In this vid, we do some thick bar/thick handle training, which should be part of any program where maximal functional strength is the goal. For more info, also see my write on the topic HERE.
Will Brink is the owner of the Brinkzone Blog. Will has over 30 years experience as a respected author, columnist and consultant, to the supplement, fitness, bodybuilding, and weight loss industry and has been extensively published. Will graduated from Harvard University with a concentration in the natural sciences, and is a consultant to major supplement, dairy, and pharmaceutical companies.
His often ground breaking articles can be found in publications such as Lets Live, Muscle Media 2000, MuscleMag International, The Life Extension Magazine, Muscle n Fitness, Inside Karate, Exercise For Men Only, Body International, Power, Oxygen, Penthouse, Women’s World and The Townsend Letter For Doctors.
He’s also been published in peer reviewed journals.
Will is the author of the popular e-books, both accompanied by private members forum access , Bodybuilding Revealed & Fat Loss Revealed.
You can also buy Will’s other books on Amazon, Apple iBook, and Barnes and Noble.
Once again you show that the application of the dictum ‘ how can I make the exercise more challenging?’ is
apposite to the Brinkzone and those that follow your advice.
Not being a Personal trainer and only worrying about my safety I do not have to think ‘can I make this exercise safer?’ just make it harder and reap the rewards.
Hmm, from your comments, I’m not totally clear if you are in favor or not of the vid and its content. BTW, there’s nothing unsafe per se about thick bar/FatGripz training.
excellent vid, I learned something new… Zottman curls, going to try that in my next arm workout, looks tough
Zottman curls are tough, doing them with FatGripz, much more challenging! 🙂
Improved ‘forum’ strength? Is that a typo?
Yup 🙁
LOL! Will. Sorry, its the Librarian in me 😉
I’ve always preferred fatter gripped bars over thinner ones, especially for benching. They spread the tension over a wider area in the wrist and palms making my hands feel like they are being pinched less, and being bruised less. They also offer a feeling of more control during the movement with a fatter bar grip. I’ll have to see how the FatGripz fare…
I like the FatGripz, I use them in dumbells, barbells even on machines (my gym don’t have fat bars) A tip: doing high rep barbell trap shrugs and dumbell row with FatGripz will blown your forearms. Other options for fat training will be Grip4orce and Tyler Grip.
Grip4orce is double the work of thick bars. Build thumb strength and grip strength to me a faster rate then thick bars. Use the lighter resistance version to start. I do agree thick-bars are ok, but the grip4orce forces you to work. Big difference.
Hey Will, I have a question concerning these: Rotate them in, say, biweekly (I do this with dumbells/ bar exercises for chest), split sets into 2 sets of 2 w/ and w/o, or would just using them constantly be better for forearm/hand strength and conditioning? Forearm exhaustion has always been one of my biggest hindrances for strength/conditioning training. I’m going to add the Zottman curls to my workout most likely as well, look very good for forearms.
There’s various ways to incorporate some thick handle/fatgripz work into a programs.
Simple method/example:
add a few back-off sets with thick grips. An example for pull ups might be:
Sets 1-3 – Normal Grip Pull up
Sets 4 & 5 – Thick Grip Pull Up
This way the back will still be challenged, and the final two sets will also challenge the grip.
Another option might be to add an exercise with a thick grip after an initial exercise with a standard grip. For example:
Exercise 1: 3-5 sets of standard grip pull ups
Exercise 2: Inverted row with a thick rope or TRX / Blast Straps with thick handles/Fatgripz
Those are simple ideas, but you can find much indepth ways via writings of people like Charles Poliquin, articles on Elite Fitness, etc. Maybe I’ll do another vid on specific ways to add FatGrips 🙂
That would be great. Now I just need to find a way to get them and a big ol’ thick rope for less than a hundred bucks. Being a broke college student I wouldn’t mind seeing you post some videos of cheaper ways to acquire these Fat Gripz/ Thick Ropes etc. Thanks for all the information, regardless. As I work on attaining my certification after this semester I’ll be taking alot of things I’ve read from BBR and this site and applying them.
I’d work on one issue at a time. You can get a pair of FatGripz for $40 and work from there. Good thick ropes tend to be pricey, but there’s so much you can do with the fatgripz, it will keep you challenged for a long time.
Have you tried the new grip 4orce yet? I do like the concept behind these grips v/s just a bigger object in the hand which still does not eliminate user cuffing or static holding the bar. I read the other day in Power mag. the importance of really squeezing the bar and trying to produce as much tension throughout the hands and body as possible.
I have not directly compared the two, but Fatgripz cause more than enough of a challenge to my grip then I could ever need.
Ok…yea you probably don’t want to challenge yourself with overly making something to hard, but I sure do!
It’s about getting better every day. If that means stepping out of my comfort zone then let’s do it.
Today people want to keep it simple and if it feels a bit awkward then they throw it to the side. That’s why
you see machines dominating our gyms and people looking softer and softer every year.
Are you referring directly to me with those comments, or making a general comment on what you see in most gyms today?