Building Arms and Grip Strength

[WillBrink]

So I’m at the Arnold Classic recently and saw the FatGripz booth; another one of those “why the hell didn’t I think of this?!” simple products that adds so much potential value to a workout for the cost, it’s a ‘no-brainer’ to own them. While at the booth, I did a few sets of chins ( see minute 3:20 of vid from Arnold below) and as usual, I could feel it in my grip, and arms much more so then if doing it without the FatGripz. They are one of those uber simple cost effective products that simply works in an increasingly overly complicated world, but more on that shortly…

Here’s a simple fact of life: if your back and legs can dead-lift 700lb, but your grip ends at 300lbs, your dead-lift is 300 lbs. Thus, your grip is truly the final link in the chain that dictates what you can pull off the ground or what you can hold onto in general, be it a chin up bar, barbell, or other objects. Your grip is your ultimate contact with the weights. For strength athletes, such as power lifters, strongman competitors, and others, grip strength is king. Without it, you are no place. When it comes to strength, you are only as strong as your weakest link and most strength athletes know that fact all too well.

Cont: Building Arms and Grip Strength

[orionz06]

Enter lifting straps that eliminate the grip all together and impact your overall strength negatively.

[WillBrink]

Enter lifting straps that eliminate the grip all together and impact your overall strength negatively.

True, I mention that issue in the write up specific to bbers as they are most common users of straps looking to reduce the weak link in some exercises by using straps. That can lead to a much weaker grip, but as purely visual athletes, grip is not important to them from a visual perspective. However, used correctly, fatgripz and like products will be a benefit to bbers also.

[lethal dose]

rowing is also a great workout for grip strength.

[rob_s]

Can I just wrap my bars in duct-tape or foam and duct-tape?

[WillBrink]

Can I just wrap my bars in duct-tape or foam and duct-tape?

Probably, but that will be soft, impossible to move from say curles to chins, to deadlifts, etc. Some will just wrap a towel around things, and other variations you can try for sure, though for $40 for two pairs, how well made they are, easy to use, etc., I'm a fan of the fatgripz I must say.

[rob_s]

I use a lot of fixed-weight dumbells, that's why I asked. I prefer them to barbells for everything I can use them for.

[WillBrink]

I use a lot of fixed-weight dumbells, that's why I asked. I prefer them to barbells for everything I can use them for.

Then the fatgripz would especially well for that I would think. One can potentially use all sorts of things to thicken the grip of a bar, chin bar, etc, the fatgripz will be firmer, stay attached to the bar, and will mimic the true feel/experience of fat grip bar training as used/recommended by people like Poliquin et al.

As an analogy, one can squat with a gas pipe and buckets full of water hung on the ends for weight, but its not as comfortable, its not made specifically for that purpose, not as easy to change weight, etc, etc, you get the idea.

If you have $40 to spend - and that's for 2 pairs which will probably out last the user - then another good tool in the training tool box, but with some creativity, I'm sure the effect can be had via other means.

[rob_s]

So they are split and can be added to a bar with fixed weights? Also, the dumbells I have are the type with the tapered grip being fatter in the middle and narrower at the sides, will this product work with that type?

[WillBrink]

So they are split and can be added to a bar with fixed weights? Also, the dumbells I have are the type with the tapered grip being fatter in the middle and narrower at the sides, will this product work with that type?

Yes, they are split, so they connect up to anything round more or less. Not sure what the effect would be of using them on dumbells with handles not even in width, but I suspect they would work fine as they are thick stiff rubber. You might want to check on the return policy if you don't like how they perform on those dumbells. For the $$$, put them on a chin bar, they are great for that alone.