Daniel Evans
06-03-2009, 07:46 AM
I haven't posted for a while but I'd thought I'd share the joy of my recent successful grip escapades in the form of a review of a (non affiliated) product which I can't recommend enough.
The Vulcan Gripper
Daniel Evans
Manufactured by the same people as the Word of Strength Log sold by Dave Horne, this adjustable extension spring gripper weighs in at around 4kg feels considerably brutal with extra stress on the wrists due to it's size. The spread of the handles is greater than the standard Captains of Crush style torsion spring gripper making for a more difficult set. The movement is smoother in comparison to the torsion spring and there's a greater satisfaction of extending a spring as opposed to compressing it. You can literally see the generated force in both the handles and spring.
My gripper is branded "4" on the bottom of one the front handle denoting the 4th fabrication batch. Batches 1 and 2 came complete with a red spring and 3 and 4 are now supplied with the red and black spring which offers more resistance. Upon testing, at my level this spring (even at the lowest position) will be suitable only for "working sets" as opposed to warmups and middle / pinky crushes, however the joy of this is; additional springs can be purchased! The resistance of the gripper is increased by moving the spring away from the pivot. Elastic bands can be added to microload, or of course you can use a whole load of bands (without the spring) to use as a standalone.
I bought this gripper to introduce some slight variation to my grip training and to (hopefully) get officially certified for some credit card and 20mm block set closures.
----------------------
8 Week update
Having owned and used the Vulcan for almost 8 weeks I can report that it's without a doubt the best and most effective piece of equipment I've ever bought. Initially the gripper seemed too brutal and very difficult to close even on the lightest settings. There was a great learning curve but one that allowed for great improvement and huge carryover into the torsion spring grippers (HG's CoC's etc).
After being at a sticking point with the CoC#2.5 for almost a year (being able to close it only a few times on a very good day) with the #3 being a distant dream with a parallel crush at best, I decided to test the carryover having worked with the Vulcan exclusively for only 4 weeks climbing up through the levels with surprising speed. This was the moment of truth.
Upon putting the #2.5 in my hand it felt like a toy with it's lighter weight and lesser spread. I closed it first time and it was easy. Next I put the #3 to the test expecting to be able to crush it past parallel. The result was a close!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoAcK3dWYVw&feature=channel_page
The progress achieved from the Vulcan has been absolutely phenomenal and it reinforces my training philosophy that in order to improve upon something you benefit more from working something far more stressful than the activity demands. Thickbar work improves the support grip in the deadlift far quicker than years worth of perseverance with an Olympic bar. In the same respect working only with the one type of torsion spring challenge gripper (the gripper you wish to close) isn't the effective solution.
You need to train beyond the demands!
My personal record on the Vulcan is a Level 12 CCS.
http://cagedanimal.net/userpix/2_vulcan_1.jpg
Rough estimate of the comparism of Levels between the Vulcan Gripper and the IronMind Captains of Crush are:
Coc #2 = Lev 5-7
Coc #2.5 = Lev 8-10
Coc #3 = Lev 11-13
Coc #3.5 = Lev 15-17
Coc #4 = Lev 18-20
But this is just a rough estimate. It would take into consideration easy, normal and hard grippers.
The spring levels with a Red spring are;
LEVEL 22 (both springs attached to #8 notches)
LEVEL 21 (front spring attached to #8 notch, and the rear spring attached to #7 notch)
LEVEL 20 (front spring attached to #7 notch, and the rear spring attached to #8 notch)
LEVEL 19 (both springs attached to #7 notches)
LEVEL 18 (front spring attached to #7 notch, and the rear spring attached to #6 notch)
LEVEL 17 (front spring attached to #6 notch, and the rear spring attached to #7 notch)LEVEL 16 (both springs attached to #6 notches)
LEVEL 15 (front spring attached to #6 notch, and the rear spring attached to #5 notch)
LEVEL 14 (front spring attached to #5 notch, and the rear spring attached to #6 notch)
LEVEL 13 (both springs attached to #5 notches)
LEVEL 12 (front spring attached to #5 notch, and the rear spring attached to #4 notch)
LEVEL 11 (front spring attached to #4 notch, and the rear spring attached to #5 notch)
LEVEL 10 (both springs attached to #4 notches)
LEVEL 9 (front spring attached to #4 notch, and the rear spring attached to #3 notch)
LEVEL 8 (front spring attached to #3 notch, and the rear spring attached to #4 notch)
LEVEL 7 (both springs attached to #3 notches)
LEVEL 6 (front spring attached to #3 notch, and the rear spring attached to #2 notch)
LEVEL 5 (front spring attached to #2 notch, and the rear spring attached to #3 notch)
LEVEL 4 (both springs attached to #2 notches)
LEVEL 3 (front spring attached to #2 notch, and the rear spring attached to #1 notch)
LEVEL 2 (front spring attached to #1 notch, and the rear spring attached to #2 notch)
LEVEL 1 (both springs attached to #1 notches)
The spring levels with a Red/Black spring are;
LEVEL 24 (both springs attached to #8 notches)
LEVEL 23 (front spring attached to #8 notch, and the rear spring attached to #7 notch)
LEVEL 22 (front spring attached to #7 notch, and the rear spring attached to #8 notch)
LEVEL 21 (both springs attached to #7 notches)
LEVEL 20 (front spring attached to #7 notch, and the rear spring attached to #6 notch)
LEVEL 19 (front spring attached to #6 notch, and the rear spring attached to #7 notch)LEVEL 18 (both springs attached to #6 notches)
LEVEL 17 (front spring attached to #6 notch, and the rear spring attached to #5 notch)
LEVEL 16 (front spring attached to #5 notch, and the rear spring attached to #6 notch)
LEVEL 15 (both springs attached to #5 notches)
LEVEL 14 (front spring attached to #5 notch, and the rear spring attached to #4 notch)
LEVEL 13 (front spring attached to #4 notch, and the rear spring attached to #5 notch)
LEVEL 12 (both springs attached to #4 notches)
LEVEL 11 (front spring attached to #4 notch, and the rear spring attached to #3 notch)
LEVEL 10 (front spring attached to #3 notch, and the rear spring attached to #4 notch)
LEVEL 9 (both springs attached to #3 notches)
LEVEL 8 (front spring attached to #3 notch, and the rear spring attached to #2 notch)
LEVEL 7 (front spring attached to #2 notch, and the rear spring attached to #3 notch)
LEVEL 6 (both springs attached to #2 notches)
LEVEL 5 (front spring attached to #2 notch, and the rear spring attached to #1 notch)
LEVEL 4 (front spring attached to #1 notch, and the rear spring attached to #2 notch)
LEVEL 3 (both springs attached to #1 notches)
Vulcan Gripper CCS Leaderboard:
http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/vulcanhallofame.html
Available at:
http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/shop.html
The Vulcan Gripper
Daniel Evans
Manufactured by the same people as the Word of Strength Log sold by Dave Horne, this adjustable extension spring gripper weighs in at around 4kg feels considerably brutal with extra stress on the wrists due to it's size. The spread of the handles is greater than the standard Captains of Crush style torsion spring gripper making for a more difficult set. The movement is smoother in comparison to the torsion spring and there's a greater satisfaction of extending a spring as opposed to compressing it. You can literally see the generated force in both the handles and spring.
My gripper is branded "4" on the bottom of one the front handle denoting the 4th fabrication batch. Batches 1 and 2 came complete with a red spring and 3 and 4 are now supplied with the red and black spring which offers more resistance. Upon testing, at my level this spring (even at the lowest position) will be suitable only for "working sets" as opposed to warmups and middle / pinky crushes, however the joy of this is; additional springs can be purchased! The resistance of the gripper is increased by moving the spring away from the pivot. Elastic bands can be added to microload, or of course you can use a whole load of bands (without the spring) to use as a standalone.
I bought this gripper to introduce some slight variation to my grip training and to (hopefully) get officially certified for some credit card and 20mm block set closures.
----------------------
8 Week update
Having owned and used the Vulcan for almost 8 weeks I can report that it's without a doubt the best and most effective piece of equipment I've ever bought. Initially the gripper seemed too brutal and very difficult to close even on the lightest settings. There was a great learning curve but one that allowed for great improvement and huge carryover into the torsion spring grippers (HG's CoC's etc).
After being at a sticking point with the CoC#2.5 for almost a year (being able to close it only a few times on a very good day) with the #3 being a distant dream with a parallel crush at best, I decided to test the carryover having worked with the Vulcan exclusively for only 4 weeks climbing up through the levels with surprising speed. This was the moment of truth.
Upon putting the #2.5 in my hand it felt like a toy with it's lighter weight and lesser spread. I closed it first time and it was easy. Next I put the #3 to the test expecting to be able to crush it past parallel. The result was a close!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MoAcK3dWYVw&feature=channel_page
The progress achieved from the Vulcan has been absolutely phenomenal and it reinforces my training philosophy that in order to improve upon something you benefit more from working something far more stressful than the activity demands. Thickbar work improves the support grip in the deadlift far quicker than years worth of perseverance with an Olympic bar. In the same respect working only with the one type of torsion spring challenge gripper (the gripper you wish to close) isn't the effective solution.
You need to train beyond the demands!
My personal record on the Vulcan is a Level 12 CCS.
http://cagedanimal.net/userpix/2_vulcan_1.jpg
Rough estimate of the comparism of Levels between the Vulcan Gripper and the IronMind Captains of Crush are:
Coc #2 = Lev 5-7
Coc #2.5 = Lev 8-10
Coc #3 = Lev 11-13
Coc #3.5 = Lev 15-17
Coc #4 = Lev 18-20
But this is just a rough estimate. It would take into consideration easy, normal and hard grippers.
The spring levels with a Red spring are;
LEVEL 22 (both springs attached to #8 notches)
LEVEL 21 (front spring attached to #8 notch, and the rear spring attached to #7 notch)
LEVEL 20 (front spring attached to #7 notch, and the rear spring attached to #8 notch)
LEVEL 19 (both springs attached to #7 notches)
LEVEL 18 (front spring attached to #7 notch, and the rear spring attached to #6 notch)
LEVEL 17 (front spring attached to #6 notch, and the rear spring attached to #7 notch)LEVEL 16 (both springs attached to #6 notches)
LEVEL 15 (front spring attached to #6 notch, and the rear spring attached to #5 notch)
LEVEL 14 (front spring attached to #5 notch, and the rear spring attached to #6 notch)
LEVEL 13 (both springs attached to #5 notches)
LEVEL 12 (front spring attached to #5 notch, and the rear spring attached to #4 notch)
LEVEL 11 (front spring attached to #4 notch, and the rear spring attached to #5 notch)
LEVEL 10 (both springs attached to #4 notches)
LEVEL 9 (front spring attached to #4 notch, and the rear spring attached to #3 notch)
LEVEL 8 (front spring attached to #3 notch, and the rear spring attached to #4 notch)
LEVEL 7 (both springs attached to #3 notches)
LEVEL 6 (front spring attached to #3 notch, and the rear spring attached to #2 notch)
LEVEL 5 (front spring attached to #2 notch, and the rear spring attached to #3 notch)
LEVEL 4 (both springs attached to #2 notches)
LEVEL 3 (front spring attached to #2 notch, and the rear spring attached to #1 notch)
LEVEL 2 (front spring attached to #1 notch, and the rear spring attached to #2 notch)
LEVEL 1 (both springs attached to #1 notches)
The spring levels with a Red/Black spring are;
LEVEL 24 (both springs attached to #8 notches)
LEVEL 23 (front spring attached to #8 notch, and the rear spring attached to #7 notch)
LEVEL 22 (front spring attached to #7 notch, and the rear spring attached to #8 notch)
LEVEL 21 (both springs attached to #7 notches)
LEVEL 20 (front spring attached to #7 notch, and the rear spring attached to #6 notch)
LEVEL 19 (front spring attached to #6 notch, and the rear spring attached to #7 notch)LEVEL 18 (both springs attached to #6 notches)
LEVEL 17 (front spring attached to #6 notch, and the rear spring attached to #5 notch)
LEVEL 16 (front spring attached to #5 notch, and the rear spring attached to #6 notch)
LEVEL 15 (both springs attached to #5 notches)
LEVEL 14 (front spring attached to #5 notch, and the rear spring attached to #4 notch)
LEVEL 13 (front spring attached to #4 notch, and the rear spring attached to #5 notch)
LEVEL 12 (both springs attached to #4 notches)
LEVEL 11 (front spring attached to #4 notch, and the rear spring attached to #3 notch)
LEVEL 10 (front spring attached to #3 notch, and the rear spring attached to #4 notch)
LEVEL 9 (both springs attached to #3 notches)
LEVEL 8 (front spring attached to #3 notch, and the rear spring attached to #2 notch)
LEVEL 7 (front spring attached to #2 notch, and the rear spring attached to #3 notch)
LEVEL 6 (both springs attached to #2 notches)
LEVEL 5 (front spring attached to #2 notch, and the rear spring attached to #1 notch)
LEVEL 4 (front spring attached to #1 notch, and the rear spring attached to #2 notch)
LEVEL 3 (both springs attached to #1 notches)
Vulcan Gripper CCS Leaderboard:
http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/vulcanhallofame.html
Available at:
http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/shop.html