Rolling Thunder goal

[Nathan Say]

I was reading The Super Athletes last night & Willoughby asks 'Is there a man in the world today who can do a one hand deadlift of 340[not 300] pounds on a 2 inch bar?' at the end of the section about Louis Cyr's shot loading dumbell (p162). He wrote that Cyr could have lifted 400 with his dumbell that had a 1 5/8 inch handle & he would have been capable of 340 with a 2 inch handle. The Ironmind catalogue says only 300lbs though for that Rolling Thunder handle. Is that a typo or what? Was Louis Cyr really that much stronger than today's lifters? (yes)

[Guest]

RT is a different type of handle.  It rotates, and that makes a big difference.

Michael Falkov

[Sybersnott]

I think the current World's Record on the Rolling Thunder is about 280 by Brad Gillingham (this is the last I heard; please correct me if I'm wrong).

[mobsterone]

Hey! Wazz the matter don't you read othr threads!!

The RT is 2.5 inches and the current record is 264.5 (or at least it was as its saturday again and I'm gonna have another go.

Watch out Louis, Mobsters in da house!

[Guest StrongerthanArne]

I think Wade mentioned that Brad did at least 275 lb on the RT with a strict style, so Mobsterone you have to beat at least that in order to claim the unofficial record.

[mobsterone]

I want the official one first then I'll have a go at claimed lifts

[OldGuy]

Ironmind Rolling Thunder Handles are 2 3/8'' in diameter not 2 1/2 '' An 1/8 '' would make a difference to how difficult it was to all except those people with very long fingers.

[Tou]

Louis Cyr was a freak of nature. I once heard Ben Weider saying that Cyr had a thick handle (diam ???) shot loaded dumbell which weighed over 200 pounds. Cyr lifted the dumbell off the floor then CURLED the dumbell to his shoulder. After that, he presses the dumbell overhead. Don't know if it's true, maybe Roark could help.

[mobsterone]

Now you've got me thinking old guy I'm gonna have to check. Either way its not the same as L Cyr.

Off Topic: Went to the gym today and used my new bar. I order a 700 kilo rate bar, got a 450 kilo bar (don't ask) and loaded 320 kilos on it and it bent! I have, as you can imagine, been on the phone to the suppliers (Bodypower) re the 'problem'. Moral 'you pays the money you gets what you ordered - NOT!'

[Fuel Crusher]

Tough luck on that bar Mobs I hope you get it sorted ok. I'm awaiting an olympic set from that company and it comes with a 320kg rated bar so for your 450 rated to bend at such a weight doesn't bode well. Lets hope it was a 'dodgy' bar and not an example of the norm.

FC

[OldGuy]

Steve, if you are using the partial deads to strengthen your grip, why not use an overgrasp instead of a one over one under grip ? You would use a lot less weight and avoid bar bending problems.

[mobsterone]

I try both methods as I go up in weight. For example, I'll normally do 3 plates a side for 3 reps alternating grip as I do (alternating from knuckles forward on both hands to one hand forward one hand back). The same again with 5 and so on.

Regards the bending bar. I have used the gyms bars for the last 4-5 weeks I have been using the partail lift at the gym and had no problems what so ever. I used the Elikio bar that Mick - the owner - brought for himself and loaded it to 11 plates a side. No problems. The bar was bending with 8 plates on it and more so when I pulled. I had my hands in the same position as normal and had 300 pounds or so to go on the minimum quoted limit (450 kilos).

I also took the time to visit Ivanko's website just prior to delivery and read up on bar testing, quality control etc. They state that any bar - any bar - will bend it left loaded on narrow uprights or on a bench. Again any bar will bend of dropped when loaded and so on. They also mention the typical 130,000 PSI that cheaper bars are rated at as opposed to the 200,000 to 230,000 that they and Elikio are rated at.

Lastly, I had looked at getting a specia bar made by Pullums with longer ends to load weigh onto. IF I get a refund I'm gonna put it towards the £265.00 bar they'll make for me.

Spec: 7' 6" with 18-inch loading sections. Bar will be 1.5 inches thick with 1.975 'ends'.  2 bars can be used. The harder bar will not take knurling as well as a softer bar. The ends will not rotate and it will not be chromed.

This explains why the knurling on my now bent bar was great and on Micks E bar was very shallow.

[mobsterone]

Trained a day early (gotta go shopping for a Mothers day prezzy tomorrow) and did 118 kilos plus the 5 lbs handle etc for 1 lb more than the Official Rolling Thunder WR. Tried a little more but it wouldn't budge.

On the partials I worked up to 465 kilos x 2 singles on my finally delivered 700 kilo bar. The deeper knurling than the hi-tensile Eliekio (sp) means a little skin gets pulled off. Thank goodness its once a week

I'll be doing the thick handled db stuff with 109 kilos (plus 8lbs bar, handle and collars) in a mo.

[lancep]

I purchased a 1000lb test Cap barbell.  I made the mistake of trying to use it O-Lifting.  Got up to 365lb in my hang clean and the sucker bent like crazy.  Bought a York O training bar and now I see the difference between a $65 bar and a $465 bar.  You really need to find out the psi to get a good bar.