Blackheart Posted June 22, 2006 Share Posted June 22, 2006 In old books that have been written by old strongmen, almost all of the time i read that the use of thick barbells (2'', 2.5'',3'') equals to tremendous grips and huge forearms....Do you guys have seen increase in your forearm mass just from the use of thick barbells? What about your grip? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starkmann Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 I'm not the most informed on this but have heard the same. I have been slowly adding my 2" dumbells in. I think it has made a difference, so far. I definitly believe I am challenging my grip more by pushing it to hold a 100lb 2" DB vs a 100lb 1" DB. I've done the latter enough times, it 's a non issue. We often continue to push our pressing and pulling weight without adding a new dimension to challenge our grip. Even on this board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ObsceneJester Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 In old books that have been written by old strongmen, almost all of the time i read that the use of thick barbells (2'', 2.5'',3'') equals to tremendous grips and huge forearms....Do you guys have seen increase in your forearm mass just from the use of thick barbells? What about your grip? I think so but I was reading an article written by Health Sexton and he said that if you hammer block weight and thick bars your crush will go down.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKERICH Posted June 23, 2006 Share Posted June 23, 2006 (edited) I just ordered 2 2 1/2 inch dumbbells from John at FBBC who also said that it will help the crush.i also pinchgrip york blobs.(Not the 50lbers....yet!!) Edited June 23, 2006 by RICHIEC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKERICH Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 In old books that have been written by old strongmen, almost all of the time i read that the use of thick barbells (2'', 2.5'',3'') equals to tremendous grips and huge forearms....Do you guys have seen increase in your forearm mass just from the use of thick barbells? What about your grip? I think so but I was reading an article written by Health Sexton and he said that if you hammer block weight and thick bars your crush will go down.. Is this true?or is it true only after you work out with the grippers after blocks and thick dumbbells? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobsterone Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 Possibly if overdone but that applies to all grip movements. I cannot, as my log shows, do a good R/Thunder session then follow with a good gripper session straight after but I am well known as being 'quite good' at thick bar and can do a CoC 3 left handed and BBSE right handed. Equally I couldn't do a gripper session to a high standard and follow it with decent weights on thick bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKERICH Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 (edited) Possibly if overdone but that applies to all grip movements. I cannot, as my log shows, do a good R/Thunder session then follow with a good gripper session straight after but I am well known as being 'quite good' at thick bar and can do a CoC 3 left handed and BBSE right handed. Equally I couldn't do a gripper session to a high standard and follow it with decent weights on thick bar. I appreciate your reply.so as i understand it, it doesn't have an accumulative negative effect, only a short term negative effect if you work out on one exercise then the other,no matter the order as your accomplishments show.appreciate the clarification. Edited July 3, 2006 by RICHIEC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobsterone Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 That's been my experience. It may well have been different for Heath and I have no idea of the volume of work he was doing which may well exceed mine by several times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teemu I Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 My thumb strength (or lack of it) is an issue with hard grippers like Elite and above: thumbside handle slides away from the optimal position. I've been training with blobette for a while now and it seems to be a bad idea, at least for me, to train both grippers and block lifts within same workout. My thumbs are so weak and it takes them long to recover, I can do two decent block weight workouts/week, but I can do a lot more with grippers. Block weight workout seems to have a short term negative effect on my gripper workouts, if I try to do grippers on the same or following day after training with blobette. But within last couple of months I've trained my thumbs harder than before, it has helped me with grippers I'm sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKERICH Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 That's been my experience. It may well have been different for Heath and I have no idea of the volume of work he was doing which may well exceed mine by several times. Thanks.if this thread is seen maybe ObsceneJester Can clarify the article that is being referred to or better yet Heath can tell us. it just may vary. That's been my experience. It may well have been different for Heath and I have no idea of the volume of work he was doing which may well exceed mine by several times. Thanks.if this thread is seen maybe ObsceneJester Can clarify the article that is being referred to or better yet Heath can tell us. it just may vary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKERICH Posted July 3, 2006 Share Posted July 3, 2006 My thumb strength (or lack of it) is an issue with hard grippers like Elite and above: thumbside handle slides away from the optimal position. I've been training with blobette for a while now and it seems to be a bad idea, at least for me, to train both grippers and block lifts within same workout. My thumbs are so weak and it takes them long to recover, I can do two decent block weight workouts/week, but I can do a lot more with grippers. Block weight workout seems to have a short term negative effect on my gripper workouts, if I try to do grippers on the same or following day after training with blobette. But within last couple of months I've trained my thumbs harder than before, it has helped me with grippers I'm sure. So your experience is a combination of both,affecting short term - but long term +.It comes dwn to individuality,as most workouts do.and time will tell for each individual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viper Posted July 4, 2006 Share Posted July 4, 2006 i use heavy db's all the time for near enough everything, never use straps, ive never even used chalk actually - difinately helps the grip when doing deadlifts, shrugs, rows etc i have different levels of thickness with tubing that i put over bars also my forearms are getting much bigger, and my grip is getting much stronger on the subject of db's, i started at a new gym yesterday an i found a monster db! it looks to be 100 years old, got 2 fairly short but thick plates either side, plus 2 other little ones i think, an its got a thicker handle than a normal db. Theres 170lb db's on the rack an it looked to be much larger than them - i was told by the owner that its really heavy, but i picked it up with either hand pretty easy so im not sure, ill weigh it next workout Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackheart Posted July 5, 2006 Author Share Posted July 5, 2006 Today for the first time in my life i did my regular workout with a 2'' barbell.The weird thing is that the bar felt very annoying to my hands...I mean it wasn't comfortable at all....and i was really dissapointed..So i decided to contruct some farmer hold/walk handles to train with so that my hands get used to training with thick bars.What is your opinion? have you ever experienced this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Brouse Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Thick handled farmer walks? I'm for 'em. FW in general as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIKERICH Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 (edited) Today for the first time in my life i did my regular workout with a 2'' barbell.The weird thing is that the bar felt very annoying to my hands...I mean it wasn't comfortable at all....and i was really dissapointed..So i decided to contruct some farmer hold/walk handles to train with so that my hands get used to training with thick bars.What is your opinion?have you ever experienced this? I'm waiting for my FBBC 2 1/2 in. dumbbells. never lifted dumbells b4. working out with 35lb. blobs. hopefully 2 1/2 in. will be ok. Edited July 6, 2006 by RICHIEC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Blackheart, What kind of workout DID you do with your 2" barbell? Try some heavy DL's... both with a mixed grip and a double overhand. It actually feels more natural to me to do a workout with a thick bar than a normal one -- that's just me I guess!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackheart Posted July 6, 2006 Author Share Posted July 6, 2006 Sybersnott, I did curls, deadlifts (tried mixed grip), wrist curls, military presses and tried bent over rows (very difficult with a 2'' barbell).I don't know, i am going mad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TelegraphKey Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 Blackheart, I would agree that the 1st time I used a thick bar it was very "strange." It is kind of disappointing. But I think it's just such a "new" thing, that our minds sort of play tricks & tell us it's useless. But it's really not. It's just really, really, really different. Try power cleans, snatches. Also, use thick bar for non-pulling exercises, like back squats, even bench presses, shoulder presses, etc etc etc. Always keep your thumb on opposite side of fingers, or you defeat the purpose of even using the thick bar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bunchofbananas Posted July 6, 2006 Share Posted July 6, 2006 i think you should go for thicker than 2 inch as i find it 'fills' my hands better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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