Fat Bars

[tiramisu]

I went to Home Depot this afternoon and bought 6 feet of foam pipe insulation for $2.19. I Cut a couple of 5" pieces and trimmed them down to fit around a bar/dumbbell, makes the bar about 2" in diameter.

I've been having a bit of a problem with my grip keeping up on deadlifts lately. It gives out at 365 (double overhand) and then at 405 (alternate grip). I've been doing some reading to try to figure out what to do about improving my deadlift grip.

The 2 things I've found so far that won't require me to rejig my regular workouts are:

1. Hanging from the chinup bar for time at the end of my workouts.
2. Thick bar work as part of my workout, hence the foam wraps.

- The foam wraps definitely tired my forearms this evening but I'm not sure yet whether there will be any carry over.

Any thoughts? Have you tried fat bars? Do they help the deadlift grip or farmer's walk? or are they just a silly way of pumping up your forearms?

[ta-kid]

Another trick I have used is a washing sponge in each hand for a larger grip .I usually buy the multi colour packs from your local hardware store that are made from artificial materials as the natural ones fall aprt too soon.The artificial ones are really stiff when new and work well.And cheap.

[ta-kid]

I have had guys come up to me and ask why i use the sponges>I tell them they are my magic sponges.They allow me to lift more.LOL

[GYMBRAT]

I have had guys come up to me and ask why i use the sponges>I tell them they are my magic sponges.They allow me to lift more.LOL

.....you mean this is not true :(

[tiramisu]

Well the next morning is here and I put tensors on the elbows last night.
Tendons by the inner elbow are a teeny bit inflamed.

Fat bar work is going to have to be applied extremely judiciously or bad things will clearly happen.

[shawn]

Thick bar work will definitely help your grip. Try also some plate pinch work. Take 2 x 25 lb plates - older style that has 1-side smooth. Face the "rough" sides together, chalk up, pick up both plates pinching the plates hard together - & hold for a few seconds, repeat. You may need to start with both hands but you'll quickly get strong and do this with 1-hand. Then try 2 x 35lbers.

[tiramisu]

Thick bar work will definitely help your grip. Try also some plate pinch work. Take 2 x 25 lb plates - older style that has 1-side smooth. Face the "rough" sides together, chalk up, pick up both plates pinching the plates hard together - & hold for a few seconds, repeat. You may need to start with both hands but you'll quickly get strong and do this with 1-hand. Then try 2 x 35lbers.

Does the pinch grip have any carry over to supportive grip?
I know that crushing grip does not.

[jsv22]

you ever try the hook grip? i find it helps tremendously

[Shortdave]

I love fat bar work, it feels so good AND it makes me feel like a girl when I can't curl the 50's.


I don't know why feeling like a girl is a good thing.

[tiramisu]

With 4 plates per side I find the hook grip pretty darn unpleasant. I like it for power cleans and high pulls but I can't say that it appeals to me as a solution for getting my deadlift over 5 plates a side.

[shawn]

Does the pinch grip have any carry over to supportive grip?


yes - because it forces the thumbs to really get involved. More so than any other grip work.

[Thorgrim]

A few ideas.

The pinch gripping like was mentioned.

Farmers walk at the end of workouts. Go until the dumbbells slip from your hands a few times.

Barbell suitcase deadlift and one arm barbell curls. These really hit the grip beacause you have to balance the barbell while you lift. These are some of my favorite exercises.

Reverse barbell curls or reverse barbell wrist curls with a thumbless grips. Do these when your forearms are already tired from deadlifting or other grip work.

He-man holds. This is a bit complicated to explain but basically you set 2 barbells up in a squat rack or power rack with the pins at just lower then where your hands are with arms hanging at your sides. Put one 45 pound plate at the far side or each barbell for counter balance. The other side you are lifting from outside the rack put however much weight you need, for me usually a 45 and 25 on each bar. Then lift the bars by the large part where the weights sit and hold as long as you can. This part of the bar is about a 2" and it really hits the grip. Hold until the bars slip from your grip a few times. Should add that I learned thsi from He-Man on the Muscular Development forum.

I can't even do the hook grip properly because my hands are a little too small and I manage to get by. Using the alternate grip, my grip strength has never been a limiting factor on deads.

[RagingRandy]

By the title of the thread I thought this was going to be about Ritch and where he finds his women.

[cyberfitnessguru]

I prefer lays potato chips.

Helps me bulk up and taste great!

[Gemini]

By the title of the thread I thought this was going to be about Ritch and where he finds his women.

LOL! I also thought it was about bars where fat people like to hang out, I was wondering what this tread was doing under Powerlifting.

[ironwill]

Become a tradesman and do some real work, some of the best grips are on the end of tradesmens arms and farmers...from doing hard work over and over and over again with their hands...So i would imagine that doing decent amnt of work at a hi capacity using your grip would help big time...Not short bursts, but long duration and repeatedly...........true story.....:greet
Pulling wrenches, carrying things in your hands past the point of deep pain....
I was a dang good armwrestler before i ever touched a weight and always did very well in any contest won a lot of cash at strongman events and competitions....Grip and forearm strength are a big factor in armwrestling......good ol farmboy- tradesman strength..
:D

[metalchick]

High rep DB rows.

Kroc Rows, quoted from Wendler's 5/3/1 manual:

Kroc Rows – high reps (20-40) with the heaviest dumbbell you can handle – are my favorite variation. These are humbling when you first try them, but your grip and back strength will quickly increase. Start off with 1-2 warm-up sets of 10 reps, then go all-out and see what you can do. This exercise is great for the bench press and the deadlift, and it helped my grip strength tremendously.

Definitely farmer's walks! And personally I don't really use straps for anything, except for maybe a heavy rackpull.

[ASGARDIAN]

35 pound plate flips. Flip 10 times each hand x 5 sets.

[JifeLacket]

LOL! I also thought it was about bars where fat people like to hang out, I was wondering what this tread was doing under Powerlifting.

x 3 hahaha

[macrylinda]

I love fat bar work, it feels so good AND it makes me feel like a girl when I can't curl the 50's.


I don't know why feeling like a girl is a good thing.

With 4 plates per side I find the hook grip pretty darn unpleasant. I like it for power cleans and high pulls but I can't say that it appeals to me as a solution for getting my deadlift over 5 plates a side.

[Aaron_37]

Hi Spambot!