Zenith: The Comfortable Crush
A new look, a different feel and a fresh way to train your hands
IronMind has been getting a lot of questions about Zenith, the new gripper that is featured on the cover of the 2013 IronMind catalog, so here’s the story.
New from IronMind, Zenith is a 21st century gripper designed for increasing grip strength and hand health while feeling soothingly comfortable in your hand: it's the comfortable crush. And while Zenith is not a substitute for Captains of Crush (CoC) grippers, it's the perfect complement to IronMind's gold standard CoC line, so while you can use either gripper by itself, they also work together . . . seamlessly.
- Zenith is powered by a brand new proprietary alloy steel spring that provides a steady, smooth level of resistance rep after rep.
- Zenith has ergonomically-shaped billet aluminum handles that follow the natural curve and proportions of your palm and fingers for a comfortable fit that also allows the gripper to sit better in your hand.
- Zenith handles have a silky smooth surface that almost gives a soft feeling because the fit is so good and the surface so approachable: think glide, not grind, if you want to picture how Zenith works in your hand.
For low rep, maximum strength training, Captains of Crush Grippers remain your top choice, but if you would like to complement your 1RM focus with some conditioning work or need a gripper to fill in some blanks or one to help you mend injured hands, or you simply want to give the soft tissue in your hand a break, Zenith is the way to go.
And don't be afraid to mix and match, because Zenith is also an outstanding warm-up, cool-down and active rest gripper even if your primary focus is on the Captains of Crush grippers.
Selecting Your Zenith Gripper
Zenith grippers are available in six strengths, and to help select the right starting point on Zenith grippers, IronMind recommends that you begin with the same model you are using for your work sets with a Captains of Crush gripper:
• a Zenith 1 gripper will feel easier to close than a Captains of Crush No. 1 gripper, for example, but that's by design and what you want if your focus is strength plus conditioning.
If you would like to put a greater emphasis on strength, try starting one level higher on Zenith grippers: so if you are doing your work sets with a CoC No. 1, try a Zenith 2.
Zenith grippers come in the perfect strength for everyone
• Zenith Agility: Easier to close than a Captains of Crush Guide, the Zenith Agility is for hands that hurt or a very light warm up.
• Zenith Trainer: If you are just starting off in grip training, the Zenith Trainer should be on your list—as you get stronger, it will become your warm-up gripper.
• Zenith 1: If you've already outgrown sporting goods store grippers, and want to give Zenith a ride, here's our recommendation.
• Zenith 2: Not a wimpy gripper, the Zenith 2 is like the Captains of Crush No. 1 in that most people who lift weights won't be able to close it the first time they try.
• Zenith 3: Now we are starting to talk about a training tool for someone with unusually strong hands—couldn't quite crush a raw potato, but a grip at this level is nothing to sneeze at.
• Zenith 4: If you can legitimately close a Zenith 4, you should be aiming to get certified on the Captains of Crush No. 3 gripper—a world-class achievement.
Zenith is available in the IronMind e-store and from selected dealers, including Amazon.
Download IronMind's free training booklets here:
Strong Hands, Healthy Hands Booklet
4 Grippers 1 Goal Training Booklet
Captains of Crush Grippers Instruction Booklet
Further reading:
Hand Grippers Training and FAQ
Captains of Crush Grippers: What They Are and How to Close Them
