2 Hand Pinching

I have just started two hand pinching and need some advice on how to set my hands and the optimum width of the apparatus. I can't afford a Euro set up at the moment so I've got 2x20lb plates which are 380 mm high and less than 1cm thick. I've sandwiched another shorter plate in between these giving a total width of 40mm. There is an internal gap of about 20mm between the outside plates. I'll list my questions;

1) Does a gap between the plates make much of a difference for practising? I can't feel the gap when I'm lifting.

2) Which parts of the hands should be doing most of the work? Looking at how the chalk has rubbed off my hands it seems to be coming off my thumb, fingertips, and the web of the thumb and index finger.

3) Is there an optimum grip width? I seem to do best with my thumb and fingers just past parallel so that all three phalanxes of my fingers are in contact with the plates.

4) Is there an optimum hand position? I lift with my index fingers about 1" apart and my thumbs about 2" apart, making a shallow triangle shape.

Any advice would be appreciated. So far the best I've managed is 53.4kg, so I'm never going to set any records, but I'm only about 13kg away from lifting my bodyweight.

My advice would be to forget the plates and get either some box section steel or some wood and put an eye bolt in it. You can then either hang a loading pin or chain some plates together and do it that way. I personally use a piece of 4"x2" box section steel that would cost no more than £5 from a metal merchant, they might even give it you as you onkly need a piece about 12"-18" long. I use this thickness because it's what I had availpable and it works for me. If you want to try wood, go in Wickes and grasp the pieces and see what feels nice. They do a 2.4m length of engineered timber, 38x63mm if memory serves for about £3 with nicely rounded edges, two pieces of this could be screwed together to make a 38mm x 126mm piece to play with. The main thing is play around until you find whst works best for you.

Cheers, Lol

Mark,
I would use the discs like you're doing, and what you're doing sounds fine. For extra info, and a lot of info on Pinching you should get my Pinch dvd. Everything is in this.

Cheers for the replies- Lol, I've got various wooden blocks which I have pinched with in the past, but I prefer the solid feel and lower starting point of the plate setup to using a loading pin. But you've reminded me that I've got a couple of pinch bars I made by fixing old dumbell rods to a block- time for a few pinch curls methinks!

David- thanks- just wanted to make sure I was on the right tracks. I'll add the DVD to my birthday wishlist

What is the official width used in contests for the adjustable pinch apparatus? Also, has anyone beaten David's record of 115kg?

you can pick your own pinch width, any width that can be made up using the euro pinch apparatus. i cant remember the exact sizes, usually somewhere between 40mm and 64mm is used, i think.

Yep any size, and no my record still stands.

Here's the current World Top 50.

1.David Horne, England 115.0k PHMGC 2008
2.Jedd Johnson, USA 112.9k GGC 2009
3.Martin Arildsson, Sweden 112.1k LGC XVII 2007
4.Chad Woodall, USA 111.5k MGC III 2007
5.Steve Gardener, England 110.2k BHSAGC 2009
6.Aaron Corcorran, USA 108.6k AZCG II 2009
7.Rex Hubbard, USA 108.6k AZCG II 2009
8.Dave Thorton, USA 106.3k GGC 2009
9.Nick McKinless, England 102.6k WCPC 2007** (101.8k CC 2005)
9.Chris Rice, USA 102.6k GC 2008
11.Eric Milfeld, USA 101.8k SoHGC 2009
12.John Eaton, USA 101.5k LaJ 2009
13.Dickey Oskarsson, Sweden 101.4k NGC III 2007
14.Dean Bolt, Wales 100.3k IG 2004
15.Laurence Shahlaei, England 97.9k WCPC 2007**
16.Paul Knight, USA 97.4k MMM 2009
17.Harry Shahlaei, England 97.2k WCPC 2007**
18.Gabriel Sum, Germany 96.0k HGC 2009
19.Travis Alcorn, USA 95.6k GC 2007
20.Steve McGranahan, USA 95.1k CC 2005
21.Andrew Durniat, USA 93.8k GGC 2008
22.Kalle Lane, Sweden 93.5k LGC XVII 2007
23.Johan Albrektsson, Sweden 93.1k NGC III 2007
23.Sam Solomi, England 93.1k BHSAGC 2009
25.Frank Henritzi, Germany 92.5k SGC VII 2008
25.Matti Heiskanen, Finland 92.5k Euro 2008
25.Brent Barbe, USA 92.5k LaJ 2009
25.Frank Snyder, USA 92.5k GGC 2009
29.Eli Kiener, USA 92.1k GGC 2005*
30.Rendy Delacruz, USA 91.8k MMM 2009
31.Tero Penttilä, Sweden 91.4k NGC III 2007
32.Tim Struse, USA 91.3k ASA-C 2009
33.Dave Stiff, Australia 91.2k VGC 2008
34.Benny Wennberg, Sweden 91.0k Euro 2004
35.Clayton Gellatly, USA 90.9k GC 2008
36.Tommy Heslep, USA 90.7k GGC 2005*
36.Mark Lundie, USA 90.7k MMM 2009
38.Florian Kellersmann, Germany 90.1k MGC III 2007
39.Jonas Svarén, Sweden 90.0k LGC XI 2004
40.Jonathan Creason, USA 89.6k GGC 2006
40.Kevin Perrone, USA 89.6k GGC 2006
42.Dan Cenidoza, USA 88.9k GGC 2005*
43.Mikael Siversson, Sweden 88.5k AGC 2006
43.Martin Kotte, Germany 88.5k HGC 2009
45.Matt Chips, USA 88.0k SoHGC 2009
46.Theo Burggraaff, Holland 87.8k MGC III 2007
46.Mike Rinderle, USA 87.8k GGC 2009
48.Mario Sjögren, Sweden 87.0k Euro 2005
48.Brandon Azevedo, USA 87.0k AZCG II 2009
50.Martin Ressel 86.7k Euro 2008
50.Scott George, USA 86.7k GC 2008

What? There are no Canadians on that list...I'll have to change that (...in a few years or more).

Thanks for the info and that list it quite impressive.

David Horne wrote:Yep any size, and no my record still stands.

Here's the current World Top 50.

1.David Horne, England 115.0k PHMGC 2008
2.Jedd Johnson, USA 112.9k GGC 2009
3.Martin Arildsson, Sweden 112.1k LGC XVII 2007
4.Chad Woodall, USA 111.5k MGC III 2007
5.Steve Gardener, England 110.2k BHSAGC 2009
6.Aaron Corcorran, USA 108.6k AZCG II 2009
7.Rex Hubbard, USA 108.6k AZCG II 2009
8.Dave Thorton, USA 106.3k GGC 2009
9.Nick McKinless, England 102.6k WCPC 2007** (101.8k CC 2005)
9.Chris Rice, USA 102.6k GC 2008
11.Eric Milfeld, USA 101.8k SoHGC 2009
12.John Eaton, USA 101.5k LaJ 2009
13.Dickey Oskarsson, Sweden 101.4k NGC III 2007
14.Dean Bolt, Wales 100.3k IG 2004
15.Laurence Shahlaei, England 97.9k WCPC 2007**
16.Paul Knight, USA 97.4k MMM 2009
17.Harry Shahlaei, England 97.2k WCPC 2007**
18.Gabriel Sum, Germany 96.0k HGC 2009
19.Travis Alcorn, USA 95.6k GC 2007
20.Steve McGranahan, USA 95.1k CC 2005
21.Andrew Durniat, USA 93.8k GGC 2008
22.Kalle Lane, Sweden 93.5k LGC XVII 2007
23.Johan Albrektsson, Sweden 93.1k NGC III 2007
23.Sam Solomi, England 93.1k BHSAGC 2009
25.Frank Henritzi, Germany 92.5k SGC VII 2008
25.Matti Heiskanen, Finland 92.5k Euro 2008
25.Brent Barbe, USA 92.5k LaJ 2009
25.Frank Snyder, USA 92.5k GGC 2009
29.Eli Kiener, USA 92.1k GGC 2005*
30.Rendy Delacruz, USA 91.8k MMM 2009
31.Tero Penttilä, Sweden 91.4k NGC III 2007
32.Tim Struse, USA 91.3k ASA-C 2009
33.Dave Stiff, Australia 91.2k VGC 2008
34.Benny Wennberg, Sweden 91.0k Euro 2004
35.Clayton Gellatly, USA 90.9k GC 2008
36.Tommy Heslep, USA 90.7k GGC 2005*
36.Mark Lundie, USA 90.7k MMM 2009
38.Florian Kellersmann, Germany 90.1k MGC III 2007
39.Jonas Svarén, Sweden 90.0k LGC XI 2004
40.Jonathan Creason, USA 89.6k GGC 2006
40.Kevin Perrone, USA 89.6k GGC 2006
42.Dan Cenidoza, USA 88.9k GGC 2005*
43.Mikael Siversson, Sweden 88.5k AGC 2006
43.Martin Kotte, Germany 88.5k HGC 2009
45.Matt Chips, USA 88.0k SoHGC 2009
46.Theo Burggraaff, Holland 87.8k MGC III 2007
46.Mike Rinderle, USA 87.8k GGC 2009
48.Mario Sjögren, Sweden 87.0k Euro 2005
48.Brandon Azevedo, USA 87.0k AZCG II 2009
50.Martin Ressel 86.7k Euro 2008
50.Scott George, USA 86.7k GC 2008

Hey David do you have a list that corelates with the width used for these lifts?
Rico

Rico,
Sorry I don't.

Ok. Well how about for yourself?
Rico

My 115k was done at 48mm width.

Hoping to make that list next year. I was at 87Kg before shit happened so theres hope yet.

Good!

Lol999 wrote:Hoping to make that list next year. I was at 87Kg before shit happened so theres hope yet.

i am looking to hit around 91k at Chris's gripmas comp this year. We will see how it gos.