goergen1
08-01-2007, 05:24 PM
FAT AND HAPPY! THICK BAR TRAINING
BY RICHARD SORIN
I can’t recall what sparked my interest in thick bar training, but combining it with my traditional lifting routines changed my views on grip training forever. Early in the eighties, my gym was located in a converted two car garage compete with carpet, paneling and air conditioning, which made it a local “Mecca” for heavy training. My business in weight equipment was off to a good start, and many of our prototypes and items to be torture tested found their way into this den of iron. This was the time period that I had the notion my grip was a special gift, and that I should develop it to its highest level. I sought to create simple but effective tools to aid in this quest. It seemed that in the back of my mind the idea of thick, unwieldy objects during my regular training regimen would only help to assist my overall grip strength.
I think my initial studies about the great Herman Goerner set the stage for the inclusion of the oversized handled implements in my training routine. I believe Herman’s grip strength was built in a collateral way, not by a specific regimented (potentially overtrained) manner. The bells he used had thick handles, and many were non-revolving or had globe type ends, thus adding to the natural difficulty of control. My plan gradually was set in motion by not adding exercises, but changing the implements used during training. I secured over-sized sleeves for my dumbbells, made thick (2”-3”) solid bars for deadlifting and reverse curling, and sought out wider, thicker items used in my normal pinch grip implements.
For one solid year I put aside the normal revolving 1” Olympic bar and substituted it with a steel 75lb. 2” monster of a bar. My grip screamed, weights plummeted, and I was…humbled. But, as I continued on I found out several things. The lighter weights I was forced to use equated to technically better form, less overtraining, and my grip work became a part of the entire program, not just an afterthought. The hands and body quickly regulated to the new stress and the weights once again started to climb. I used all possible grips on the bar (i.e.: overhand, underhand, alternate and various combinations for the total fingers used). Trying to emulate Goerner, in a reversed hands, four finger deadlift training finally resulted in a 530lb. lift while standing on a 5” high block and also a 675lb. lockout with four fingers from just above the knee position.
During that time, I read an ancient book on training by Alan Calvert called Super Strength. In the book it was written that a contest using a smooth 3” diameter bar in an ultra strict (arms secured to the side with a belt) reverse curl with thumbs on top of the bar was the “challenge” for the strongmen of that era. It stated that their best men achieved a maximum of 88lb. After much training on a replica fat bar of 3” diameter, the hard-fought goal of 88lb. (40k) was surpassed and ultimately I was lucky enough to do 132lb. (60k).
As I have stated before, I consider the reverse curl and all its variants to be my #1 exercise to promote grip, wrist and forearm strength. I have seen many a powerful, big-armed lifter fail miserably when the thick bar reverse curl was attempted during a training regimen. I hope this brief glimpse into those early days of my training serve to spark an interest to include those fundamental training concepts that led to grip success in the strongmen of old.
BY RICHARD SORIN
I can’t recall what sparked my interest in thick bar training, but combining it with my traditional lifting routines changed my views on grip training forever. Early in the eighties, my gym was located in a converted two car garage compete with carpet, paneling and air conditioning, which made it a local “Mecca” for heavy training. My business in weight equipment was off to a good start, and many of our prototypes and items to be torture tested found their way into this den of iron. This was the time period that I had the notion my grip was a special gift, and that I should develop it to its highest level. I sought to create simple but effective tools to aid in this quest. It seemed that in the back of my mind the idea of thick, unwieldy objects during my regular training regimen would only help to assist my overall grip strength.
I think my initial studies about the great Herman Goerner set the stage for the inclusion of the oversized handled implements in my training routine. I believe Herman’s grip strength was built in a collateral way, not by a specific regimented (potentially overtrained) manner. The bells he used had thick handles, and many were non-revolving or had globe type ends, thus adding to the natural difficulty of control. My plan gradually was set in motion by not adding exercises, but changing the implements used during training. I secured over-sized sleeves for my dumbbells, made thick (2”-3”) solid bars for deadlifting and reverse curling, and sought out wider, thicker items used in my normal pinch grip implements.
For one solid year I put aside the normal revolving 1” Olympic bar and substituted it with a steel 75lb. 2” monster of a bar. My grip screamed, weights plummeted, and I was…humbled. But, as I continued on I found out several things. The lighter weights I was forced to use equated to technically better form, less overtraining, and my grip work became a part of the entire program, not just an afterthought. The hands and body quickly regulated to the new stress and the weights once again started to climb. I used all possible grips on the bar (i.e.: overhand, underhand, alternate and various combinations for the total fingers used). Trying to emulate Goerner, in a reversed hands, four finger deadlift training finally resulted in a 530lb. lift while standing on a 5” high block and also a 675lb. lockout with four fingers from just above the knee position.
During that time, I read an ancient book on training by Alan Calvert called Super Strength. In the book it was written that a contest using a smooth 3” diameter bar in an ultra strict (arms secured to the side with a belt) reverse curl with thumbs on top of the bar was the “challenge” for the strongmen of that era. It stated that their best men achieved a maximum of 88lb. After much training on a replica fat bar of 3” diameter, the hard-fought goal of 88lb. (40k) was surpassed and ultimately I was lucky enough to do 132lb. (60k).
As I have stated before, I consider the reverse curl and all its variants to be my #1 exercise to promote grip, wrist and forearm strength. I have seen many a powerful, big-armed lifter fail miserably when the thick bar reverse curl was attempted during a training regimen. I hope this brief glimpse into those early days of my training serve to spark an interest to include those fundamental training concepts that led to grip success in the strongmen of old.