"Get a Grip" With Joe Kinney - Grip Strength DVD

As you may or may not know, Joe Kinney was the man who first closed the Ironmind #4 gripper... and he did so as if it were no more than a Trainer. At the time (back in 1998 or so) he also put together a great training video outlining some of the unusual methods which he used to be able to mash the #4.

It showed things like Joe crushing the #4 and grinding the handles, the unusual way he uses the wrist roller to build wrist strength and his own creation "The Secret Weapon" - among other things.

It was not a Hollywood production by any means, but it did get Joe's point across very well, and in my opinion it is one of the best pure "training" videos ever made. I was lucky enough to get a copy of it way back when and have run it ragged from how many times I have watched it.

GET A GRIP! With Joe Kinney - NOW AVAILABLE- Get a Grip! With Joe Kinney DVD $39.99 + $7 Shipping Order by Phone: 1-800-978-0206

Anyhow, fast forward over a decade and you'll find me trying to get in touch with Joe Kinney because I had some questions for him and I was curious to see what he has been up to. It took a while, but I eventually did connect with the man and found that we saw eye to eye on a lot of different training topics.

-- If you have been reading my emails for the past year, I'm sure that you remember my having mentioning this several times.

What you don't know, however, is that I also asked Joe if we could transfer his old grip video onto DVD and start featuring it on the site.

He agreed - but not only that, he suggested that we may want to add some new footage to help illustrate some of the techniques and tactics on the video that may not have been as clear as he wanted back then.

Needless to say I was delighted, and so a few weeks back me and our video production crew trekked down to Bean Station, Tennessee to sit down and talk training with the man himself... Well you know how it is when two folks start talking about training... about two and a half hours later the batteries ran out in the cameras but not before we had covered just about every detail I could think of about his training.

Things like his exact set and rep scheme and technique for the secret weapon... how often he trained... what his workouts looked like... if he did any other type of training along with his grip work etc etc etc. There was a lot more too it than that but you should get the idea there.

Anyhow, here's the important thing you should know:

About a month from now we are going to make Joe Kinney's grip video available once again. We'll have the "original" as it looked when it was originally released, and on top of that two ADDITIONAL hours of Joe Kinney footage on grip training techniques and such.

We are still doing a bit of editing, putting on credits and titles etc etc, then there's however long it is going to be at the replicators, which shouldn't take too long at all. Bottom line, if you want to train for super human grip strength, then you simply must get this dvd.

I cant hardly believe it myself, and I was there the whole time.

Now, as I mentioned, this project is still in production and when it is ready, you can bet that I am going to let everyone in the world know so they (and you) can grab a copy.

At the moment, I need you to make sure to keep an eye on your in-box for updates and a specific release date, which we should have shortly. For our sanity, please do not call or email and ask when it will be ready, I will make sure that everyone is made aware when I have a definite date.

Right now I can say as a ball park, mid to late October.

We are also looking to create a short trailer so you can see what it is all about beforehand in case you're curious. Also, I need you to spread the word about this to anyone you think may be interested.

Everybody needs stronger hands but "Joe Kinney Strong" is a whole new ball game.

More updates soon...

Train hard,
John Wood

Are You Up To The New Challenge?

Iron Mind Hand Grippers

I just got word of some exciting news from the folks over at Iron Mind -- you know about their certification for closing their #3 and #4 grippers right?

Well they just announced that they are going to open up a new list for their 3.5 level gripper which I think is a great idea.

I've closed it in the past, but not consistently, so now that's going to be my prioroty this summer -- Ill let you in on a few techniques that Ill be using at a later date. And you know when I do it, it will be done in a way where theres no
question at all as to who is the big dog...

For now though, the race is one to see whos going to have the "right stuff" to get the list. If you havent already done so, here's where to get your own 3.5 and any of the other IM tweener grippers youll need: Iron Mind "Tweener" Hand Gripppers

Train hard,
John Wood

P.S. "It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who recognizes the challenge and does something about it." ~ Vince Lombardi

My New Dumbbell

My New Dumbbell
I mentioned last week that I was heading down to Toledo to pick up a custom dumbbell... Here it is: a plate-loaded Inch Dumbbell Trainer.

I've always enjoyed lifting thick-handled dumbbells.

Let me tell you about this one" you see, some folks has tried to make thick-handled dumbbells in the past and use a technique called "sleeving" where gradually larger pieces of pipe are welded over top of each other.

In most cases, that works just fine, but the issue with the Inch Dumbbell is that that the "real" Inch Dumbbell has a handle 2-3/8 inches in diameter while pipe only comes in 2 inches or 2-1/2 inches diameter. They also tend to make the handle area too narrow which ends up banging against the wrist, which isn't a good feeling at all.

In any case, this dumbbell is made of one solid piece of stainless steel. We took a 2-1/2 inch diameter length and lathed the handle down to the required 2-3/8 inches exactly. The plate-loading area was further lathed down to 1.95 inches to all plates will fit, and each section is 8" long, leaving plenty of room for my hand, as well as the plates.

Needless to say, this one's a work of art.

I don't plan on making these available as an ongoing product but if the demand is great enough, we will just have to see. I sense a lot of good workouts with this one...

The Benefits of Climbing Rope

I was always interested in climbing ropes and thought they would make an interesting addition to our product line - the grip strength benefits should be obvious - Well in just two and a half short years we are now the top online climbing rope dealer in the world - thats right, we sell more climbing rope than anyone, and consequently, know more about climbing rope training than anyone else.

We are "THE" place for climbing rope info, if you are interested in rope climbing, you came to the right place.

Now, a few of the important things to keep in mind for training with climbing ropes are:

1) To make sure you have the correct rope for your training
2) To make sure your rope is attached safely and securely

There are several different options as far as ropes go but today I am only going to cover one -- but one of the most important: the diameter of your climbing rope.

We currently feature two different diameters for our climbing ropes: 1-1/2 inch and 2 inch.

Now, a lot of people call us up telling us that they are "real strong" and want to start climbing ropes. They want to start at the very top because they are "so damn strong" so they want to go with the 2 inch diameter right away, even if they have no previous climbing rope experience.

Heres the thing: 1-1/2 inch climbing ropes are more than enough of a challenge for even for the toughest of elite athletes.

Above all else, we want to have a rope you can actually climb.

Once you master that climb you can progress by climbing without your feet,holding your legs straight, two ropes, wearing a weighted vest, upside down etc.

And, of course, you can climb as many times as you need to in order to get a great workout (it wont take much.)

All in all, the 1-1/2 inch climbing ropes are going to be the perfect choice for just about every athlete and training program, especially if you are dealing with high school athletes which is often the case with these climbing ropes.

Now, I wont beat around the bush - climbing a two inch rope is quite a feat.

If you think you are up to the challenge we can certainly oblige and help you out with the finest 2 inch diameter climbing ropes in the business.

Keep in mind that we are getting close to the tipping point for our
climbing ropes this Holiday season. These ropes are manufactured by hand and do take time to put together.

We still have time, but if you want to build "crazy monkey climbing Strength" we will need to place the order with our manufacturer asap.

Heres a link to our climbing rope page: Manila Climbing Ropes

Captains of Crush Hand Grippers:

The Captains of Crush Hand Grippers
Here at Functional Hand Strength, we want to offer our customers the very best in grip strength training equipment which is why we feature the Captains of Crush hand grippers by Ironmind.

These are the best grippers on the market and we are very proud to make them available to you.

Today, we want to let you know about the variety of resistances available in these grippers.

We offer ten different levels of resistance:

Starting with our Guide gripper, which gives you 60 lbs. of resistance. Keep in mind that your average, run-of the mill, sporting goods store hand gripper is going to give you only about 25-35 lbs of resistance. Plus, they are usually built with cheap plastic and will surely breakdown over only a short time.

So the Guide will give you a good workout right off the bat.

Combine the Guide with our Sport (rated at 80 lbs.) and the Trainer (rated at 100 lbs.) and you have a good starting point to work with. If you're a beginner to grip training, we highly recommend going with this set of three grippers.

These three hand gripper provide an excellent progression for those just starting out.

From there, our grippers are numbered from the #1 gripper and up to the #4 gripper in increments that will help you progress. The #1 gripper is rated at 140 lbs; the #1.5 is rated at 167.5 lbs. and so on all the way to the #4 gripper, rated at a whopping 365 lbs. of resistance.

Not many venture into the higher echelons of the Captains of Crush grippers, but if you have closed the beginner grippers, you should move on to our intermediate combo pack.

This includes our #1, #1.5 and #2 grippers. On top of that, we also have an advanced combo pack, which included the #2.5, #3, and the #3.5. Past that is a place only a handful of people in the world have reached: the #4 gripper.

This is the ultimate grip strength achievement.

So whether you are just starting out, or have been training for years, you will find the right resistances with our Captains of Crush line of hand grippers.

Want to learn more? Click here to read our Captains of Crush Buyers Guide.

Hand Grippers: Getting Started

Think of a solid dumbbell which is too heavy to lift – how would you train with it? There are a few ways... but...

You can make it a whole lot easier when you can lift it at least once. You begin with singles... then, as you grow stronger, you can progress to doubles etc etc until you master that weight...

So when someone asks: "Which Gripper should I start with?" (which is one of the most popular questions we receive) my answer is, at its most basic level, is "one you can close."

Think about it – theres no sense in trying to get started at a level far above what you are currently able to do .

And it doesnt matter whether you can close your gripper once, ten times, even fifty times it is the constant graduated improvement over time that will make you stronger, regardless of where you begin.

Think about what training "is" ... what it means... The main idea here is improvement... but you can only improve if you can first establish where you are... and then you can build from there.

This most often means somewhere in the Sport, Trainer, #1 range on the Captains of Crush scale.

Improvement, in the form of strength gains, will come from a balanced, systematic, workout scheme which incorporates the proper recovery.

It really couldnt be any simpler than that...

Train hard,
John Wood

P.S. We've got several hundred of each hand gripper strength in stock at all times and we ship 'em out quicker than anyone else. Here's where to get started: Captains of Crush Hand Grippers

For Navy SEALs Only

We have been getting a lot more recent interest about our manila climbing ropes from various branches of the armed forces. (Did you know our manila ropes are currently being used by our troops in Fort Falluja over in Iraq? - pretty cool if you ask me.)

Rope climbing has always been part of the "curriculum" for military training going all the way back and it is with very good reason, rope climbing is a simple and very effective method for developing strength and endurance throughout the entire body and builds the kind of strength that comes in handy for a variety of military maneuvers.

While normal 1.5 inch manila climbing rope is more that enough of a challenge for most people, but something we have found interesting thing is that all the Naval bases have ordered the same thing from us: 2" climbing rope.

Only 2" diameter and nothing but 2" diameter...

I know where they are coming from, if you can climb a 2" rope without using your legs you will be strong enough to handle pretty much anything.

Heres a look at why:

Navy SEALs and Grip Strength

Train hard,
John Wood

About Ironmind Captains of Crush Hand Grippers

Ironmind Hand Grippers

We have had some requests for some more info on the Ironmind Captains of Crush Hand Grippers so that's what will be covered here.

Levels:

The Guide - 60 lbs. - Roughly twice as hard as the average sporting goods store gripper

The Sport - 80 lbs. - The perfect introduction to heavy duty hand gripper training

The Trainer - 100 lbs. - Our most popular gripper

#1 - 140 lbs. - Most Strongmen still have trouble with this one

#1.5 - 167.5 lbs. - A midpoint between levels

#2 - 195 lbs. - Close a #2 and you have a grip to be proud of

#2.5 - 237.5 lbs. - Now you're knocking on the door of world class

#3 - 280 lbs. - The Benchmark feat - time to get your name on the list

#3.5 - 322.5 lbs. - A level where few can tread

#4 - 365 lbs. - No man's land, only room for a couple at the top of this mountain

Training:
Ideally you should have a complete set of hand grippers becasue it makes progression that much easier. However, for the most effective training, you will need at least three of them and here's why:

A Gripper that you can close for a number of reps - For high-rep endurance work, hand toughening and "warm-ups"

A Gripper that you can close for a moderate number of reps (8-10) - The gripper you will be doing your "Working" sets with

A Gripper that you can just barely close or can't quite close yet - Your "Goal" gripper

For more information and gripper recommendations, please see our Hand Gripper Buying Guide

Where to Begin:

We generally recommend starting with the Trainer or Sport grippers. The reason is that these levels will allow you to gauge your strength most effectively as well as use for actual "training" grippers becasue you will be able to close them. As a rule of thumb is is better to start out at a level "too easy" rather than a level too hard.