Nugent Coaching Systems

For most endurance athletes, the event is about the feet. Running, cycling (ignore handlebars for a second), even swimming to some extent. Grip rarely comes up as something you need to finish an event, but for the adventure racer, or the enduro-paddler out there, grip is used a lot, if not for the entire event.

Why Should I Train My Grip?

Let’s look at a few racing opportunities where grip comes into question:

• Cycling
• Kayaking / Paddling
  • Portages
• Rope work / Climbing
• Obstacles (mystery events)

It’s entirely possible to do an event like an adventure race and do zero grip work and be fine.  There are couple times where you will absolutely come to your limit if you don’t: paddling and portaging.  These two activities will help you find your grip limit quickly.  It happens when you have to put your boat down to shake out your hands.   Or you need to stop paddling to recover.

Grip training is not going to prevent your arms from getting fatigued.  What it will do is give you more time before you do get fatigued.  That might be enough time to get over the portage crossing or it might get you across a reservoir that is about to quickly turn into a whitecap whiteout.

What Are Good Grip Training Workouts?

Since we’re not looking to bend steel or do rafter pull-ups (although both activities will help your grip), we’re looking to build up our resistance to fatigue.  Absolute grip strength is handy (har-har), and what we’re after is a level of grip endurance that will keep us going for hours, not necessarily a 5 second display of raw power (although some of those feats of strength are still pretty cool).

First, you can practice the skill that will be tested.  The farmer carry is a great exercise and transfers directly to portaging.  In fact I could stop here and tell you that you don’t need to do anything else.  Your grip, your core strength (back, obliques, abs…), legs – all these get worked with the farmer carry.  Go for max distance in a set period of time, go for shortest time for a set distance, or go for max weight for either.  Make it heavy and change it up.

Farmer Carry Workouts

• 800m Farmer Carry with Partner Run: one person begins the farmer carry while the other runs a 400 meter lap to catch up with the carrier. Partners switch and the other runs a lap to catch up with the carrier. Weight should be heavy. Bodyweight is a good target, then make it as heavy as you can.
• Box Jump Farmer Carry:
  5 Rounds for Time:
  • 200 lb Farmer Carry 15 Yards
  • 20 Box Jumps with a 24″ box

The next workout that will fry your forearms is rope climbs.   Another full body workout (with emphasis on the forearms) – these workouts will guarantee you have forearm strength to move weight over distance.

The third workout type I’ll mention is the kettlebell swing*.  [If you've never swung a kettlebell, please find an RKC certified trainer to help you with mechanics.  It's not cheap, but neither are chiropractors, you'll learn a LOT] Either single-hand or two-handed, grab a kettlebell and go for reps.  The bell needs to be heavy enough (a 35 lb is a good place to start for men, 18lb or 26lb for women).

How Often Should I Train Grip?

Depending on who you talk to, grip is something you can work on everyday, even after a tough workout.  Doing a rope climb or two after every workout will start building in programmed strength that you will discover is quite effective.  The training doesn’t have to be explicit.  For example, you don’t need to build in specific grip workouts if you think of grip training like practice.   An hour of farmer carries is impressive, but not the best use of your time.  Work on carries for short bursts, when you’re recovered and fresh.

The farmer carry is essentially a moving deadlift.  Make sure you understand good form and mechanics prior to engaging in any of the mentioned exercises.  Flat back, tall chest, TIGHT body, nice clean pull to standing position.
Sample Grip Training Plan:
Monday: Farmer Carry and Kettlebell Swings

Tuesday: Rest

Wednesday: Rope Climbs and Farmer Carry

Thursday: Rest

Friday: Kettlebell Swings and Rope Climbs

Saturday/Sunday: Rest

I Love Grip Training, What Else Can I Do?

• Start playing with grippers (http://www.captainsofcrushgrippers.com/)
• Pay Adam Glass a visit (http://www.adamtglass.com/)
• Read anything by Jedd Johnson (http://www.dieselcrew.com/)

This is one WOD that has had me coming back for more:

12:17 !!

Today’s morning WOD involved a 20kg Kettlebell and my re-entry into the ETK ROP, or “Enter the Kettlebell, Right of Passage” protocol.

Overhead pressing is one of those areas where I am decidedly weaker in and one that I want to develop. These kettlebell workouts are not necessarily part of the AdventureFitTraining.com workouts, nor are they directly related to any goal in support of adventure racing, but I do like them and whose to say that my racing performances won’t benefit from it?

Here’s the first Friday WOD:

3 Ladders:

• 1 rep right, 1 rep left
• 2 reps right, 2 reps left
• 3 reps right, 3 reps left

The notation I usually see for these kinds of rep schemes looks something like this:

3 x (1, 2, 3)

So if you see this in the future (I’ll try to remember to back link it) remember the above bulleted explanation.

More info on ETK can be found here:

Enter the Kettlebell!

I highly recommend this text if you are considering kettlebells as a training option.

This last Sunday I did it.

Stats

Proved to myself that I could slog it out for 30 miles.  While it wasn’t exactly running the entire time, it was however forward progress in a consistent direction.

Training mileage has been at a record low.  Honestly, maybe 10 to 12 miles a week, tops.  Most of my training has been centered around concepts borrowed from CrossFitEndurance (CFE).  I would call it CFE except for the fact that even with that I am not as consistent as I should be.  I cherry pick what I feel are suitable endurance-friendly strength and metabolic conditioning workouts from CrossFit and RKC kettlebell training.

Strength is important to me, partly as a hobby and that I like setting PR’s, but also because I recognize the value strength plays in endurance events, particularly events like adventure racing.  You never know when you need to portage a boat full of gear across what you thought was just one sand dune, which later turned into 20 sand dunes.

So this weekend my wife Darcy said, “You need to get ready for the American River 50, you at least need to do a marathon! ”

So I did.  She and the kids went to church, and I put on my Merrels.

Couple lessons learned:

• Feet swell around mile 23.  I will need a pair of shoes larger than my current size.
• Run-walk pattern will happen, either I embrace it, or succumb to the inevitable
• I can subsist on peanuts  oranges and jerky for “event food”
• I love running

Seriously, I can see why people would get hooked on this.  Already I am looking forward to the next time I can ‘Go Long’.

Happy Training!

-Brandon

WOD: Wagon Run!

Results:

Compare to: 17SEP2009: