One-handed Deadlifts

[rolf]

You say you don't care what causes it yet then go on to state it's a fact.

I don't care why water is wet but its wetness is a fact.

Indeed while coming across all like you disagree every single point you make then reinforces what I said.

Originally, I said: "The center knurling is much smoother on a weightlifting bar."

To which you replied: "Err no."

Seems to me you claim that I'm wrong on the issue of weightlifting bars having smoother knurling than powerlifting bars. Regardless of the reasons for this, do you or do you not agree that this is the case? If you disagree, I'd like you to explain why the typical IWF approved competition bar has shallower knurling that the typical IPF approved bar, when in your opinion it doesn't.

--

Eleiko on their weightlifting bar (http://www.eleikosport.se/eng/Product.asp?PageNumber=85&Product_Id=18):

"Firm but not sharp knurling gives the bar the special "Eleiko feel"."

Eleiko on their powerlifting bar (http://www.eleikosport.se/eng/Product.asp?PageNumber=86&Product_Id=21):

"Deep knurling is provided to give an extremely good grip"

Seems to me Eleiko weightlifting bars have shallower knurling than their powerlifting bars.

Edited May 23, 2008 by rolf

[mobsterone]

So we still agree then? Now get your arse down the gym.

[rolf]

So we still agree then? Now get your arse down the gym.

I will, later today. Anyway, I'm checking the centre knurling thing from our national weightlifting fed, just because after this discussion I'm interested.

Ps. I sometimes miss nuances is posts because of my ESL'ness.

Edited May 24, 2008 by rolf

[mobsterone]

No probs. There are many feds and a few of them are big enough to influence barbell makers as to how they want the bar, with or without deep or shallow knurling. However, I've had a bar made for me by Pullum sports (very old and famous gym equipment company here in the UK) and took the time to chat with them and others in the know at the time including Tom Lincir of Ivanko. Tom has published (and they are on his site) specifications on the quality of bars, the steel used, Quality Control and so on.

What I was told was that it all depended on the quality of the steel. We know that steel is tested for hardness and for brittleness/stiffness and softness/flexibility (I think they used to press a diamond into it under a set pressure and the depth of the indentation gave an indication of hardness (or something very similar to that test). Knurling is added using two rotating tools - one does the grooves in one direction and the other does the other set - thus crisscrossing. Some bars, as you point out, use a knurling tool which while it creates the groove softens the 'bite' as it were by rounding the top of the knurl.

Tom mentioned that chroming a bar softens this more which can also give the impression of a softer knurl. But on the cheaper bars chrome flakes off and the knurl suddenly improves. The generic bar makers, typically Chinese or Korean, know that the market for their bars is not hardcore. So a softer knurl is used, chrome added and the quality of the steel is not so high. At the other end they know their bars are gonna be used by top level lifters and need to be able to withstand some pretty brutal use. The knurl on these high quality steel bars is much better.

I'd hazard a guess you are spot on with the IWF spec, even without checking, although one wonders why they'd bother with a centre knurl at all on an Olympic bar even if only for the reason you stated.

All this said I prefer deep knurl and am off to the gym in under an hour to do some one hand deadlifts and benching.

[rolf]

I'd hazard a guess you are spot on with the IWF spec, even without checking, although one wonders why they'd bother with a centre knurl at all on an Olympic bar even if only for the reason you stated.

As I recall, the centre knurling was removed from weightlifting bars for while and then re-adopted. This is a very fuzzy memory though. It does help keep the bar in place during the leg drive for the jerk, I guess. According to the IWF technical rules, the women's bar doesn't have centre knurling, so I really don't know what to make of it.

[nickr104]

Here are some One hand Deadlifts I did in the IM buffalo bar today. I went for 394 but got nothing. My grip gave out. I only went to 300 with my left.

[bencrush]

Those are some damn good OHDLs Nick! Were those hooked or non-hooked? I was going to pose the question as, "Are you a hooker?" But I didn't think you'd appreciate my humor as much as I do.

[nickr104]

No hook. That bar is to big for me to hook with my hand size anyway. It's 1 3/8" so someone with bigger hand could hook it. If I tried I would only get the tip of my thumb under.

[bencrush]

No hook. That bar is to big for me to hook with my hand size anyway. It's 1 3/8" so someone with bigger hand could hook it. If I tried I would only get the tip of my thumb under.

Fantastic lifting. Farm Strong is right on then.

[nickr104]

I will have to see what I can do on a normal bar. Last time I did them was a few years back at Chris's place I was around 250 I think. You can do a lot more weight with the cambered bar.