Gripper workout

From yesterday. Still sore today and should take a few recovery days before hitting it again. Testing a slightly different protocol for the next few sessions. I'm very curious to see what kind of results it will give.

Grippers


Warmup
RH #Tx10, #1x10, #2x5
LH #Tx10, #1x10, #2x4

Isometronic protocol
RH E3x5 -> 10sec OC -> next single failed at 1"
LH #2x3 -> 10sec OC -> barely moved next single -> #1x1

RGC to CoC converter app

Another piece of software I coded up awhile back. Contact me if you are interested in a copy of it. For converting between gripper ratings scales.

Over/Under Rep calculator software

I coded this up awhile back. Drop me a line if you are interested in a copy.

Evening Gripper work

Even though I did pinch earlier in the day yesterday it felt like I might have some left in the tank for a 2nd brief training session. Left hand numbers were down and after set of 10 with the Easy #3 Righty I was pretty much smoked but a good workout none the less. Forearms and hands muscles have a nice deep soreness today.

Grippers (Yesterday Evening)

RH #Tx10, #1x10, #2x6, E3x10, Avg#3x2 -> E3 - 5sec OC -> #2 - 8sec OC

LH #Tx10, #1x10, #2x5, E3x0, E3 x0, #2x8, #2 - 8sec OC

Pinch Training

Just a quick training session as I had very little time at lunch today. Still got a nice improvement over last pinch day 6 days ago.

2H Saxon Bar Pinch DL
5x135
3x185
4x185
4x185 (longish hold last rep)

Just finished a couple of PCB designs

 

Just finished a couple of PCB Designs. First one is a Microcontroller chip firmware programmer that connects via USB. Should be small enough to fit in an Altoids Tin. Luckily I was able to fine an opensource ISP programmer design that I modified to work the way I wanted. Will be ordering one up shortly. The 2nd one is a small button sized breakout board for an 8pin surface mount micro-controller. Its smaller than a dime should be useful for some upcoming small projects I have planned.

Gripper training

Knocked out a quick lunchtime workout today. Nothing spectacular, but my parallel set grippers are coming back a little. Was still just a little sore from pinch workout a couple days ago so I didn't push too hard and lowered the volume.

Grippers

RH #Tx10, #1x10, #2x5, E3x7, Avg#3x2 (missed 3rd by a hair)
LH #Tx10, #1x10, #2x4, E3x2, E3 x0

CCS RH
#2x8

CCS LH
#2x4

Morning training

Today is my daughters first birthday so I decided to get up early and get on the ball with my weight loss plan. Walked over to the park and did a light jog followed by 6 pullups and some stretching. Next did some sprint intervals. 5x 50ish yard sprints with walking or jogging between. Total time about 10 min on the sprints. Followed that up with a nice mushroom egg omlet, fresh tomatoes and some cantelope. BW this morning was 262 which is down from the 270's that I was at not too long ago.

Lunchtime Pinch training

Zac stopped by today to join me for a quick lunchtime pinch training session. Decided to try something a little different. Here is my training lowdown.

Pinch farmers for warmup
2 - 2x5x4' bars (40# each) take for a stroll. from back yard front gate to back of yard and back, 2 turns about 150'

2H Saxon bar Pinch DL
5x135
3x185
2x185 (could not lock out 3rd)
3x185 with long hold last rep

Saxon bar curl
1x115

Saxon bar Pinch hack squat
7x115

1H Saxon Bar Negs
2x1x95 EH

Veggie harvest from yesterday evening

Had a sizable harvest yesterday. Bunch of tomatoes, some cukes, peppers, carrots, etc. Check out the pic if you are into that sort of thing. The biggest of the tomatoes were about 1 3/4#, with 2 of them being over 1 1/2#. First of the Orange Ox Heart's, and Caspian Pinks ripened finally.

Gripper workout today at lunch

It sucked. My right wrist was a bit tender today and it showed on grippers. RH went from #2x19 CCS last workout to #2x8 CCS this one. LH missed #2x5 by a hair CCS. btw I was sore until yesterday after the Pinch farmers on last Thursday.

Chip programmer

Did some rework on my homebuilt Microcontroller programmer. Managed to get it into an Altoids box. Middle pic shows mainboard mounted in the mint case plus auxiliary board for programming surface mount chips and an actual surface mount micro-controller. Right photo shows it with auxiliary board installed. Not seen is my AVR MKII ISP programmer which connects to the mainboard and the USB on my computer for the actual firmware flashing. I still need to drill a hole in the tin and hot glue down the power connector, but everything else is mounted and works fine.

Pinch work

Its been a few months since I did any direct pinch work so I thought I would get back on track starting today. Nothing too crazy, just a little sompin-sompin to shake out a few cobwebs. Did some farmers walk work with a couple of 2"x5"x4' rectangular tubing implements. They are fairly thick wall and about 40# a piece. First walk was leisurely pace and prolly 150' with 2 turns. Next after short rest was long standing hold to failure, followed by more of the same. Last after a little rest was a cluster of 2H high pulls and snatches with one of these. Thumb pads felt sufficiently swoll up after all that and I called it a day. Total training time was likely under 5 min.

Trained some grippers tonight

Grippers went well, showing a little progress from last session. Still weak as hell compared to normal but I guess it will take some time to get back to form. Top sets from the session were Easy #3 x 4, Avg #3 x 2, and #2x19 CCS all right hand. Left hand best was Easy #3 x1 , #2x4 CCS. There was more to the workout than just those sets and lets just say my hands and forearms are sufficiently smoked. Also got some work done on the Sure Close Gripper lens material testing over the last 2 days. Got a couple of materials that are looking promising.

Some tomatoes picked from our garden over the last few days. There would probably be close to double the amount here but we ate them, cut them up to save seeds, or gave them away already. Also pictured are some cucumbers, yellow squash, a tiny japanese eggplant, and an enormous zucchini in front. Tomato varieties are German Johnson (large pink beefstakes that weigh about a pound), Yellow pear, Box Car Willie ( medium size around 6 oz), Stupice (small russian salad tomato), and Viva Italiano (plum type paste tomato). Tasty tomatoes for sure.

Lunchtime training

I'll admit it. I've been slacking on training for the last 3 months. I did my first gripper workout in some time a couple of days ago. I still don't quite have the fire I once did for training but maybe a little interest is coming back. My buddy Zach stopped by the house today during my lunchtime in order to taste test some of the tomato varieties from the garden. Zach is another man after my own heart being a grip guy, tomato grower and homegrown tomato connoisseur. After checking out the garden we cut into a large pink beefstake style tomato, munched on some yellow pears, etc. Also pulled a few carrots from the garden, to munch on. Every thing was super tasty.  After all that we started talking training and I pulled out some grippers for an impromptu gripper training session. I think both of us are gonna have some sore forearms tomorrow.

Thanks for stopping by Big Z.

Gripper boards

First rev of gripper PCB boards soldered up and worked.

Got to see some family this weekend

My grandad, an aunt and a few cousins met me for lunch on their way through town. I had a chance to have lunch with them and introduce Joonie to her Great grampa.

Weekend

Well, this is my first time attempting to blog but I guess the plan is to relate the interesting stuff. Over the weekend I worked on the continuing remodel of my training/ building stuff room. Started hanging some drywall on the newly furred out walls. Also did a group 1st birthday party for all the friends in our birth group that had June babies for our tiny one. She is getting big and had a great time and so did my wife and I. The Gardens are looking good, both at home and our rented plot at the community garden. We started with 23 tomato plants this year, 13 heirloom varieties. We are down to 21 plants and 12 varieties. Everything is organically grown and for the most part looking good. Picking lots of tomatoes lately. Gripper project is coming along and worked on some firmware changes last night for the micro-controller as well as started building the fixture for making the lenses. If I get some time today during lunch I will try a test burn of the new firmware and see if I can do a test lens with the new fixture.