Blobs
Richard Sorin
A new episode of Home Gym History dropped today, The Blob and the History of Modern Grip Strength. It tells the story of blobs, ends of vintage York roundhead dumbbells that have been cut off for the purpose of grip strength training. In the telling of the story of blobs, it also covers Richard Sorin, the innovator of the blob and founder of Sorinex Exercise Equipment. I recognize many other people have contributed to the history of modern grip strength training, and worry not, faithful grip enthusiasts, I hope to study and explore other grip strength pioneers as well. For example, I’m fascinated with John Brookfield. You can check out some of his many grip strength methods on IronMind’s website. But the blob, for me, is the most popular entry to grip strength other than maybe grippers or just plate pinching. There is something ancient and primal about lifting a blob even though the act was only conceived by Richard Sorin about 50 years ago. Grasping a heavy object with one hand and lifting it is so simple, but blobs are quite complex.
Enter Lift the Blob by Jedd Johnson. “Napalm” Jedd Johnson has studied blobs, the history of blobs, and blob lifting extensively. He also trains other grip styles and lifts, but for the purpose of this podcast, his book was integral. The first thing I learned when I read Johnson’s book about blob lifting was to appreciate the complexity of the blob. I won’t delve into exactly the points I mean by that statement. Buy the book to learn what I mean! However, I’ll just say that it had perplexed me why I could lift a half 75 pound hex block (half of a hex dumbbell) fairly easily, but I struggled with a half 75 pound blob. In Johnson’s book I learned the distinct aspects of the blob that make it unique, the techniques to begin to lift it, and next week I’m going to begin the 8 week blob training program that came with the book.
As you can tell, I’ve come to terms as a passionate collector of vintage weights with destroying vintage York roundheads. Put bluntly, blobs cause the destruction of vintage weights. I’d danced around the notion for a while, but I had blobs on the mind. I couldn’t look at my roundheads without thinking of cutting them up! I just wanted to lift them, half of them, with one hand. Listen to the podcast episode to hear the whole story and my logic and reasoning for embracing blobs. Part of my growing obsession was seeing people like Zach Mullins lift them so often on Instagram. Check out Zach’s account to see him do some interesting lift combos like a Thomas Inch and a blob. John Oka, Zach Mullins, and many other friends I’ve made on Instagram have blob collections and lift them. Just like seeing people deadlift or bench press, seeing people lift blobs further inspired me to do the same.
At the current level of interest, it is my opinion that blob lifting can be enjoyed without intact roundheads disappearing from the Earth. If the act of blob lifting were to increase in popularity, then I think the grip strength community may need to further embrace some of the blob alternatives and replicas for the sake of historical preservation.
This is far from my last post about blob lifting or grip strength. I hope you’ll give blobs a shot.
