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.
###
