# The strong and the \*truly\* strong. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 7, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818 "2006-09-07T19:21:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/1 "2006-09-07T19:21:38Z")
[I’ve been playing with these hand grippers for](http://www.ironmind.com/ironcms/export/IronMind/Main/captainsofcrush1.html) the better part of a year, and can just about close the # 2 gripper, and the # 3 is just for laughs (as in it laughs at me). I’m a reasonably strong guy and can bench press around 290 but these hand grippers blow me away. [And then I look at videos of guys](http://www.cyberpump.com/gallery/albums.php) (and not huge guys either) [doing this kind of thing](http://www.cyberpump.com/albums/albun00/aaa.wmv)(15 repeated closes with a # 3). It’s so depressing. I feel like a little girl looking at these videos. [Here’s a guy tearing cards](http://www.cyberpump.com/albums/albun01/aaa.wmv) [Skinny guy closing a #3 and then a more difficult one!](http://www.cyberpump.com/albums/album100/aah.wmv) ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/2 "2006-09-07T19:24:51Z")
**astro** honey, you need to get out more. What exactly is the _point_ of having an uber-strong grip? It’s not like chicks go “Oooooh look at the hands on that dude! They’re totally ripped!” ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/3 "2006-09-07T19:35:13Z")
[QUOTE=Surly Chick] **astro** honey, you need to get out more. What exactly is the _point_ of having an uber-strong grip? It’s not like chicks go “Oooooh look at the hands on that dude! They’re totally ripped!” [/QUOTE] All the better to **CRUSH YOUR HEAD** with! ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/4 "2006-09-07T19:38:41Z")
[QUOTE=Mindfield] All the better to **CRUSH YOUR HEAD** with! [/QUOTE] Well, not until he can at least close the #2, for pete’s sake! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/5 "2006-09-07T20:02:12Z")
[QUOTE=Surly Chick] Well, not until he can at least close the #2, for pete’s sake! [/QUOTE] Now you’ve made me cry! \ ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/6 "2006-09-07T20:10:18Z")
[QUOTE=astro] Now you’ve made me cry! \ [/QUOTE] Be careful wiping your tears away with those ubermitts of yours. I wouldn’t want you to accidentally put out an eye… ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/7 "2006-09-07T20:12:14Z")
[QUOTE=Surly Chick] **astro** honey, you need to get out more. What exactly is the _point_ of having an uber-strong grip? It’s not like chicks go “Oooooh look at the hands on that dude! They’re totally ripped!” [/QUOTE] They don’t call it “jerking off” for nothin’ :eek: ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/8 "2006-09-07T22:04:43Z")
[QUOTE=Surly Chick] What exactly is the _point_ of having an uber-strong grip? [/QUOTE] So you can lift bigger weights. ---
**Author:** ![Lobelia\_Overhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/54ee81/32.png) [@Lobelia\_Overhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobelia_Overhill)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 11:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/9 "2006-09-08T11:08:06Z")
[QUOTE=Surly Chick] **astro** It’s not like chicks go “Oooooh look at the hands on that dude! They’re totally ripped!” [/QUOTE] Speak for yourself dearie! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 11:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/10 "2006-09-08T11:12:22Z")
[QUOTE=Surly Chick] **astro** honey, you need to get out more. What exactly is the _point_ of having an uber-strong grip? [/QUOTE] Oh right, and you’ve never played the weak and feeble maid who needs help opening the jar of pickle? And then laughed as your gallant hero wrestles with the jar, turns purple and starts muttering about slippery hands? ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/11 "2006-09-08T11:28:11Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] Oh right, and you’ve never played the weak and feeble maid who needs help opening the jar of pickle? And then laughed as your gallant hero wrestles with the jar, turns purple and starts muttering about slippery hands? [/QUOTE] No… I’ve played the “pissed that I can’t open the G\*ddamn jar” woman, though. And I’m more likely to say “bah, it must’a been already tired!” when he opens it effortlessly. As a labmate once put it: “I hate saying this… (lifts some stuck glassware up) I need a man here!” ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/12 "2006-09-08T11:44:52Z")
You never actually see the skinny guy close them one-handed. The left hand obscures the view. Are you sure he is not using the left to assist the right? After he opens the grips, he never closes them again. ---
**Author:** ![constanze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f9ae1b/32.png) [@constanze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/constanze)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/13 "2006-09-08T11:58:43Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] No… I’ve played the “pissed that I can’t open the G\*ddamn jar” woman, though. And I’m more likely to say “bah, it must’a been already tired!” when he opens it effortlessly. As a labmate once put it: “I hate saying this… (lifts some stuck glassware up) I need a man here!” [/QUOTE] I only say “I need a strong guy” when at work - because at home I use either the handle of a spoon to break the vacuum, or a silicon hand grip. Voila, no effort. (As for stuck glassware, the trick is to use hot and cold water.) That’s why men have muscles, and women have brains. 😃 In your case, it’s probably genetic disposition of muscles. But other than showing off, or going climbing, what do you need them for? ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/14 "2006-09-08T12:06:16Z")
> [@](#): > > astro honey, you need to get out more. What exactly is the point of having an uber-strong grip? It’s not like chicks go “Oooooh look at the hands on that dude! They’re totally ripped!” Well, if you develop a really strong grip, the muscles involved are in your forearms. This looks good if you’re reasonably muscular in general; if you’re a skinny dude with big forearms, the image of Popeye is unavoidable. I use regular grippers to maintain hand strength for SCA fighting, but don’t know the poundage involved. The higher-level “Captains of Crush” grippers sound like they’re for fanatics. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/15 "2006-09-08T12:27:10Z")
[QUOTE=Mindfield] All the better to **CRUSH YOUR HEAD** with! [/QUOTE] [http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/karlen1956/detail?.dir=/9e77re2&.dnm=9911re2.jpg&.src=ph](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/karlen1956/detail?.dir=/9e77re2&.dnm=9911re2.jpg&.src=ph) ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/16 "2006-09-08T12:32:40Z")
I’m an old guy. Been there, done that on the \ “Oh, could you do this?” thing. At work the favorite thing is a mechanical rest, which has to be lifted, and turned. I get asked all the time to do it. I generally do it with one finger. I flutter my eyelashes and say, “Not strong, just smart.” Tris ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/17 "2006-09-08T13:09:08Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] [http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/karlen1956/detail?.dir=/9e77re2&.dnm=9911re2.jpg&.src=ph](http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/karlen1956/detail?.dir=/9e77re2&.dnm=9911re2.jpg&.src=ph) [/QUOTE] [![](http://www.thetalentshow.org/images/bushcrush.jpg) ](http://www.thetalentshow.org/images/bushcrush.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/18 "2006-09-08T13:53:27Z")
[QUOTE=Mindfield] [![](http://www.thetalentshow.org/images/bushcrush.jpg) ](http://www.thetalentshow.org/images/bushcrush.jpg) [/QUOTE] [Crushed Beatrice | Beatrice Murch | Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/236373167/) 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/19 "2006-09-08T14:03:12Z")
[QUOTE=Kalhoun] [Crushed Beatrice | Beatrice Murch | Flickr](http://www.flickr.com/photos/blmurch/236373167/) 😛 [/QUOTE] Okay. You win. But I _will_ seek my revenge! Crush! Crush! ---
**Author:** ![mrklutz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ebca7d/32.png) [@mrklutz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mrklutz)\ **Post date:** [September 8, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/20 "2006-09-08T15:34:24Z")
[QUOTE=Baldwin] Well, if you develop a really strong grip, the muscles involved are in your forearms. This looks good if you’re reasonably muscular in general; if you’re a skinny dude with big forearms, the image of Popeye is unavoidable. [/QUOTE] Yarrr, I ran into that after I spent a couple summers as a deckhand on a salmon boat in Alaska. I’m a skinny guy, but I came back with Popeye arms from handling the nets, ropes and fish. It looked funny, but G.I. Joe had nothin’ on my kung fu grip. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818.md?page=2)