It took me a long time to figure out what to do with my workout blog for Shrove Tuesday AKA Fat Tuesday AKA Mardi Gras (which literally means fat Tuesday), so here's what I settled on, my first multicolored blog entry so it somewhat resembles a king cake. My workout itself doesn't include anything special, and this actually is not a joke workout. This is a bench press workout, because I just didn't want to do a workout on Ash Wednesday, it's just not right, it's like working out on Easter or Good Friday or Christmas, it's something that just isn't done. Okay, enjoy this bench press workout in its multicolored glory. My journal isn't getting a multicolored entry, consider yourselves priveileged.

Bench Press Workout with 150 lbs

1. 12 reps, 10 good
2. 12 reps, 9 good
3. 11 reps, 9 good
4. 9 reps, 8 good
5. 8 reps, all good

Pinch lifted two 25 lb plates smooth side out each hand

RH. 61 count
LH. 34 count

Pinch lifted two 35 lb plates with my right hand, 8 count

Grade: C

Post workout commentary: Ah, what a great way to use a bunch of pastel colors that I'll never otherwise get a chance to use. To be honest, I'm chocked I even worked out today, but I felt good. I seem to be doing better and better every week, but it's like I'm missing that killer instinct, I need to get back what Rocky and his best friend (and former rival) Apollo called the eye of the tiger. I've lost that eye of the tiger, and I have to fight to get it back. It seems every week I'm adding five to my total, first 42 reps, 32 good, then 47 reps, 39 good, now 52 reps, 44 good. Does this mean next week I'll do 57 reps, 49 good if we're to judge by the current pattern? I upped the standards, so what would have been a C or C+ last week is now a D-range, which is what this workout was until the final moments because of three things, the completion time being 5 minutes better than normal, the plate pinch (which used to be my achilles heel, now my strong suit) being unreal good, and my bonus attempt (which I technically count as being after the workout, so I don't factor it into the time) on the 35s going as good as it did. It's kind of like the first 90% of the grade was a D and the last 10% was an A+++, so what do you get when you average the two? Technically a C-, but don't forget the time bonus. And so, two firsts, the first blog entry of 2010 that's neither bad nor good, just what's called "average", that range from a D+ up to a B, and more notably, the first holiday workout to have an average grade, the rest were off the chart good or off the chart bad. Actually, three firsts, my first multicolored blog entry. Or maybe four, the first C-blog entry that was something special. Who'd have thought a workout with a C grade would be quite so groundbreaking? Ah, but it is!

__________________
Click on the beautiful Altoona skyline to go to my website about central Pennsylvania.

whoa Altoona!! your really walkin the walk! I wish I had the abillity to do those things, but alas..cancer really puts a kabosh on that physical stuff. But that doesn't mean I've thrown in the towel..HELL NO!!! I have begun getting an excersize program together because I've developed a little "Dulop Disease" you know.. my waist "Du Lopped over my belt..LOL. That and my daily diet should get me back in better shape by summer.
You keep up the good work!!

No fancy fonts or fancy names here, just good old hard work in the old standard font. Isn't it strangely ironic that my workout on Sunday was a Thursday workout and my workout on Thursday is a Sunday workout? Eventually my workout schedule will return to normal once again, especially after I've reintroduced my dumbbell workout. Remember how before I was lucky to close the Super Master once? That isn't the case anymore, I'm finally beginning to close it with some degree of regularity as indicated by this workout. I'll be doing a tuneup workout to improve my ring and pinky work, but it'll be a fairly short one, since I'm mostly content, but feel a little tuneup work never hurt. But still, the closing of the Super Master is no longer what one calls a mere fluke and is becoming consistent and less sporadic, showing my progress.

Heavy Gripper Workout with the BeefBuilder Super Master and Ironmind #2

1R. Closed? and held the BeefBuilder Super Master for 4 seconds using a deep set
1L. Closed? and held the Ironmind #2 for 7 seconds using a deep set

2R. Got the BeefBuilder Super Master down to 1 mm, using a deep set
2L. Closed and held the Ironmind #2 for 10 seconds using a deep set, overcrush

3R. Closed? and held the BeefBuilder Super Master for 5 seconds using a deep set
3L. Closed and held the Ironmind #2 for 9 seconds using a deep set, overcrush

4R. Got the BeefBuilder Super Master down to 1 mm, using a deep set
4L. Closed and held the Ironmind #2 for 8 seconds using a deep set

Light Gripper Workout with the BeefBuilder Master and BeefBuilder Super Advanced

1R. Did three reps with the BeefBuilder Master using no set, then overcrushed it
1L. Did four reps with the BeefBuilder Super Advanced using a table no set, then overcrushed it

2R. Did two reps with the BeefBuilder Master using no set, then hugely overcrushed it
2L. Did three reps with the BeefBuilder Super Advanced using a table no set, then hugely overcrushed it

3R. Did three reps with the BeefBuilder Master using no set, then overcrushed it
3L. Did five reps with the BeefBuilder Master using no set, then massively overcrushed it

Grade: A++

Post workout commentary: First time I closed the BeefBuilder Super Master more than once in a workout, first time I did all no set reps with the light part of the workout, first time I did all four times with the #2 closed with the left hand AND overcrushed it to boot! With my newer, much tougher standards with this workout, it was "only" an A, but with that big time bonus from finishing in 43 minutes, it's an A++ (yes, time is factored in, sometimes greatly as seen here). This was a great gripper workout, first time I'd ever gotten this good. Seriously, I closed the Super Master twice mere weeks after my first ever close of it and on top of that, my misses aren't so shameful either, only missing by one milimeter. In fact, both misses I could have counted as a not sure, but I saw a gap in the handles, so it was doubtful, I'm pretty strict about that so I won't just count close misses as closes, stricter than even some certification companies (Ironmind would have said I closed 3 out of 4 most likely), but still, 2 out of 4 is a great step in progress. Next week, I'll probably hit 3 out of 4 (especially given how close the misses were). Once I can get 3 out of 4 for at least three weeks in a row or I get at least 3 out of 4 for two weeks and one week features a clean sweep where I close it all four times, I'm moving up to the Grand Master. Right now, I'm super close to moving up to the Grand Master, it's only a matter of weeks. While technically this is the best workout I've ever done so far, I have to keep toughening standards to keep up, but still, I toughened standards and it STILL gets extra credit. Talk about a great workout. It keeps getting better.

Just did my first ever no set close of the #2 (right hand, of course). I keep meeting goals left and right! #3, here I come!

Yeah, I know my order is pretty weird, but with my home dumbbell workout on Monday, that'll help normalize things again (it'll be an every other week workout anyway, alternated with my rock lifting workout every other week so that nothing gets overworked, since both are pretty tough workouts, it'll be done on Mondays or Tuesdays so that I don't feel forced to do one on a tired day, and I may need to for a single time to back to back of one depending on very rare and extraordinary circumstances). Anyways, today's workout is the best I've ever done despite the "average" time, albeit in the early end (68 minutes out of a 60-80 minute range). The move up to 42.5 lbs was a big time success, very smooth transition, especially sets 2 and 3, and the rest of the workout was even better. Even the anvil part was something special. Also, I did some bonus work after the workout that gave me extra credit points from me setting PRs. Talk about a great workout!

Lifted the 15 lb anvil three times each hand by the horn, did comprehensive wrist work

Pinch Block loaded to 42.5 lbs

1R. Lifted and held for 27 seconds
1L. Lifted and held for 7 seconds

2R. Lifted and held for 31 seconds
2L. Lifted and held for 12 seconds

3R. Lifted and held for 37 secodns
3L. Lifted and held for 16 seconds

Chest Crushes with the BeefBuilder Grand Elite

1. 20 reps, 12 clicked
2. 46 reps, 30 clicked
3. 37 reps, 26 clicked

Wrist roller loaded to 47.5 lbs, did four sets with it

Grade: A++++

Post workout commentary: You know the saying "Listen to your body"? Usually it means that you need to take it easy, but what if your body is telling you that you're holding it back? In the case of today's workout, my body was telling me "I am ready for the Ironmind #4, honest, look, I'll do double the requirement", and that it did. Seriously, look, my requirement is 50 reps, 30 clicked, and I long surpassed that, because I know how tough the Pro is, but I need not worry about the Ironmind #4 because I did 103 reps, 68 clicked. In fact, the second set alone almost meets the requirement of three sets. That was, bar none, the most reps that I've ever done when chest crushing, and I made it look disturbingly easy, too. I'm ready, not just ready, but damned ready. It's time to pay no mind to how long I'll be waiting to move up to the Pro (which may not be as long as I currently think), time to give my body the benefit of the doubt and start using the Ironmind #4. Well, the chest crush rep marathon where I went crazy and did over 100 total reps (and clicked 2/3 of them) with a gripper that a year ago I never dreamed I'd be using, let alone doing 100 reps with, a mere 6 months ago, when I was focused on just moving up to the Super Elite (a level below the one I'm using now), my dominance on the wrist roller where I'll be using 50 lbs next week, my new level of anvil excellence, and my superb work with my new pinch block poundage (2.5 lbs is a lot, trust me, I was stuck with 40 lbs for over a year and when I moved up, 37.5 lbs was a cakewalk) are responsible for the creation of a new grade. Have fun looking at it, the A++++ (worth 130%) is about as common as winning the lottery while getting struck by lightning. But how could I not give myself that grade where I did as well with 42.5 lbs as I did with 40 in December when I was so proud of what I was doing, rattled off over 100 reps for the first time with any chest crush gripper, and improved my anvil work and wrist roller work? Oh yeah, I almost forgot to mention, I set some new personal records after the workout as extra credit, that's why the grade is so high. I chest crushed the Pro down to 1", breaking my old record of just past halfway, and I attempted to close the #3 with my right hand, and using a deep set, got it down to 1/2"! Best.....workout.....ever!

Many of you have probably read my gripper workouts, especially my Sunday grip workouts and noticed that I stick to the same formula every time, rather than alter it up like I occasionally do with my bench press workout and other workouts I do. Some may be wondering why that is or how my workout came to be that way, especially when many do long, complex and convoluted workouts. Most who do those long drawn out workouts get nowhere, unsurprisingly. When I first began grip training, I struggled to close the #1 consistently. After months of training and training, from fall of 2005 up through early 2006, I couldn't figure out what kind of workout to do. And then, I got a book for my birthday called Captains of Crush Grippers: What They Are and How To Close Them. One particular workout stuck out in my mind, while I liked the approaches by Joe Kinney and John Brookfield, top gripsters in the world (Joe Kinney being the only man to not only no-set close a #4, but close it with two fingers and the first to certify as a #4 closer), the simple, but effective looking workout by Nathan Holle, another #4 closer really looked like something I might want to try. It was pretty simple, do a few sets with a gripper you either can't quite close or can barely close (after an optional warmup with a lighter gripper, because too much warmup can take away from your training), and then do a few sets with one that you can easily close to work the closing motions. Here's the simple workout by Nathan Holle, who certified in 2003 on the #4, from 2002 or early 2003, between his certificaton on the #3 in 2002 and his certification on the #4 in 2003. I'd guess late 2002.

One close of the No. 3 to remove "clicks" from hand.

Attempts at the No. 4 aiming to "set" to 15 mm (all measurerements made by Nathan and are all approximate)

1. Set to 15 mm, squeezed to 7 mm
2. Set to 13 mm, squeezed to 3 mm
3. Set to 15 mm, squeezed to 5 mm
4. Set to 17 mm, squeezed to 6 mm
5. Set to 19 mm, squeezed to 6 mm

Close the #3 as fast and hard but under control, aiming to "set" to 25 mm or above (measurements made by Nathan and are all approximate)

1. Set to 30 mm, closed
2. Set to 33 mm, closed
3. Set to 29 mm, closed
4. Set to 35 mm, closed
5. Set to 30 mm, closed

Duration of grip training: 63 minutes

Notice some similarities? The biggest difference is that I train both my left and right hand and don't do as many sets, but this looks strikingly similar to my grip training methods. I employed something very similar to this, only 3 heavy, 3 light (expanded to 4 heavy, 3 light later on). After an injury in 2006, I temporarily lost interest in grip training, leading to only one grip workout in 2007 and the only reason I fully resumed in 2008 was because an injury forced me to take a long time off regular weight training. However, this format inspired my now famous grip workout. Initially, what now is the Sunday Grip Workout was all I did until mid-2006, when I bought some more grip stuff. In what I thought was the golden age of my grip training (actually it seems that THIS is the golden age now, starting in September of 2009), I eventually added work with the pinch block, chest crushes, and lifting a stool by the leg and keeping it balanced. That was a neat bit of wrist work until it became pathetically easy (even the anvil work I introduced in 2008 was tougher than that). I started out chest crushing the Grand Master, working up to the #3, then the Elite and I was almost ready for the Super Elite at one point (although my hands were having trouble adapting to the pressure, extensive wrist work later on solved that problem), and with grippers I had closed the Master once, but it wouldn't be until two and a half years later, after taking a year and half off and spending a year rebuilding, that I regained my strength to the level of what I had called my prime in earlier editions of my blog. In late 2008, my large Grip Workout began taking an hour and a half and beyond to finish (sometimes nearly two hours), and so I realized that this behemoth needed split up so I could focus more intently and make progress, as per suggestion of my mother. So I put strictly one handed gripper stuff in one workout, and all the other stuff in another, turned out to be a good choice, although I'd struggle with making progress early on. Then in late 2009 I began making boatloads of progress, closing the #2 in September, then in late January of 2010 closing the Super Master for the very first time. Now I'm aiming at the Grand Master (I'll give one honest attempt for a Tuneup Tuesday), and I owe my progress all to this one little workout from a gripper based book. That wasn't the only useful bit of information I got from that book. Here are some other tips I learned from the greats.

Joe Kinney explains how to get in the right state of mind, it requires some crazy emergency-minded thinking. You know, the kind of adrenaline rushes that let someone lift a car off of someone else, he tells you how to get your mind in that alarmed and reinforced an idea I had long known: You do your best workouts in pure silence. Forget the "right kind of music", your own mind can do crazier things to your adrenaline in pure silence than some pumped up music can. In fact, your mind should be so trained to go into its own zone that your gym could be playing lullabies and ballads and STILL would be performing like a hardcore animal. THAT is key to MAKING progress. You MAKE it.

Joe Kinney also taught me with his "personal assessment" section why not to go easy on yourself and the right way to judge your workouts. Wonder why I can much of the time be harsh and unforgiving with my workouts? His advice for monitoring progress was to grade your workouts like someone else is grading them, or like you're grading someone else's, don't go out of your way to cut down on yourself, but if you're not honest with yourself, you'll never make progress. Complacency and contentment lead to stagnation, you will never meet your next goal by keeping your standards the same and giving yourself a pat on the back just for doing a workout, even if it was well below par.

And, of course, a section on when and when not to listen to your body. The following statements come from the same section ot the book: There is something to be said for "listening to your body" but it's not good. If you're in pain from injury or at risk of injury, then you should listen to your body. If your body's just telling you it's tired or lazy, you're faced with a choice" then explaining how your body does not want to do the hard work, so you have to get your mind to make it do the hard work. Otherwise you'll end up sitting on the couch all the time.

And finally, he devoted a section to good reps vs bad reps, it's like bringing in a bunch of grains from the harvest, the good ones will count for the most, but the bad ones will have little value, so that's why when I bench or do anything that involves reps, I list both the total and the number of quality reps, whether it be clicked reps or simply reps that were done right. You mostly notice this with my chest crushing and bench pressing, but with other workouts as well at times. That's because that's where you're most likely to encounter an exercise that sets specific standards for sets and reps. For example a bench rep that doesn't go all the way down counts as a rep, but not a good one, same with a rep where a spotter had to tap the weight to keep it balanced. Now, if you needed bailed out, then it counts as nothing, despite what some gymgoers will tell you. Also, with chest crushing, the reps that click are both the ones that you know clicked and the ones you're "pretty sure" clicked, but you should have more definite than "probably", the ones that are non-clicked reps are the "not quites" and the "maybes", Those mini-reps that go a tenth of an inch, on the other hand, count as nothing, so don't waste your time doing these.

If any of you managed to read through that massive wall of text, I offer my congratulations to you. I hope you learned something from this. It'd be nice if you managed to learn something useful from reading all of this, even possibly applying it to your own workouts in the future.

What I wouldn't give for a barfing face smiley for this workout. The only reason this workout's grade was as good as it was was becasuse of the finishing time and the pinch grip stuff I did at the end. Opposite problem last year, pinch grip brought down the grade, now it's the life saver. But even that couldn't save today's workout. If I said what I wanted to really say here, I guarantee you that before dawn, my blog would be moved to The Edge or my whole blog would get deleted because whoever deleted it and saw what I said would probably just be spending a few days trying to forget that those words even existed. If you really want to know what I said, it'll all be in my workout journal.

Bench Press Workout with 150 lbs

1. 12 reps, 9 good (the only palatable set of the workout)
2. 11 reps, 8 good
3. 6 reps, 5 good (wtf?0
4. 8 reps, 7 good
5. 6 reps, 4 good

Pinch lifted two 25 lb plates smooth side out each hand

RH. 82 count
LH. 41 count

Pinch lifted two 35 lb plates with my right hand, 16 count

Pinch lifted two 45 lb plates with both hands, 35 count

Grade: F

Post workout commentary: Despite my amazing work with the plate pinching and the good time (finished within 40 minutes), this F may actually still be too generous. I knew that eventually I was going to get an "F", I was long, long, long overdue, and here it is. Hopefully this causes me to start doing better now that I actually had an "F", or this could be a first in a long line of miserable workouts. If I show no real signs of improvement over the next three workouts, then I'll just drop bench pressing. Some people are meant to be strong, and I'm meant to be completely worthless in that department. This workout felt like it was God's way of telling me that I don't matter. Thankfully I didn't give into my urge to smash everything in the gym, or I'd probably be banned from the gym for life. This is easily the worst workout I've done this year, there is no excuse to only do 43 reps with 33 good this far into the year with a weight that a child would use. That's right, your AVERAGE junior high school kid works out with at least that weight. There is no more rust in my system, so either I start showing signs of improvement or else I have to accept that I am a pathetic weakling and just start sitting on the couch eating cheese doodles all day long.

In stark contrast to the nightmare that was Wednesday's bench press workout, today's gripper workout was worlds better than anything done in a good while for the most part. Today's workout saw 3 out of 4 attempts on the Super Master click, and one of those attempts had my first certain close of the Super Master (all previous closes were borderlines with a question mark). This actually makes this workout part of a possible qualifying run. If I do at least 3 of 4 for three consecutive weeks and have at least one "perfect week", then I'm ready for the BeefBuilder Grand Master. Every step I move ahead is one step closer to certifying on the Ironmind #3, and eventually on the Ironmind #4.

Heavy Gripper Workout with the BeefBuilder Super Master and Ironmind #2

1R. Closed? and held the BeefBuilder Super Master for 5 seconds using a deep set
1L. Closed and held the Ironmind #2 for 8 seconds using a deep set

2R. Closed? and held the BeefBuilder Super Master for 6 seconds using a deep set
2L. Closed and held the Ironmind #2 for 14 seconds using a deep set, overcrush

3R. Closed and held the BeefBuilder Super Master for 7 seconds using a deep set
3L. Closed and held the Ironmind #2 for 15 seconds using a deep set, overcrush

4R. Got the BeefBuilder Super Master down to 1 mm, using a deep set
4L. Closed and held the Ironmind #2 for 12 seconds using a deep set, overcrush

Light Gripper Workout with the BeefBuilder Master and BeefBuilder Super Advanced

1R. Did four reps with the BeefBuilder Master using a table no set, then overcrushed it
1L. Did five reps with the BeefBuilder Super Advanced using a table no set, then overcrushed it

2R. Did five reps with the BeefBuilder Master using a table no set, then overcrushed it
2L. Did six reps with the BeefBuilder Super Advanced using a table no set, then overcrushed it

3R. Did four reps with the BeefBuilder Master using no set, then overcrushed it
3L. Did five reps with the BeefBuilder Super Advanced using a table no set, then overcrushed it

Grade: A+++

Post workout commentary: More amazingly, I earned this grade despite very little time bonus. I finished in 54 minutes, which didn't qualify for much of a break. However, with this workout, I did much more than I had before, finishing 3 out of 4 times with a close. So now, I'm hoping to see this great trend of progress continue (rarely do I make a whole jump of progress every workout, but it seems here I am), with next week an expectation of getting at least 3 of 4 (and 4 of 4 plus a time bonus needed to qualify for a grade like this anymore). Again, if I do three in a row of 3/4 or better plus one 4/4 in that run, then it's time to move up. If not, I keep going until I get it (if I keep getting 3/4, then I keep going until a 4/4). But speaking of moving up, there will be a change starting next week, for the first time since last September, you'll see me using the same grippers for both hands, but it'll likely be very short lived. I'm going to be moving my left hand up to the Super Master for the heavy part and the Master for the easy part. But based on the degree of jump that it is from the #2 to the Super Master, I'll probably still be using the Super Master with my left hand when I'm using the #3 with my right. Making that kind of progress is magnifficent.

Today's workout, a semi-extensive Tuneup Tuesday, hopefully will not only gauge what's yet to come with future workouts, but helped shore up some of my worst weaknesses in various things so that I will be producing good results in the future. I even did a bit of a tuneup for the bench press today with the chest stuff I did. Thankfully, Tuneup Tuesdays aren't timed too much, but today's Tuneup Tuesday overall was a pretty good workout. Naturally, a Tuneup Tuesday covers any kind of non-workout type of strength training, where I do stuff in a workout that's outside of the norm, such as going for a max or assistance exercises, two parts of a spectrum that are both equally useful and done sparingly. But both parts can help the main workout. Workouts like today's Tuneup Tuesday show all grippers have a use.

Three warmup squeezes with the Ironmind #1 each hand

Gripper Testing With the Ironmind #3, BeefBuilder Grand Master, and BeefBuilder Supre Master

1R. Got the Ironmind #3 down to 1/2", using a deep set
1L. Got the BeefBuilder Super Master down to 3/4", using a deep set

2R. Got the BeefBuilder Grand Master down to 1/8", using a deep set
2L. Got the BeefBuilder Super Master down to 1", using a deep set

Chest Crushes with the Ironmind #4: 10 reps, 5 clicked

Thumb Work with the Ironmind Sport

RH. 16 reps
LH. 6 reps

Thumb Work with the Ironmind Trainer

RH. 2 reps
Lh. Got it down to 1"

Ring and Pinky Work with the Ironmind Trainer

RH. 10 reps
LH. 5 reps

Ring and Pinky Work with the BeefBuilder Advanced

RH. 6 reps
LH. 2 reps

Ring and Pinky Work with the Ironmind #1

RH. 1 rep
LH. Got it just past halfway

Thumb and Index Work with the Ironmind #1

RH. 4 reps
LH. 1 rep

Did twelve reps with the chest bender bar on the highest setting

Grade: A/B

Post workout commentary: Really good overall. I was impressed with what I did with the tuneup parts, but some of the maximum attempts were very good, better than expected, but not fully impressive. I was the most underwhelmed by the chest crushes on my Ironmind #4, not expecting the move from the Grand Elite, that I did over 100 reps with last week, to be as tough as that. However, since it is the next up from the Grand Elite, it should be expected to be reasonably tougher, but that was a surprise to me. At least it means I won't be spitting out 150 reps before I can even close the Pro. But then agian, my test set was a "first set", and if you remember from last week, my first set on the Grand Elite yielded a set of 20 reps, 12 clicked. The week before that? 14 reps, 8 clicked. So I shouldn't worry just yet. And besides, 10 reps, 5 clicked is better than last time's effort, 7 reps, 3 clicked, so while I liked it, it didn't blow me away. What did impress me was the improvement on the thumb work and the one handed gripper work. THAT was really what bumped this from a B to an A range workout, but just barely. In just a couple weeks' worth of time, I've already advanced to almost closing the Grand Master, a gripper I don't even work out with yet and good attempts on the #3. Left-handedly, I'm less ready for the Super Master than my right hand is for the Grand Master, so if next week is a 4/4, I'll waive my requirement that I had to jump to the #2 and Super Master, because I seem more than ready to use the Grand Master, so the left and right hands being reunited with using the same gripper (the Super Master) may only be a one week thing. But my left hand doesn't look anymore overwhelmed by the Super Master than it did the Master when I first moved up, and now it's having an easy time with that gripper. So the return to both hands using the same gripper and a simple format may only be for one week or two at the most given my progress on the Super Master. Two finger work was solid but not mind-blowing. Nice to see multiple reps on the #1 with the top fingers and a ring and pinky close of the #1. Also, it was nice to get the Advanced involved in a workout for once, even if merely briefly.

And so I did finally brought it back for the year, my oldest workout is still being done, and I guarantee that I will be doing a workout at home of this sort sometimes this year. As far as what the final exercise I'll be doing at home is, I'm thinking of settling on a set of barbell military presses, it won't be enough to prioritize work with that but it'll be enough to at least keep it respectable. And it won't be alternated, either. I'll do it either at home or the gym depending on which is more convenient, but I hope that eventually, I'll be doing it at home about half of the time, or maybe I will alternate it after all so I get some serious deadlift practice in. Once it's spring and I can do my rock workout again, I'll alternate the weeks, this one week, the rock workout the next week, on Monday or Tuesday like the bench press is Friday or Saturday.

Dumbbell Military Presses with 70 lbs and 65 lbs

1R. Did 8 reps with 70 lbs
1L. Did 8 reps with 65 lbs

2R. Did 8 reps with 70 lbs
2L. Did 8 reps with 65 lbs

3R. Did 8 reps with 70 lbs
3L. Did 8 reps with 65 lbs

Dumbbell Curls with 50 lbs

RH. 5 reps
LH. 5 reps

Deadlift Practice with 225 lbs: Held it for an 82 count

Grade: SILVER MEDAL

Post workout commentary: I am pleasantly shocked, after taking essentially two months off, I make progress here. Because of my overall consistency here, I was always confused back when I mostly did this why breaks from workouts caused problems for most. This one always survived the best, mostly due to the snowpiling I do. Hopefully doing this helps out my bench press workout that I'll be doing on Thursday or Friday. Also, it's amazing to report that next time I do this, I'll be doing it with 75 lbs and 70 lbs. Since I don't have a 70 at home, I'll just temporarily substitute the 75 for the left hand as well and adjust the grade accordingly (meaning that 5 reps on the 75 will be equal to 8 reps on the 70, leaving opportunity for bonus points). The leaner version of the home dumbbell workout compared to the 2001-2008 version helps it be a great way to use these exercises to build strength, but also to train them as assistance exercises yet in their own right as well. My goal is to eventually be able to go into that gym and lift a 100 lb dumbbell overhead once again, something I struggled with the last time I tried. However, I'm pleasantly shocked that I'm able to do this much already. If only I had a means to keep the bench press strong.

Overall this was a really good workout, not the phenomenal mindblower that last week's out of this world workout was, but this here was certainly a workout to be proud of. Last week's workout was just something else. Who'd have thought that I'd total over 100 reps with the Grand Elite with chest crushing? But still, although this week I showed that I am clearly ready for 42.5 lbs on the pinch block, it didn't look like I was almost ready to move up to 45 lbs like last week's. However, last week's might have just been so good that this week naturally pales in comparison to it. But when looking at the workouts, remember that last week's was an "A++++", while this one was "only" an "A+".

Lifted the 15 lb anvil three times each hand by the horn, did complete wrist work

Pinch Block loaded to 42.5 lbs

1R. Lifted and held for 13 seconds
1L. Lifted and held for 3 seconds

2R. Lifted and held for 25 seconds
2L. Lifted and held for 10 seconds

3R. Lifted and held for 16 seconds
3L. Lifted and held for 4 seconds

Chest Crushes with the Ironmind #4

1. 10 reps, 6 clicked
2. 14 reps, 8 clicked
3. 16 reps, 9 clicked

Wrist roller loaded to 50 lbs, did three sets with it

Grade: A+

Post workout commentary: You may be wondering why it's graded so high. Well, for starters, last week's workout was just out of this world, I still did good with the pinch block, it wasn't like I was averaging 8-10 seconds with the right hand and not even doing anything at all with the left, and this is 42.5 lbs, not 40. Big difference. Also this is my first time with the Ironmind #4 and I did exceptionally well for my first time using a first moved up to gripper. Although usually when I first move up to a gripper, I only do 5-8 reps per set and 1-3 clicked, it's worth mentioning that the #4 isn't all that far away from the Grand Elite, but it is a good bit tougher, so it will be awhile before I can work with the Pro in seriousness. Also the 50 lbs that I did on the wrist roller, although barely doing 3 sets with it, is a first for me. I didn't think I'd be using 50 lbs for 3 sets. In addition, I adjusted to two move ups with good time. And although this was just barely an A+, it's worth noting that it's still really good. As weeks go by, my standards will toughen, and a workout like this, which now is an A+, will soon drop down to a "C" quality or below, but for now, this greatly exceeds my expectations. I was actually unsure of if I'd have 3 good sets on the #4 for my chest crush. But I had 3 good sets on my chest crush, I did everything I'd needed on my pinch block, and a great wrist roller workout.

Thankfully, this workout was the complete opposite of last week's disaster of a workout. This week's workout, by contrast, was consistently good throughout, and my only struggles were to get the 12th rep on the 3rd set (did it) and the last few reps of my last two sets (did that as well). Also, this could go down as one of the best bench workouts I've done by virtue of the fact that I did so great on the pinch grip part and had some time bonus to add to it that I couldn't not give it as good of grade as I gave it today. I have never before gone from pathetic to fanstastic, so I wonder if moving up next week is really a wise choice. If not, it really won't hurt me to do so, worst thing that might happen is I might only do 45 or so out of 60 reps, but I'm expecting to do anywhere from 45-50 next week, with 47 reps being a C. Anything over 50 would be surprisingly good, and over 55 would be phenomenal. And if I do all 60, it will recreate what I did last Halloween.

Bench Press Workout with 150 lbs

1. 12 reps, all good
2. 12 reps, all good
3. 12 reps, all good
4. 12 reps, 11 good
5. 12 reps, 10 good

Pinch lifted two 25 lb plates smooth side out each hand

RH. 90 count
LH. 50 count

Pinch lifted two 35 lb plates with my right hand, 21 count

Pinch lifted two 45 lb plates with both hands, 52 count

Grade: A++

Post workout commentary: Much, much, much better than last week. I finished in 43 minutes, did fantastic with all of my sets (maybe could have done a 6th set if I wanted to), and set new personal records with the plate pinching. Is it any wonder that this year I had a high set of expectations for my bench pressing this year? It's just surprising that it took until March to my bench pressing to show some real signs of improvement. If I can stay injury free this year, I may be looking at eventually getting out of the "pocket change" series and using up to 200 lbs by year's end for my reps (although I guarantee it won't be five sets of 12, no, it'll be a lot more high volume, low rep stuff with five sets of 5-8 reps by then). I'm thinking of testing my maximum sometime this year, although I'll ideally wait until I'm no longer using weight that I'm doing 5x12 because all that'll do is make the 1RM seem tougher for me than it really is, because my muscles won't be designed for the kind of work that is required for a good 1RM, which is why you'll see someone who does five reps with 200 has almost as good of a 1RM as someone who usually does ten reps with 200, but I'll use this to ease into that kind of workout scenario. Also, with the plate pinching I do, I might be using five 10s pretty soon and then from there, moving up to two 35s, because five 10s is a lot tougher to pinch than two 25s, despite the weight being the same. Overall, today's workout is a sign that I actually am making progress in all areas and I hope I'll see more.

Just recently from Weightlifter's Warehouse, I bought a super tough gripper called the Universe, which has a spring that's literally a half inch thick and requires 1000 lbs to close. Such a gripper can't actually be closed by human hands as far as I'm concerned, but if someone closes it someday, it'll certainly be something worth filming and sending into someplace like the Gripboard or Ironmind or Weightlifter's Warehouse themselves or maybe to Warren Tetting, who'll then make an even tougher gripper. The Super Galaxy was the previous toughest gripper at 870 lbs and a .462 spring (it's now the Galaxy, the Universe is actually the old Grand Galaxy). The old Galaxy had a .375 spring and was rated at 595 lbs, probably the highest gripper that I think has even the remotest chance of being closed, being equal to Robert Baraban's old World's Toughest Gripper, which I believe is the toughest closeable gripper. But that Universe makes a good paperweight or conversation piece, if I show this to someone after saying I work out with grippers (they envision those cheap plastic things you get at K-Mart of course) and the reactions on people's faces when I show them one of the toughest grippers is always priceless. They're even stunned with the #4.

Compared to last week's workout this one is a real bummer, it wasn't awful per se, but with new expectations of being able to close the Super Master 3 out of 4 times, today's workout, which disqualified me for moving up to the Grand Master, unless my next two workouts are 100% closing rate, which pisses me off, because I thought my right hand was ready to move up to the Grand Master, and my left hand just very well may be closing the Super Master before my right closes the Grand Master. Because of that, I'm tempted to stop training my left hand altogether until I can get the right hand doing what it's supposed to be doing. Hopefully my 2/4 today was the fluke, not last week's 3/4. Next week will be one of those infamous "no set with the #1" workouts, so if I go 3/3 there and 4/4 the next week, that'll be enough.

Heavy Gripper Workout with the BeefBuilder Super Master

1R. Closed? and held for 5 seconds using a deep set
1L. Got it down to 3/4", using a deep set

2R. Closed? and held for 6 seconds using a deep set
2L. Got it down to 2/3", using a deep set

3R. Got it down to 1 mm, using a deep set
3L. Got it down to 1/2", using a deep set

4R. Got it down to 1 mm, using a deep set
4L. Got it down to 1", using a deep set

Light Gripper Workout with the BeefBuilder Master

1R. Did two reps with it using a table no set, then overcrushed it
1L. Closed and held for 12 seconds using an intermediate set, overcrush

2R. Did three reps with it using a table no set, then overcrushed it
2L. Closed and held for 9 seconds using an intermediate set, overcrush

3R. Did four reps with it using no set, then overcrushed it
3L. Closed and held for 8 seconds using an intermediate set, overcrush

Grade: C+

Post workout commentary: I'm sure when you see this you might be thinking "Woah! Only a C+?", but remember that I don't grade at all generously, and next week if I do this kind of workout, it may be as low as a D, I do not pad my workout grades with crap so my workout grade looks better than what I actually earned, as this workout will show, it's just that a lot of recent workouts had went so great that it seemed like I must have been padding my workout grade. I'm not sure that the recent trend towards progress will continue. It seems like what I once thought was a trend towards progress was a temporary burst of progress that may be about to come to an end soon, and if so, we could see a bunch of D's and F's like we did last winter and spring. Hopefully today was the fluke, and I start having good workouts again but it seems like I might be spending the rest of this year trying to get past the Super Master. However, if the next two weeks actually go great, as in phenomenally great, then I just may be using the Grand Master gripper before April comes after all. Otherwise I'm just wasting my time here. But then again, this workout itself could have been an off day and I might look back on this in a few months and thnk "WTF?".

By the way, probably on Sunday, I'm going to do a pretty extensive, maybe even you could call it exhaustive, Tuneup Tuesday focusing on the final closing part of my grip. Hopefully this will help me out with closing the Super Master on command 4 out of 4 times for the next two weeks. Sure, I can close it, but I want to do more than just close it, I want to be able to close it with authority, overcrush it, maybe even grind the handles together. Most of the work is going to focus on my right hand, because my left hand is doing fine as far as I'm concerned.

To be honest I wasn't even sure if I should work out tonight, I was feeling wishy-washy about the whole idea of even working out tonight because I wasn't as awake as I first thought I was, but then I realized that night workouts usually go better than most daytime workouts because of less distractions and interruptions, and that again held true for tonight. As a result, I made progress in a lot of key areas overall.

Lifted the 15 lb anvil three times each hand by the horn, did complete wrist work

Pinch Block loaded to 42.5 lbs

1R. Lifted and held for 35 seconds
1L. Lifted and held for 15 seconds

2R. Lifted and held for 43 seconds
2L. Lifted and held for 23 seconds

3R. Lifted and held for 50 seconds
3L. Lifted and held for 32 seconds

Chest Crushes with the Ironmind #4

1. 16 reps, 9 clicked
2. 20 reps, 12 clicked
3. 25 reps, 15 clicked

Wrist roller loaded to 50 lbs, did three sets with it

Grade: A++

Post workout commentary: The pinch block certainly looked better than last week. Also, I was surprised just how many reps I cranked out on the Ironmind #4 with chest crushing, technically this easily meets the "50 reps, 30 clicked" total criteria, but I tried the BeefBuilder Pro, and I'm not quite ready to actually use the thing, getting it almost closed on a test demontration, but not really clicking it. This means that in a couple weeks I'll be ready for the BB Pro, but from there, the mountain grows even steeper. I could see myself using the BB Pro for months or even years before moving up to the BB World Class, and from there, it's even more of a gap to the massive BB Galaxy gripper, which as I see it, is the last of the remotely normal grippers. Also, with the pinch block, it's impressive to note that after a year and a half stuck with 40 lbs, I'm now using 42.5 lbs and almost ready to be using 45 lbs. It's almost becoming "another week, another great workout" I just hope that my Sunday workout and bench press workout are as good as this one was. But still, this workout was certainly a great one.

What a difference a week can make. I went from a blah workout last week to a superb stellar one this week. This workout is an example of why I like to work out with these grippers, hoping to eventually move up to where I can close the #3, and then the #4. I seem like I may be using the #3 well before year's end, and the #4 in a couple years. Let's put it this way, after today's workout for fun I attempted the Grand Master and got it down to 1/16", think about it, I nearly closed the Grand Master, a gripper I am certainly thinking about moving up to soon.

No Set Closes of the Ironmind #1

1R. Six reps, all clicked
1L. Five reps, all clicked

2R. Seven reps, all clicked
2L. Five reps, all clicked

Heavy Gripper Workout with the BeefBuilder Super Master

1R. Closed and held for 6 seconds using a deep set
1L. Got it down to 2/3", using a deep set

2R. Closed and held for 9 seconds using a deep set, overcrush
2L. Got it down to 1/2", using a deep set

3R. Closed? and held for 7 seconds using a deep set
3L. Got it down to 2/3", using a deep set

Light Gripper Workout with the BeefBuilder Master

1R. Did six reps with it using a table no set, then overcrushed it
1L. Closed and held for 10 seconds using a shallow set, overcrush

2R. Did five reps with it using a table no set, then overcrushed it
2L. Closed and held for 13 seconds using a shallow set, big overcrush

Grade: A+++

Post workout commentary: Why such a high grade? Here's why. I used the Ironmind #1 as but a mere warm-up gripper, rendering the entire workout easier than normal. Not only that but I did the two IM#1 sets a mere two minutes apart and I finished a 55-75 minute workout in 43 minutes. Again, I finished this workout in 43 minutes. Also, I closed the Super Master all three times, and I'm making some serious inroads towards closing it with my left hand, although I think at this rate, I may be working on the Elite with my right hand before I show complete mastery of the Super Master with my left, but even if not, I do know that I'll be closing the Elite with my right a good while before I'll be closing the #3 with my left. I can't wait until I'm ready to move up to the #3 and start using it and then closing it. Also, I'm very close to closing the BeefBuilder Grand Master gripper. Not only am I close to closing it, but that gripper is the gateway to the #3, once I can close the Ironmind #3, I'll have met a huge gripper benchmark that not many people get to meet. That's why the high grade tonight, that's why.

I know this workout being here must be a surprise to any of you who read my blog on a regular basis, but I did this on a whim because I was feeling fairly good and just wanted to get this out of the way so I can take an honest stab at the Sunday one sooner than othewise, in this case, I'd like it to be on Friday, and then I'll give myself a well-deserved week off. Not a "week off" that only lasts a few days, but from this Saturday through the next Saturday, because I've been working so hard that I feel like I need some time off, plus, I feel like if I don't, I'll become obsessed and overtrain. Maybe a week off will actually tone down the crazy hunger a bit. Or increase it, I don't know, but I need it.

Lifted the 15 lb anvil three times each hand by the horn, did complete wrist work

Pinch Block loaded to 42.5 lbs

1R. Lifted and held for 21 seconds
1L. Lifted and held for 4 seconds

2R. Lifted and held for 31 seconds
2L. Lifted and held for 12 seconds

3R. Lifted and held for 23 seconds
3L. Lifted and held for 6 seconds

Chest Crushes with the Ironmind #4

1. 17 reps, 10 clicked
2. 22 reps, 14 clicked
3. 26 reps, 16 clicked

Wrist roller loaded to 50 lbs, did three sets with it

Grade: B

Post workout commentary: You may be reading that and wondering why I gave myself "only" a B. Well, first off, a B is nothing to be at all ashamed of, it's still a pretty good grade even if it's not the top of the line grade that you can get. Also, the pinch block seems one step ahead, one step back, letting me know that although I'm not quite ready for 45 lbs, it was no mistake to be using 42.5 lbs. Also, I went over the time limit. Although, it's apparent that my Thursday Grip Workouts are by far the longest workouts I do on average except for the Grand Finale Workouts with my Thursday workouts averaging around 70 minutes usually with my Grand Finale Workouts averaging over 90 minutes, sometimes over 100, but still it's amazing how much goes into these workouts. The Sunday workouts typically would average over last year around 65 minutes, but lately it's been closer to 50 minutes. Today's workout was 90 minutes, going over the limit just enough to knock the grade down from a B+ to a B. But, I have to admit that I rushed today's workout in so that I can hurry up and get overwith my confirmation workout that I'm pretty sure will advance me to the BeefBuilder Grand Master for the Sunday workouts because I know where I stand with this workout right now and that the BeefBuilder Pro is a good ways off as far as working out with it goes. But I feel good about my progress.

I DID IT! Yep, I'm ready to move up to the Grand Master, shutting the Super Master a perfect 4 out of 4 times, meaning that I have shut it 7 out of the last 7 times I tried it, and after the workout, feeling especially good, I took a stab at the Grand Master and SHUT it, but just barely, at least I'm pretty sure I did for about 3 or 4 seconds, and then made an attempt at the #3, setting a new PR getting it down to 3/16" (the point where one can legitimately say that they are close to closing a gripper), and the Elite down to 1" which also is a new PR.

Heavy Gripper Workout with the BeefBuilder Super Master

1R. Closed and held for 15 seconds using a deep set, overcrush
1L. Got it down to 2/3", using a deep set

2R. Closed and held for 18 seconds using an intermediate set, overcrush
2L. Got it down to 1/3", using a deep set

3R. Closed and held for 12 seconds using a deep set
3L. Got it down to 1/2", using a deep set

4R. Closed? and held for 8 seconds using a deep set
4L. Got it down to 2/3", using a deep set

Light Gripper Workout with the BeefBuilder Master

1R. Did seven reps with it using a table no set, then overcrushed it
1L. Closed and held for 12 seconds using no set, big overcrush

2R. Did six reps with it using a table no set, then overcrushed it
2L. Closed and held for 13 seconds using no set, huge overcrush

3R. Did six reps with it using a table no set, then overcrushed it
3L. Closed and held for 20 seconds using a shallow set, huge overcrush

Grade: GOLD MEDAL

Post workout commentary: This workout shall henceforth be known as the workout that was so good that I added a cap to my workout grades. Who would have thought that last year, with the D's and F's that I was giving myself left and right, that I'd be giving myself grades so good that I had to put a cap on it before it got so crazy that we had a situation like we did with my old grading system and its resultant inflation? No, I didn't think it would happen, either. As a result, after my week off, I greatly have to up my standards, but just watch, I'll be exceeding my new standards just like I keep doing everytime I up my standards, but I'm telling you now, we're not gonna be seeing a motherlode of gold medal workouts, no, the new medal workouts are going to be something special. Something even more rare than the extra credit series above A+. These are worth way more than just extra credit, these are workout representations of the progress that I make on a regular basis nowadays. At this rate, I'll be closing the #3 before my 25th birthday. If that happens, that certainly will be a momentous occasion that I'll treasure forever. I'm not too far from it, though. I'm actually what you may call very close to closing the #3.

Wow, seven workouts in one page, that's unusual. Usually I'm getting so many comments that that just doesn't happen *hint hint*. But anyways, I'm going to be taking a week off from working out, so the only workout entry you'll see this coming week is for St. Patrick's Day, and you know what that'll be if you remember from last year, if not, then prepare for a fun and weird surprise. It'll be funny and fun to read.