Mighty Mitts at the Arnold Classic

[tdbas1]

Last weekend during the Arnold Classic there was also a grip contest on called the mighty mitts. It involed 10 of the strongest hands in the world who competed in 4 seperate events. I have included details on the events and competitors in the post which I took from http://www.gripboard.com/index.php?showtopic=33916&st=160 There should also be some videos on youtube, gripboard and sorniex.com of the event.


Post from gripboard

Dr. Todd sent this to Joe Roark. Has some travel information as well as some clarification on the lifts. It was posted to the Iron History site by Joe yesterday. Hotel info toward bottom of page Steve. It does state that the MH bell must be lifted out of the box without tipping the box over. So it doesn't sound like you can brace the box with your legs. This will decrease the amount of friction you would be able to get using Weldon's ingenious method.

MIGHTY MITTS


In 2010, in addition to the Arnold Strongman Classic's traditional tests of total body strength, there will be a new feature for the crowds at the Expo Center. This new feature, "Mighty Mitts," is sponsored by MHP, and it will not involve our Strongman competitors. Instead, it will showcase between eight and ten men who are world-famous for the strength of their hands. These men will face four challenges and can win up to $1000 per event. These challenges will take place on the Expo Stage on Friday and Saturday immediately before and after our Strongman events.


An entirely new competition, Mighty Mitts will be an extra attraction for fans of Strongman contests as well as for aficionados of "grip feats." We believe that Mighty Mitts will provide even more excitement for the tens of thousands of people who watch the Strongman contest every year.


The Mighty Mitts Challenges for 2010 will consist of:


1. The Jowett Anvil--In the early years of the 20th century, George F. Jowett was a very prominent figure in the physical culture world as a writer, lifter, and promoter. One of the stunts for which he is most famous featured a large blacksmith's anvil, which he supposedly gripped by the horn with one hand, swung up to his shoulder, flipped so that he caught it upside down in his hand, and then pressed over his head. Jowett claimed to be the only man who could

do this feat. However, leading strength historians are in agreement that Jowett--who was also famous for his exaggerations--never made such a lift. In any case, Jowett's own anvil will be used in the challenge. It weighs approximately 163 pounds and will be placed on the platform with its horn pointing upward. The challenge will be to simply grasp it by the horn with either hand, lift it off the ground and walk/run as far as possible forth and back across the front part of the 50’ stage within 30 seconds. The prize-money ($1000) will go to the man who carries it the greatest distance. Only chalk will be allowed for this challenge and for all others. Attached are several photos of the anvil, and measurements of the horn.


2. Sorin's Monster--Richard Sorin, founder and owner of the Sorinex Equipment Company and himself one of the legends of hand strength, will provide a huge, circus-type barbell weighing approximately 500 pounds and featuring a bar two inches in diameter; this bar will not rotate within the spheres in any way. The challenge will be to deadlift the bar for as many repetitions as possible within 30 seconds using a double-overhand (pronated) grip. Sumo and traditional deadlifting styles are both permitted and the bell may be "hitched" on the way up as long as the lifter is standing straight at the end of the lift. The barbell will have to touch the platform on every rep after the referee has given the "Down" signal, and a "hook grip" will not be allowed. A contestant may put the barbell down between reps if he likes, or he may simply touch the platform before making another attempt to deadlift it. If no one deadlifts the Monster the prize-money will be given to the man who pulls the bar the greatest distance off the platform, and if more than one person makes at least one successful lift and there is a tie in the number of reps the prize-money will be split.


3. The Inch Dumbbell--Named in honor of the English strongman and weightlifter Thomas Inch, the original Inch Dumbbell weighs 172 pounds and has a handle almost 2.5" in diameter. The bell was made approximately 100 years ago, and for many years very few men were able to lift it off the floor. Once replicas of the original implement began to be manufactured, however, a number of men trained until they could deadlift one. A few men have been able to deadlift two Inch Bells and walk a short distance with them, and so the challenge at the Mighty Mitts event will be to do exactly that--to deadlift two Inch Bells with the dumbbell handles remaining approximately parallel to the platform throughout the deadlift portion of the feat, and attempt to walk across the front of the 50' Expo Stage, go around a large, solid marker, then go back the other way without dropping either one, and then repeat the process. The distance for each competitor will be marked at the place where the first dumbbell hits the floor. Competitors will not be allowed to hold the dumbbells tightly against their waists, thighs, or hips during the attempt.


4. The Mark Henry Bell-About three or four years ago, Mark Henry decided to have a dumbbell made weighing approximately 250 pounds. However, the machine shop that built Henry's bell made a miscalculation when they cut the pieces of 9" bar-stock used for the "canister" weights at each end of the short handle. The result was a dumbbell, with a handle 2.5" thick and 6" long, which weighed not 250 pounds but 300 pounds. We called it the "Mistake Bell," and even though Henry was unable to lift it, he decided to leave it as it was so that it would remain as a challenge for everyone. Shortly after the Henry Bell was made, a small but heavy box (50 pounds) was built for it so that it would be easier to carry, and the challenge will be to lift the bell all the way out of its box with one hand without tipping the box over. If more than one person succeeds, the prize-money will be split. Although we hope that one of our Grandmasters of Grip will be able raise the Henry Bell out of its box in 2010, we know that a man will come along one day who will do it, and we intend to bring it to Columbus every year until someone does. A photo of the Henry Bell in its box is attached.


The winner of each of these challenges can earn up to $1000 as well as lasting fame, and his name will be placed permanently on a plaque at the Joe and Betty Weider Museum of Physical Culture at the University of Texas. It is not necessary for a challenger to attempt all four of our events, and no overall winner will be selected in 2010.


We believe that the Grip Giants who have been selected to take part in this event are the very best in the world and we fully expect that world records will be broken in MHP’s Mighty Mitts event. The contestants are, alphabetically:


1. Andrew Durniat

2. Mark Felix (unless he takes part in the Arnold Strongman Classic)

3. Steve Gardener

4. Wade Gillingham

5. Odd Haugen

6. Tex Henderson

7. Mark Henry (if his wrestling schedule permits)

8. Jedd Johnson

9. Chad Waddell

10. Rich Williams


Jim Lorimer refers to the Arnold Sports Festival as "Strength Heaven," and the introduction of these unprecedented grip challenges has added a new attraction to the festival--an attraction which should stimulate strong men everywhere to push back the boundaries of hand strength.



Richard Sorins short writeup of the event

It was a long road getting the first Mighty Mitts competition to completion. The sponsors were delighted and from what I am hearing interest already to have a bigger Mitt's show next year. Every competitor to the man was focused, and represented themselves and their training well. I was most impressed with big or small, large handed or not , injures present ALL chose to be in EVERY event. Everyone supported each other and were gentlemen. The judges Pat Povalitis,and Dennis Rogers did a great job focused and with sharp eyes. Other than taking a while to get the metal warmed up to "room" temperature and cleaning the Jowett anvil( it resided for years next door to a BBQ, resturant and though unlifted during those years thousands had tried it with grease laden hands. We cleaned it as best we could.The Monster bell worked well and the 500lb weight was 26lbs above the highest recorded double overhand 2"axle lift.Until the competition no competitors saw or trained on the bell so the equipment was new to everyone. Head Judge for that one Terry Todd himself watched closely for finished lockouts. Rich had a total of 12 reps up but only 8 passed lockout muster. There was no winner in the last event the Henry Bell. The two that gave the 300lb beast any real movement were Andrew Durnait and Chad Woodall.The Inch Bell carry was great even complicated with 2 turns involved in the winning effort. The distance the lifters carried the bells past the line and the walking required to maske the turn were not counted"in" so there was about 8-10' of extra travel involved in the top 3 carries. Mark Felix of Rolling Thunder fame, World strongest man competitor and with over 900lb. deadlifts under his belt was a really strong man. His enthusiasm and humbleness was amazing. All the Arnold's strongmen were amazed by the strength and resolve shown by the men of Mighty Mitts. Announcer and former World's strongest man Sven Carlsen shook his head in disbelief and said to me "does the crowd really know what great strength they are seeing?". He remarked how difficult it was in his day to do much of anything with the Inch Bells and now them being deadlifted and carried.My deep thanks to all that competed,judged, supported by coming to the event and to the Arnold's show "giving grip a chance".Richard Sorin

[James_grahame]

vids/pic on Steve Gardener's site

http://stevegardener.com/index.php?opti ... Itemid=105