The S&P Hand Strength Log and Leaderboard

[akakabuto]

Nice lift MoM.

[Fozzy]

Originally Posted by MatterOverMind

Thanks Foz.

I did these again tonight, but with 25 lbs on a dip belt. Then I put 50 lbs on and I could hold myself up just fine, but couldn't pull myself up.

I'll really have to dedicate some time to Blob work/pinch stuff next year. Whole different ball game.

~Foz

[MatterOverMind]

Originally Posted by BlueRajah

Thats inspiration right there Matter. Nice work.

Thinking about purchasing a 2" BB. Now, Im totally undecided if I want it rotating or not and if it should have knurling or not. Opinions?

I have 2" and 2.5" dumbbell adapters, and depending on which set of handles I put on them, I can make them rotate or be solid. I really don't remember there being much of a difference between the two, but I don't use them very often. I pretty much only use the 2" solid for DB rows. As far as knurled or not, I really don't have an opinion on the matter that is worth a shit because I've never used a knurled thickbar. My DBs and axle are smooth.

So, in summary, I have nothing helpful to tell you.

[magicman531]

knurled thickbar will rip the shit out of your thumb and perhaps other parts. though it depends on the depth and sharpness of the knurling. you can get a knurled bar and wrap it with a layer of sports/batting tape if the knurl is too jagged

rotating bars are easier to lift, especially at the catch phase. solid bars will try to rotate/roll in/out your hands whereas a rotating bar...well, rotates, in parts

the adaptable sleeves can be problematic. if they're not secured tightly enough against the plates then the sleeve itself will spin freely. this, incidentally, was a trick used by old time strongmen to thwart the efforts of those brave enough to have a go at their challenge weights

if they're secured tightly enough... it becomes essentially a solid bar and won't rotate which puts you back into that morass

[Zach Coulter]

Damn fine lift Matter!!!

Knurled thickbars kind of defeat the point of a thickbar. No competitions used knurled thickbars either, but that's of no consequence if you don't care about comparisons. Buying a revolving thickbar is a great way to waste a good load of cash too. A damn good bar can be made from a solid piece of 1 15/16" stock. Short of that, any thick-walled pipe from home depot with some creative collars works just as well as most strongman comp bars.

[magicman531]

how does knurling defeat the point of a thickbar? my grip seems fairly sore either way

[Zach Coulter]

Knurling is a grip aid and helps bars hold chalk better. When the idea is to stress the grip specifically in the first place, anything added to help the grip is defeating the purpose and inflating numbers. Not to mention that when you're training pinch or thickbar grip specifically, you tend to lose a few lifts. If the knurling on the bar is any kind of sharp, you may immediatly regret getting a bar with knurling when bits of your skin fall to the floor with the bar. Though, I have heard of some cheap chrome knurled bars that are like lifting a grease-covered pipe. Again, what would stop me from getting a bar with knurling is that no axle used in any competition has knurling on it. Training on an axle with knurling for something like strongman only serves to inflate training numbers and ill-prepare you for comp day. If that is not a concern and you don't mind tearing up your hands or comparing your lifts to those done in competitions, then knurling isn't a bad decision, just not one I would personally make. To each his own

[MatterOverMind]

^Agreed.

[ObsceneJester]

Originally Posted by Zach Coulter

Knurling is a grip aid and helps bars hold chalk better. When the idea is to stress the grip specifically in the first place, anything added to help the grip is defeating the purpose and inflating numbers. Not to mention that when you're training pinch or thickbar grip specifically, you tend to lose a few lifts. If the knurling on the bar is any kind of sharp, you may immediatly regret getting a bar with knurling when bits of your skin fall to the floor with the bar. Though, I have heard of some cheap chrome knurled bars that are like lifting a grease-covered pipe. Again, what would stop me from getting a bar with knurling is that no axle used in any competition has knurling on it. Training on an axle with knurling for something like strongman only serves to inflate training numbers and ill-prepare you for comp day. If that is not a concern and you don't mind tearing up your hands or comparing your lifts to those done in competitions, then knurling isn't a bad decision, just not one I would personally make. To each his own

I think this argument is kinda useless. Just because knurling helps some on a thickbar doesn't mean you are defeating the purpose.

If that defeats the purpose, then so does putting chalk on your hands. We all know a dry, chalked hand will lift more than a moist hand. If you really want to put stress on your hands, you will lift in your natural state.

To many people try to purify the sport of grip and bending that it became old people bitching about which is which. MMS vs CC vs No Set. Or Overhand vs Underhand vs Reverse. Straight lifting inch vs tilt lifting

I find it more true that when people whine about certain things they are trying to hide there short comings

[MatterOverMind]

Well, if nothing else, knurling will tear up your hands more.

And chalk helps to even out the playing field. Dry is dry.