Thick Bar Training:

[Montague]

Has anyone here ever incorporated thick bar work into their training consistently for a period of time?

In what capacity did you use it, and what were your results?

[chaos]

Not for any length of time, but I have used one here and there, typically deads, cleans, presses. Really works the grip.

[Montague]

Thanks.
I'd discussed them with another member here a few months ago.
By all accounts, I know they do wonders for strength.
I'm more interested in knowing what kind of hypertrophy they can contribute to.

I used to know a guy who wore lifting gloves with the extra thick padding on the palm side.
He wasn't overly big or muscular, but had decent upper arms and forearms like Popeye.
He swore by the gloves' effectiveness, which worked along the same principle of the thick bar.

[chaos]

We have a 2" bar, if you have smaller hands it will be more difficult, I have larger hands and I could feel the difference in gripping the weight for deads.

It's not a bad feeling though and any pressing movements aren't really that different, only pulling movements.

[Meso_z]

i think its great for some forearm work..

[tbombz]

less muscle activation with a thicker bar. some of the stress is transfered into the grip/forearms. try lifting with a skinny bar (skinnier than the standard olympic bar) on lifts like bench, shoulders press, rows, etc. you will feel much more weight in the target muscle, and find it easier to grip.

[Montague]

Yeah, I'd taken that into consideration.
My primary interest is in using it directly for arm flexor work.

Poliquin is a big advocate of thick bars/grips.
A few places sell a type of rubber sleeve that you slip over a standard bar to increase grip thickness.
Coincidentally, one of Charle's students is one such supplier.

With a little thought, it's not hard to come up with your own methods of accomplishing this without spending $45 for two little sections of thick hose.
 

[chaos]

Yeah, I'd taken that into consideration.
My primary interest is in using it directly for arm flexor work.

Poliquin is a big advocate of thick bars/grips.
A few places sell a type of rubber sleeve that you slip over a standard bar to increase grip thickness.
Coincidentally, one of Charle's students is one such supplier.

With a little thought, it's not hard to come up with your own methods of accomplishing this without spending $45 for two little sections of thick hose.
 

Go to a metal supply warehouse and pick up a 7 foot length of 2" od tubing.

[Montague]

I was actually going to start with a car axle and pyramid up to curling the car.

[chaos]

I was actually going to start with a car axle and pyramid up to curling the car.

Smart ass.

2" od crs tubing is dirt cheap and exactly what is used, it's just not chromed.

On an axle and car lifting note..............I'm thinking about entering a strongman comp in October, just waiting for details.

[Montague]

On an axle and car lifting note..............I'm thinking about entering a strongman comp in October, just waiting for details.

That's awesome, man.
You should start a log of your prep.
I don't know that anyone has anything like that on the training log board.
It would be interesting.

Good luck if you go that route.

[_bruce_]

less muscle activation with a thicker bar. some of the stress is transfered into the grip/forearms. try lifting with a skinny bar (skinnier than the standard olympic bar) on lifts like bench, shoulders press, rows, etc. you will feel much more weight in the target muscle, and find it easier to grip.

Agree. Also a thin chinup bar is awesome.

[jpm101]

Agree with Tbombz & Bruce. Not always ideal for regular BB'ing exercises. More attention is usually focused on the grip rather than exercise performance. Exercise bars, being thinner, can be better adapted to most exercises. Need not be concerned about the grip when doing pushing exercises.

 Thicker bars aid the grip greatly when doing partial DL's from a PR. With the pins set about mid thigh level. This way you can use much more weight than normal.If the grip slips, the bar will not drop down very far.  Also try a thumbles grip at times. Loading up a pair of DB's can work the grip well. Holding along the sides, try curling up the fingers/grip.

Doing heavy weighted chins can really tax the gripping power. The focus would be using chins as a gripping movement only. Just hanging from a chinning bar, with a couple hundred pounds strapped on, for 15 to 30 seconds (static hold) is a outstanding movement.Or try short partial reps this way.  Also might try one arm hanging chins, doing static or partial reps. These exercise can be done thumbles (false grip)

Gripping overhead wood rafters develops all around gripping strength, both one or two handed. Used the same way as the above chinning exercises. Lot more stress is put upon the thumb strength. Good Luck.