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Barbell Barbell decisions

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Glen

Glen

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Most suppliers are preordering with stock back in towards the end of next month in the UK.

I feel slightly guilty as I have several barbells already, namely
- cheaper but OK barbell, poor knurling (currently loaned out to friend)
- decent Weightlifting bar which I only use for Olympic lifting
- an again faster 28mm bar which is my current go to for most things strength like front squats, pressing and most importantly Deadlift.

I hook grip and feel once the lifts start to get heavy (relative to previous max) my grip feels like it's the issue. I don't want to revert to mixed grip as has hip issues in the past and want to avoid any rotation.

So my current choice I have my eye on are either of the following

1) Deadlift bar - pros will be great for my lift as 27mm and longer suits my grip issue and being weaker off the floor. Cons pandering to my weakness of the floor and bar can only be used properly for deads. Last con is its more expensive

2) 29mm power bar. Pros - can be used for most grind lifts, cheaper, will help grip due to great knurling but will force me to still become stronger off the floor. Cons - feels little difference to the bars I have, won't make Deadlifts feel good

What's people's thoughts? (will probably get rid of cheaper bar so I don't become a barbell hoarder)
 
@Glen If it were up to me, I would go for the 29mm bar so you can get stronger rather than look stronger. A 27mm deadlift bar is the bar you buy after you already have a solid multipurpose powerlifting bar.

If you still really do feel drawn to a 27mm deadlift bar I have another potential decision-making mechanism that might work for you: Toss a coin. Heads is the deadlift bar, tails is the power bar. Observe your response to the result of the coin toss and, if you're pleased with the result then you know that's what you wanted all along. If the result of the coin toss upsets you, disregard it and get what you want.

Ultimately, either bar will allow you to deadlift and if one of them makes you feel better while doing it and allows you to get stronger, then go for it.

Depending on which bar you go for, you've always got the option of lifting with either the weights or your feet on an elevation to create higher and lower pulling heights so you can work on your strength from the floor with a flexy bar or pull from higher position with a stiff bar.
 
Glen said:
What's people's thoughts? (will probably get rid of cheaper bar so I don't become a barbell hoarder)
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Get stronger at hook grip / more pain tolerant of hook grip at heavy weights.

Tape your thumbs if you need to.

The only way to make the pain go away is to keep doing it.

But your hook grip is almost certainly potentially strong enough to pull big weights; others do so.
 
watchnerd said:
Get stronger at hook grip / more pain tolerant of hook grip at heavy weights.

Tape your thumbs if you need to.

The only way to make the pain go away is to keep doing it.

But your hook grip is almost certainly potentially strong enough to pull big weights; others do so.
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I do tape my thumbs, it's not pain as that went away within the first year of doing hook grip.

It's more I can feel my grip going and feel there's a ton of strength in the hips being lost as I cannot keep a strong grip on the bar - I have smaller hands and as such the amount of overlap of fingers onto the thumb is minimal. I'm at the point where once I'm doing around 80% of my previous max (200kg from a circa 240kg) it just feels the limiting factor. Smaller diameter or improved knurling would certainly help (when I used a Deadlift bar previously it did, as I did a double with near enough my max -235)
 
Glen said:
I have smaller hands and as such the amount of overlap of fingers onto the thumb is minimal.
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I feel your pain. I saw a YT video recently on Stefi Cohen's channel all about setting up a strong hook grip for deadlifting. It might have some useful tips for the less 'manually gifted' (Stefi Cohen is 5ft tall and probably has smaller hands than you):


​

Note: Video contains powerlifters talking for at least 15 seconds, therefore do not watch if cussing makes you uncomfortable.
 
Interesting watch. My partner is a 5'3 dainty girl and our hands are similar lengths, just mine are twice as wide.

I think you are right though, I've always chose the option which should challenge me more - I. E despite being built for sumo pulling I have always pulled conventional, favour deficits over block pulls etc. It's clearly my weak link so I just need to bring it up

Sitting there and thinking what the cash could be used for I am now leaning away from a barbell and just being grateful for what I've got. Does mean I've now got funds which could be attributed elsewhere and I've had my eye on a 40kg plate carrier weight vest for a while?
 
@Glen Grow out your thumb nail, and look into taping techniques for the thumb. Let the tape overhang the end of the thumb.

When the thumb is taped properly it’s almost like lifting with straps. It gives you a lot more to hold on to.

A good Power Bar is an investment. No one would advise against a good power bar for barbell training. I have a Texas Power Bar I am very happy with.
 
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@JeffC will look into better taping but the growing of nails is a nope from me, sends shivers down my spine when my nails start to get long ?
 
Well decision was taken, no barbell but a 40kg tactical weight vest instead. Thought there's more uses and I'm pretty spoilt for barbells currently anyway. Who knows in six months or do all the home gym set ups might start to come back out onto the FB market place or ebay and can get a power bar cheaper
 
Where did you get the tactical vest? I'm in the UK and finding anything is hard. Fortunately I entered lockdown with a barbell, some KBs and a chin up bar.

My friends have been looking for KBs and Bar and can't get anything that isn't massively over priced.
 
Tails said:
Where did you get the tactical vest? I'm in the UK and finding anything is hard. Fortunately I entered lockdown with a barbell, some KBs and a chin up bar.

My friends have been looking for KBs and Bar and can't get anything that isn't massively over priced.
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Was looking at BeyondRX but that was preorder and would have arrived mid to late June, asked about in a few FB groups and got one from moduflex rigs. They only advertise a 9kg tactical vest but they did me a favour and packaged up a 40kg option matching the price of beyondRX

Weighted Vest — Moduflex Custom Rigs
 
Cheers, I hadn't heard of them. I'll look at getting one as I want to be in shape once the welsh mountains open back up
 
Tails said:
Cheers, I hadn't heard of them. I'll look at getting one as I want to be in shape once the welsh mountains open back up
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Arrived today, can't fault them. I hadn't heard of them either before the lockdown
 
Looks like an awesome bit of kit. So many different ways to use it as well. I'd be tempted to buy one myself if I hadn't already splashed out on a new bar this year.
 
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