Thick Bar Db'sand The Inch

[Vise]

i'm thinking about making or buying a thick bar db. if i were to get a 3.5" handle, would the strength gains i get on it transfer over to lifting an inch? would the difference in handle diameters be too much of a difference for there to be a carry-over effect (i.e. if i can lift 172 on the 3.5, can i do the inch)?

[Zach Passman]

If you can deadlift 172 on a 3.5 inch handle, I think that puts you safely within easy reach of deadlifting the Inch.

That would be QUITE an impressive feat.

[mossman]

i have never heard of going over 3'' for a bar.....i have a 2 1/2 that i can deadlift 165 on, so im training for the Inch that. i would be interested to know where you would get a 3.5 inch bar.

[SqeezeMasterFlash]

I don't know from experience, but I've always heard that over 3" can put too much strain on the joints unless you have really big hands. If you're training for the Inch, I'd do work with a handle of roughly the same thickness, maybe a little bigger.

[foggymountainmuscle]

I don't know from experience, but I've always heard that over 3" can put too much strain on the joints unless you have really big hands.

John Brookfield was stern on his warnings about too thick a handle straining your hands. Yet he has smaller than average hands and I see pictures of him with a 3" handled kettlebell in MoHS...

I myself have small hands, 7", and I do some thick bar training with a 3.5" bar. I do max attempts too. I'd be more fearful of trying to grip too wide a block weight than too thick a barbell myself.

PDA sells 4" barbells. Now that would be a bit much...

[Vise]

i was not implying that i could dl 172 lbs on a 3.5" db, i was only using it for an example. my main concern is that the 3.5 db lift would not be a specific enough lift to train for the inch. Here's what i'm trying to get at:

a regular olympic bar doesn't train your hands for a thick but does a thick bar train your hands for a regular bar? at first, you would think yes: the thick bar is harder making it easier to hold a thinner easier bar. but herein lies the paradox: does the thicker bar really train your hands for overall "bar gripping" strength or rather does it only train your hands at the specific circumference of the thick bar? again i go to my first example: a thin bar doesn't train for the thick so why should a thick bar train for the thin.

[John Wood]

If you want to lift the Inch Dumbbell (or anything heavier). I suggest the Shot Loadable Inch Dumbbell from Atomic Athletic. It will get you the results you are looking for (along with hard work).

[OldGuy]

If you want to lift the Inch Dumbbell (or anything heavier). I suggest the Shot Loadable Inch Dumbbell from Atomic Athletic. It will get you the results you are looking for (along with hard work).

Very good price.

[mobsterone]

Very nice and upto 195 pounds too. Perhaps not, as quoted, the 'ultimate' test, but very, very nice and for what, £95.00 (Sterling equivalent).

[suterp]

That shot loadable inch looks like a great tool at a decent price, but I suspect that when it is partially filled it does not roll out of your hand the same way that the inch or a regular fixed dumbell would. The reason being that the top will be lighter than the bottom, which opposes rotation.

[tspinillo]

That shot loadable inch looks like a great tool at a decent price, but I suspect that when it is partially filled it does not roll out of your hand the same way that the inch or a regular fixed dumbell would. The reason being that the top will be lighter than the bottom, which opposes rotation.

Interesting point.

T

[raziel]

again i go to my first example: a thin bar doesn't train for the thick so why should a thick bar train for the thin.

I'm not entirely sure of your reasoning behind the question,

but a thick bar trains helps your grip for smaller bars because of the simple fact that it gets progressively harder to pick up a bar as it gets progressively thicker. It's not circumference specific, as you are thinking.

If you can dl 200lbs on a 2.5" bar, what would possibly stop you from doing the same thing on a thinner bar, where you can wrap more of your hand around the bar and get a better grip? It would be like running a four minute mile in scuba flippers, then given a pair of running shoes. Sure, you haven't trained in shoes, but what you were working on before was much more of a challenge.

On another note, does anyone see an advantage to picking up this loadable Inch as opposed to the RT for thick bar training, or vice versa?

[Vise]

thanks, this was just the question i was trying to get at. i wanted to buy only one bar and eventually lift the inch. i will get the 3.5 bar instead of a loadable inch. as for which one is harder (rt or inch) the consensus seems to be the inch. if you do a seach, you can see the post that states this.

[OldGuy]

I train with a 3'' handle. 31/2'' might be too large for you, and be counter productive.

[foggymountainmuscle]

That shot loadable inch looks like a great tool at a decent price, but I suspect that when it is partially filled it does not roll out of your hand the same way that the inch or a regular fixed dumbell would. The reason being that the top will be lighter than the bottom, which opposes rotation.

What if you filled it with some type of liquid? Water might be bad for it but say motor oil would fill it all the way up and then you could add shot to fufill the rest of the weight needed. Not a perfect solution, but an improvement I think. Keen observation my friend.

[DarknessDragon]

thanks, this was just the question i was trying to get at. i wanted to buy only one bar and eventually lift the inch. i will get the 3.5 bar instead of a loadable inch. as for which one is harder (rt or inch) the consensus seems to be the inch. if you do a seach, you can see the post that states this.

How big are your hands?

[Davekline]

PDA also makes a plate loadable "Inch-sized" handle. I think this would be the tool to use if one were training for an Inch lift.

[Vise]

my hands are a little over eight inches.

[John Wood]

Motor Oil? ...Not a good idea.

Contrary to what you might think, the shot loaded Inch DB trainer rolls out of the hand and has the same dimensions as a cast Inch DB. I make the recommendation since I have used the Shot loaded model in my training and with it's help allegedly lifted a certain challenge Dumbbell that only two other men have gotten off the floor. Unlike other Inch training DB's, the shot loaded model has the same dimensions and can load to the weight you would need to be able to lift the Inch Dumbbell. When youre done screwing around with all the other stuff, you can go with what works.

[mobsterone]

Pictures? Rule 4??

[Sybersnott]

Pictures? Rule 4??

He did use the word, "allegedly" there Steve!

[showlarson]

Do any of you guys who have access to the inch also have a 2.5" adjustable handle? I ask because when I load the FBBC 2.5 up to around 170 it seems to me about as difficult as the inch was-unless my strength level has gone down since January. I have never directly compared them so I can't say for sure though.