GNC Grip Gauntlet
The GNC Grip Gauntlet (officially the GNC Pro Performance Grip Gauntlet) is a strength athletics contest that tests the grip strength of competing individuals over three disciplines, each designed to test one of the three recognised facets of hand strength: crushing; pinching; and supporting. It was developed by Wade and Brad Gillingham and became an internationally recognised contest featured at some of the world's most prominent strength athletics events and expos, including the Arnold Strongman Classic and the various WSM Super Series Grand Prixs. The last time the GNC Grip Gauntlet was run in a competitive format was the 2010 Arnold Classic. Since that time the challenge has changed to an informal challenge with no official results maintained. Prizes are still awarded for successful completion of the challenge.
History
In 2002 Wade and Brad Gillingham (GNC Pro Performance Sponsored Athletes) and General Nutrition Center (GNC) introduced The Blob Challenge in the GNC booth at the Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, NV. The Blob Challenge was run in the GNC booth at 4 events from 2002 - 2003. Late in 2003 Wade and Brad Gillingham wanting to expand the challenge came up with the idea to test 3 main facets of grip strength: Crushing Strength, Pinching Strength, and Supporting Strength. Upon approval from GNC to expand the challenge Wade approached Randall Strossen from IronMind to get permission to use Captains of Crush grippers as part of the challenge. In conversation with Randall it was decided that Wade and Brad's original idea to use a Thomas Inch Dumbbell replica for the supporting grip challenge should be replaced with the IronMind Rolling Thunder. The GNC Pro Performance Grip Gauntlet debuted at the 2004 Arnold Expo Challenge. The three implements used were the No. 3 Captains of Crush gripper, the Rolling Thunder, and an implement called the Blob. Cash prizes were available for succeeding with all three elements of the challenge.[1] An estimated 20,000 competitors at Fitness Expos over a 7-year run from 2004 to 2010 tested their hands at the GNC Grip Gauntlet.
As to the stature of the Gauntlet, Gillingham is quoted as saying in 2008: "If you think this challenge isn't world class, think again. Over the past four years, an estimated 10,000 attempts have been made to complete the three challenges on the GNC Grip Gauntlet stage and only two individuals have ever completed all three in the ‘heavy’ format.[a]
The Gauntlet eventually settled on three formats, Light, Medium and Heavy. In early 2009, the weight of the Rolling Thunder was dropped from 212 lbs to 207 lbs, to correspond with Ironmind's new version of the Rolling Thunder.[2] In 2010 due to changes in the Rolling Thunder and a change from Captain's of Crush grippers to the new GNC Pro Performance Hand Grippers, it was decided by Wade Gillingham that the historical integrity of the event was not longer sound enough to continue compiling a list of winners.
Disciplines
The disciplines of crushing, pinching and supporting are tested. Crushing, uses the IronMind Captains of Crush grippers. Supporting is tested using IronMind Rolling Thunder. Pinching (or pinch gripping) uses the Blob.
| Implement | Light Format | Medium Format | Heavy Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling Thunder | 187 pounds (85 kg) | 197 pounds (89 kg) | 207 pounds (94 kg) |
| Blob | 50 pounds (23 kg)
| ||
| Crush Grippers | #2 | #2.5 | #3 |
Rolling Thunder
Although often referred as a part of the GNC Grip Gauntlet, the Rolling Thunder's history goes back more than a decade before the Gauntlet first existed. IronMind developed the Rolling Thunder in 1993 and it is now known by strong men worldwide. One-hand deadlifts had long been a preferred means of testing and building grip strength and Rolling Thunder itself is a thick revolving deadlift handle (length: 7 1/2" (rotating portion is 6") and diameter: 2 3/8") to which can be attached weights. Such is the rise of its popularity that Rolling Thunder competitions are often held in conjunction with major strongman events including the Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 2008 and the Hawaii-based Beauty and the Beast Strongman Contests. As part of the GNC Grip Gauntlet it is also seen around the world at expos. Early on in its history, in 1993, Ironmind issued a challenge to the world of strongmen to lift 300 lbs with Rolling Thunder, and it took 15 years for this challenge to be met when Mark Felix performed the feat at the Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 2008, in the process becoming Rolling Thunder World Champion. In May 2009 Felix defended his Mohegan Sun title, although this was not considered the world championships.[3] He defended the world title in June 2009 in Quebec as a lead-in event to the Fortissimus championships.
150 kg barrier and the World Record
On March 8, 2012 Laine Snook lifted an unofficial 332.0 pounds (150.6 kg) during training at his home gym[4] and on May 22, 2012, at the Bodypower Expo in Birmingham Mark Felix set an official record by lifting what was thought to be 332.2 pounds (150.7 kg), but it was later revealed that the actual weight was 323.5 pounds (146.7 kg) and it was a computational error on the scoresheet.[5][6] On July 30, 2013 Russia's Alexey Tyukalov managed to officially lift 331.8 pounds (150.5 kg) at the A1 Armwrestling Tournament, Moscow and officially broke the world record and also became the first man to officially break the 150 kg barrier.[7][8]
Men's world record progression
| Event name and Location | Champion | Weight | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
 Honolulu, Hawaii, United States |
 Jan Bartl
|
265.4 pounds (120.4 kg)[9] | 1 May 2000 |
| Honolulu, Hawaii, United States |
Jan Bartl
|
258.5 pounds (117.3 kg)[9] | 31 May 2001 |
| Las Vegas, Nevada, United States |
 Magnus Samuelsson
|
262.0 pounds (118.8 kg)[10] | 3 June 2003 |
 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
 Andrus Murumets
|
267.0 pounds (121.1 kg)[11] | 16 June 2003 |
 Luton, United Kingdom
|
Laine Snook
|
274.2 pounds (124.4 kg)[12] | 1 August 2006 |
| Uncansville, Connecticut, United States |
Mark Felix
|
301.0 pounds (136.5 kg) | 18 January 2008 |
| Birmingham, United Kingdom 2012 Bodypower Expo
|
Mark Felix
|
323.5 pounds (146.7 kg)[5] | 22 May 2012 |
 Moscow, Russia 2013 A1 Armwrestling Tournament
|
Alexey Tyukalov
|
331.8 pounds (150.5 kg)[13] | 30 July 2013 |
Women's world record progression
| Date | Champion | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 22 September 2012 |  Ludmilla Gaiduchenko
|
170.2 pounds (77.2 kg) |
| 26 May 2012 |  Jaana Tanner
|
152.7 pounds (69.3 kg) |
| 28 January 2012 | Jaana Tanner
|
147.2 pounds (66.8 kg) |
| 7 April 2007 | Elizabeth Horne
|
144.4 pounds (65.5 kg) |
| 1 July 2002 | Becca Swanson
|
135.0 pounds (61.2 kg) |
Notes
- ^ The two men to whom Gillingham was referring were former NFL linebacker and professional wrestler, Monte ‘Alpha Male’ Brown, and Wade Gillingham himself.
- ^ a b c Considered a Rolling Thunder World Championship.
- ^ The rules were changed after the first world record set by Bartl. Previously, they allowed a competitor to use a thumbless (false) grip. Because it was later felt that this was not in the spirit of the lift, since it allowed strong-wristed competitors to remove the grip element of the event by cocking their wrists, the following year the rule was changed, and thumbless grips are now no longer allowed.[10]
External links
References
- ^ "IronMind History". Archived from the original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2008.
- ^ Gillingham, Wade (9 March 2009). "Arnold Classic Recap". Jackal's Gym. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (16 May 2009). "Mark Felix Wins Mohegan Sun Rolling Thunder™ Championships II". IronMind. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022.
- ^ "Laine Snook rolling thunder - new handle - 315lbs and 332lbs" (Video). YouTube. lainesnook. 8 March 2012. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ a b Strossen, Randall J. (22 May 2012). "Mark Felix Demolishes Rolling Thunder World Record". IronMind. Archived from the original on 14 August 2023.
- ^ "Mark Felix // Rolling Thunder World Record // Bodypower Expo 2012" (Video). YouTube. TeamDNA. 11 July 2012. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ "Rolling Thunder World Record Broken by Alexey Tyukalov". Randall J. Strossen, IronMind Enterprises, Inc. 30 July 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ "Alexey Tyukalov, A-1 Armlifting Championship, Rolling Thunder 150,5 kg" (Video). YouTube. SILARUKOV. 30 July 2013. Archived from the original on 10 March 2024. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
- ^ a b "IronMind Resource Pages About Grip Training, Hand Grippers, and Hand Strength". IronMind. Archived from the original on 27 November 2021.
- ^ a b Strossen, Randall J. (3 June 2003). "Magnus Samuelsson Breaks Rolling Thunder World Record". IronMind. Archived from the original on 1 May 2023.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (16 June 2003). "Rolling Thunder: Andrus Murumets Sets a New World Record at the IFSA All Strength Challenge". IronMind. Archived from the original on 27 September 2022.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (1 August 2006). "Laine Snook Breaks Rolling Thunder World Record". IronMind. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021.
- ^ Strossen, Randall J. (30 July 2013). "Rolling Thunder World Record Broken by Alexey Tyukalov". IronMind. Archived from the original on 28 October 2022.