BHSA annual get-to-gether

Next weekend, Saturday November 8th, we will be holding our first annual gathering. The athletes let me know ahead of time what lifts they will be doing, we lift, then it's off for some food.

:Photo of a 111.7-kilo loaded pinch (almost lifted yesterday)

This year we have some of the better known British 'bods' including Laine Snook et al hoping to do something real special (probably involving a Millennium dumbbell), myself hoping to two hand pinch at LEAST 107.5-kilos and more, much more.

I should also have the first batch of our official sleeveless BHSA 'T's'. We're doing a deluxe membership renewal package of £17.50 which will include the shirt (XL and XXL). I've already got some virtual hands in the air for those.

Then afterwards we will all drive over to the Angel Chef for an all you can eat buffet meal. I'm sure there will be the usual BS'ing, strength feats (much to the other customers amusement no doubt) and more.

Should be fun. Watch the blog for photos.

The ages of man

Inspired by a short chat with Paul Savage over what we'd seen Laine Snook do this afternoon and the question 'why doesn't he do this and that...??'. In my reply as to the whys and wherefores I pointed out to Paul how the mindset of a lifter changes as they mature.

One could argue, and it has been done, that as we approach our peak strength potential we also need to take greater care with recovery, injuries and so on. This is true. I have used an analogy which goes thus: as we tread ever further into the new territory of world record lifts we take our bodies to places others have yet to do so. If others got torn skin, injuries and so on then we are merely fortunate that we have not. But we risk it each and every time.

I also argued that the mind set of a strong testosterone filled teenager works on different levels to that of a 40+ but equally strong lifter. The teenager will lift for hours, then party, then do a days work. He cares not for the risk of injury. The older bull, as it were, has many concerns least among is which whatever he does will make the old injuries ache, take him longer to recover from and so on. Basically he can do the same lifts, or better, as the younger lifter but he knows there are consequences to the action.

As a 40+ lifter myself I can draw on what drives me and how I get myself to do the crazy stuff. For a start I know how to rev my engine as it were. I know what works. I have experienced many times the feeling of a lack of strength in lighter weight sets on some exercises only to power like a freak through the bigger stuff. It's as though I unconsciously hold back a little energy for what is coming. I get the best from equipment because I know how to wrap a wrist, tighten a belt just so and so on. I'll tend to be stricter with my nutrition and more aware of my aches, pains and issues with recovery (I listen rather than ignore... most of the time).

For me the key word, used above, is drive. I might have a bad back or, like another Brit, had heart problems, yet another has had muscle and tendon tears and so on. These problems aren't confined to these shores. Yet a sort of built in stupidity combined with aggression and more than a little desire helps, along with my 'look at what I can do' showing off (and perhaps liking a challenge) helps me to occasionally put it together well enough that I kick ass. Like above I know I'll ache, be tired, whathaveyou, but in the moment... I just don't care. Perhaps just like the teenager after all. Oh well. :D

Stuff in the pipeline

A few things of interest...

30-kilo / 66lb blob lift done. By one of the less brash but equally strong names here in the UK today (24/10/08).

A BIG supermatch - between the as yet unbeaten best the US has to offer and the current British Champ. As of now it's in discussion but a March date has been suggest.

More decent set CoC 4 closes here in the UK. I've hinted at this elsewhere and my feeling is that there are as many as six here who have already done it (not on video etc) or will do it (and yes on video).

Some more big name interviews. One is still a 'work in progress' (and has been for 3 weeks!!) and I'll be asking more names if they are willing to fess up.

I made some news of my own this week

Even though it's a teeny, weeny bit self serving a video of my closing a average feeling CoC 4 seems to have been a popular item on the Gripboard and you tube. Even my UK buds on www.muscletalk.co.uk seemed to have liked it. Here's the clip:

October editorial

Hi all, John Beatty's fabulous feast also known as the BBB contest has just ended this past weekend with the famous 'Big Tony' cheesecakes a hit. We need something like that here. I was more jealous of the slap up food than I was the numbers lifted and that's coming from a hard core grip nut. Lists of pounds of meat comsumed just added to my hunger pangs.

Sam Solomi has asked if he can do a series on some of the basics starting with a breakdown on the various techniques used when training grippers so I'll be prodding to get cracking with the first one... you listening Sam??!!

I've a couple of people in mind for our next interview of the grip personalities and I'm just about to send a PM to the first on my list to see if they'd be interested. We've enough warped lifting freaks for a few months yet (probably all the way to 2010). Don't forget to add your input. If you have a question that needs asking - send it in.

Coming up soon is the BHSA annual get-to-gether on November 8th. I know David Horne and I want to do some heavy two hand pinches and with Martin in Sweden pulling an out of competition 117.4-kilos recently we'll need to raise our game. Hopefully David's injurys wont hoild that war horse back. I want between 107.5 and 110-kilos this time around.

Check out Martin's efforts here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwl30H4-ZDU

Finally... a hot topic recently raised a couple of points. Firstly after much butt kissing of the author of, it must be said, a well written article, I pointed out that even the least capable athlete can still be the purveyor of the truth. Being a great lifter does not make you a great teacher. Secondly, as part of what was conveyed in the article and which, in a broader sense, I've stated sveral times recently... there are no 'better' routines, 'better ways of lifting' and so on. Even if we favour one over others (we all have our own way which we prefer) that you lift hard, recover and lift hard again is far more important than any magic way of doing a movement.