Fat Gripz--legit?
I'm really just curious if there is anything to such claims as:
"Using a thick bar means MORE MUSCLE AND STRENGTH on your body. Thick bar training produces much bigger strength and muscle gains compared to standard training equipment…. and many people find them much easier on their joints too. Thick Bars are not new. Strongmen, champion powerlifters and pro athletes have been using them for decades."
"Thick Bars (and Fat Gripz) work for many reasons including:
Increased muscle activation - thicker handles stimulate much more muscle activation in the hands and forearms and in the upper arms and whole upper body. More muscle activation means much bigger muscle and strength gains.
"Unlocking" muscle gains - thick bars make your hands, fingers and forearms so much stronger that your body can finally stop "holding back" the strength and muscle gains in your uppers arms, back and chest.
Complete training - thick bar training automatically trains your hands, fingers and forearms at all angles. If you are bench pressing, the thick bar will train your hands and forearms in a completely different way than if you are doing chin ups on a thick bar.
Natural movement - thick bars perfectly replicate the natural function of the human hand - lifting heavy, awkward objects.
Automatic training - thick bars means you are training your grip the whole time and you don't even need to do any extra exercises.
Concentration - thick bars are harder to handle so you need to concentrate a lot harder to lift the weight. Some credit this alone with making them significantly stronger.
Less imbalances and injuries - thick bars shift the stress off the joints and onto the muscles because a thick bar spreads the weight over a larger area."
I take such claims with a grain of salt but are bigger diameter bars actually better for strength and muscle size? Is there any merit at all to them, maybe by recruiting more muscle fibers?
Now these are meant for oly size bars but I workout at home and only have the standard home size bars, so I don't know if they would grip tight on the bar. My dumbbells have nice big handles but my bars leave my fingernails digging into my palms.
Fat Gripz at BB.com
at Fitshop.ca
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