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Other/Mixed Which COC Gripper for GTG?

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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Kettlebelephant

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Hey guys!

I need some help to choose the right gripper. I'm in my second week of a 12 week internship, working a desk job 8h per day and thought about doing some GTG gripper work while I'm doing my work.
The problem is I have absolutely no clue what gripper I should buy.
Right now I've got only enough spare money for a single gripper, so no sets for me.
For your information I recently reached the Simple goal, swinging the 32 and the 4o right now (although my grip strength is barely enough for the 40).
Thought about "No 1", but as I said I've no idea whether it's too hard or too easy.

Thanks in advance,
K-phant
 
I'd guess you'd want the 1 for regular grip workouts, where you got up to a few sets of 5 or something like that 2-3 times a week. If you really want to do GTG several times a day at submaximal tension, you might want to think about the Trainer, though. If you haven't done grippers before, there's a little adaptation, but you should get through it quickly if you're swinging heavier bells. They're fun toys!
 
There are guys who can close the #3 who still use a Trainer. I'd get a Trainer and a #1. Skip coffee or a meal for a few days if you need to save up the extra cash, get them both. Start with the Trainer, and watch out for overtraining, which is very, very easy to do with grippers. If you're only getting one, I'd get the Trainer.

-S-
 
I agree they're harder than you'd think. If you've never done gripper work before I doubt you can do 10-15 reps with a #1.

So, the trainer would be a good start (and your post above just popped up while I was typing this :) ).

Jason
 
Thanks guys. I want one that I can close for 10-15 reps, so I can GTG sets of 5-8.

You will be very surprised how hard the #1 is... I have the trainer,1,1.5, and 2... I can close the trainer 10-15 times... for warm up. I can probably only close the (#1) 8 times.... I can close the 1.5 a few times and on a good day maybe the #2 once.

I can swing a 32k fine and multiple sets(not quite 10 yet) with the 40k.
 
Thanks guys. I want one that I can close for 10-15 reps, so I can GTG sets of 5-8.
I recommend you get the Sport from IronMind. Which is the gripper right under (easier) the Trainer. The reason is if you want to be able to immediately do 10-15 reps with it, you'll be more likely to be able to get that many reps with the Sport. If it turns out that it's too easy, you can just choke up (your hand higher on the handle closer to the spring) on the handles to make it however hard you want it to be. You can make a Sport as hard as an IronMind .5 gripper by moving your hand up the handles toward the spring. I would rather have a gripper that's slightly too easy for my beginning goals than slightly too hard. If I had to pick just one.
 
I got a COC gripper for GTG during sitting and down time. I am new to grip training so I bought the trainer to be safe. I am glad I did. I was surprised, it is a challenge. I can see it being used for years. For me it is both a goal and a trainer. Right now my goal is to be able to do it easily. When I can use it easily, it will still be used for GTG in preparation for heavier work.

I'll second the overtraining advice. Gripwork seems to be very neurological and drains me very easily if I overdo it. I've read on grip strength tests being used to determine how fresh you are and how heavy you should go for your strength work. For myself the reverse is also true. Taxing myself with grip negatively effects my energy in other endeavors. I am going to be building up slowly.
 
I do the bulk of my gripper work with ones I can no set, and inverted close 1-3 times. Then braced, and choked closes, and forced negatives all with the goal gripper.

Repping out endlessly with an easy for you gripper has little value in my opinion. I do like to finish with drop sets though.
 
FYI I can close the Trainer 3-4 times.
There's a huge difference for me in actually closing it (as in really making the ends touch each other) and having just a few Millimeters of space between them.
Also I can manage 1 more rep with my left even though I'm right dominant...
 
FYI I can close the Trainer 3-4 times.
There's a huge difference for me in actually closing it (as in really making the ends touch each other) and having just a few Millimeters of space between them.
Also I can manage 1 more rep with my left even though I'm right dominant...
I always try and get the ends to "click" when I close them... the trainer is no joke compared to the no-name sports store grippers.... imagine being able to close a #4?
 
I always try and get the ends to "click" when I close them... the trainer is no joke compared to the no-name sports store grippers.... imagine being able to close a #4?
It definitely is! My co-workers couldn't close it once. Not a single one of them :D I can't imagine closing the #4...365lbs resistance...that means I would need to grab a friend, take him onto my shoulders and then step on that thing to close it. How do you manage to do that with only your hand o_O
 
Fantastic tip. I have been trying this my my trainer, and it is great. Thanks Ben.
@JonS Glad it helped you! It's not always necessary to buy a harder gripper. It's not a bad idea to buy a harder gripper either, but it can be delayed. There are other ways of making grippers harder without altering them permanently.

Here is another way to make a gripper harder that has been around for a while.
Peacock Grippers

The method I put on my blog used zip ties instead of a hose clamp. The hose clamp is the more "efficient" method. But it is not as adjustable (in little increments of tension) as the zip ties are.
 
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