Pullup bar thickness? Fat Gripz?

[tenpoundsleft]

I couldn't find a thread on this - does anyone have any theories on bar thickness?

Clearly it's easier to work skinny bars, but is there such a thing as an optimal thickness? 1.5" bar? Or get a skinnier 1.25" and then use Fat Gripz (I think their inner diameter is 1.25") as I get stronger? Do they make as big of a difference as they claim they do?

About building strength, I figured I'd start to use a weight belt, do triple sets where I keep myself maxed out in the last set around the 10 rep mark. Sound starting point?

I like this exercise, especially now that my arms have healed to the point that I can start to do this exercise again - it's been years of arm pain that's finally healing.

 

[RodgerThat]

Thicker bars will help with grip strength for sure but depending on what you are going for may not be what you want I do weighted wide grip pull ups and use straps as I'm going for the raw strength my grip is more than strong enough for my deadlift and rockclimbing so no point having that as my weak point when doing pull-ups.

 

[tenpoundsleft]

Thicker bars will help with grip strength for sure but depending on what you are going for may not be what you want. I do weighted wide grip pull ups and use straps as I'm going for the raw strength my grip is more than strong enough for my deadlift and rockclimbing so no point having that as my weak point when doing pull-ups.

I figured it'd help me with finger-strength too - I can do about 220lb or so with shrugs, but much more and my hands just aren't strong enough, after a couple sets my fingers just can't do it so I thought that with thicker bars I could kill two birds with one stone.

Maybe the answer is to vary things - that seems to always be the best - some days run thin bar, some days do a fatter grip. Some days use straps. Mix it up.

 

[RodgerThat]

best thing for grip strength would be farmers carries grab the heaviest dumbbells in your gym and go for a walk. Every time you do this try and walk a bit further. you'll be amazed how much it improves. But if you want to kill two birds defiantly the thicker bars a good for that. Just personal preference for me to use straps as grip isn't my weak point.

 

[TANGO.ECHO.KILO]

use a variety of grips and distribute the weight differently for variation...
sometimes I use a thick bar, sometimes thinner, sometimes chain pullups, sometimes I pull from a chain draped over the bar with nuetral grip. Sometimes I throw a t-bar handle over the bar.

Use a dip belt sometimes, sometimes I wrap heavy chains over my shoulders behind the head and then deload like a burnout set. Sometimes I use bands attached from the bottom of the power rack for resistance, sometimes I use bands attached to the top for assistance and just burn out a few more reps at the end of a heavy weighted session.

use a rockclimbing fingerboard, I even adapted one mounted to a board with varying grips to attach to a cable pulldown machine.

 

[Mayne]

A thicker bar is basically useless unless the point of you doing pull ups is forearms. I use normal bar and add weight in order to progress in my back width. BTN pull ups or raised legs pull ups are better for building a back than a thicker bar but of course you can always put a towel around and hang for forearm strength, for which I anyway prefer holding a heavy loaded bar...

 

[tenpoundsleft]

A thicker bar is basically useless unless the point of you doing pull ups is forearms. I use normal bar and add weight in order to progress in my back width. BTN pull ups or raised legs pull ups are better for building a back than a thicker bar but of course you can always put a towel around and hang for forearm strength, for which I anyway prefer holding a heavy loaded bar...

Thanks.

BTW, I thought pretty much all behind the neck exercises were a no-no - bad for the rotator cuffs?

 

[RodgerThat]

Thanks.

BTW, I thought pretty much all behind the neck exercises were a no-no - bad for the rotator cuffs?

depends on flexibility but if you have the flexibility in the shoulders there are some great behind the head exercises like rear delt overhead press (personal favourite for shoulders)

 

[TANGO.ECHO.KILO]

I was confused I thought this was a maximum strength training discussion, Idk shit about building a wider looking back.

 

[Mayne]

I was confused I thought this was a maximum strength training discussion, Idk shit about building a wider looking back.

Even when it comes to strength a thicker bar will minimize your ability to pull heavier weight due to it shifting the emphasis from your back to your forearms in turn resulting in a weaker back. Pull ups are primarily for which body part again?

 

[tenpoundsleft]

Even when it comes to strength a thicker bar will minimize your ability to pull heavier weight due to it shifting the emphasis from your back to your forearms in turn resulting in a weaker back. Pull ups are primarily for which body part again?

You're right of course, but I still think I'll dabble with fatter grips, or the towels, as it is, my lats and upper body is stronger than my forearms. It's definitely my hands that give out toward the end. Nothing some training can't overcome, I hope. ;-)

 

[Mayne]

You're right of course, but I still think I'll dabble with fatter grips, or the towels, as it is, my lats and upper body is stronger than my forearms. It's definitely my hands that give out toward the end. Nothing some training can't overcome, I hope. ;-)

Would agree forearms are often a bitch to build up to par with other body parts in terms of strength, all gyms could benefit from axle bars lol

 

[tenpoundsleft]

Would agree forearms are often a bitch to build up to par with other body parts in terms of strength, all gyms could benefit from axle bars lol

It's exacerbated in my case since I haven't been able to do many pull exercises (because of tendon issues) so my triceps are way stronger than my biceps (which I still never train - I'll wait until I complete the next round of peptides btw Dec-Jan). I can do a deep dip set of 10 or 12 with a 45 plate on the belt (I'm 200lbs) but on the pull side I'm pretty damn weak, just too much pain until quite recently when a batch of peptides healed me a good deal.

 

[TANGO.ECHO.KILO]

Even when it comes to strength a thicker bar will minimize your ability to pull heavier weight due to it shifting the emphasis from your back to your forearms in turn resulting in a weaker back. Pull ups are primarily for which body part again?

depends on your definition of strength I guess....
in terms of functional strength and especially in regards to sports performance I believe variation will always be king.

Pushups are primarily focused on chest development, but if you tell a boxer/martial artist that fingertip, fist, and mantis grip pushup variations are "useless" for developing overall functional strength I think you'd fall on deaf ears. Simply put there is no right or wrong here imo...our goals are different. I probably do a lot of exercises that many guys consider useless here, Olympic lifts and calisthenics are just my background. I also only train RAW, but no judgement to the dude on the seated cable row with his straps.
(just not my style)

 

[Xlgx]

Has def helped me with forearm size and Strength as well as grip strength