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iv) rock throwing: This is a great test of one's "functional" strength. Sure, maybe some gym mullet might be able to bench press 500 lbs. BUT can this same guy throw a 50 lb. rock further then an athlete? Probably not. Take a fair sized rock and stand at a specific starting point....then with all your might, use both hands to "push" or throw the rock as far as you can. Sounds easy? No way!! Give it a try and find out just why this exercise separates the men from the boys. v) backwards rock toss: Once again, choose a reletively light weight rock and proceed to the starting line.....this time, turn your back to the field and with legs extremely far apart, start to swing the stone in a vertical motion. Swing it through the range of just between your legs to about head height....and repeat this SWING approximately 3-4 times as you build momentum....then, with one final heave, toss the rock up over your head towards the field behind you....measure the distance the rock is from your start point and then try it again....AWESOME!!! vi) rock curling: Do this exercise the same way you would do a normal barbell curl...only, instead of a perfectly weighted and skinny barbell, try using a thick relatively heavy rock....not only will this be much more difficult to curl then a regular barbell, it also will work on your grip strength.
b) Odd lifts that stress the grip: There are also a multitude of odd lift exercises that will build your grip strength. i)Bucket and Plyers lift: One of my favorite grip building exercises is the bucket lift using a standard pair of plyers....sounds easy? NO WAY!!! All you need is a regular bucket with a steel handle; a pair of plyers; and either sand or regular weightlifting plates to be used for weight. Simply load the bucket with weight, and then ----using the plyers---lift the bucket up off the ground. This may indeed sound easy BUT I assure you it is not. Because the surface area of the plyers is so small compared to say...your hand....this makes lifting the bucket alot tougher and thus stresses the grip to a greater extent. ii) Pinch grip: This exercise is done using standard olympic plates. Start off using the 10 lb. plates and work your way up to the 45 lb. plates. To do this exercise, simply take two 10 lb. plates and put them together with the smooth sides of each plate facing OUT. Then, using one hand, grip the plates by using your thumb on one side and your other four fingers on the opposite side of the plates. Lift the plates up off the ground and hold them in the air as long as you can. Most people can probably handle the 10 lb. plates. Trainees with a reasonably strong grip might be able to lift the 25 lb. plates. The 35 lb. plates are considered "elite" to be sucessfully lifted. The 45's are out of this world. Give it a try!! iii) Centre-plate hold: Another super grip challenge is the centre-plate grip hold exercise. To do this exercise simply take a 25 lb. olympic plate and place it smooth side DOWN(facing the ground). Then, using only one hand at a time, grip the plate by the "hub" in the centre of the plate and try and lift it up off the ground. Once again, 25 lb. plate means you have a strong grip; 35 lb. is elite; while 45 in considered extraordinary.
c) Sand bag lifts: Ever try lifting a sack of potatos overhead? If ya have, you will know that it is alot tougher then lifting a comparable weight on a barbell. Why? Mainly because unlike a totally balanced barbell, a sack of potatos has a load that will shift as the trainee lifts it into different positions. Thus, the load is now UNBALANCED. I have found that like the potato bag lift, Sand-Bag lifting is very challenging. The shear effort it takes just to get a good enough hold of the sand bag is a challenge in itself. Sand bags usually come in bags weighing between 40-80 lbs. If the trainee needs more weight than these bags can offer, I would suggest that an army duffle bag be purchased. This way, one can load up the army bag with unlimited weight. i) Sand bag lifts overhead: Give this one a try and you may find out that lifting the bag overhead is only half the battle... the real battle may just be the lifting of the bag from the ground to the shoulders!!! ii) Sand bag curls: In a normal barbell curl, the sticking point for any trainee is usually the mid point of the lift....in sand bag curls, the sticking point is the last quarter of the lift. iii) Inman Mile: This could be the most gruelling test of both strength and endurance that any human being may ever experience. Take 150% of your bodyweight and put that weight in a large army bag. Then, place that weight on your shoulders and away you go.......for 1 mile....walking!!! That is it. Rests are allowed BUT you may not put the weight down...you may only STOP walking. WOW!! This is radical training taken to the extreme.
Farmer's Walk: Brutal endurance!!!
Thick Bar training: you have to try it to believe it.
Bill Kazmaier demolishing the side lateral dumbell record of Louis Cyr.
A Radical log lift!!!
Strongman Steve Pulcinella one arm presses one of the "Stones of Courage".
Kaz pressing the "Thomas Inch Dumbell"--this dumbell had a very thick 3 inch diameter handle which made lifting it almost impossible for most humans.