Strength Without Breaking the Bank


The Sh*t You've Never Seen DVD - Hardcore Strength Training Footage from the Diesel Crew


The Ultimate Sled Dragging Manual - Innovative Ways to Train with Out of One of the Most basic Implements



How to Bend Nails | How to Tear Cards | Strongman feats of Strength | How to Build Your Own Equipment | How to Lift Atlas Stones | The Sh*t You've Never Seen | How to Implement Sled Dragging for Athletes

Grip Exercise for Building Muscle

This is a twist to conventional plate pinches. If you've been on Diesel for a while you know that grip strength is a HUGE part of athletic development. Unfortunately, it is often overlooked.

Read more here ==> Grip Exercise for Building Muscle.

All the best in your training.

-Jedd-

Strength and Power Workouts with Strongman Implements

Here is a recent workout we did focusing on utilizing the strongman Axle. The axle is a great tool and should be incorporated into your workouts frequently because there are many benefits.

Benefits of Utilizing a Strongman Axle:

• serious grip strength


• eases pain in hands, wrists and elbows while benching


• non-revolving aspect and thickness of the bar forces concentration, more tension and more immediate importance of rate of force development (RFD)


• can be defined an odd object as the distance from the athlete's center of gravity (COG) to the center of mass (COM) of the implement is increased


• can be substituted for all barbell movements

Click here to read the rest of this post ==> Strongman Axle Training.

-Jedd-

How to Build Your Own Strength Training Equipment

For the last few weeks, I have been posting about a new project Joe Hashey and I have been working on called Home Made Strength.

If you've read Joe Hashey's site, you know that he has been building his own equipment for years and has been using it in his training and when working with his athletes in his garage gym.


Above, Joe's home made loading pin he has used for years

If you've read my articles on training for lifting the Inch Dumbbell, you know that one of the most important training implements I used was a piece of home made strength equipment - a thick handled dumbbell made from a PVC pipe and Duct Tape.

Some of the most effective equipment can be made from very simple materials.

After more than 5 years, this thing is still holding up and even made an appearance in this year's Grip Strength National Championship.

Just because it's home made doesn't mean it's going to break or fall apart. This stuff is for real.


Above, the home made Inch Trainer design I have used for years.

In fact, some of the grip equipment I have been using the most lately has been stuff I made on my own or someone else helped me with - rotating thick bar stuff, portable steel pinching devices, home made modified hand grippers, and MORE!

For years, Joe and I have been designing and making our own equipment so that we could save money.

Now, we want to pass the knowledge on to you with the Home Made Strength Online DVD.

Start Building Strength Without Breaking the Bank.
Click here ==> Home Made Strength

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

What Do You Want?

I had a pretty un-creative weekend.

I wanted to put together a few short blog posts both for here, the Diesel site, and for guest posts on other pages.

So I brainstormed during the Yankee's game, but I had like creative thinking block, I guess.

So, I am wondering what you all are looking for.

What are you guys unsure about?

What can I put together that you all might enjoy reading about here?

Is there a feat you're trying to perform?

Are you bored and want something new in your training but don't know how to get started?

Help me out. Post a comment below on something you would like covered or explained here that will help you out.

Thanks guys. All the best in your training.

-Jedd-

Rinderle - One Hand Axle Deadlift

Mike's back again. In the clip below, he hits 180 on the axle.

The Gripmas Carol is the next contest I am headed to on December 12th. The One Hand Axle Deadlift is one of the events. Looks like Mike is planning on going and he's planning on doing well in that event.



The Gripmas Carol will be held in Crooksville Ohio, about an hour drive from Columbus. I'm looking to help get as many people there as possible. If you are interested or have any questions on how to prepare, please leave a comment here.

-Jedd-

Mike Rinderle - Working Hard on the Axle

Mike Rinderle is not screwing around. After a few months of training and a couple of grip contests he knows what he needs to work on and he is setting out on a journey to bring his numbers up.

Below, he works on the Axle, hitting 270 for a set of 3.



Keep training hard Mike.

-Jedd-

Dave Whitley Scares the Sh*t out of Jim Labadie

Watch as The Iron Tamer, Dave Whitley, scares the sh*t out of Jim Labadie.



Gotta love it when they squirm!

I loved how he teased the busting the hot water bottle feat and then transitioned to the balloon. Never saw anyone do that before. Good stuff.

Anybody else reading this blog performing this feat in their shows?

What are you doing to set yourself apart from the rest of the people performing this feats? Post a comment.

-Jedd-

Grip Newcomer - Craig Call - Blob Lifter - Craig Call

Craig Call first called me on the cell phone earlier this year and wanted to know about stategies for certifying on the IM #3.

He met up with Andrew Durniat this past weekend and started dropping bombs on grip feats left and right, even lifting the 50-lb blob!



Awesome stuff, guys! Love to see this stuff!

-Jedd-

Two Inch Vertical Bar Technique

Here is a great clip from Ben Edwards I just found. Ben is great with technique whether it's nail bending, grippers, or in this case, 2-inch Vertical Bar.

You gotta check this out.



Like I said, Ben knows his stuff. I really suggest you subscribe to his channel because he has lots of videos like this on it, and he does them all the time.

All the best in your training.

-Jedd-

P.S. I would be glad to do some technique videos for you. Please leave a comment here if there is something you'd like to see a video of!

Adam Glass - Pinch Array

Adam was working pinch last night. What kind of pinch?

Pretty much every type known to man.



Nice work bro!

-Jedd-

New Grip Article - Feats of Strength and Power

There is another blog I wrote for along with Adam Glass called Feats of Strength and Power.

I just posed a brand new article there called, Graded Bolts - Perfect Stepping Stones to the Red Nail.

Click the link to check it out ===> Steel Bending Article.

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Arm Wrestling Tips

Check out these excellent arm wrestling tips from Joe Musselwhite.







Leave a comment if you think anything was missed. Joe's a pro, but sometimes it's hard to think of everything on the fly.

Thanks,

-Jedd-

Nail Bending is Fun

Image from WorldsStrongestLibrarian.com


Josh Hanagarne, the World's Strongest Librarian, recently posted a review of my Nail Bending eBook.

Nail Bending eBook Review

Bending nails really is fun, but even more than that it is exciting. It is hard to describe what it feels like to hit a new Personal Record when bending.

I liken it to hitting a home run off a really good pitcher.

For instance, when I was in high school, I could hit pretty well, but had a hard time against lefties, especially this one kid from Wyalusing named Matt Haverly.

I knew I could hit this kid's fastball, but this one game he was feeding me curveballs all night and before I knew it, I had already struck out twice against him.

In my last at bat against Haverly in this one particular game (it might have actually been the very last time I ever faced him) for some reason he started me off with a fastball and I crushed it over the fence for the homer.

The conditions changed and my confidence combined with him trying to slip a fastball past me resulted in a home run and a Personal Record for me against him.

Very similar, I tried multiple times to bend my first red nail in August 2004 only to fail the first two times I tried that summer.

I guess when I finally bent the red nail, it was all just perfect. Like batting against Haverly, I knew I could bend the red nail, I just hadn't done it yet. Then finally everything fell in place, the red nail "gave me a fastball" and I hit it over the fence for a homerun and new bending PR!

The same thing will happen to all of you. If you try hard enough and often enough, you will break through your bending plateaus and get new personal records.

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

P.S. You can pick up your copy of the Nail Bending eBook here ===>Nail Bending Info

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Den Cenidoza - Red Nail Progress

Dan Cenidoza recently bent his first red nail.

I said within a couple weeks he'd be bending them in IronMind pads, and sure enough, he just did one in IMP's recently.



That's what I call nail bending progress.

What's your bending progress like? What is your most recent PR? Let us all know in the comments section below.

-Jedd-

30 Ways to Up Your Bench

It's time to Up Your Bench.

AJ Roberts has put together an unbelievable system to increase your bench press. I just got an insider look at it and it looks awesome.

Look, AJ is a professional powerlifter who trains right at West Side Barbell.

AJ is an awesome guy. I recently hung out with him in New Jersey one night after a day-long seminar and not only is he cool to hang out and joke with, but the information he gave me in that one conversation helped me add 40-lbs onto my bench press.

He's already put up a free 29-minute video on the 30 biggest mistakes people make on the bench press. You can check it out now by clicking here ===> 30 ways to Up Your Bench.

This week, he is releasing his brand new product and I actually put together bonus for it about Grip Considerations for the Bench Press. It is over 50 minutes in length itself.

For now, go check out AJ's fr.ee video and sign up for his newsletter.

If you want to put some weight on your bench press, then AJ is your man. He'll show you how to make it happen.

AJ's Link: Up Your Bench

All the best in your training.

-Jedd-

Adding Nail Bending into Your Current Program

A common question I get from athletes who are looking to start performing feats of strength, like nail and bolt bending, has to do with the work load and stresses of bending on their hands and forearms. Specifically, is it safe to add nail bending into their current program?

Many of those who write are already very active in strength training, bodybuilding, powerlifting, strongman training, and kettlebell lifting, such as the writer below. Check it out here.

Hey there Jedd.

I'm a kettlebell lifter (a few months now) and follow the RKC hardstyle. Big fan of Jordan Vezina, and just watched his steel bending intro videos on youtube. He praised your Bending E-book.

Just a quick question... can the training regimen prescribed in your E-Book fit in with my kettlebell training without overtraining? I'm currently doing the program minimum, which is mostly swings (500-600 per week) and turkish get-ups. The grip is taxed heavily as you may already know, during these workouts.

Thanks for the info.

Stephane Gouin
Ottawa, ON Canada

This a good question and I don’t blame you if you are unsure if bending will overwhelm your grip, and your body for that matter. When starting out, the volume and stress of bending nails and bolts under such high intensity can be enough to cause injury, especially if you go about it too much too fast.

I took this into consideration when I wrote the Nail Bending eBook. I knew that many people starting out were not already participating in a consistent grip training program, but I knew that far more would in fact already be devoting a great amount of time and effort into other full-body training protocols.

I knew that these new benders would want to maintain their high levels in their already developed training programs. So, to allow them to keep up with their current training programs, I included a ramp-up program that would allow them to start out slowly and gradually work up in stresses and volume by slowly introducing volume of grip and wrist training into the program.

This conditioning cycle lasts several weeks before any bending is even introduced.

I also included some other pointers for beginning benders:

Increase water intake – Water will help your muscles and connective tissues recover. Remember, the muscle in your body is made of a great deal of water. Drinking enough will help keep everything lubricated in the connective tissue, muscles, and joints. Of course, another thing to remember is that there is a tremendous amount of straining when bending, which can cause your blood pressure to increase, heart rate to increase, and sweating to increase. In short, push the fluids.

Increase your calories – Because more tissue will be broken down than what you are used to it is important to consume more calories when starting out bending so that you can avoid the affects of over-training and cumulative trauma injuries. Take it from me. I have had some of the worst pain possible in my elbows from bending too much too soon. This is NO FUN! I took this into consideration when writing the bending manual because I didn’t want the same thing to happen to you all.

Increase your preventive measures – Everyone knows that warming up, stretching to cool down, hand health, etc., is important for maximizing your performance and staying healthy. In the Bending eBook, I talk about many different ways to maintain hand health, including stretching, contrast baths, warm-up exercises, and more.

As you can see, I have covered a lot of preventive stuff in the Nail Bending eBook, aside from just multiple techniques to bend nails, bolts, and stock, how to wrap, and all that other bending-specific information. I included this because I have felt the pain of overuse from nail bending and I did not want that to happen to you all who are looking to get started in the sport of nail bending and grip strength.

Hopefully this has answered your questions, but if not, please leave me a comment below and I will get back to you.

If you have ideas for new benders to keep them injury free when starting out, don't hold back - please post below!

Thanks, and all the best in your training.

-Jedd-

P.S. You can pick up the Nail Bending eBook here: How to Bend Nails

Barry Gibson Bends the 60D Nail

Ever see anybody bend a 60D nail before? Here is Barry Gibson bending one over his thigh.



All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

P.S. To learn how to bend nails yourself, check out the Nail Bending eBook. Click here ===> Bend Nails with Your Bare Hands.

Two Plates - Three Fingers

Aaron Corcorran messing around with two 20-kilo plates while listening to Sublime. He gets good air with three fingers and lifts it lefty.



All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Teemu Watch -- Working on the #4

Here, Teemu works on a #4 rated at 213 lbs. Sick.



This guy is freaky.

-Jedd-

Teemu Watch - 12 Reps with a 3.5

Here, Teemu reps out on a 3.5 - 12 repetitions.



To give you an idea of how strong this guy is, I struggle to close 3.5's one single time and he just rattled off a dozen. Phenomenal!

All the best,

-Jedd-

Blob lifting at Sorinex

From Bill Long, here is a spot of Blob Lifting during the Summer Strong showcase at the Sorinex facility late last month.



-Jedd-

Mace Tutorial

This is a StrongerGrip.com mace I got from Ryan Pitts, the gent in the interview clip below. This equipment is top of the line!



All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Interview with Ryan Pitts - StrongerGrip.com

Here's an interview with Ryan Pitts at StrongerGrip.com



-Jedd-

Aaron Corcorran Pinch two 20's plus weight

Here, Aaron Corcorran demonstrates a two-20killo plate pinch plus weight, gradually increasing the weight.

98.29 lbs



100.1 lbs



101.7 lbs



103.43 lbs



104.6 lbs




This guy is a thinking man's grip athlete. Very smart and very strong!

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Summer Strong from Sorinex

Plenty of Grip Feats in this video clip from the boys at Sorinex.



All the best,

-Jedd-

The Teemu Watch: #4

As I have mentioned here before, Teemu is one of the best crushers in the world.

He always updates us on his progress at his YouTube page.

Here he shows a clip of the first time he was able to hold the handles of his 207-rated #4 together:



Anybody else getting close on the 4?

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

From the Mind of Aaron Corcorran

Here are some video clips from the very innovative Aaron Corcorran.

Some warm-up Movements Aaron uses:



Testing for the 2010 Medley at the Arizona Grip Competition:



"How do you stop it?" - The line of the year in grip video clips...

-Jedd-

Ben Edwards - Crush Down Pad Tutorial

Here, Ben Edwards talks about how to use crush down pads when crushing bending stock down the last inch or so to legal width.

Don't be fooled into thinking these crush down pads are not useful. I have a set and they work out great for finishing heavy bends, especially in contests. All you have to do is pull your first set of wraps off, and put the set of crush down pads on to finish the bend.

Check out what I'm talking about in Ben's video.



Many do not realize that there is quite a bit of technicality in the sport of bending nails, bolts, and stock.

For more information on short unbraced bending, your best resource is my Nail Bending eBook.

You can pick it up at this link ==> How to Bend Nails.

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Adam Glass - 35 45 Combo

Here, Adam Glass shows some grip training clips.

Check out about half way through where he does the 35 / 45 Combo Lift in an attempt to work up to Two 45's Pinch.



That is a good way to train to lift Two 45's.

Plenty of other good stuff in that clip as well.

-Jedd-

Donyale Mannino

Slim introduces Donyale Mannino! Here she bends a bolt of some sort. I am having difficulty understanding what the bolt is, but I think it might be a 5 inch grade 2 bolt.



If you want to learn how to bend nails, check out my Nail Bending eBook today!

-Jedd-

More Feats from AOBS

Here, David Whitley performs at AOBS demonstrating his outstanding kettlebell skills, including a pinky press, a lady two-hands-anyhow, while also bending a bar over Mike the Machine Bruce's throat. SICK!

Mike Bruce then shows more of his tremendous neck power by swinging Denis Rogers all over the room at the end of a chain hung from his head.



All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Long Bar Bending at AOBS

Hey, real quick everybody, make sure you put your email address in to the right so you can be sure to get all the updates from my blog! == >

From Dan Cenidoza (BeMoreTraining.com), some footage of a gent doing some long bar bending.



Anybody have any other good AOBS footage? Post a link here!

-Jedd-

Adam Pinching and Ripping

Adam Glass dominates 4 phone books in like a minute and then eats two 35-lb plates for breakfast.



All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Dave Whitley at OSU

Here's another clip of David Whitley, SRKC, at the Oldetime Strongman University performing several feats.

In this clip you will see horse shoe bending, nail driving, and wrench breaking!



All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Dan Bends the Grade 8

My good buddy Dan Cenidoza recently bent 5 grade 8 bolts in 45 minutes! Awesome stuff!

Here's a video clip of one of those bends:



You can see that Dan doesn't use a ton of wraps. It's not 3 inches thick and hanging off another 6 inches from the end of the bolt.

Also notice that Dan's not just trying to kink the nail with his hands. He's really worked on his technique and he's focusing the tension generated from his core and upper body through his arms and into his hands to help him bend the nail.

The grade 8 is so close to the red nail. I think if Dan double wrapped and pushed on the ends of the nail a bit more he'd probably be able to sweep one right now, but I doubt he's going to do that. He's more interested in bending as a pure feat of strength thing, which is great.

Congrats, Dan. You are really destroying the bolts now!

Hey readers - if you have questions, leave a comment below. I'll be glad to help you out.

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

P.S. Have you seen my Nail Bending eBook? It's got everything you need to know to start bending nails safe and strong. Check it out here ===> How to Bend Nails.

Bob Sundin - 232 on the Old RT

Bob does this lift at just 168 lbs bodyweight.

-Jedd-

Bruce Lee - Two Finer Push-up

I want to try this. I use to do finger tip push-ups back in the day, but this looks quite a bit tougher.



Anybody ever try this?

-Jedd-

Cool Stuff from Dave Whitley...

Real cool stuff from Dave Whitley's channel...



Looking forward to the rest of the series of clips...

-Jedd-

The Biggest Travesty in the Strength World

Watch as Eli works on the mighty Diesel sand keg.

Weighing a mighty 230 pounds plus, and filled with sand, dirt, tools, nails and other refuse, it has never been pressed overhead.

Also watch as Eli takes a staggered grip on the keg and locks it out for multiple reps, and claiming them as legitimate, then talking smack about it.

A true travesty of justice in the world of strength...



-Jedd-

AMD is Live

Smitty has released Accelerated Muscular Development.

This thing is truly all-encompassing. You'll never have a need for a personal trainer again with this program. You'll get everything you need for lifting, recovery, and nutrition in one package!

Check it out here.

-Jedd-

Gabriel Goes for the #4

This dude's crush is off the charts. He'll be shutting this #4 down in no time!



-Jedd-

Teemu Nearing a Number 4 Close

Teemu has one of the best crushes in the world. Here, he nears a parallel set close on a #4.



-Jedd-

Wade - That's Huuuuuuuuuge

As Paris Hilton would say, "That's Huge."



-Jedd-

Thumbless Gripper Closes

I have been trying many new things my gripper training recently, trying to spur some gains. Here is a short run down of things I have been trying:

Gripper drop sets - I make an attempt at a goal gripper and then immediately do a hold for time with a much lighter one.

Continuous handle cutting - I cut a gripper handle for beyond-the-range closes and every time I close it I shave more off.

Thumbless gripper closes - I attempt to close the gripper without assistance from my thumb.

I have never heard anyone speak about this type of close before, so I thought I would make a video to illustrate the concept.



I utilize my thumbs a great deal with gripper closes. I think this technique is going to help me out because my fingers are forced to put in the extra work.

Incidentally, all three of these techniques make me feel it big time in my last two fingers. I also encourage everyone to try the drop sets - they give you a huge forearm pump!

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Inch Dumbbell History

This video clip contains the footage of Matt Bissonette and Joel Sward performing their famous Inch Dumbbell Farmer's Walks.



Unless you've tried to lift the Inch Dumbbell you just can't quite understand how huge these feats are.

The Inch weighs 172 lbs.

Its handle is 2 and 7/8 inches thick

It is made of cast iron.

Because it is all one unit, the instant the bells both leave the ground, they start to rotate and try to rip the inch out of your hand.

The Inch Dumbbell is evil and to overcome it you need to work hard and long, but lifting it for the first time is worth the investment.

I can't wait to lift two at the same time.

I can't wait to carry two over a distance.

I can't wait.

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

New and Improved Woodall Contest Promo

This just in from Rex!



-Jedd-

Tearing Catalogs

Not sure if you all have ever tried catalog tearing, but this feat is no joke, y'all!



-Jedd-

Don't Forget to Subscribe

Hey everyone!

Don't forget to subscribe to my blog! I have a feedburner newsletter you can sign up for at the top of the right hand margin. No cost - all free. Just put in your email address and you will be sent an email to confirm the request.

You can also follow my blog. That is right underneath!

Thanks and all the best!

-Jedd-

Keg Lifting for Grip Strength

Joe Hashey has his athletes doing a very cool looking grip lift with a keg. Check this out.



Don't you guys think that this could be a pretty cool event for a grip contest? We could micro load it with pea gravel that was previously weighed out in 5-lb or 10-lb allotments and lift it to lockout! Might be a pretty cool event to have for a crowd!

-Jedd-

Garage Update #3

Have you ever taken notice of what I have lifted in for the last couple of years? Not an impressive lifting facility by any means! Check this out...



The garage will soon be finished and I will be producing a ton more content. The goal behind this is to HELP YOU ALL OUT.

Please leave a comment here and let me know what kind of stuff you would like to see in my videos down the line.

Thanks and all the best in your training,

-Jedd-

The Beast John Dennis - 555 Axle

John Dennis has a sick grip on him and I would love to see this freakin' monster get involved in specific Grip training along with his strongman training. Check out how close he comes to getting 555 in the DO Axle Deadlift!



Hit me with an email John! We gotta train, brother!

-Jedd-

Gardener Getting Ready

Steve Gardenener is not messing around.

Here are some clips of his recent training.



All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Hammering Strength into the Wrists Part 2

Just posted a new article on StraightToTheBar.com - Hammering Strength into the Wrists Part Two. Sledge hammers are awesome for working the hands, wrists, and overall lower arms. Believe me, there are some exercises in this article that are going to give you indestructible wrists. I shot the footage several days ago, and I am still feeling it.

If you think you are tough enough to try these exercises out, then click here.

I also show you one of the exercises we have used here at Diesel to keep us injury free for years, so get over there and check it out right now.

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

P.S. Here's that link again. CLICK HERE

Aaron Corcorran Murders a BBSE

This is Aaron Corcorran dropping a bomb on a Beef Builder Super Elite!



All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Wade's Homemade Pinch Apparatus

In this clip, Wade shows off his homemade pinch apparatus. Looks really nice!



And some monster lifts, too!

-Jedd-

Teemu Obliterates a 3.5!

Teemu takes care of this 3.5 - a 17 second hold! Freaky!!!



-Jedd-

Mobster Tearing it Up

Here is Steve Gardener making short work of some big weights on the Two Hands Pinch and on the Two-Inch Vertical Bar!





Email me when you get more big lifts, Steve!

-Jedd-

notching bikes

Adam is one of the best card tearers in the world. You can probably count on one hand the number of people that can perform the notching feat in this video, and Adam is one of them.



Adam sent me demos for many card tearing feats for my Nail Bending eBook. Having the insight of a professional strongman performer like him made it even better in the end.

Check out the Nail Bending eBook today!

-Jedd-

Woodall Contest Promo Video

Check this bad ass promo video out for the Chad Woodall Grip Contest! The audio was stripped off by YouTube. Hopefully it gets put back on because it looks like this thing is going to be awesome with some audio.



See you at the contest!

-Jedd-

Circus Dumbbell Mayhem

The Circus Dumbbell from Sorinex is a tremendous feat of grip strength. It has a 3-inch handle and weighs 202 lbs!

Here, Tex Henderson, Rich Williams, and Brian Shaw lift it with ease!



All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Lifting a Blob50 The First Time You See It?

Is it possible to lift the Blob 50 the first time you come across it? Yes it is! I did it with the blob, and recently, Parris Janusek did it as well, with a Blob 50.



Nice work, Parris!

All the best,

-Jedd-

Garage Update

Did you see my "New Garage Gym Update" videos?

Here's update #1.

Here's update #2.

Gonna be a lot of Grip Training going down here, guys. Lots of people are already contacting me as to when they can come try out the new facility! It's going to be awesome!

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

DieselCrew.com

Ronnie Coleman Tries the COC #3

Paul Knight and Rex Hubbard hosted a Grip Challenge at the Ronnie Coleman Classic this past weekend.

Here is a video clip of Ronnie Coleman hitting the COC #3 gripper.



Awesome stuff! Word is, a lot of new people were introduced to the sport of Grip this weekend! Good job Paul and Rex!

-Jedd-

Wade Gillingham - Credit Card Gripper Work

Looks like Wade has been working hard on the credit card set with the grippers.



Millimeters away from a close. Nice work, Wade.

-Jedd-

Ben Crush Working on Grippers

Chris Mathison Bends the Red

Chris Mathison bends the IronMind Red Nail with leather wraps.



Chris has a ton of grip potential. His feats he has pulled off prove he is one solid grip athlete.

Check back here soon.

All the best in your training.

-Jedd-

Bobby Goodfellow - Grip Feats

John Eaton met up with Bobby Goodfellow this past weekend and "Goody" dominated a handful of excellent grip feats, including a 50-lb Blob lift, and MM0 #3 close, 3-25's and a double 45 hub lift. This is a great list of feats to accomplish over several months' time, but "Goody" did it all in one session, making it even more spectacular!

Check this out:

Various Feats by Goody



Mash Monster 0 Cert Video (Parallel Set #3 Close)



Listen to the handles click on the first attempt!

Goody trained here at my house early last year and was still raw. He had no blobs, no good hubs, and no good 25-lb plates to pinch. For him to come so far after very limited specific training with the implements is outstanding.

Great work, Goody!

Check out Goody's blog, Cinder Block Hands.

-Jedd-

A New Direction

I have decided to take my blog into a new direction.

In the past, I have used my blog to cover a variety of topics, including grip, strongman, speed bag, kettlebells, and even wrestling and music.

Now that I have started my Kettlebell Resources, Speedbag Resources, and Stone Lifting blogs, I am going to dedicate this blog to mostly grip strength topics, like grip and forearm training articles, feats of strength involving grip, current events in grip, and other impressive things taking place in the world of grip.

I am subscribed to dozens of athletes' channels on YouTube, so I will be able to get notification of many new video clips by way of that route. However, If I miss something, do not be afraid to contact me and I will put the video clip up here.

I am also looking for people who would like to contribute grip strength related articles and how-to videos to my blog. If you contribute an article, I will put up a link directing visitors to your site or blog. This could be a great way to increase traffic to your blog, and thus increasing your revenue. Please contact me if you would like to talk about sending in an article for consideration.

I feel that this streamlining of topics on this blog will be very beneficial and less confusing for the new readers coming by who have been asking what exactly my blog is about. I also think it will be beneficial for the sport of Grip strength, helping it to grow.

As always I welcome questions, and please let me know if there is anything you'd like to see presented here or on Diesel!

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

To Crush a Can of Soda...

Jeff Wilson, from No Limits, writes about his mission to crush a can of soda with his bare hands on Straight To The Bar. Cool read!

Check it out here.

-Jedd-

New Product - The Card Tearing eBook

On the Diesel site, I have been hinting at a new product that I have been working on, and I am releasing it now!


The Card Tearing eBook is LIVE!

For the next 72 hours you can claim your copy of this ebook for the ridiculous low price of $24.97!

Check it out at www.CardTearing.com

Make no mistake about it. This ebook is not just an add-on or accompaniment to the Nail Bending eBook I released two years ago. The Card Tearing eBook is a separate entity all to itself that I devoted several months of my life to, in an attempt to make it something that truly stands out!

But, you have to act fast to get it at $24.97, because the price will be going up soon!

Visit the link below to get your copy right away!

www.CardTearing.com

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

New Diesel Grip Product

I have been working on the next installment in my series of grip strength products for months now and the release date will be taking place sometime this coming week!

Now, the most important thing that you can do to make sure you can take advantage of the incredibly low introductory price is to sign up for our Grip Strength Newsletter!

And when you sign up for the Grip Strength Newsletter, not only will you be the first to get the chance to get this product, you will also be assured that you receive timely notifications of all of our new grip strength articles, videos, interviews, and radio shows!

I will be sending out newsletters on a regular basis to make sure that you have the information you need to safely and efficiently build tremendous grip strength that will make you a better athlete, a better strongman or grip competitor, and a better performer of feats of strength.

So don't wait any longer. Sign up for the Grip Strength Newsletter, NOW.

Grip Strength Newsletter!

Email:

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

Smitty Reviews "How to Get Ripped Abs"

Smitty recently reviewed "How to Get Ripped Abs" by John Alvino. Here's what he had to say:

"I’ve had an inside peak at John Alvino's complete fat loss program and I have to say I’m blown away. The system is huge! He has been tweaking and revamping the program over the last several months and now he is re-releasing it today!

He has included in this re-release a ton of super bonuses, including:

* A Huge Exercise Index
* Lifetime Membership to his Fat Loss Club
* A Lean Lifestyle Recipe Book
* An entire book dedicated to quick and healthy shakes

In addition to these bonuses, John’s also setup two Platinum Bonuses.

You know you want to be ready for summer, packing a chiseled waist line. If Smitty says he's impressed by a program, then you can bet it's a good one.

All the best in your training,

-Jedd-

David Webster Documentary

Just saw this on Nick McKinless' Blog - David Webster's BBC Documentary.



For those of you headed to the Arnold this year, you are sure to see David Webster refereeing parts of the Strongman contest!

-Jedd-

New Workout Log Post

Recently added a post to my workout log on the Diesel site, Fire Walk with Me.

Check it out: click here.

-Jedd-

New Wrist Training Article

Just put out a new article on wrist training. Please check it out. Depending on readership, I may write a few more in a series.

Hammering Strength into the Wrists.

-Jedd-

Brett Jones Bringing the Kettlebell and Grip Feats

Brett Jones has been a great ketlebeller for a while, but it's been some time since I heard of him doing grip stuff. In this compilation, Brett brings some big grip feats to the table at the 2007 RKC in Denmark. I'd love to see where he's at now with the grip stuff. The way he manhandles the Dragondoor Beast Kettlebell, it looks likehis support grip is on point.



-Jedd-

P.S. Check out our Advanced Kettlebell eBooks.

Karl Gotch Macebell Workout

Here is Karl Gotch swinging a macebell while giving instruction to one of his wrestling students, who is rocking a serious mullet.



-Jedd-

DIY Grip Video - Hammer Grip Pickups

Here, Coach Hashey shows us his Do-it-Yourself Grip implement he uses for Hammer Grip Pickups.



This implement reminds me of the Jug, from Fat Bastard Barbell Company. Real cool!

-Jedd-

P.S. Check out Joe's Manual - Bull Strength.

Coach Hashey Trains with Diesel Crew

Coach Joe Hashey just posted a video clip from one of our recent workouts, featuring many of the intense methods featured in his new manual, Check out Bull Strength. In the you’ll see:

- Foam cushion step-ups with chains
- Napalm’s Nightmare core and grip training device
- 2″ vertical Bar
- Push-ups with chains



What a great workout! Joe has included many great lifts like these in his manual, Check out Bull Strength.

Check out Bull Strength!

-Jedd-

Jericho Assaulted by a Fan

An overzealous fan reaches into Chris Jericho's car and ends up getting belted in the face for it by the heel wrestler from Canada.



-Jedd-

Adam Glass - Impressive as Hell

Man, I love watching Adam Glass's videos.

In this one, he tears a deck of Bicycles wrapped in duct tape, not only around the center but also around the length of the cards. The duct tape looks like the strongest freaking military duct tape in the world. They can probably sue it to fortify tanks and giant cranes.

You gotta see this...



-Jedd-

Diesel Newsletter Testimonial

Got this in my email the other day from a satisfied subscriber to our email newsletter.

"YOU GUYS ROCK!!!
I love getting the diesel newsletters. I'm a bit short of funds, to purchase the books your offering. But I'm looking forward to the knowledge in store. I'm really concerned with core strength. I've been training to do a straight body front lever. My buddy does multiple sets of these, like he's breathing.
Satisfied reader,
J.Paul
P.S. - one legged squats kick my ass... I love training them, even though it's a bitch. Soon it won't be. Peace."

You can sign up for our newsletter at no cost what-so-ever!

Sign up for our newsletters!

Email:

Speaking of one-leg squats, here's avideo smitty recently put together that was sent out in our newsletter:



-Jedd-

Videos - How to Set a Gripper

Grippers are great for building hand strength and they are a staple in all Grip contests. To be competitive, you must learn how to set the gripper correctly.

I went through YouTube and found the best videos available on how to set a gripper.

Check these videos out and notice the similarities:

- where to place the gripper
- how to position the hand
- how to pull the handle in
- where the pinky finger needs to be
- and MORE!

I guarantee that many of you are setting the gripper incorrectly, because almost everybody does it wrong at first, including me when I first started.

These videos will show you how to set a gripper. You may notice a few differences in these techniques, but they are all great resources for you.

Paul Knight shows his method of setting the gripper:



John Eaton goes over his method:



Smitty shows the technique we have used for many years.



(This used to be a great instructional video until we were forced to put an audio track over it.)

Matt Brouse covers his technique:



Hopefully these videos help you out!

Keep coming back to Napalm's Corner and check out DieselCrew.com.

-Jedd-

Metroflex Grip Contest Write-up

I recently traveled to Arlington Texas, where I competed in the grip contest called Metroplex Mayhem at Metroflex. For those of you who may not know, Metroflex Gym is one of the last hardcore gym in the nation, and also it is where Ronnie Coleman trained for years and where Branch Warren trains these days, along with some other freaking huge monsters.

MMM was promoted by Paul Knight and Eric Milfeld. The events were Grippers, Two Hands Pinch, Axle Deadlift, Reverse Bending, and the Medley.

Event 1 - Two Hands Pinch: For the last couple of years, I have been chasing the world record on this lift. In 2005, I lifted 220 lbs when the record was 231. In December 2008, I lifted 246 lbs with the record standing at 253. After an excellent run in training where at one point I pulled 255 lbs to lockout for a 3-second hold, I felt very good going into this contest. I had heard that Eric Milfeld’s official apparatus was very well-seasoned and I thought that a World Record pull might just be possible. However, the word I received about the level of seasoning was not so, as Eric recently cleaned the apparatus down to the bare steel.

At MMM, the pinch was contested differently from what I have seen in the past. When we hold the Two Hands Pinch at GGC, we use rising bar format, where the weights on the apparatus are never taken off; they only go up. What this means is that you can not afford to make too big of jumps up in weight because if you go too heavy and can’t pull it, you are essentially out of luck because you are not permitted to reduce the weight on the subsequent attempts.

At MMM, rounds rules were applied, meaning each athlete would go once in a round and the weight would be changed each time. Also, athletes were permitted to start out high and take weight off if they missed. Once I heard this, I knew I would try for the record on my first attempt. I just didn’t see any reason to waste pinching power on a weight that was not at least 254 lbs.

On the first pull of the record weight, with barely any seasoning on the plates, my left hand literally slid partially off the implement. For the next round of attempts, I would desperately jump up and pat more chalk onto the outside plates, trying to get more chalk to adhere to the steel. My training was just too solid to not try one more attempt at the record. Finally, it was my turn again. However, it just wasn’t to be. I might have broken the implement a few millimeters from the floor and no more. I abandoned the World Record target, and now it was time to score points.

In a grip contest where you have perennial contenders like Paul Knight, Rex Hubbard, and Eric Milfeld, fast up-and-comers like Ryan Johnson, beastly unknowns like Rendy Delacruz, and legacies like Shane Musselwhite, dark horses like Mark Souza, and bands of brothers like Casey and Kevin Emery you can not afford to get a zero in an event or you risk losing the entire thing. I’d traveled too far not to win, so I decided to take an easy lift. I had heard that Eric and Rex were hitting near 230 in training, so I chose 235. This came up easy for me so I decided to move up to the next weight for my final attempt at 241. When I strode to the platform for this last attempt, I got incensed for once again not breaking the record and I decided to grasp the plates hard like I was trying to break them. I swear I felt the rubber inserts squish as I pulled 241 up through the stick, to near lockout, and held it there, giving a growl before returning the plates to the ground. Another contest without bringing the record to the states but I will continue to prepare for my next chance to go for it!



Event 2 - Grippers: Paul and Eric went to great lengths to make this contest legit, re-calibrated all the grippers for the gripper event, making sure each one was properly oiled. In some cases, this lowered the poundage rating by double digits! The top gripper closed was rated at 183 lbs, by Paul Knight. I closed a 163-rated gripper, a solid Beef Builder Elite.

Adding to the difficulty of the gripper event, was the strictness of the set and close. Eric would call out “good” when he saw that you set the gripper squarely to parallel, which caused you to pause the gripper in the set position for an instant before going for the close. This set technique favored Paul Knight, who has become well known for his ability to close heavy grippers in this manner. Just a week or two ago, he was featured on our site closing a Number 4 gripper. This set has now been deemed a PKS, or Paul Knight Set. This was a very interesting way to contest the grippers event. No drift setting was permitted, so everything was a genuine parallel set close.

Event 3 – Axle Deadlift: The Axle Deadlift was contested with the Official IronMind Axle, at about 2 inches thick. This event has giving me consistent trouble over the last few months. I have been hitting the axle on a weekly basis for the last few months, but I believe I made a mistake in working high reps with less than 70% of 1RM for a few weeks recently. In my first pull at MMM, I was unable to lockout 386. I dropped to a safe 365, and then 371. This was a tie with both Paul and Rex, so I decided for my final pull, I would jump back up to 386 and try to forge some breathing room. This time I was successful in pulling 386 to lockout.

At the conclusion of 3 events, I was ahead of Paul by .8 points. I was unsure about the spread between myself and the rest of the group.

Event 4 – Reverse Bending: Eric Milfeld was one of the first to bend a red nail starting it out reverse style, and he has taken Paul Knight under his wing for this craft, so I knew the challenge was a hefty one. All of the bars were calibrated using Eric’s calibration set-up he has used for years. I bent a 585 lb rated bar for my second attempt. For my third, I wrapped up a 635 lb bar, the hardest featured in the spread of bars. About 20 seconds into the bend, I felt a burning sensation in my right thumb so I conceded and pulled the wraps off. This was a big mistake. I should tried switching hand positions or adjusting the bar to hit a different area, because I actually kinked it to 30 degrees. Paul then wrapped a 635 for Eric, using a different wrap set-up than what I had. My wraps are just some thick suede, but Paul uses a combination of IronMind wraps and suede. Eric was feeling some pain in his hands as well, so I asked Eric and Paul if I could give it a try. I couldn’t believe the difference. The soft towel around the outside made it much more comfortable, and I was able to get a legal bend with Paul’s wraps.

Event 5 – Medley: The Medley event featured 5 disciplines: Thick Bar, Vertical Bar, Hub Pinch, Block Pinch, and Thin Pinch. Completing all the implements would yield 250 points. I couldn’t muster a full pull with the Metroflex Dumbbell, the heavy Two-Inch Vertical Bar, or the 45 lb plate loaded with 15 extra pounds, so I managed only 220 points. Paul got the 45 lb plate plus weight, but missed the Metroflex Dumbbell, the Blob plus 10 lbs, the Heavy Two-Inch Vertical Bar and the Euro One-Hand Pinch, so I secured 10 more points on him, which was enough for the win.

At the end of the contest, I stood on top with 1159 points, but Paul was close by with 1140, Eric Milfeld with 1088, and Rex Hubbard with 1026.

I want to thank Eric and Paul for running a great show. Paul and his wife were nice enough to put me up for the weekend, which was greatly appreciated, and Rex for picking me up at the airport and driving me all over the city. It is nice to compete with good sportsmen and good friends.

As I get more time, I will post more clips from this contest. For now, I’ll leave you with a short one of up-and-comer, Ryan Johnson, lifting the Metroflex Inch.



-Jedd-