IronMind®

IronMind Go-To Grip Tools Give You the Upper Hand SWAT, MMA, Special Forces, Climbing, Tennis, Golf, Pickleball, Weightlifting, CrossFit Crushing Grip: The cornerstone of hand strength and the quickest route to a stronger grip is Captains of Crush grippers . . . the gold standard of grippers . . . 11 strengths Twist Yo’ Wrist: Since 2003 a favorite among martial artists, hand gunners and anyone swinging a racquet or a golf club . . . strengthen and stabilize your wrists to deliver maximum power through your hands Expand-Your-Hand Bands: Muscle balance is the key to avoiding things like tennis elbow, so training the muscles that open up your hand is essential . . . great for both injury prevention and rehab . . . setting the standard for training the extensors since 2004 #gripper #CaptainsofCrush #TwistYoWrist #MMA #SWAT #GripTraining #Crush #HandStrength #ForearmTraining #Strength #CrossFit #Weightlifting #MMA #Climbing #Tennis #Golf #Pickleball #wrist #stabilize #elbow

“Tis better to be forearmed than forewarned.” – Randall J. Strossen Ph.D., IronMind Enterprises, Inc. And the best way to get forearmed is by training with Captains of Crush grippers: • The Gold Standard of Grippers: Captains of Crush are the single best tool for increasing grip strength • Top-Quality Construction: Features proprietary spring technology with knurled aircraft grade billet aluminum handles • Legendary Build Quality: Durable, precise and gorgeous • Progressive Resistance Levels: Available in 11 different strengths, providing a custom fit from rank beginner to World's Strongest Man • Made in the USA by IronMind: The trusted leader in grip strength equipment since 1988 Shop now in the IronMind e-store for Captains of Crush grippers, and specially priced sets and packages. Free Forearmed poster with order of 3 or more CoC grippers with keycode FOREARM. Offer good through May 31, 2026, one per customer. #GripStrength #ForearmTraining #CaptainsOfCrush #IronMind #Strength #HandStrength #CoC #Gripper #USA #HandGripper

Daniel Brechmann (Germany) has certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper, proving his mastery of this world standard for elite grip strength. Brechmann told IronMind, “I teach English, German and Latin at the German equivalent of a high school. However, I’m also really into sports, such as powerlifting and bouldering, which is why I’m also a trained coach and currently teach bouldering classes and run a powerlifting club for my students at school. "I’ve found that it really helps with general motivational aspects of school and learning, which is why I see a real benefit for my students. "Bouldering is also, where most of my finger and grip strength seems to come from. Ever since I’ve started, I’ve also been training quite consistently with fingerboards as well as pulling strength and core. “I’m really into bouldering and specific training, so I have a history of training my finger strength for the better part of a decade now. Other than that, I have been lifting weights on and off most my adult life and I enjoy road cycling. “I train grip almost every day, varying thick bar, pinch and grippers. With the latter I tend to mix parallel set, credit card set and no set closes, performing a couple of each once or twice a week. I also like to experiment with training regimens and to set myself challenges. For instance, I lifted a 78kg Inch bell every day for 100 days straight and got up to 21 reps that way. “These feats could only be achieved with support of members of the grip community, especially certified CoC Florian Kellersmann (CoC3 '04) whom I train with occasionally and who gave me the chance to perform a number of those feats, and also Carl-August Mertz (CoC3 '15), who gave me a lot of really useful advice. And luckily my wife and daughter are very supportive of my goals, too. "My number 1 upcoming goal is definitely the Certification as Captain of Crush, which I wanted to do the moment I first learned about it. Further Gripper goals might eventually be certifying on the 3.5 and closing a #4, which is WAY down the road," said Brechmann. youtube.com/watch?v=LtL4lu4-o3o&feature=youtu.be #CaptainsOfCrush #CoC3 #IronMind #GripStrength #Bouldering

Valentine’s Day Sale: Save 15% on Vulcan Racks and T-shirts, Friday, February 13 – Monday, February 16. Squats are the key to building strength, power and muscle, and you can save 15% on IronMind’s legendary Vulcan Racks during our Valentine’s Day sale. Also included in the sale are our iconic T-shirts, so it’s a good time to grab a couple—size up if you’re planning to run through the SUPER SQUATS (/SUPER-SQUATS/productinfo/1200/) program. Valentine’s Weekend Special: 15% off IronMind Vulcan Racks and T-shirts, Friday, February 13 – Monday, February 16. Squats are the ne plus ultra for building might and muscle . .. and Vulcan Racks are the key to doing them right! BuyItForLife! *Use code VRHEART26 in the IronMind e-store (/) and get 15% off Vulcan Squat Racks and T-shirts. Discount on full-priced items only. #Squats #VulcanRacks #SUPERSQUATS #IronMind #sale #BuyItForLife #might #muscle #strength #power #homegym #garagegym #racks

Robert Tibilov (Russia) has been certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper—the first person to achieve this distinction in 2026—and thereby establishing himself as a card-carrying member of the world’s grip-strength elite. Tibilov told IronMind that he’s been, “training with grippers since 2013. “I first learned about grippers from Paul Knight’s YouTube videos. I got interested and decided to buy myself a gripper. My first gripper was a CoC 3, which I closed after a month of use. “I train with grippers twice each week. My training begins with closing the weakest gripper and reaches the hardest. At the end, I do a lot of repetitions with an average gripper. “My sports philosophy is based on the rule, If you have a strong grip, then you are strong both in body and brain. “I work as a marketer. I specialize in the integration of foreign brands and companies into the Russian market. I am a former freestyle wrestler. [Along with sports and music] I love history and space,” said Tibilov, who is popularizing grippers in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania (Russian Federation). Tibilov is 37 years old, 188 cm (6’ 2”) tall and weighs 95 kg. (209 lb.). Here’s a link to the video of Robert Tibilov’s official attempt to close a Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper.: youtube.com/watch?v=MppKNwQ25Ec&feature=youtu.be #IronMind #CaptainsofCrush #CoC #certification #Tibilov #PaulKnight #grip #strength #gripstrength #No.3 #3 #training #wrestler #gripper #Vladikavkaz #Russia 🇷🇺

Tristain Hoath Certifies on the Crushed-To-Dust®! Challenge Making it look effortless, World’s Strongest Man (WSM) competitor Tristain Hoath (Canada) has certified on the Crushed-To-Dust®! Challenge (/product-info/certification/crushed-to-dust-challenge/certification-list/), the quick and fun way to test and demonstrate superior all-around grip strength. Developed by IronMind in 2012 and first mastered by grip luminary Clay Edgin at 2012 LA FitExpo (/news/Crushed-to-Dust-Challenge-Official-Rules-List/), the Crushed-To-Dust! Challenge isn’t just a grip strength standard that is fun, significant and achievable: mastering it means that you have superior all-around grip strength . . . what you need to excel in a sport or on the job, and what you need if your life or someone else’s might depend on how strong your grip is. The Crushed-To-Dust! Challenge has three events, done in any order, within three minutes: • Close a Captains of Crush® (CoC®) No. 2 gripper • Lift 45 lb./20 kg on the IronMind Hub • Lift 90 kg/200 lb. on the Rolling Thunder® Here are the full rules: /product-info/certification/crushed-to-dust-challenge/rules-for-certification/ Tristain Hoath sailed through challenge with such ease that it’s easy to predict that the grip strength world will be hearing more of him. Tristain told IronMind, “[I] first started competing in strength sports in 2018, [beginning with] strongman, followed by grip.” A two-time World’s Strongest Man competitor, Tristain placed 5th in 2024. "[My] grip accomplishments include a 661-lb. double-overhand deadlift, a Canadian record on the double-overhand Axle with 457.45 lb. [I have my] sights set on closing the No. 3 Captains of Crush and certifying on that next.” Here’s a link to the video of Tristain Hoath’s official attempt to certify on the CDT! Challenge: /watch?v=XkyfMbrGN-I&feature=youtu.be #Strongman #WorldsStrongestMan #WSM #GripStrength #GripTraining #IronMind #CaptainsOfCrush #RollingThunder #HubLift #CrushedToDust #CTD #StrengthSports #ProStrongman #EliteStrength #StrengthAthlete #CanadianStrongman #ClayEdgin

1-Arm Rolling Thunder Pull-up World Record: Sebastian Pacey-Smith Bangs out a 4-Reps Sebastian Pacey-Smith, a rock climber from New Brunswick, Canada, has added to his grip strength credentials by breaking the world record for 1-Arm Rolling Thunder pull-ups—raising the bar to 4 reps. Pacey-Smith’s world record represents a mind-numbing level of pull-up power, with the added challenge of hanging on to a Rolling Thunder while doing the pull-ups. Pacey-Smith said he “has always been very motivated to push [my] limits in training and climbing hard outdoors. [I] initially started competing in gripsport in 2024 and went on to win [my] weight class at the World Armlifting Championships in Las Vegas in 2025.”Armlifting began as a single-event competition featuring the Rolling Thunder and has evolved to include multiple events. In terms of the future, Sebastian said he’s “looking forward to continuing progressing in grip and in climbing hard boulders.” Here is a link to the video of Sebastian Pacey-Smith’s world record for Rolling Thunder 1-arm pull-ups: /watch?v=DaryFhk7ojc #WorldRecord #Grip #strength #RollingThunder #OneArmPullUp #GripSport #pull-up #power #Armlifting #Training #RockClimbing #Bouldering #NewBrunswick #IronMind #Canada

Mathew Wayling on the IronMind Eagle Loops: “Tonight, I really put them through their paces, working up to a 350-kg deadlift. I can honestly say they are a fantastic change to training.” #EagleLoops #Deadlift #Training #Powerlifting #Grip #Strength #IronMind

Black Friday Weekend is here—Nov 28 to Nov 30! Save 15% on IronMind gear all weekend long 💪🔥 From world-famous Captains of Crush® grippers to the Rolling Thunder®, IronMind Hub, Twist Yo’ Wrist, and more—now’s the time to level up your grip game. Plus: • Headstrap Fit for Hercules • SUPER SQUATS® Hip Belt • Tough-As-Nails Sandbags & Gym Bags • ALight Training Center • Apollon’s Axle • Vulcan Racks + Pillars of Power • Five Star Flat Bench • Just Protein® + IronMind T-shirts • Expand-Your-Hand Bands & IronMind EGG 💥 Use code: FRIDAY25 at checkout in the IronMind e-store. Full-priced items only. Excludes sets, packages, kits, combos that already have discounted pricing, as well as York equipment. #IronMind #sale #blackfriday #blackfridaysale #grip #grippers #strength #strongman #weightlifting #captainsofcrush #rollingthunder #squat #justprotein #CoC #crossfit #axle #vulcanracks #hub #armlifting #fitness #ALight

Emergency room physician Chad Gustin has been certified on the Captains of Crush (CoC) No. 3 gripper—the premiere test of world-class grip strength and arguably one of the best known feats of strength on the planet. “I have been an ER physician for the past 20 years and was taught the value of a strong and respectful handshake by my Grandpa Felling who grew up farming in Minnesota and had huge strong hands—he said it was the best way to make a good first impression,” Dr. Gustin told IronMind. “I have unfortunately noticed since the Covid pandemic that the handshake has all but gone away—replaced by the 'awkward fist bump' especially in medical settings, but on a more positive note, I still try to keep the strong handshake tradition alive through my two children Ace and Elle who have been competing in grip sport with me since 2020! “My children are definitely starting to understand the importance of a strong grip and how it crosses over to many aspects of life and sports—from motocross to basketball to clearing land and splitting wood. “I want to be a good example to my children about pursuing things they are passionate about and setting goals and remembering the balance of mind, body, and spirit! As an ER physician I work a lot of nights, weekends, and holidays and fatigue and exhaustion are constant enemies, but one of the most inspirational things that gets me through is while getting dressed before each shift in my bathroom I read a small note my daughter wrote to me in her little handwriting on the wall by the mirror: ‘Good luck Dad—and remember, whatever you do (it doesn't matter what it is) do it in the name of the Lord! Colossians 3:17’!! “I want to especially thank Ben Edwards (who closed the COC No. 3 in 2005) for his training tips and advice and also encouragement during this journey to make it a success! “Thank you IronMind so much for this opportunity!, said Dr. Gustin.” Ever the picture of enthusiasm and goodwill, the video of Chad Gustin’s official attempt to close the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper can be seen here: youtube.com/watch?v=SxdablyMxpM&feature=youtu.be #CaptainsOfCrush #GripStrength #GripSport #IronMind #HandStrength

Alexey Tyukalov (Russia) has a most notable string of accomplishments in the grip strength world and he has just added to his laurels by breaking the world record on the Little Big Horn with a lift of 110.10 kg. In terms of his most recent a grip-strength accomplishments, Tyukalov was the first man in the world to certify on the Crushed-To-Dust Plus Challenge, a demonstration of his all-around world-class grip strength. Tyukalov also holds the world record for the Rolling Thunder One-Hand Deadlift. Here’s a link to a video of Alexey Tyukalov’s 110.10 kg Little Big Horn world record: /watch?v=WykxO9wkIvw #IronMind #grip #strength #gripstrength #gripsport #littlebighorn #gym #record #worldrecord #challenge #armlifting #tyukalov

Ivan Krivykh (Russia) hit 180.40 kg to break the world record for the maximum weight Rolling Thunder Pull-up. "I am a jewelry designer and craftsman by trade,” Krivykh told IronMind, “and I've been working in our family business for over 15 years. “My athletic journey began with armwrestling when I was 25. I had some success and promising prospects, but constant injuries hindered my progress. After a couple of years, I discovered armlifting and literally fell in love with the sport. Grip strength is something magical – it allows you to demonstrate incredible power regardless of your physical size. “Over my 8 years in armlifting, I have set numerous world records in the under-90 kg and under”100 kg categories. I also hold the absolute records on certain apparatuses. “I have no intention of stopping here; I will keep training to become stronger. In 2026, I plan to come to the USA to showcase my level of strength,” said Krivysk, who is 35 years old, weighs 110.5 kg (about 244 lb.) and is 192 cm (about 6’ 3”) tall. Here’s a link to a video of Krivykh’s official attempt: /watch?v=DasJW3M2rhU #IronMind #grip #strength #rollingthunder #pullups #ironmindrollingthunder #gripstrength #pullups #gripsport #gym #record #worldrecord #challenge #armlifting #armwrestling @krivykh