Athlete of the Month- Steve Gardener- grip strength, handgrippers, hand grippers

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May/June 2004
Heavy Sports Athlete of the Month

Steve Gardener (right) accepting the Oscar Heidenstam Ambassador Award for 2004.
Last years winner was Musclemag International 's Robert Kennedy.

STATS:

6'3" tall
252 lbs
Resides London, England
Traffic Warden
Co-Owner of the Whey Consortium (looking for supplements in the UK. Click here!)
Author of the E-Book "Hand Grippers-Getting the most from your grippers"

SOME PICTURES CAN BE CLICKED ON TO BE ENLARGED.

In Steve's own words:

I live in London, England (in a borough called Lower Sydenham, Lewisham, not far from the site of the famous Crystal Palace). I work part-time for the Metropolitan Police as a Traffic Warden but also co-own a supplement company www.wheyconsortium.com and publish Muscle Mob magazine.

I started weight training at the age of 15 with the idea of being, as you'd imagine, the next Mr. Olympia and heavily influenced at that time by Mike Mentzer trained heavy duty style. It's only in the last few years that I have found my niche, as it were, with grip strength and feats of grip strength. Not only do I enjoy it but, on one or two movements, it looks like I might be good! For me, at least, low reps and sets seem to work best.

Muscle Mob, founded by well-known Physical Culture and Bodybuilding author David Gentle is more about bringing all aspects of the Iron Game under one roof than it has ever been about making a profit. Indeed I don't think we have ever done so! Our readers range from well known Muscle Publishers like Bob Kennedy of Muscle Mag International, through David Horne, David Webster and the afore-mentioned David Gentle to federation reps from all fields - be they powerlifting, weightlifting, strand pulling and more. One thread which they all share is their love on the Iron Game is so strong that, no matter what there age, they all seem to train, referee, organize and promote the sport.

For grip training I can say it has to be the Ironmind grippers and wanting a CoC 3 certificate that got me started. Shortly after starting on the road to becoming a Captain of Crush I came across a chance to try and lift the original Inch Dumbbell at the OH awards dinner and pretty soon, or so it would seem, the grip bug had bitten. Almost without being aware I found David Horne's Iron Grip championships and, together with a few other feats of strength I wanted to get, I now regularly compete and have a few more targets I want to achieve.

Feats of strength-- One hand deadlifted the Inch dumbbell, shut a Ironmind CoC 3 gripper, one hand lifted the so-called 'Blob, one hand lifted the Millennium Dumbbell (first to do so), have one hand deadlifted on a thick handled dumbbell (2.5 inch thick) 300.1 pounds in training. One a 3.5 inch thick handled dumbbell I have pulled 84.5 kilos, can 2 hand pinch 92.5 kilos plus and partial deadlifted (on a 1.5 inch thick bar) 1074 pounds. On the new Challenge bars I am currently bending a 230 kilo rated bar and more. I think I am still a record holder in the Weaver Stick movement and think I have another couple of records in me yet.

Recently I was awarded the Oscar Heidenstam Ambassador Award for 2004. Last years awardee was Bob Kennedy and I think we get it for talking to as many people as possible, even those that try and run away, about training and it's benefits. It's for promoting the healthy lifestyle and doing what you can to make the sport the best it can be.

Click on any of the pics above to see Steve performing awesome feats of grip strength!

Steve has also literally written the book on training with heavy-duty handgrippers similar to the Heavy Grips™ handgrippers.

Click here to get yourself a copy of Steve's excellent book
"Grippers--Getting the most from your Gripper"

Want to be the Heavy Sports Athlete of the Month? Click here for info!!

"The Grip Monster"

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