The fingertips rule means actual tips of the fingers. You can rig up figure 8s so that you’re just holding the bar in place with an open hand. Eddie Hall used this technique a lot. Your fingers are curled around the bar, so you’re good.
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This honestly never crosses my mind. It was never a thing for me, I always kind of figured guys that tore biceps on DL have serious form issues. Too many guys trying to row or curl the bar. But, I like the thumbless grip on axle for deads.
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Thanks for the clarification
I also started hitching because it’s allowed, and it feels good on an axlebar without knurling. Are there any inherent risks to hitching? I know my hip flexors felt super tight after axle deads when I was doing SSB, but not sure if it was related.
so I’ve essentially only read about this, because I’ve never trained axle deadlift without straps, but this is what I’ve read in forums coming from guys who have been around the sport forever, promoters, etc. Nobody wants to do it anymore because the general consensus became that the event wasn’t worth the risk without straps. I don’t have any data points to go by, so it’s kind of just based on common observations.
I couldnt even go past 205 with double overhand no straps
What I used to see a lot of was guys going to an automatic “curl”, which looks weird with mixed grip, because they couldn’t hold it. Gregg Ernst told me to try thumbless (thumbs next to fingers so you’re making a hook with each hand), and it helps. But, the axle isn’t a big grip difference for me honestly. I used to train with a 2-3’8" thick bar (custom obviously), the axle felt normal afterwards.
Bringing this thread back since I might get my own log.
Static Monsters competes in 12" log, but do you think I would be at a major disadvantage training with an 8" log? For me, cleaning it isn’t as hard as pressing it. And to be honest, it’s a $60 difference for a 10" log and a $100 difference for a 12", and the smaller would be easier to store in my garage or transport in my car/local park when everything re-opens.
I figure when it comes closer to the meet day, I can just do a few drop ins to get used to the 12" bar (but then again, I am getting my own log to avoid drop-in fees, but I’ll still need some formal training from strongman coaches)
I am an amateur (at best) strongman, and I have never competed, but I do a lot of strongman lifts in my garage. I have a homemade 12" log which I use regularly, and I have used (once) an 8" log and it felt VERY different. It’s better than nothing, but my opinion is that, if you’re serious, then the extra money is worth it.
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The trade off is yours to make but going from 8" to 12" is a big jump, most people are surprised by how hard the big log is to keep racked and a few sessions might not do it. I think @T3hPwnisher had a hack to help a smaller log feel closer to a comp log, that might be a fix for you.
Unless you train with a female, I don’t see why you wouldn’t get a 10" log though.
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The mechanics behind a lift change pretty drastically between olympic bars and axles, and that’s a 1 inch difference. I have never lifted a log in my life, yet I’m fairly certain that a 12" log is going to be nothing like an 8" log, regardless of weight. Might be wrong, but I’d be surprised.
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Yeah that’s what I’m starting to think. And now I’m thinking over the course of a few years, the extra 100 bucks wont be so bad
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Used a log once. I will admit it was a humbling experience as the diameter of the thing made it much harder to press than I expected.
If you want to be competitive I’d buy the right gear.
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I find that an 8” log has similar lifting mechanics to an abbreviated ROM Swiss/football bar press (strict). A 12” log is more like pressing a keg or stone in regard to degree of back bend.
Same general movement pattern, but the positions you’re going to have to get into are different enough that I’d personally go with the 12” (unless you’re training alongside a woman as @strongmangoals mentioned) if the financial situation allowed.
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The 8" has nothing to do with the 10" or 12". They are night and day different. The 10" is the easiest/most comfortable by far. The 8" is harder, IMO than the 10", mostly because of the clean. The bigger the log, the easier the clean. The 12" makes the rack position uncomfortable but the decreased ROM on the press makes it better for some guys. FWIW, I don’t notice any difference particularly between the 2" Axle and a regular power bar, but log is different. The 10" is the best choice if you only have one log. It has always been the most common size at contests and will be most comfortable. And in my experience the 14" just sucks, but you don’t see it much anymore.
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Yeah def, I only want one log because my gym doesnt have one. It’d be a 15-20 drop in anywhere else, so it makes sense for me to get the 12"
But that being said, it’ll be for maybe one meet a year. With everyone else being sold out, I might have no choice but to hold off till they’re all available. Plus the weight plate shortage