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Interrogation with Grip Expert,

David Horne

109.2k Two Hands Pinch Lift done at the British Pinch Lift Champs, 2006

ZE - David, thanks for taking time to interview with us. Tell us how
you got so heavily involved with strength training in general and then
more specifically, how this passion gravitated towards serious grip
training?

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DH - I had trained on and off with a 140k weights set that my mum and dad had
got me for my 17
th
birthday till I got really into it in 1985, aged 23. From then
onwards I had a massive interest in all strength related sports. I am a very
competitive person so it was natural that my hobbies would also become my
sport.
My first strength sport was Tug of War, and I did this from 1986-1987. I really
enjoyed this sport, pulling for our local team, and we went from the local farmer
and fairs contests to winning the Federation training league in 1987 and pulling
later in AAAs tournaments.
In 1988 I participated in a touring armwrestling event that was using a machine.
I did well with this, as not a lot of technique was involved and just masses of side
pressure. In 1989 I started to do some All-Round weightlifting contests, where I
met up with Steve Gardner who fixed me up with a schedule of strongman
contests as I was now weighing 15 stone (210lb).
I competed in these regional strongman contests from 1989-1992, with the
Midlands Strongest Man contest being the biggest, but not my best performance,
with the likes of Jon Pall Sigmarsson and Jamie Reeves guesting. The All-Round
weightlifting went better with wins in 3 International contests.
It was in 1990 that I really started to do some grip work with Pinch Lifts,
although prior to that I had done plenty of wrist curls. In 1991 I organised the
first British Grip Championships under the aegis of I.A.W.A. called the Goerner.
From then on it was grip, grip, grip!

ZE - Tell us more about your training for tug of war and arm
wrestling. I have met arm wrestlers who do NO additional training
and their upper body is built like solid steel with forearms like
bowling pins.

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Tug of war - this is something we actually use during workouts. Did
you add any training to these events to improve your success rate? If
so, what did you do?


Beating Craig Silver Bullet Saunders at the Seni arm wrestling contest in 2005

DH - There are a few arm wrestlers out there that do no other work apart from
table training and we do have to remember that table work is the most important
training tool for an arm wrestler. Without this you will never succeed. I have got
some of my biggest pumps in my forearms and arms on the table. At a contest
you will have to try and clear this away before the next bout, a task that is not too
easy sometimes.
My training for arm wrestling would involve strength training as well as the table
work. I always train all my body anyway, so it just meant increasing certain areas
such as lats, chest, triceps, biceps and obviously wrist, forearm and hand work. I
always found that for A/W I needed strength endurance even more, as it was
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about how much strength you had throughout the day. This was a lesson I learnt
at the beginning when I was good for a few bouts and then quickly lost a lot of
strength. So with this in mind I used to train for high reps, and with not much
rest, and this seemed to work very well.
The Tug of War I used to do was a team event, of 8 men versus 8 men, so of
course you all had to work together. Tug of War has various bodyweight classes,
560k, 600k, 640k, 680k, 720k and catch weight. One of the teams I pulled for
was very good at the 640k class, which meant all 8 men weighed less than 640
kilos. So contrary to what you think there was no big fat blokes pulling, these
were athletes all weighing in at a certain weight.
Training for this was hard, but fun. We would train on a Tuesday and Thursday
and pull on a Sunday. I trained strongman training on the other days as well. For
T-O-W you have to be fit (endurance is a must), strong, listen to your coach, and
have a good grip. You will soon know if you have endurance when you go above a
couple of minutes on a pull! A pull against a team would be the best of 3 ends,
and of course you would pull many teams in the day.
On training days after warming up with general fitness work, we would pull 4
against 4 on a navy style pulley system. From here the whole team of 8 would
then pull a very heavy load (probably 6-700kg in weight, or more if the coach
wanted more) up a tree. We would do holds at various points on the ascent and
descent, and of course do pull after pull. Training usually was harder than a day
of competing, which is how it should be.
ZE Wow, these heavy pulls and pulls up a tree sound AMAZING! I
think athletes really need to be exposed to this training, not just arm
wrestling competitors.

Can you tell us more about what objects you pulled and how this was
set up? Were you pulling sleds or trucks for the regular pulls and
what was attached to the rope for the tree pulls?
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Also, you mentioned using strongman training on your off days.
Can you give us some details as how you organized your strongman
training on these days?

David - For the main T-O-W pulling, a very large open topped barrel laden with
steel and weights would be pulled. The pulley was attached high up in the tree.
We did no sled pulls, although I do use this form of training sometimes.
I have always done a lot of strongman style of training, and this training you ask
about was back in 1986, long before a lot of the specific strongman training
appeared. The basic lifts were mixed with strength fitness, throwing and
bodybuilding events/exercises.
Its difficult to give a sample workout as I change programmes every 12-16 weeks,
and have done literally hundreds of different workouts.
But back in the late 80s my strongman training would involve events/training
such as pulling vehicles in a harness, or arm over arm ( I remember doing a lot of
the pulling uphill due to only being able to use a van).
Throwing 56lb weight for height, I had two large poles erected in my garden, and
used a bamboo cane for the height bar.
Of course I did Farmers Walks, but back then it was with heavy dumbbells, and
this was a lot nastier than the lovely Farmers implements we use nowadays.
Medleys with large logs and stones were also part and parcel of many workouts.
I would also do some massive stints of chopping wood when large trees had fallen
down in storms. We had a Rayburn fire for our heating so this was very
productive.
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Nowadays, I have lots of the strongman equipment, so Elizabeth and I will train
on our proper stones, Farmers, vehicle pulling, sled pulling, barrels, sandbags,
throwing weights and much more.

Middle Fingers Deadlift 182.5k (402.3lb), at a bodyweight of 86.9k (light
bodyweight for me) on 29 June 1994

ZE David, wow, I love your style of training! Its so basic yet so
effective! Lets switch gears here and talk about your intense passion
for Grip training. What have you found to be the most effective Grip
training methods for developing hands and grip that are strong and
powerful?

David - As you know, I compete in grip contests and have done since 1991, so I
will train on the various events in the run up to a contest. My routines run for 16
weeks usually. The events I will train on may not necessary be the best all-round
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exercises, but of course they have to be trained on so that you learn the specific
task.
I will also put in the basic exercises that I find productive for all-round strength.
Contrary to how many people train their grip I train using reps for most of the
year, and will only lower the reps to singles in the last few weeks before a contest.
I find that training on singles only is very unproductive for me, but many people
use this type of training. Its best to find what works for your body, as everyone is
different, and I love reps and workload, and can recover from it.
There are basically 4 areas of hand/grip/wrist/forearm strength that
should be trained and of course are tested in contests these are:
1) Pinch
2) Wrist
3) Supporting
4) Crush
The first that should be addressed is Pinch Lifting - If I am Pinch Lifting well,
then my hands are strong. I love training on one or two hand Pinches, but
training can be quicker using the Two Hands Pinch Lift, and of course its an
official lift that is in most grip contests. I train with discs or tires with weights in,
and holds, reps or rotating the items in a circle Round the Clock training styles
can be employed.

After pinch strength, I believe wrist strength to be the next most important, or
even equally so. Wrist strength is an overlooked area, as most people associate it
with light wrist curls pumped out by bodybuilders at the end of a session. Some of
the strongest wrists on the planet belong to arm wrestlers. There are many wrist
exercises, but the standard Standing Wrist Curl is a great start for any beginner.
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Most people will have done some kind of grip supporting training in the form
of Deadlifts, and these can be made tougher by doing the exercise in an overhand
grip, or with a thick bar.
With the popularity of grippers, most people will train their crushing strength,
and in fact many only train this area, and then realize later that they are not
balanced. I have found that training grippers with a credit card set the most
beneficial for other exercises and general crushing strength. Although I found
that my parallel setting strength decreased a little while I trained CCS, I thought
that the benefits outweighed the loss of strength in that area.
If I had a contest coming up with a parallel set on the grippers I would definitely
train specifically for that event. We are now selling a brand new gripper called the
Vulcan Hand Gripper, and it can be adjusted from as light as Trainer
strength to beyond the #4 gripper.
Vulcan Gripper Link http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/shop.html
Vulcan Gripper Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgYkiNev3Ag

Finally, you should never forget your grip endurance, this in some cases can be
more advantageous that just great strength that wears out quickly. I quickly
found this out in arm wrestling its not the strength you have on your first pull,
but the strength you have in the Final at the end!
Zach Your article in which you devised a pull up bar in your
backyard with multiple grip attachments is amazing
(http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/article3.html). How have
all these pull up variations been working for you and the others who
have used them? I can see combat athletes and law enforcement really
in need of these. Im also shocked that a big guy like yourself devised
such an idea. Most big men shy away from chinning and pulling.
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David - Upper back training is essential for most strength athletes, so this was
one of the first things I make when I move into a new house. Ive had some kind
of chinning apparatus since the mid 80s and most have been similar to the one
in the article. I train on underhand, overhand and neutral grip chins all have
their place in strength training, and especially arm wrestling training.

As I just said having a strong upper back is such a massive help in arm wrestling,
and also in thick braced bar bending. But this area is overlooked by many, and yet
it should be trained more than the chest, and if more people did this it would
probably save a lot of shoulders from irreparable damage. But they dont! I had to
have a shoulder operation in December 2006, due to an injury that was my own
fault because I chose to ignore what my body was telling me. The operation was a
subacromial decompression, and turned out to be a painful operation with a long
time of rehab and pain ahead. My rehab consisted of a lot of light shoulder
exercises and stretching and when I could I started to strengthen the upper back
up again. This has helped massively, and eventually I have come back to be able
to even bench press again.

All the various grip holds on the chinning bar are just to give me a bit of extra
grip training when Im training my upper back. I could do 9 chins whilst pinching
some rafters at a bodyweight of around 95k. In a training session with strongman
Nick McKinless we finished the workout off with some holds on the rafters, and I
had got to 25 seconds when the rafter in my right hand cracked and down I came
tough session that day, and many more stories. I could also do a proper one
arm chin after a good deal of training.

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Chins are a great exercise but dont forget that Rows are equally effective if done
properly. I prefer to do my Bent over Rows with my head supported, so that its
more upper back than lower back, and also dont forget One Arm Rows.

Here I am performing Pinch Chins on Rafters (15" apart) for 9 reps in 1995. My
bodyweight then would be about 95k (210lb)

Zach - What are your thoughts on specific arm training exercises
(biceps and triceps)? Many people oppose this and say we get enough
work from our upper body training, but I have found that thick bar
curls or heavy cheat curls, hammer curls, thick bar tricep
extensions and the like are excellent for strengthening the grip and
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hands. I have also found them to be beneficial in aiding strength in
pushing and pulling exercises. I would love to hear your experience
here.

David - I train all my body, and treat my arms no different, and of course in
sports like arm wrestling it is essential for the arm to be strong. Remember that
you are only as strong as your weakest body part. For the flexors of my arm I
train on a good variety of Curling exercises with a variety of hand positions, and
for my Triceps I have always favoured Dips, and Press-ups over any extension
work, and this is due to pains in my elbow joint that I suffer on extension
exercises when the weight gets heavier.

Zach David, this is my final last question, and often a tough one. What
question(s) do you wish I asked you and what would your answer to be to that
question?
David - I think my question would be What Makes a Man?, and the answer to
this may surprise many!
Being a man is not just about being strong and full of male vigour, but about the
person you are within. I remember David Webster (the world renowned strength
historian) telling me many years ago that once you have gone, the memories of
the man you were will outlive your records. If you honestly question yourself you
will have the answer. It seems in these modern days that modesty is a long gone
art, but if you look deep enough you can still find some gentlemen out there.
So what Im saying is:
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1. Be a kind (and strong) person. Do what is right, and dont be scared to make
mistakes. A man who has made no mistakes has done nothing in his life. Learn
from your mistakes.
2. Be truthful to yourself and others your training will go a long way with this
advice.
3. Be modest (but this does not mean you cannot answer questions about yourself
if asked) and have interest in others.
4. Never wish failure on your opponent, this is weakness. If you are not good
enough to win, so be it.

Small Biography of David Horne
Born - Johnstone, Scotland on the 22nd of May 1962.
Height and usual B/W - 62 and around 16-17 stone (224-240 lb).
Strength sports I have participated in - Tug of War (1986-87),
Armwrestling (1988-89, 1993, 1999-02, 2005), Strongman (1989-1992), All-
Round Weightlifting (1989-95) Powerlifting (1989), Grip Contests (1991-2007),
Strandpulling (1993).
Major titles won -
Champion of Champion Grip Champion 2005
European Grip Champion 2004
British Grip Champion (10 times) 1994, 95, 96, 97, 98, 01, 02, 03, 04, 07.
British Armwrestling Champion 2001
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International All-Round Weightlifting Champion 95kg class (3 times) 1990, 91,
92
British All-Round Weightlifting Champion 95kg class (4 times) 1990, 91, 92, 93
Winner of Steve Gardners Strongman Series 1991
Some top lifts -
In grip strength some of my favourites are:
Two Hands Pinch Lift on the adjustable Euro apparatus of 110.8k, 11/8/05.
Tore 2 packs of cards in half (jokers included), 108 cards. 27/7/95. This was hard,
and whilst doing it blood spurted from under the nail of my little finger!
Lifted the Dinnie Stones together (total weight 785lb) 3 times, also lifted the large
440lb stone with one hand for 20 consecutive reps, [all with no hook grip]. Done
at Potarch on a wet day 5/4/98 in front of David Webster and Gordon Dinnie.
One Hand Pinch Lift of 67.5k L/H. 12/6/01
One Hand Lift (with no hook grip) 335k [1 lift] 28/7/01
Table Top Wrist Curl 302.5k 3/8/02.
Links
Website: http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/index.html
Shop: http://www.davidhorne-gripmaster.com/shop.html

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