Mr. Fancypants watch out. This article is going to make you mad. It is about being basic and lifting heavy weights.

Nothing really beats the simple use of thick bar for improving grip strength. Paul Anderson did it and so did Bill March. Of course, many of the old time strongmen, like Thomas Inch, Warren Lincoln Travis and Louis Cyr also used thick equipment.

Here is the key, use it for basic movements. Don't get too fancy. Do a couple of explosive moves and a couple of basic strength moves and then move on. Here is an example, during your regular routine, you might replace your hang cleans with thick bar hang cleans and then do some heavy clean grip deadlifts. After maxing out with the thick bar clean grip deadlifts, you might keep adding weight by switching back to a normal grip bar for even heavier clean grip deadlifts or explosive pulls. Thinking of your grip size as a progressive variable in your lifting is a very useful concept.

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=Y02988

Remember, you are doing progressive weightlifting. That means you can change the weight on the bar. It seems like a simple concept, but I see so many people who do endless repetitions with easy weights. Don't use your thick bar as an excuse to lift light weights. Challenge yourself with the weight. Don't worry so much about including a million different exercises with endless fancypants variations.

We will reserve those high reps with millions of variations for the armchair athletes that strangely have nothing but plateaus and excuses. The rest of us will continue to get explosive, powerful and strong.

Here is our favorite thick bar. Use it and you will get a better grip. Don't put off grip training.

http://www.atomicathletic.com/store/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=Y02988

Live strong,

Roger LaPointe

PS. We have the Bull Moose Thick Bars in stock and ready to ship.

PSS. There will be plenty of grip guys at the Atomic Athletic Great Black Swamp Olde Time Strongman Picnic. Feel free to ask them questions. Don't restrict yourself to the young performers. Some of the “old” guys in the crowd are still setting records.