COC Grip & Holding Strength Correlation

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Ok I had been thinking about buying a COC gripper for a while now, reading the thread “Help with the Captains of Crush” encouraged me to do so, and put in an order today for the #1.
My main reason for getting this is to increase my grip strength, with the aim of being able to hold more weight on the DL.
The last time I used straps I could pull about 25Kg extra with them. So my question how much of grip strength(more specifically crushing strength) correlates to holding strength.

Probably a much shorter version of the question is: How much did using the COC help you when handling more weight?

2

There are some talk about it here:

http://www.T-Nation.com/free_online_forum/sports_body_training_performance_bodybuilding_strength/grip_strength_8

I can tell how it helped me when I got mine: At first I had trouble holding a 230lb bar while doing anything for more than 15-20 sec. Then I bought some HeavyGrips and worked my way up to the 200lb during a couple of weeks. Then I worked on static holds on my 200lb gripper. Suddenly, holding 300lb suddenly was no problem; even for longer periods. From what I’ve heard from other people that have been training longer than me (and use heavier weights), they’ve experienced the same.

I do feel that static holds helped the most, more than crushing for reps.

You’ll reach a limit somewhere, but when you are just using COC #1, that should be nothing to worry about. I’m sure the gripper will be of great help, as will heavy lifting in general.

3

[quote]rock27 wrote:
Probably a much shorter version of the question is: How much did using the COC help you when handling more weight?[/quote]

None.

But to be fair, I never did any static holds or anything like that with the gripper. I can see how that might help.

4

The gripper will help you, much as any other type of grp training. Its a good tool to have in the bag, train the grippers but do holds, forearm stuff, plate pinches, etc. The gripper will help but its only a part of the overall picture.

5

I think training CoC will help your holding strength or “sustaining grip” to some extent.There will be some carryover.

But if you really want a world-class grip-the farmer’s walk with turns is your best friend,

6

[quote]Doenitz79 wrote:
I think training CoC will help your holding strength or “sustaining grip” to some extent.There will be some carryover.

But if you really want a world-class grip-the farmer’s walk with turns is your best friend,

[/quote]

Cool what are your feelings on doing a farmers walk with barbells?
I have no strong man equipment, and I assume DB farmers walk wouldn’t be worth doing?

7

[quote]rock27 wrote:
Cool what are your feelings on doing a farmers walk with barbells?
I have no strong man equipment, and I assume DB farmers walk wouldn’t be worth doing?[/quote]

I would do dumbbells before I used barbells. Barbells are going to be too long and too hard to control with any significant weight on them.

Honeslty, I think the best thing to work your holding strength is to do holds. Just grab a loaded barbell and hold for time. To mix things up, wrap a towel around the barbell and hold that.

8

[quote]malonetd wrote:
rock27 wrote:
Cool what are your feelings on doing a farmers walk with barbells?
I have no strong man equipment, and I assume DB farmers walk wouldn’t be worth doing?

I would do dumbbells before I used barbells. Barbells are going to be too long and too hard to control with any significant weight on them.

Honeslty, I think the best thing to work your holding strength is to do holds. Just grab a loaded barbell and hold for time. To mix things up, wrap a towel around the barbell and hold that.[/quote]

Yup that’s what I’m doing at the moment(towel, barbell, holds).

I was just thinking that DB might be too easy to control, will give it a go though. Just thought of doing the movement with a EZ bar…ur feelings?

9

[quote]rock27 wrote:
malonetd wrote:
rock27 wrote:
Cool what are your feelings on doing a farmers walk with barbells?
I have no strong man equipment, and I assume DB farmers walk wouldn’t be worth doing?

I would do dumbbells before I used barbells. Barbells are going to be too long and too hard to control with any significant weight on them.

Honeslty, I think the best thing to work your holding strength is to do holds. Just grab a loaded barbell and hold for time. To mix things up, wrap a towel around the barbell and hold that.

Yup that’s what I’m doing at the moment(towel, barbell, holds).

I was just thinking that DB might be too easy to control, will give it a go though. Just thought of doing the movement with a EZ bar…ur feelings?[/quote]

I don’t know. I’ve never used an ez bar. I suppose it might work better than a barbell, depending on the curve where you have to grip it. What’s the heaviest dumbbells you have access to?

Another good grip exercise, depending on your weight, is one-arm hangs. Just grap a pull up bar with only one hand and hang for time.

10

[quote]rock27 wrote:
malonetd wrote:
rock27 wrote:
Cool what are your feelings on doing a farmers walk with barbells?
I have no strong man equipment, and I assume DB farmers walk wouldn’t be worth doing?

I would do dumbbells before I used barbells. Barbells are going to be too long and too hard to control with any significant weight on them.

Honeslty, I think the best thing to work your holding strength is to do holds. Just grab a loaded barbell and hold for time. To mix things up, wrap a towel around the barbell and hold that.

Yup that’s what I’m doing at the moment(towel, barbell, holds).

I was just thinking that DB might be too easy to control, will give it a go though. Just thought of doing the movement with a EZ bar…ur feelings?[/quote]

DBs will be easier to control than long farmers, but they’re going to want to “roll” out of your grip, which farmers wont do. I’ve taken 300lb farmers for 50’ I can’t imagine I coudl do that with 300lb DBs

I dont think the EZ curl bar will roll tho, you might be onto somehting there. Try checking out the Diesel Crew’s site, or ask Smitty on EliteFTS, I seem to remember them doing something with a row attachment for a cable, using that as a handle and hooking it onto EZ curl bars.

Regarding the original question - COCs:deadlift/farmers grip strength as pushups:bench press

If you’ve never really benched or done pushups before than one can help the other. But at a certain point they are more independent of one another. Similarly if you can’t close the trainer, then working on crush may help you, MAYBE it’ll help you if you cant close the 1. but beyond that they seem different. Many people are fans of static holds with the gripper tho, albeit no 1st hand experience on my part.

11

[quote]malonetd wrote:
rock27 wrote:
malonetd wrote:
rock27 wrote:
Cool what are your feelings on doing a farmers walk with barbells?
I have no strong man equipment, and I assume DB farmers walk wouldn’t be worth doing?

I would do dumbbells before I used barbells. Barbells are going to be too long and too hard to control with any significant weight on them.

Honeslty, I think the best thing to work your holding strength is to do holds. Just grab a loaded barbell and hold for time. To mix things up, wrap a towel around the barbell and hold that.

Yup that’s what I’m doing at the moment(towel, barbell, holds).

I was just thinking that DB might be too easy to control, will give it a go though. Just thought of doing the movement with a EZ bar…ur feelings?

I don’t know. I’ve never used an ez bar. I suppose it might work better than a barbell, depending on the curve where you have to grip it. What’s the heaviest dumbbells you have access to?

Another good grip exercise, depending on your weight, is one-arm hangs. Just grap a pull up bar with only one hand and hang for time.[/quote]

Heaviest is 56 Kg i think

12

[quote]KBCThird wrote:
rock27 wrote:
malonetd wrote:
rock27 wrote:
Cool what are your feelings on doing a farmers walk with barbells?
I have no strong man equipment, and I assume DB farmers walk wouldn’t be worth doing?

I would do dumbbells before I used barbells. Barbells are going to be too long and too hard to control with any significant weight on them.

Honeslty, I think the best thing to work your holding strength is to do holds. Just grab a loaded barbell and hold for time. To mix things up, wrap a towel around the barbell and hold that.

Yup that’s what I’m doing at the moment(towel, barbell, holds).

I was just thinking that DB might be too easy to control, will give it a go though. Just thought of doing the movement with a EZ bar…ur feelings?

DBs will be easier to control than long farmers, but they’re going to want to “roll” out of your grip, which farmers wont do. I’ve taken 300lb farmers for 50’ I can’t imagine I coudl do that with 300lb DBs

I dont think the EZ curl bar will roll tho, you might be onto somehting there. Try checking out the Diesel Crew’s site, or ask Smitty on EliteFTS, I seem to remember them doing something with a row attachment for a cable, using that as a handle and hooking it onto EZ curl bars.

Regarding the original question - COCs:deadlift/farmers grip strength as pushups:bench press

If you’ve never really benched or done pushups before than one can help the other. But at a certain point they are more independent of one another. Similarly if you can’t close the trainer, then working on crush may help you, MAYBE it’ll help you if you cant close the 1. but beyond that they seem different. Many people are fans of static holds with the gripper tho, albeit no 1st hand experience on my part.

[/quote]

Ok cheers for that man. I’ll take a look.

13

I’ve said it about a million times before, but I’ll say it again… To improve your deadlift grip, do:

-Farmers walks (with handles preferably, or heavy dumbbells if not)
-Double overhand shrugs
-Kroc rows

Not all at the same time. But push them up as much as you can and you’ll be sorted.

14

Farmer’s walks with DBs are much harder than custom made implements…a bitch to grip and hold for any reasonable time…

15

[quote]KBCThird wrote:
Try checking out the Diesel Crew’s site, or ask Smitty on EliteFTS, I seem to remember them doing something with a row attachment for a cable, using that as a handle and hooking it onto EZ curl bars.[/quote]

Here it is:

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=45745&tid=

16

[quote]Doenitz79 wrote:
Farmer’s walks with DBs are much harder than custom made implements…a bitch to grip and hold for any reasonable time…[/quote]

I tried that for a walk around the block. That shit had my wrists pumped.