Newby from DeSoto County/Memphis

[patricklee.oneill]

Hey guys, my name is Pat. I'm a local from Hernando MS. Hoping to learn a good bit, and possibly contribute equally to this forum. Im a youngish fella (24), with an engineering background. I currently work on an engineering team in the medical machining industry (super fun field, with awesome technology, machines, and tools). I was raised by a father who loves American made Craftsman tools, and has passed down the love. I'll be starting a few threads shortly about starting a hobby shop for machining.

I train as a powerlifter on the side as a hobby. As well I currently have a small build going on a '94 Mustang. Not much going on with it at moment, other than a well built motor, full exhaust, custom paint, and self tuned EFI.

Hopefully I can learn and grow as a tool lover here, and possibly contribute where needed. Happy to meet y'all.

 

[Strouty]

Welcome to GJ from Maine. Looking forward to seeing the threads.

 

[1/2 Cup]

Hello and welcome to the GJ Pat, its great to have you on board. Looking forward to your hobby shop thread..

 

[bczygan]

Hi Pat,
Please put your location in your profile.

Hope you enjoy GJ.

Bill

 

[rburke65]

Hello Pat and welcome from Ohio!

 

[drivesitfar]

Pat: good to have another engineer and an old craftsman tool guy. when you say power lifter are you competing or just having fun? i sold some equipment to a local guy up here that lifts more weight with such ease than anybody i know and usually without knee straps or a weight belt. have you met Stan? here is one of my favorite videos of him where he lifts 500 pounds with one arm 2 times.

he's the only one to squeeze a www.ironmind.com CC grip better than me in front of me, but i'm nowhere in his weightlifting arena. i'm providing the link not to show you up, but because he always seems to smile even if he's lifting close to 1,000 pounds.

cheers and welcome to our group

 

[jay8s]

Does Coleman's BBQ still exist? It was my favorite stop on the way to OLE MISS!

 

[patricklee.oneill]

Drivesitfar I have not had the pleasure of meeting Stan, however I have lifted with Tee (if you know who that is, he is an Animal athlete), and my training partner holds a few records in USAPL in his class around here. I'm still putting size back on after some weight loss. Once that happens I'll likely hop on the platform. Current gym PRs are 520 DL, 520 Squat, 365 Bench, and I'd likely compete 181.

Jay if you are talking about Coleman's in Hernando, yes it very much is still kicking. It's about 2 miles from my house and is on my way to work. If you get back down around here let me know, I know a few more hidden gems around these parts.

 

[drivesitfar]

Pat: great #'s especially if you weigh only 180 pounds. Sorry i don't know Tee and i was a pro golfer so weight lifting was just to get in shape for me and i sold gym equipment.

i hurt my wrists and found a gyro was the easiest and best way to rehab them so went from squeezing a T (trainer CC grip and i think 100 pounds of pressure needed to squeeze them shut, to almost squeezing a #3 that is 275 pounds in 90 days using the gyro an hour every day at least. when i started the first couple minutes killed me because i had sprained both my wrists punching a Bob dummy without taping up (I know not smart).

anyway have you tried the CC grips or the gyro. a good grip will always help your lifts and i could use mine while driving or watching TV.

keep up the great work and hope you find some good threads and members here on GJ too.

cheers

 

[patricklee.oneill]

I have not, but I've yet to hit a point where grip is the failing point. I played baseball for a long time, and was taught early on that forearms are generally a blessing in the sport (not to mention I used to work with heavy equipment, which occasionally required some sort of hand abuse. Swinging a 20-30lb sledge to set pins on an excavator thumb will do wonders for your arms.) Shoot me a PM about the grip trainers though as I am always open to new ideas.

 

[drivesitfar]

Pat: here's a link for the gamer gyro with the battery operated starter and the rpm reader that i use when i'm on the road. i use the more expensive german made red V power metal gyro when i'm watching TV or at work because it's a lot quieter.

http://www.dynaflexpro.com/store/po...ith-powerdock-speedmeter-and-training-cd.html

sounds like you have a pretty good grip already, but if you are lifting or any playing any sports you are right forearms and grip are really important.

if you get a chance to use a Captains of Crush grip let me know if you can close a #2 or a #3 because i have yet to meet a guy that can squeeze a #2 a couple times other than Stan and of course me. i squeezed a #2 20 times one night, but my elbow was sore the next day.

you can PM me or just keep asking questions here so others can see the discussion too because these gyros will help everybody.

also if you don't already own one i'd buy an inversion table at costco and use it every day for 5 minutes just hanging especially if you are doing a lot of squats and dead lifting.

cheers

 

[drivesitfar]

Pat: BTW i'm far from having the strongest grip especially since i'll be 60 in a few months, but i just haven't met too many guys that have a better one. here's a video of Samual Magnuson squeezing the #4 which is 365 pounds and after i saw this a few years ago i figured out why he was always in the finals of the Strongman contests.

Here's the ironmind link for the CC's and I've squeezed shut the 2.5 a few times, but not the #3 yet.

http://www.ironmind.com/product-info/grip-strength-training-tools/captains-of-crush-grippers/

again welcome to our group and as you see we talk about just about anything here and not just tools and garages.

take care and ask questions if you have any about the gyro or the forum or enjoy the reading.