The GNC Grip Gauntlet (officially the GNC Pro Performance Grip Gauntlet) is a strength athletics contest that tests the grip strength of competing individuals over three disciplines, each designed to test one of the three recognised facets of hand strength: crushing; pinching; and supporting. It was developed by Wade Gillingham and Randall J. Strossen (of IronMind) and now is an internationally recognised contest that features at some of the world's most prominent strength athletics events and expos, including the Arnold Strongman Classic and the various WSM Super Series Grand Prixs.
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In 1992 Ironmind, a company founded by former wristwrestler Randall J. Strossen, presented in its catalogue the idea that grip strength involves three elements: crushing, pinching, and supporting. The company had existed since 1988 and had carved out a niche in the market as a source for tools to improve grip strength. It continued to develop and produce such tools, notably introducing "Rolling Thunder" in 1993 and "Apollon’s Axle" in 1994, as well as its famous Captains of Crush Grippers. Having certification schemes for grip strength, and having also introduced a world championship for its Rolling Thunder product (such was its popularity amongst athletes of various strength related disciplines) the theme of encapsulating all three facets of grip strength resurfaced in a conversation between the founder of Ironmind, Randall Strossen and grip athlete Wade Gillingham. The Blob Challenge had been run by Wade Gillingham 2002 Mr. Olympia and the 2003 Arnold Classic. Gillingham and Strossen formulated a way of testing the three basic facets of grip strength using well-established, generally-available implements. Their ultimate aim being to generate a competition which would accrue a history and competitor base to produce meaningful results.
The GNC Pro Performance Grip Gauntlet debuted at the 2004 Arnold Expo Challenge. The three implements used were the No. 3 Captains of Crush gripper, the Rolling Thunder, and an implement called the Blob. Cash prizes were available for succeeding with all three elements of the challenge.[1]
As to the stature of the Gauntlet, Gillingham is quoted as saying in 2008: "If you think this challenge isn't world class, think again. Over the past four years, an estimated 10,000 attempts have been made to complete the three challenges on the GNC Grip Gauntlet stage and only two individuals have ever completed all three in the ‘heavy’ format."[2]
The Gauntlet is now in three formats, Light, Medium and Heavy. In early 2009, the weight of the Rolling Thunder was dropped from 212 lbs to 207 lbs, to correspond with Ironmind's new version of the Rolling Thunder.[3]
There have now been seven athletes completing the heavy format of the Grip Gauntlet, including professional strongmen Karl Gillingham, Brian Shaw, and John Connor. Tex Henderson and Rich Williams have the added distinction of completing the gauntlet with grippers of a stronger standard than that normally used in the heavy format, using #3.5 grippers as opposed to #3 grippers. Monte Brown and Andrew Durniat round out the list.[4]
The disciplines of crushing, pinching and supporting are tested. Crushing, uses the IronMind Captains of Crush grippers. Supporting is tested using IronMind Rolling Thunder. Pinching (or pinch gripping) uses the Blob.
| Implement | Light Format | Medium Format | Heavy Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rolling Thunder | 187 lbs | 197 lbs | 207 lbs |
| Blob | 50 lbs | 50 lbs | 50 lbs |
| Crush Grippers | #2 | #2.5 | #3 |
Although often referred as a part of the GNC Grip Gauntlet, the Rolling Thunder's history goes back more than a decade before the Gauntlet first existed. IronMind developed the Rolling Thunder in 1993 and it is now known by strong men worldwide. One-hand deadlifts had long been a preferred means of testing and building grip strength and Rolling Thunder itself is a Revolving Deadlift Handle to which can be attached weights. Such is the rise of its popularity that Rolling Thunder competitions are often held in conjunction with major strongman events including the Mohegun Sun Grand Prix 2008 and the Hawaii based Beauty and the Beast Strongman Contests. As part of the GNC Grip Gauntlet it is also seen around the world at expos. Early on in its history, in 1993, Ironmind issued a challenge to the world of strongmen to lift 300 lbs with Rolling Thunder, and it took 15 years for this challenge to be met when Mark Felix performed the feat at the Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 2008, in the process becoming Rolling Thunder World Champion. In May 2009 Felix defended his Mohegan Sun title, although this was not considered the world championships.[5] He defended the world title in June 2009 in Quebec as a lead-in event to the Fortissimus championships.
| Date | Champion | Weight | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 (January 18) | Mark Felix | 301 lb | Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 2008Note 1 WCh |
| 2006 (August 1) | Laine Snook | 274.2 lb | Pullum Sports, Luton[6] |
| 2003 (June 16) | Andrus Murumets | 267 lb | IFSA All Strength Challenge, Winnipeg, Manitoba[7] |
| 2003 (June) | Magnus Samuelsson | 262 lb | IFSA/GNC Pro Performance Strongman Challenge, Palms Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas |
| 2001 (May 31) | Jan Bartl | 258.5 lbNote 2 | 2001 Beauty and the Beast Strongman Contest[8] Honolulu, HawaiiNote 1 WCh |
| 2000 (May) | Jan Bartl | 265.4 lb | 2000 Beauty and the Beast Strongman Contest[8] Honolulu, HawaiiNote 1 WCh |
| Date | Champion | Weight | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 (June 26) | Mark Felix[10] | 123 kg (270 lb) | Fortissimus Montmagny, QuebecNote 1 WCh |
| 2008 (January 18) | Mark Felix | 301 lb | Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 2008Note 1 WCh |
| 2001 (May 31) | Jan Bartl | 258.5 lbNote 2 | 2001 Beauty and the Beast Strongman Contest[8] Honolulu, HawaiiNote 1 WCh |
| 2000 (May) | Jan Bartl | 265.4 lb | 2000 Beauty and the Beast Strongman Contest[8] Honolulu, HawaiiNote 1 WCh |
| Date | Champion | Weight | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 (April 7) | Elizabeth Horne | 144.4 lb/65.5 kg | TBC |
| 2002 (July) | Becca Swanson | 135 lb | TBC |