# 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:** 3
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/41 "2006-09-09T16:47:52Z")
Phonebooks and cards are ripped by fanning them slightly so you rip a couple at a time to start Once the rips are started the momentum carries through the one left. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/42 "2006-09-09T17:05:33Z")
As a child, when we would go back to the small hometown to visit, it would include a trip out to see a great uncle. Anywho, he was an orney old coot and worked hard all his life. He was probably in his mid 60’s then. His idea of relaxing on Sunday was to go out and bust rocks. For real He did this. He would amaze us kids by picking up a 16# sledge hammer ( Yeah we checked many a time, it was huge. ) and grip the very end with just three fingers, the thumb, the index and the middle and do it right at the end of the handle. With his arm straight out from his body, not bending his elbow, he would tip his head back and touch his nose whit the strike face of the hammer. Now after I became a late teen and was in pretty good shape from working on a farm all summer, I tried that with an 8# sledge and using my whole hand. I almost killed myself. I could not even come close. That old man was made of iron. ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/43 "2006-09-09T17:22:29Z")
[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] By this logic, you girls need to get out more, after all, It’s not like guys go “Ooooh, look at that nice purse and fancy shoes, they are totally fashionable, I gotta have her.” ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/44 "2006-09-09T17:33:53Z")
…hell, if anything, we say “How can i get her OUT of those shoes and that purse…and those shorts…and that shirt…definitely the shirt…” But that’s another thread. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/45 "2006-09-09T17:53:04Z")
[QUOTE=gonzomax] Phonebooks and cards are ripped by fanning them slightly so you rip a couple at a time to start Once the rips are started the momentum carries through the one left. [/QUOTE] That’s not how my grandpa did it. He would take the phonebook and get an overhand grip on the far edge of it and then bend towards the outside. This way, it starts as more of a ‘break’ than a ‘tear’. Once that got started, he would rip it like you or I would rip a sheet of paper. Then he would laugh and grab a new phonebook and say “Now you do it!” He really did make it look easy. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/46 "2006-09-09T20:45:45Z")
“Goddamn it, Bernie, cut it out! That’s the fourth one this week. Do you know what it costs me to keep buying new phone books? Stop it, put it down! Aww, man.” ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/47 "2006-09-10T03:02:50Z")
[QUOTE=Spectre of Pithecanthropus] Perhaps **ultrafilter** can confirm this, since he always seems knowledgeable about these things, but more specifically, hand strength really comes more from the muscles of the lower arm than anywhere else. [/quote] Yep. > [@](#): > > You can build those muscles up, and should probably do other movements besides working the grippers, such as wrist curls and reverse wrist curls. But if you look around your gym you’ll not see many people doing those excercises, because the average person just doens’t have the time. For most amateur gym rats it’s upper body, core, quads, hams and glutes, and calves if you have the time. Yet another exercise that you don’t need to take the time to do if you deadlift. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/48 "2006-09-10T03:20:42Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon] Oh right, and you’ve never played the weak and feeble maid who needs help opening the jar of pickle? [/QUOTE] A jar of pickle? You can buy more than one to a jar these days, you know. ---
**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 10, 2006, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/49 "2006-09-10T12:28:34Z")
[QUOTE=Epimetheus] By this logic, you girls need to get out more, after all, It’s not like guys go “Ooooh, look at that nice purse and fancy shoes, they are totally fashionable, I gotta have her.” [/QUOTE] I’ll give you the purse one but have to strongly disagree on the shoes. \*\* _Lots_\*\* of men admire sexy shoes. You don’t think we wear those instruments of torture for\*\* _ourselves_, \*\* do you? Have you ever tried to walk any distance in a four inch heel??? It’s not fun. ---
**Author:** ![Freelancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@Freelancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freelancer)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/50 "2006-09-10T15:13:39Z")
Actually high heels and such aren’t really attractive at all to me. Never really got why women wear them. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/51 "2006-09-10T15:33:41Z")
[QUOTE=Freelancer] Actually high heels and such aren’t really attractive at all to me. Never really got why women wear them. [/QUOTE] They make a woman’s leg look longer/slimmer & the position/tension makes the leg/calf look more defined than if flatfooted, plus the angle forces a more upright posture and force the chest and read end out. This doesn’t work for all women and some women take naturally to walking in them, and for some they are pure torture. [Here (not very PC)](http://wc.arizona.edu/papers/93/98/04_3_m.html) [Heel me! the pros and cons of sexy shoes](http://www.transgenderzone.com/shoes/shoes.htm)! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/52 "2006-09-10T15:44:02Z")
[QUOTE=astro] They make a woman’s leg look longer/slimmer & the position/tension makes the leg/calf look more defined than if flatfooted, plus the angle forces a more upright posture and force the chest and read end out. This doesn’t work for all women and some women take naturally to walking in them, and for some they are pure torture. [Here (not very PC)](http://wc.arizona.edu/papers/93/98/04_3_m.html) [Heel me! the pros and cons of sexy shoes](http://www.transgenderzone.com/shoes/shoes.htm)! [/QUOTE] Hmmm… I didn’t initially notice the header in that second link I googled… so all the advice might not apply _specifically_ to women. ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/53 "2006-09-10T16:57:51Z")
[QUOTE=Freelancer] Actually high heels and such aren’t really attractive at all to me. Never really got why women wear them. [/QUOTE] How tall are you? 2" or 3" can make a surprising difference in how tall a girl looks, and tall is attractive :). I love it when my wife wears heals. She’s 5’7" and I’m somewhere in the fuzzy area between 6’4" and 6’5". ---
**Author:** ![Freelancer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@Freelancer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freelancer)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/54 "2006-09-10T17:57:48Z")
I actually have no idea how tall I am. I would have to measure it (just as I have no idea what my weight is currently). But I actually like small women, so that might have something to do with it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![OpalCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8edcca/32.png) [@OpalCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OpalCat)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2006, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/55 "2006-09-16T18:40:39Z")
[QUOTE=Surly Chick] I’ll give you the purse one but have to strongly disagree on the shoes. \*\* _Lots_\*\* of men admire sexy shoes. You don’t think we wear those instruments of torture for\*\* _ourselves_, \*\* do you? Have you ever tried to walk any distance in a four inch heel??? It’s not fun. [/QUOTE] Gotta disagree. I can walk further in a four inch heel than I can in flat shoes. But that’s due to a unique ankle-and-knee joint problem that is resolved when I walk with my weight on my toes instead of my heels. Hell, I wish they made running shoes with a four inch heel (not a four inch platform–it has to be toes down, heel up). ---
**Author:** ![Scylla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Scylla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scylla)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/56 "2006-09-20T01:32:31Z")
Ok. I checked the link. If I ask to be certified do I need to bring my own or will the judge have one? I bet I can do a #3. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/57 "2006-09-20T01:58:14Z")
[QUOTE=Scylla] Ok. I checked the link. If I ask to be certified do I need to bring my own or will the judge have one? I bet I can do a #3. [/QUOTE] > **[The GripBoard](https://www.gripboard.com/)** You may need to join the board (it’s free) [#3 Certification Procedure,](http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=892) > [@](#): > > This is what you have to do to get certified by Ironmind. When you can close Ironmind’s Captain of Crush #3 gripper, give Ironmind Enterprises a call at 530-265-6725. They will refer you to a gym or person in your area that can serve as a credible witness to you closing the #3 gripper. Your witness needs to sign a letter stating that they saw you close the #3 gripper with one hand, without assistance from any other part of the body, and that the gripper handles touched completely. You will also need to provide them with a photograph showing the gripper handles touching completely, and a “torso” shot so people can see what you look like. The photos are then sent to Ironmind Enterprises, Inc. P.O. Box 95959, Nevada City, CA 95959 USA. I hope this helps all who need this information, as I look forward to seeing some familiar names join me on the list soon! Steve Weiner Good Luck! ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/58 "2006-09-20T03:30:37Z")
I wish I had an idea of how difficult they were without paying $20 + shipping to find out. Maybe I order a #1 and it’s way too easy, or maybe I order a #3 and it’s completely unacheivable. Either would irritate me. Like I said: I can close my “heavy resistance” grips 100 times in either hand, but they might be 15lbs for all I know, while the #1 Gripper is 140lbs. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/59 "2006-09-20T03:33:48Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] Like I said: I can close my “heavy resistance” grips 100 times in either hand, but they might be 15lbs for all I know, while the #1 Gripper is 140lbs. [/QUOTE] It’s time for you to move on up! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [September 20, 2006, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818/60 "2006-09-20T03:36:40Z")
[QUOTE=Cisco] I wish I had an idea of how difficult they were without paying $20 + shipping to find out. Maybe I order a #1 and it’s way too easy, or maybe I order a #3 and it’s completely unacheivable. Either would irritate me. Like I said: I can close my “heavy resistance” grips 100 times in either hand, but they might be 15lbs for all I know, while the #1 Gripper is 140lbs. [/QUOTE] Even the guys who can close 3’s with either hand use the # 1 for warm ups. You wouldn’t lose anything buy getting a #1. [Amazon also sells them](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/104-8876934-5012707?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=captains+of+crush&Go.x=13&Go.y=10). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-strong-and-the-truly-strong/371818.md?page=4)