New grip rules for the US

I've just been listening to the new rules for the brand new grip federation that has formed in the US (hopefully it won't go the same way as the last 2 attempts).
So first off & of interest to those of us who do not have flipper-sized hands, but more 'dainty digits' is there will be 2 hand size classes. There will now be an under 7.5inch hand class (this is the distance from the crease in your wrist to the tip of your finger). Also all contests must have options for smaller handed athletes, so, for example the pinch lift will be adjustable & you can pick your own width of grip, also bigger sized objects will be discouraged in favour of implements that even small handed athletes can do. So a 2" barbell can be said to be 'doable' by most athletes, whereas something like an inch dumbbell probably isn't for most small-handed athletes. This is big news for us small handed people as it evens the playing field a little as many of us never considered competing before as the wide grip lifts are simply impossible to us as we cannot span the distance.
Second bit of news is there will be 3 'official' lifts:

Parallel set gripper (no chocker allowed)
2 hand pinch on the Euro-Pinch (or similar device)
Ironmind axle (basically a 2" grip non-revolving barbell)

Next up there are now 4 classes:
1/ Rookie (first year of contests)
2/ Novice (anyone not achieving top 3 in a contest - this name is likely to change as it's not liked)
3/ Open
4/ Elite

To achieve 'Elite' you have to manage 800 pounds on the 3 official lifts (in total), so for example:

Grippers 180
2 hand pinch 220
Axle lift 400

It doesn't have to be these numbers, it just has to add up to 800 in total

I don't know the details for the ladies, it wasn't really mentioned - sorry!

You will have to join the federation if you want to go to the national level contests, but you won't have to join to just have a go at a local event.

I think that's everything I know about the new rules & stuff. There will be a new website & stuff in the works, but I haven't got those details.

So, if you've got smaller hands & have always shied away from grip contests as there was no way to compete with our flipper-sized friends, now you might want to consider get those dainty digits dirty in a contest or two without fear of huge widths defeating you, not lack of hand strength - I know it's made me reconsider if they bring in similar rules over here in the UK!

Here's an update the Federation has been called the "North American Grip Sport Organization" & it has it's website at http://www.gripsport.org/

As a side note I haven't trained grip in a while I can usually close a #1 CoC with a credit card set-up (the gap between the handles is the diameter of a credit card slid inbetween), but I've lost a bit of strength in that area, but I've decided to work on that for a bit as my back is limiting my other lifts. I might aim at a #2 CoC & see how far I get with a few months focus.
For more details on the grippers I recommend you get Ironmind CoC grippers as they are the standard that is generally accepted across the grip world. Although for "World's Strongest Hands" they are using the Adjustable Vulcan grippers, which might be a better buy if funds are tight as it's just one buy & you get one adjustable gripper that can go as easy, or as hard as you like.

Ironmind Captains of Crush (CoC) gripper


Vulcan adjustable gripper