The Pinch Grip Developer for a Gator Grip
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Using the Pinch Grip Developer for

Training to Lift the Inch Challenge Dumbbell

Thomas Inch had a dumbbell that weighed 172 pounds with a handle measuring 2 3/8 inches in diameter. Over a twenty-year period, from 1900 to 1920, he offered a cash prize to anyone else who could lift it off the ground the height of a telephone book. No one else was able to do it during that time period.

In the entire twentieth century less than two dozen men got it off the ground. Thomas Inch not only could lift it off the ground with one hand, he could lift it overhead in the same movement. Recently, at the annual Arnold Classic you will see that more than one man could do several reps with the Inch Dumbbell (actually, a replica) in the one-arm press (see YouTube). However, they still had to use both hands and arms just to get it to their shoulders. Doing it that way, they wouldn’t have won the prize Inch offered.

For years, in an on and off series of attempts, I tried to increase the weights I used on a thick-handled dumbbell of my own. I never even got close.

Then, one day while reaching for a glass of water in a restaurant, I had a revelation. In a fraction of a second I realized why training with thick-handled dumbbells simply wasn’t the way to train to lift thick-handled dumbbells.

It started on a sunny Saturday afternoon. My favorite ex-wife and I were taking a walk on a paved trail for bikes and pedestrians. We took a detour through the grass and then walked alongside some railroad tracks in order to gain the benefits of walking on uneven ground. The ex saw some bricks lying alongside the tracks—some bricks were solid and some had holes in them. She wanted a couple of them to put in her toilet tank in order to conserve water when she flushed the toilet.

I picked up one solid brick and one with holes, holding one in each hand between my fingers and my thumb. We walked for another mile and a half or so, with me carrying the bricks in this fashion. When we got to my car, I put the bricks on the floor in the back seat area—so far, so good. I didn’t notice anything at the time.

Then we got to the restaurant. I reached for a glass of water. As soon as I picked it up my right hand and forearm started shaking. In an instant, I knew what everyone else was doing wrong with thick-handled dumbbell training.

When we got to my ex’s house, we weighed the bricks. One weighed 4.5 pounds (held in the right hand) and the other (with the holes) weighed 3.5 pounds (held in the left hand). And here is where everyone “missed it” in training to lift thick-handled dumbbells.

Pick up a thick-handled dumbbell. Keep adding weight until it slips out of your grasp. Notice that the first part of your grip to give way is the tips of your fingers. Ironically, the last part of your grip to be strengthened by training with thick-handled dumbbells is the tips of your fingers. The tips of the fingers and the thumb are the first part of the hand to be strengthened by carrying a brick shaped object.

You can duplicate this movement with a “pinch grip block” sold elsewhere. However, you will run into problems using it.

You need three separate pieces of equipment in addition to the weights: (1) a pinch grip block (with a ring welded to the bottom), (2) a carabiner or snap hook to attach to the welded ring, and (3) a loading pin (for standard barbell plates) to stack plates on and attach to the carabiner.

The price isn’t the problem. The biggest problem you are going to run into is the amount of time it is going to take you to change barbell plates on the loading pin. Each time you want to add or subtract a weight, you have to unhook the connector.

The proper and easy way to “do it” is to use my Pinch Grip Developer. I designed this with my brick carrying experience in mind.

To use the Pinch Grip Developer, slide the weights down onto the bars. Gravity holds them in place. Walk, holding one of these in each hand or just lift and hold for a few seconds. You can also use them for reverse curls and other exercises.

When your hands become fatigued, remove a couple of plates from each round bar. Continue walking with lighter weights.

There are two different grips you can use. One, hold your fingers and thumb flat against the Developer. Two, hold the Pinch Grip Developer using only the tips of your fingers and your thumb.

You might also try Pavel Tsatsouline’s “grease the groove” method, using a weight well within your capabilities and lifting it at odd times throughout the day. One of my sons tried his method with chin-ups, doing one every so often during the day. He worked up to over 20 reps.

I tried Pavel’s system with the Pinch Grip Developer (taking plates off throughout the day, holding it for a few seconds at a time). I noticed my forearms starting growing. My ability to lift my thick-handled dumbbell also increased.

If my theory is correct, the Inch Challenge Dumbbell won’t be that much of a challenge—except, perhaps, for high school boys.

The price of the Pinch Grip Developer is $65.00 or two for $120.00.