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Other/Mixed Grip - Carryover from Rolling Thunder to Barbell/Kettlebell

Other strength modalities (e.g., Clubs), mixed strength modalities (e.g., combined kettlebell and barbell), other goals (flexibility)
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From the USAWA Rule Book:

H5. Dinnie Lift

Two weight loadable Vertical Bars with ring handles attached are used in this lift. The maximum height from the floor to the top of the lifting rings is 21 inches. One Vertical Bar’s weight MUST not exceed 75% of the other. Any style of lifting may be used. The lift ends when the lifter is upright and motionless. The lifter may have the Vertical Bars at the side, or may straddle them. A time limit of 1 minute is given to accomplish a legal lift. The weights may be dropped within this time limit, and the lifter may reset and try again. An official will give a command to end the lift. Lifting straps of any kind are NOT allowed!

-S-
I wonder what size of V-Bar they're referring to? The 2" would be ludicrous for this!!
 
Pardon my ignorance, but what makes the rolling thunder so hard? Is it that it rolls to the weakest part of the grip? I've been trying to find a good video review where someone explains it but have failed so far.
 
edit: I do just like @Tarzan said.
I have rolling sleeves (made from PVC pipe) that fit on 2 different sized pullup bars, both are a similar size to the ones .
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As an alternative I got a hold of a PVC pipe and cut it so that it was a little bit longer than my hand width.

R4502106-01.jpg


If your pull-up bar has one-sided ends, this works similar to a rolling-thunder if the bar is bare metal.
If it is rubbery, it won't be the same, but the diameter will still be challenging.

But where this shines is if you have dumbbells

adjustable-dumbbell-handles-long.jpg


Then sliding the PVC pipe before adding the weights will create a DIY rolling thunder alternative.

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On grip strength for kettlebells, dumbbells and barbells.
Nothing beats this exercise for me:



8:40

Or the dumbbell equivalent would be to load it as much as possible and deadlift it with one hand + hold.
 
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Pardon my ignorance, but what makes the rolling thunder so hard? Is it that it rolls to the weakest part of the grip? I've been trying to find a good video review where someone explains it but have failed so far.

Your grip stops being neutral.

Normal grip:
level_hand_position_sm.jpg


Rolling Thunder grip:

clawed_hands_rsi_sm.jpg



It forces your hand into that awkward position, so it's much more challenging.
 
That's it in a nutshell @manuelp22, if those images were rotated 90 deg either way it would accurately depict the mechanics of what happens when a lift fails with any device similar to these (deadlift or pullup).

They work the grip really hard but most of the time a failed lift happens because the wrist goes into extension and the bar slips through the grip.

For me these types of devices tax the wrist flexors more than muscles that flex the fingers.

Valuable training aids - yes
Suitable for high volume work - definitely not.
 
@Tarzan If you read the thread Laine Snook, who pulls over 300lb, proposes 10 rep sets.
Grip - Carryover from Rolling Thunder to Barbell/Kettlebell

If you watch the best guys like Mark Felix, record holder and first to break 300lb, and Mike Burke, they set the handle as deep in the palm as they can get. Just like when we goose neck the wrist on a Kettlebell and the wrist inevitably straightens, but if you start straight the wrist may end up bent back.

I use the cue touch the thumb to the middle finger. Works for me on Axel, RT, and other Thick Grip work.

The wrist should be flexed and on heavy reps, when the wrist gives, the thumb may be strong enough to hold on. I am a good Pincher so I get heavy reps with thumb strength.
 
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@Tarzan If you read the thread Laine Snook, who pulls over 300lb, proposes 10 rep sets.

Yeah, I probably should have qualified what I said about volume. Grip training normally responds well to high rep training and this is no exception. Using them for straight arm lifts like the deadlift would be fine. I was thinking more of doing pullups with them.

They "rolling thunder type devices" increase the amount of tension going through the elbows when doing pullups with them, so it's not hard to injure an elbow if you go for too much volume.
 
I imagine the wrist wrench would be quite a bit tougher for deads and pullups than a rolling device with a central pivot point.

I've been thinking of making a wrist wrench myself. I'm still not back up to par with my hand/wrist strength yet, I could only manage 3 reps of pullups (just bodyweight) on my fat bar with rolling sleeves today, so I'm thinking about making a set out of 1 1/2" pipe and sacrificing a set of cheap tie down straps to wrap around them.

Does the wrist wrench have a finish or coating that's conducive to a good grip ?

I only have gal pipe here and it's very slippery once your hands get a bit sweaty.
 
Got my wrist wrench the other day from Lucas Raymond at Arm Assassin Strength Shop. Thing is no joke. Got 70# with my right and got 70# off the ground with left.

Supposedly when you can get 100#, you can lift the inch dumbbell.

Highly recommended.
 
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