GripFAQ.com

Thick Bar

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The 2" solid steel axle weighs 73lbs empty.

A barbell or dumbbell having a handle 2" in diameter or greater is considered a thick bar. These bars are typically smooth and are most often seen with 2" or 2.5" diameter handles. Training with a thick bar in the place of a normal bar places a large amount of stress on the supporting strength of the hands. This is the result of four factors:

1. The large diameter of the bar reduces the lever advantage of the fingers
2. The lack of knurling makes the bar harder to hold on to
3. If the bar is thick enough, the fingers cannot touch and press into one another for support
4. Most thick bars do not have weight sleeves that revolve

Avoid the temptation to perform all exercises in a workout with thick bars. While the grip will be trained extensively, work for the rest of the body will be lacking. Due to the non-revolving weight sleeves, certain ballistic movements (such as cleans), may be too hard on the wrists for regular thick bar training.

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