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Thick Bar Advice.


DLO285

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I have been having issues making gains in my thick bar lifts(crusher,DOH axle, etc). I was wondering if anyone has experienced this before and would love any input on what worked for you in your thick bar training. Thanks.

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How long has it been since you had improvement? 
What is your training regimen like?
What is your other grip training / workouts like?
What devices are you using?

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My personal opinion is that axle is more of a muscular lift, than a connective tissue lift.  You have to build more muscle to excel on the axle.  Overloading, is critical - axle seems to go up in similar fashion to bench/deadlift where bigger weights for singles or doubles derive steadier jumps than volume training.  My best axle, to date, is 435lbs.  The first time I touched an axle I did almost 380.  The gains are hard-fought, and in my opinion, come from moving heavy weights.  I use a blend of lifts like farmer's carry, DO deadlift on a regular bar, timed holds on a regular bar, fat grips (blue and red, DO deadlift and timed holds), some from the floor, and some from the rack.  Also, anytime I deadlift, I lift DO until failure, and only use straps on my heaviest sets.  All those things help me. 

Maria, above, probably has a better and more methodical way to look at it.  My training, probably to my detriment, has never been very organized - I just feel my way through it as I'm doing it, and plan on the day of.

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7 hours ago, MCrushetta said:

How long has it been since you had improvement? 
What is your training regimen like?
What is your other grip training / workouts like?
What devices are you using?

It has been a while since my last pr. I seem to have gotten a bit weaker despite consistently training with the 2.5 in Crusher. I do training for arm wrestling and strongman as well so this could be a factor. As far as grip training I was training pinch on the flask/ thick bar on the crusher on the same day and grippers on a different day. Recently I have been using 80% for sets of 4/6/8/10. Basically increasing the reps by 2 each week. Appreciate it.  

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6 hours ago, Bryan Hunsaker said:

My personal opinion is that axle is more of a muscular lift, than a connective tissue lift.  You have to build more muscle to excel on the axle.  Overloading, is critical - axle seems to go up in similar fashion to bench/deadlift where bigger weights for singles or doubles derive steadier jumps than volume training.  My best axle, to date, is 435lbs.  The first time I touched an axle I did almost 380.  The gains are hard-fought, and in my opinion, come from moving heavy weights.  I use a blend of lifts like farmer's carry, DO deadlift on a regular bar, timed holds on a regular bar, fat grips (blue and red, DO deadlift and timed holds), some from the floor, and some from the rack.  Also, anytime I deadlift, I lift DO until failure, and only use straps on my heaviest sets.  All those things help me. 

Maria, above, probably has a better and more methodical way to look at it.  My training, probably to my detriment, has never been very organized - I just feel my way through it as I'm doing it, and plan on the day of.

Great ideas. I think I may need to use heavier weights to see more improvements. Thank you!  

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What we do is really no different than anything else in strength.  It's "progressive" resistance training - progress in weight - or reps - or time under tension - or times per week - or more recovery or any number of factors might be the answer necessary for the growth of strength.  When I get stuck I usually do what might be considered an "end run" and do movements related to but not exactly like what I'm stuck on.  Consider regular and standing wrist curls for fat bar lifts - additional thumb work and levering to gain involvement of your strongest fingers better.  Look closely at your personal strengths and weaknesses - and train them in the manner that isolates those things - then integrates them.  Adding weight to my wrist curl also added to my fat bar - strengthening my thumbs added to my pinch.  Adding to your dead lift might make your fat bar lifts faster - so you don't have to hold the bar so long - there's lots of things besides just doing the Axle that might help.  Figure out what YOU need and work it - maybe it will help. 

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18 hours ago, Bryan Hunsaker said:

 I just feel my way through it as I'm doing it, and plan on the day of.

I do this even though i plan it out.  Listen to your body is the way to do it. 

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