Hand size in grip - is it such an issue?

Every so often on grip forums the issue of hand size comes up. Now one way round it, suggested by IFBB and Iron Game Historian Joe Roark (a fan of hand strength and its history) was his 'fair bar' idea. He suggested that, if only for a few events, we have the option of differing size bars and handles which would suit the broad spectrum of hand sizes.

So not so different from arguments on pretty much every sporting forum and discussion that's ever taken place. From expensive football boots and running shoes to the weight and material make up of a baseball bat fans of the sport in question have and always will debate such things. 

But... in the case of hand size you're not able to trade up or down. You are, as the saying goes, dealing with the hand god gave you. 

From the hand length chart I'm using here (for a PC mouse size company - yes it exists) I fall into the the top end of the large scale, which I knew. Here's the thing - I just get on with it.

Genetics, oft discussed on bodybuilding sites, are what they are. The last time I was ripped was probably when I was 18. Yet I trained as a bodybuilder, at least in my mind, from age 15 through to what... 25... maybe 30. It's only in the last 10+ years that I've focused on strength and specifically hand strength.

A balanced argument for the hand size debate suggests, as I have, that having a big hand is, for sure, great for some lifts. I am best suited for thick bar events because of my hand length and also it's width. Throw in my decently long and broad looking thumb and it'll be all 'well no wonder Mobster can pull X, Y and Z'. I'd argue I am as limited by my comparatively weak lower back (compared to my hand strength). I could, as others have, also argue that not every grip event (esp those in a properly and fairly set up competition) suits a big hand. 

In other words deal with what god gave you and just work your hardest. Make the most of what you have and save the energy put into bemoaning your lot in life by making 'haters' eat their words. 

Pros don't train differently from you

There's an idea, possibly given by pro body-builder DVD's and the like, that top level athletes train differently from the average Joe. On occasion I've even seen it suggested that they are privy to secrets - drugs, training and the like - that others do not have.

It's a crock. While it's true that some pros get help from what we now call 'gurus's on training, nutrition and so on on (which shows they do not know everything) nothing they are shown or taught is a secret. 99.9% of what they are shown is known. Very little is new. I have in my ever growing collection of physical culture books (100+) and magazines (4500 and growing) some which go back to the 1930's. 

Even before such methods were named lifters used supersets, giant sets and the like. The idea of high levels of protein is as old as Roman Gladiators and the first Olympic athletes.

If you look carefully at a top level athlete working out you'll see that they try to get as much as they can from an exercise. Combined with their genetics they have an ability to squeeze something dry. Small, small twists such as contracting a muscle at the hardest point, holding a dumbbell thus and being obsessively, even to the point of stupidity, to work, work and work some more. They are anal about meals, will have an afternoon nap if it helps and can be very selfish in their aims.

One suggestion I've offered before is to see if you are doing everything you could have done to succeed. Did you give everything, did you neck all your shakes, did you take some time to chill out and recover??

In your next session I want you to go all out - to the point where you get a thumbs up from the local 'face' (assuming it's not you ha ha).

Sunday 13th May workout

Saturday
Volume work with HG300 followed by Argos catalogue tearing practise and finished with nail bending

Sunday
early for me @ Beefs Gym
Leg press
f/plate x 20 reps, 120-kilos x 20 reps, 240-kilos x 20 reps, 360-kilos x 20 reps, 500-kilos x 10 reps

Leg ext
35-kilos x 15 reps, 80-kilos x 15 reps, 120-kilos / stack 2 x 11 reps

s/s

Leg Curls
35-kilos x 12 reps, 50-kilos x 12 reps, 75-kilos x 9 reps

R/W/Curl
7.5-kilos x 12 reps, 12.5-kilos x 10 reps, 20-kilos x L9/R10 d/s 10-kilos x 10 reps @

Wednesday 9th May 2012 workout

Wednesday
Seated Press in Jones
bar x 8 reps, 50-kilos x 8 reps, 65-kilos x 8 reps, 90-kilos x 2 x 4 hard reps (s)

s/s

Alt standing dumbbell curl
10-kilos @ x 8 reps, 20-kilois @ x 8 reps, 25-kilos @ x 6 reps d/s 15-kilos @ x 8 reps

1 Arm TPD reverse grip
20-kilos x 8 reps, 35-kilos x 8 reps, 55-kilos x 6 reps d/s 30-kilos x 15 reps then over grip x 8 reps

Dumbbell holds with fat gripz
47.5-kilos x 3 x 25 seconds

Protein scandal doc is meant to be getting edited down. Instead it's 4500+ words and 11 pages long!

Monday 7th May 2012 workout

Monday

Umming and ahhing all the way down the hill to the gym - legs or Deadlift. This may have been aided by enjoying a pint or two with David yesterday during Rochester's Sweeps Festival (pics on facebook)
 

Leg Press

f/p x 20+ reps, 120-kilos x 20 reps, 240-kilos x 20 reps, 360-kilos x 20 reps, 500-kilos x 8 reps

Leg Ext

35-kilos x 15 reps, 80-kilos x 15 reps, stack x 2 x 10 reps
 

Leg Curl

35-kilos x 12 reps, 50-kilos x 12 reps, 75-kilos x 8 reps

F/W/Curls

17.5-kilos x 8 reps, 30-kilos x 8 reps, 40-kilos x 8 reps d/s 25-kilos x 8 reps @ 

Added some free range egg whites to my protein drink today. We'll see how I get on. 

Wednesday 2nd May 2012 workout = freebie :)

Need to chat less and crack on more. So close to being late for an appointment today. In the meantime... I've a free t-shirt from this site coming (thanks!!): http://www.1repmax.com/wsm-atlas.aspx

Wednesday
NB: talk to Nigel less, train more ha ha

Iso Seated Press
arm, x 12 reps, 16.25-kilos a side x 8 reps, 32.5-kilkos a side x 8 reps, 55-kilos a side x 5+ 1 almost there rep, d/s 30-kilos a side x 8 reps
 
s/s

Hammer DB Curls
10-kilos x 8 reps @, 20-kilos x 8 reps @, 30-kilos x 8 reps @, 40-kilos x 6 loose reps d/s 22.5-kilos x 8 reps. See pump :)

s/s

TPD
30-kilos x 8 reps, 50-kilos x 8 reps, 80-kilos x 6 reps (couldn't get the sleeves on - too pumped) - switched to double ratio pulley set up and did 105-kilos x 10 and 8 reps.
 
DB Holds for time
47.5kg @ x 3 x 20 seconds approx

Monday 30th April workout + job interview

Sunday
Enjoyed a nice walk out Chatham and back with a few beers and lunch in between with my brother David, Back to Chatham again today (Mon) for a job interview and again Wednesday... I should move there ha ha. Did ok at the interview. I made sure to mention the upcoming work and move to Wales and, from the interviewers reply, I (and may still be) was good to go. Not bad for my first interview since 2005.

Monday
Leg Press
to 500kg x 12 reps

Leg ext
to stack x 15 r/p reps

s/s

Leg Curls
to 70kg x 12 r/p reps

R/W/Curls
to 20kg x 8 and then 5 reps @ + 5kg x 12 reps d/s

Friday

I went to Scott Horton's Hercules Gym today (here's a pic of me and Scott goofing on Facebook.... I'm on the left ha ha). Man I am a knob - I need to stop reading a paper and stepping, as I did, trains without looking. Then making a meal of back peddling and finally taking the correct turn in Colchester... I was close to an hour later than the time I could have been there by - d'uh!! All my own fault.

Oh and Scott and I can TALK!!!! He started in the game about 2 years before me so we know loads of the same people and spent a good hour before I did any lifting putting the world to rights over a couple of coffees. I was made VERY welcome. So baring in mind I was an hour late and we talked for an hour...

NB: I could use chalk!! Come to papa - I've been getting withdrawal symptoms at Beefs.

CG Bench Press
bar x 8 reps, 60-kilos x 8 reps, 80-kilos x 8 reps, 107.5-kilos x 4 rep d/s 60-kilos x 12 reps

Low Row
worked in with a gym member. 1/2 stack x 8 reps, 3/4 stack x 8 reps, stack x 8 reps.

DO TB (Axle) DL
Joy!! An actual hollow thick bar + chalk = me happy. I'm assuming bar is 15kg as it was hollow but full length.
bar x 8 reps, +40-kilos (55) x 8 reps, +80-kilos (95) x 1 rep, +120-kilos (135) x 1 rep, +150-kilos (165-kilos) x 1 rep, +170-kilos (185) x 3 R/P reps (about 20 seconds between each one). Each rep made me a tad dizzy but happy. Not been this heavy for a while and using an actual bar and chalk.
 
RT
Even though I'd done a session earlier this week (Mon) chalk use being allowed I wanted to see what I could do so... air under 130-kilo loaded r/h 2x

VG
Now completely showing off and in spite of the thick bar and RT worked to 6/7 a side r/h

Talked more after and left with a 'Gunslinga' Vest that you'll see me in very soon. Great time

Monday 23rd April workout

Monday

Leg Press

to 500kg x 11 reps
 

Leg Ext

to stack x 14 d/d reps

s/s
 

Leg Curls

to 70kg x 11 d/d reps

RT work

B/H: 60-kilos x 8 reps @, 80-kilos x 3 reps @, 100-kilos x 1 rep @. My lower back was stiff and I spent time loosening it between sets.

L/H: 115-kilos x F then 3 x 1 rep. 117.5-kilos x 1 and then 4 reps.

R/H: 117.5-kilos x 3 x 1 reps, 123.75-kilos x 1 then 2+2 (RP style). 

As before my mind was in Bodypower mode but by golly it took some getting there. ALL of the warm up sets, esp left handed, were hard work. But I got a sort of second wind once in BP mode for the heavy ones. 

Motivation - thy name is Kyle Maynard

I posted a pic on facebook the other day - one someone else had put up and I liked it so I shared it. Here it is:

Now I have absolutely no idea who this guy is, why he's missing limbs (he may have been a nutter, done drugs, been attacked, be a war hero, whatever) and to be honest it doesn't matter. It might add a little weight to anything we feel but truthfully it's often what we bring to the table, our personal sentiments, that add weight and depth to our emotional response.

Now for me and I hope more than a few of you it's a powerful image which evokes a 'can do' attitude. It's fairly obvious that the guy is limited in what he can do in the gym. even with artificial limbs there wont be a lot of leg work, or curls and the like. Yet there he is, on a bench, flying or benching (not sure which)with a half decent weight.

Now think about what excuses most people bring to the fore when you ask them why they can't do something. For us, with this blogs focus and our share passion for the gym, it's blatantly going to be why they can't get to the gym. I'll add he's not on his f'kin mobile phone, eye-balling babes or wearing the latest designer label but only cos I hate that shit ha ha (+ it's real hard for obvious reasons d'uh). 

But most of all it's a can do attitude. With or without help he's got onto the bench. With either adapted equipment or, more likely, ankle straps. He got slated something chronic for daring to think he could take part in an MMA match. His name is Kyle Maynard. I'd LOVE him as a training partner.