Event Order

[jamesgrahame]

I recently ran the first Melbourne grip comp with events, in order, RT, 2hand euro pinch, vbar .

The decision to place RT first was based on concerns that the vbar was the event most likely to damage skin or cause injury.

However, a lifter trying an underhand grip on the vbar damaged a bicep tendon. Although the lifter never raised the event order as a contributing factor, I did receive a few subsequent comments that the RT event is a forearm weakener and it would be sensible to have the 'conventional order'2HP,vbar, RT...especially for novices.

Can someone bring me up to speed wrt this 'conventional' event order...is there a convention...was it chosen with injury prevention in mind?

thanks
James

[Steve Gardener]

I'd suggest refocusing on the way the injury was caused. Having competed many times the only time I've seen an injury occur was with Chris James using the same underhand grip. He more or less rowed the weight up (160+ kilos) and shock horror (as it'll be a underhand / curl grip) injured his bicep.

ALL grip events 'weaken' the forearm no matter what order they are in. At the Supermatch with Theo we did grippers last and you KNOW the effort I can give on them if placed first will be better than if placed last - and so it was.

That said order of events is usually:

Grippers

2 Hand pinch

V-bar

whatever

whatever.

Choice of 'whatever' might consider what comes before and after so as to encourage big lifts so, for example, I would not choose a thick bar and a RT lift for lifts 4 and 5. They both work the hand same.

The guy that injured his bicep chose to lift in a style he felt strong in but which places undue stress on that tendon. Ditto the guys (as per our boys here until, I tell them not to) who use a bent arm position to flip tires or pick up atlas stones.