GNC Grip Gauntlet

The GNC Grip Gauntlet (officially the "GNC Pro Performance Grip Gauntlet") is a strength athletics contest that tests the grip strength of competing individuals over three disciplines, each designed to test one of the three recognised facets of hand strength: crushing; pinching; and supporting. It was developed by Wade Gillingham and Randall Strossen (of IronMind) and now is an internationally recognised contest that features at some of the world's most prominent strength athletics events and expos, including the Arnold Strongman Classic and the various WSM Super Series Grand Prixs.

History

In 1992 Ironmind, a company founded by former wristwrestler Randall Strossen, presented in its catalogue the idea that grip strength involves three elements: crushing, pinching, and supporting. The company had existed since 1988 and had carved out a niche in the market as a source for tools to improve grip strength. It continued to develop and produce such tools, notably introducing "Rolling Thunder" in 1993 and "Apollon’s Axle" in 1994, as well as its famous "Crush Grippers". Having certification schemes for grip strength, and having also introduced a world championship for its Rolling Thunder product (such was its popularity amongst athletes of various strength related disciplines) the theme of encapsulating all three facets of grip strength resurfaced in a conversation between the founder of Ironmind, Randall Strossen and grip athlete Wade Gillingham. The Blob Challenge had been run by Wade Gillingham 2002 Mr. Olympia and the 2003 Arnold Classic. Gillingham and Strssen formulated a way of testing the three basic facets of grip strength using well-established, generally-available implements. Their ultimate aim being to generate a competition which would accrue a history and competitor base to produce meaningful results.

The "GNC Pro Performance Grip Gauntlet" debuted at the 2004 Arnold Expo Challenge. The three implements used were the No. 3 Captains of Crush gripper, the Rolling Thunder, and an implement called the Blob. Cash prizes were available for succeeding with all three elements of the challenge. [http://www.captainsofcrushgrippers.com/ironmind/opencms/grippers/griphighlights.html IronMind History] ]

As to the stature of the Gauntlet Gillingham is quoted as saying in 2008: "If you think this challenge isn't world class, think again. Over the past four years, an estimated 10,000 attempts have been made to complete the three challenges on the GNC Grip Gauntlet stage and only two individuals have ever completed all three in the ‘heavy’ format." [The two men to whom Gillingham was referring were former NFL linebacker and professional wrestler, Monte ‘Alpha Male’ Brown, and Wade Gillingham himself.]

The Gauntlet is now in three formats, Light, Medium and Heavy. There have been growing numbers who have completed the Gauntlet although, with the exception of its founder, Wade Gillingham, only two men have ever completed the Heavy Gauntlet, Monte Brown and Tex Henderson. Tex Henderson has the added distinction of having completed the gauntlet with grippers of a stronger standard than that normally used in the heavy format, using #3.5 grippers as opposed to #3 grippers. [ [http://www.jackalsgym.com/news/files/Grip%20Gauntlet%20Winners.pdf GNC Grip Gauntlet Chronological List of Successful Competitors] ]

Disciplines

The disciplines of crushing, pinching and supporting are tested. Crushing, uses the IronMind Captains of Crush grippers. Supporting is tested using IronMind Rolling Thunder. Pinching (or pinch gripping) uses the Blob.

Notes

#Considered a Rolling Thunder World Championship.
#The rules were changed after the first world record set by Bartl. Previously, they allowed a competitor to use a thumbless (false) grip. Because it was later felt that this was not in the spirit of the lift, since it allowed strong-wristed competitors to remove the grip element of the event by cocking their wrists, the following year the rule was changed, and thumbless grips were no longer allowed. [ [http://www.ironmind.com/ironcms/morenewsv6.php?id=575 Magnus Samuelsson Breaks Rolling Thunder™ World Record by Randall J. Strossen, Ph.D. | ©2008 IronMind] ]

Women's World Record

External Links

* [http://www.jackalsgym.com/news/files/Grip%20Gauntlet%20Winners.pdf GNC Grip Gauntlet Chronological List of Successful Competitors]

References