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Sorinex Mighty Mitts 2013 Grip Contest
The time has come once again to climb onto the Arnold Sports Festival Expo Stage, and see who has the strongest hands on the planet. This year's Mighty Mitts Grip Contest will have a slightly different format than years past. We appreciate each and every competitor, and will continue to strive to produce a fun, accurate contest to compete in, and a wonderfully entertaining show to watch.
There will be two separate grip contests this year, one each day, Friday March 1st and Saturday March 2nd 2013. Each will have a different focus and separate money allotment. For example 1st place on Friday will be paid at the end of that day, with another contest on Saturday, which will carry a separate cash prize. The purpose of this is to allow selected strength athletes from Strongman the opportunity to compete after their events are over. We feel that some of these athletes have a legitimate shot at testing their mettle with the grip aficionados of the world, and want these athletes to be able to compete side by side. All athletes competing in Day 1 (medley) are required to compete in Day 2 (max frame lockout). That being said, the first day (Friday) will be a Medley event, consisting of 10 implements, with a total of 14 points.
Friday, March 1
Expo Stage (4:00 - 4:30)
Event One: The Mighty Mitts Medley
1. The Blob Lift
Two (2) 50lb. Blobs (end of 100lb. solid York convex dumbbell) lifted traditional style (not by the face) onto a 36 inch box. These Blobs arerepresentaives of the Fat man era and design, with heavily convex, rounded protruding sides. 1 point is awarded for the right hand, 1 point for the left hand, or 3 points if both are lifted and placed on the box simultaneously. The "Blob" was made famous by Richard Sorin in the mid 1980's, as a premier grip feet, which stresses pinch gripping extra wide, convex surfaces.
2. Saxon Bar Deadlift
A rectangular bar (made of 3 inch tubing) fully deadlifted from ground. The actual pinch will be done on the 3 inch wide side. 1 point for full deadlift, no points for partial attempts. Weight to be announced. Arthur Saxon was said to have trained with a bar like this, it focuses on medium width pinch grip.
3. Jowett Anvil Deadlift
A 172 LB Anvil, lifted by the horn vertically to a full deadlift. 1 point for full deadlift, no points for partial attempts. Additional weight may be added. The Jowett Anvil has been a staple of the Mighty Mitts contest for 4 years, and is a historical feat of strength made popular by George Jowett, an old time strongman, who regularly lifted this piece of blacksmithing history.
4. Wrist Roller
A 2-inch free-revolving sleeve, rolling up a weight approximately 3-4 feet. A full pull will result in 1 point. No points are given for partial range of motion. This apparatus will tax not only the grip but the forearms and wrist strength. Everyone has felt this burn.
5. Zuver Plate Claw Lift
A 200 LB Deep dish style Olympic Plate deadlift. 1 point is awarded for the right hand, 1 point for the left hand, or 3 points if both are lifted simultaneously. No points are awarded for partial lifts. Zuver Hall of Fame Plates are a remnant of the Golden era of the Iron Game and body building, the 1960s in sunny California. Zuvers Hall of Fame was one of the most innovative gyms of all time, and was a mecca of strength for the likes of Arnold, Paul Anderson, Peanuts West, Pat Casey and Terry Todd. These plates were custom made for the gym, and are the heaviest known plates, and some of the rarest, in the entire world.
6. G-Rex Gripper
Fully close using both hands simultaneously, the plate loaded gripper. A light will shine when the gripper is fully closed. 1 Point awarded for a full close, no points awarded for partial reps. Handles are 1-inch diameter.
7. Circus Bell Load
3-inch diameter handle, 160lb. Circus type Dumbbell to be lifted approximately 30 inches onto a box. Either hand may be used although no additional points are awarded for additional lifts after 1 rep. No partial points awarded for partial lifts. The Circus Bell was designed and built by Richard Sorin 7 years ago for the Arnolds Strongman Classic, since then it has become a staple at grip and strongman contests all over the world.
8. Thomas Inch Dumbbell Load
2.38-inch diameter handle, 172lb. Globe Dumbbell to be lifted approx. 30-inches onto a box. Either hand may be used although no additional points are awarded for additional lifts after 1 rep. No partial points awarded for partial lifts. The Inch Dumbbell has the handle similar in length and diameter to a can of cola, making it a gold standard for thick-bar grip prowess. For almost a hundred years, strongmen have sweated and grunted over the Thomas Inch famous dumbbell, mostly to no avail.
9. 45 LB Plate Pinch
Two (2) York 45lb. Olympic Plates (1980's era) pinched together and lifted to a full deadlift, with one hand. Either hand can be used. 1 point is awarded for full lift, no points awarded for partial lifts. The plates will be placed smooth sides out, which gives a rim of steel touching each other.
This will test the athlete's narrow pinch grip. This is a more recent test of grip strength, but one that has become an instant classic and proof of strong hands.
10. Hand Grenade Lift
4-inch Diameter Steel Sphere, covered with a semi-textured powder coat. Lift is to be performed one handed with the palm of the hand on TOP of the sphere. No wrapping the hand underneath the ball is allowed. Sphere will be attached to a loading pin of weight. 1 Point awarded for full deadlift. No points awarded for partial attempts. Either hand can be used. This lift taxes the individual fingers in a way that no bar can.
** Events and implements subject to change or modifications **
Athletes do not have to follow this order of implements, they can choose any order they wish. Unlike last year, an athlete can go back and attempt a specific implement as many times as they want, even if they missed it the first time. Each athlete has a 2 minute time limit. Points are accumulative of all successful implements. (out of 14 possible points.) If two athletes both score 6 out of 14 points, the athlete who completed the 6 successful attempts in the shorted amount of time would be the winner among them.
Saturday, March 2
Expo Stage (2:30 - 3:00)
Event Two: Mighty Mitts Max Effort
2-3 inch diameter handles on a frame type apparatus (similar to a Trap bar). Parallel handles are revolving and non-knurled. Athlete will stand between the handles and perform a deadlift top-end partial lift or lock out. Handle height will be roughly above the knees of all athletes. Event will be run in a last man standing fashion, with the Frame weight going up in predeter- mined increments until only one contestant remains. Each athlete has 30 seconds to attempt a successful lift, they can try as many times as they like in the 30 seconds. Once the athlete has completed the full lift, they can wait and move on to the next weight when it comes around, or choose to perform more reps during the remaining allotted time (in that attempt). Once multiple rep attempts are commenced, the athlete forfeits his chance at the next weight. If the athlete fails to achieve one full rep in the allotted time, he is out of the competition and rotation. There is no quantity of rounds pre-specified. This will be a heavy, max-out style event, but the limiting factor is targeted to be grip strength rather than overall body strength.
Athletes may use: chalk and Liquid Grip during events. Belts, wraps and compression gear can also be used.
2013 Competitors
- Tex Henderson
- Andrew Durniat
- Odd Haugen
- Adam Glass
- JL Holdsworth
- Brad Ardrey
- Wade Gillingham
- Jeremy Hogg
Past Mighty Mitts Champions
- 2010: Rich Williams USA
- 2011: Rich Williams USA
- 2012: Rich Williams USA, Tex Henderson USA, Mark Felix ENG (tie)
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