GNC Grip Gauntlet

In 2002 Wade and Brad Gillingham (GNC Pro Performance Sponsored Athletes) and General Nutrition Center (GNC) introduced The Blob Challenge in the GNC booth at the Mr. Olympia in Las Vegas, NV. The Blob Challenge was run in the GNC booth at 4 events from 2002 - 2003. Late in 2003 Wade and Brad Gillingham wanting to expand the challenge came up with the idea to test 3 main facets of grip strength: Crushing Strength, Pinching Strength, and Supporting Strength. Upon approval from GNC to expand the challenge Wade approached Randall Strossen from IronMind to get permission to use Captains of Crush grippers as part of the challenge. In conversation with Randall it was decided that Wade and Brad's original idea to use a Thomas Inch Dumbbell replica for the supporting grip challenge should be replaced with the IronMind Rolling Thunder. 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] An estimated 20,000 competitors at Fitness Expos over a 7-year run from 2004 to 2010 tested their hands at the GNC Grip Gauntlet.

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 eventually settled on 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] In 2010 due to changes in the Rolling Thunder and a change from Captain's of Crush grippers to the new GNC Pro Performance Hand Grippers, it was decided by Wade Gillingham that the historical integrity of the event was not longer sound enough to continue compiling a list of winners.

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.

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 thick revolving deadlift handle (length: 7 1/2" (rotating portion is 6") and diameter: 2 3/8") 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 Mohegan 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.[4] He defended the world title in June 2009 in Quebec as a lead-in event to the Fortissimus championships.

Men's world record progression

Date	Champion	Weight	Location
30 July 2013	Alexey Tyukalov	331.8 pounds (150.5 kg)	2013 A1 Armwrestling Tournament, Moscow[10]
22 May 2012	Mark Felix	323.5 pounds (146.7 kg)	2012 Bodypower Expo, Birmingham[6]
18 January 2008	Mark Felix	301.0 pounds (136.5 kg)	Mohegan Sun Grand Prix 2008[note 1]
1 August 2006	Laine Snook	274.2 pounds (124.4 kg)	Pullum Sports, Luton[11]
16 June 2003	Andrus Murumets	267.0 pounds (121.1 kg)	IFSA All Strength Challenge, Winnipeg, Manitoba[12]
3 June 2003	Magnus Samuelsson	262.0 pounds (118.8 kg)	IFSA/GNC Pro Performance Strongman Challenge, Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas[13]
31 May 2001	Jan Bartl	258.5 pounds (117.3 kg)[note 2]	2001 Beauty and the Beast Strongman Contest[14] Honolulu, Hawaii[note 1]
1 May 2000	Jan Bartl	265.4 pounds (120.4 kg)	2000 Beauty and the Beast Strongman Contest[14] Honolulu, Hawaii[note 1]

Women's world record progression

Date	Champion	Weight
22 September 2012	Ludmilla Gaiduchenko	170.2 pounds (77.2 kg)
26 May 2012	Jaana Tanner	152.7 pounds (69.3 kg)
28 January 2012	Jaana Tanner	147.2 pounds (66.8 kg)
7 April 2007	Elizabeth Horne	144.4 pounds (65.5 kg)
1 July 2002	Becca Swanson	135.0 pounds (61.2 kg)

Notes: [note 1] [note 2]

1. Considered a Rolling Thunder World Championship.
2. The rules were changed after the first world record set by Bartl. Previously, they allowed a competitor to use a thumbless (false) grip. Because it was later felt that this was not in the spirit of the lift, since it allowed strong-wristed competitors to remove the grip element of the event by cocking their wrists, the following year the rule was changed, and thumbless grips are now no longer allowed.[15]

• GNC Grip Gauntlet Chronological List of Successful Competitors