Grip Sport International (GSI)
The volunteer-run federation that sanctions most North American grip contests, formerly known as NAGS.
Grip Sport International (GSI)
Grip Sport International (GSI) is a grip strength federation that sanctions the majority of grip contests held in North America and describes itself as the original grip federation. It was previously known as NAGS, short for North American Grip Sport, and retains that lineage in its current name. Rather than a staffed corporate body, GSI functions as a loose network of promoters and athletes coordinated by a small group of volunteers.
Key facts
- Full name: Grip Sport International
- Former name: NAGS (North American Grip Sport)
- Structure: effectively a volunteer non-profit
- Model: sanctions independent contests and tracks results in a central database
- Main sites: gripsportint.com (calendar) and gripsport.org (rankings)
What GSI is
GSI is best understood as a sanctioning and record-keeping body rather than an events promoter. Individual organizers run their own contests, and GSI provides a common rule framework, a standardized scoresheet, and a shared results database so that performances from many separate meets can be compared on one set of rankings. Aside from small sanctioning fees that help cover website costs, it operates on a non-profit basis and leans heavily on unpaid volunteer labor.
The organization coordinates its work across three main web properties. The calendar and general information live at gripsportint.com, the rankings and Top 100 lists live at gripsport.org, and much of the community discussion, qualification lists, and results threads happen on the Gripboard forum at gripboard.com.
GSI does not directly run most contests. It sanctions independently promoted events and consolidates their results into a shared ranking system.
People and roles
Because GSI is volunteer-driven, a handful of individuals carry most of the recurring workload:
- Jedd Johnson writes and distributes the weekly newsletter, handles a large share of contest sanctioning, and promotes the Napalm Nightmare series.
- Eric Roussin manages results database entry and the North American rankings, designed the Regional Championship program, and serves as head promoter of the King Kong series.
- Clint Ziegler maintains the website and calendar and built the rankings and Top 100 database.
Contact for the organization is best made through the official site rather than through any individual, and GSI directs interested promoters and athletes to gripsportint.com.
How sanctioning works
The core of the GSI model is the sanctioned contest. A promoter applies to have a meet sanctioned, agrees to run it under GSI rules, and commits to recording results on the standardized GSI scoresheet so the data can enter the central database. From October 2025, single-event contests could be sanctioned for a modest fee (reported at $10 per event), with the requirement that the meet be tracked in the GSI database. Enhanced or promoter-designed scoresheets are permitted only in addition to the standard sheet, not as a replacement.
Sanctioned contests follow a shared ruleset covering attempt formats, permitted equipment, and standardized weight classes. For a fuller treatment of how contests are scored and governed, see competition rules and the broader landscape of sanctioning bodies.
Scale
GSI reported 39 sanctioned contests in 2025, which the organization described as its largest year to date. Contests ranged from small local meets to national championships and international multi-venue series spread across several continents.
Elite standards
GSI tracks a set of Elite totals that mark a high level of achievement within each weight class. An Elite Lifters page went live in March 2025, populated from historic results, and individual contests frequently advertise which of their events offer Elite-qualifying lifts. The Elite framework gives athletes a fixed benchmark to chase independent of where they place at any single meet. The specific qualifying totals are published on the GSI site.
Signature series
Several recurring series sit under the GSI umbrella and illustrate its multi-venue, database-driven approach:
International King Kong Grip Challenge
- Worldwide multi-venue meet held in October, headed by Eric Roussin
- Four rotating events, standardized lift heights, and a tiered integrity and penalty system
Napalm Nightmare World Championship
- Multi-venue championship promoted by Jedd Johnson, typically late in the year
- Four Napalm Nightmare implements (rolling handles and pinch blocks) lifted to a fixed height
World Wide Grip Battle
- Multi-venue meet built around chasing Elite totals across a shared event list
- Demonstrates how scoring events are ring-fenced when venues differ
GSI also introduced a North American Regional Championship program, dividing the continent into nine regions whose top finishers earn qualification toward the National Championships.
Where GSI fits
GSI is one of several bodies that structure competitive grip. It coexists with meet-driven federations such as Armlifting USA and with independent certifying standards issued by equipment makers. Dual sanctioning of a single contest under more than one body is a real practice, which is part of why GSI publishes clear equipment and rule requirements to promoters. For historical context on how the sport and its federations developed, see grip sport history, and for equipment-based standards see certifications.
See also
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