Thick Bars for Pressing

Training Powerlifting
1

I’ve got a 2 inch thick bar that my dad had made for me a long time ago

It’s made from a hydraulic boom off of a bull dozer

CNC lathe turned to precise dimensions and is non rotating at 80 pounds

I use it for almost all my pressing movements from bench (when I do them) to over head pressing

My question is that do any of you who predominantly use thick bars for pressing movements think that they make pressing any more difficult than standard bars

Stated differently do thick bars make you a better presser?

2

Sounds like a nice bar.

Some find it helps with elbow pain? It will of course be harder to clean, if your doing heavy jerks and such their is no whip in the bar of course. Also can deadlift with it to really work the grip.

3

I would say yes, but not really by a lot, but it will make pressing normal bars that much easier.

I think the thick bars really have more of an effect on pulling.

4

I find it’s easier on the wrists and shoulders when pressing (overhead, incline or flat).

5

[quote]MytchBucanan wrote:
I find it’s easier on the wrists and shoulders when pressing (overhead, incline or flat).[/quote]

I noticed this too. I only just started thick grip training. But I’m hoping it will translate to a stronger bench as well as the pulling lifts.

6

Its all I use, you’ll never see a barbell press in a competition so why train with one? Makes pulling more challenging too.

7

[quote]RCKM5K wrote:
I’ve got a 2 inch thick bar that my dad had made for me a long time ago

It’s made from a hydraulic boom off of a bull dozer

CNC lathe turned to precise dimensions and is non rotating at 80 pounds

I use it for almost all my pressing movements from bench (when I do them) to over head pressing

My question is that do any of you who predominantly use thick bars for pressing movements think that they make pressing any more difficult than standard bars

Stated differently do thick bars make you a better presser?

I have not used a standard bb in over a year. I love my 3 inch elgordo fatbar my hands wrists have feel a lot more strong and healthy compared to a standard bb. For grip strength I recommend this over cc grippers they did nothing for me only over train my grip makeing me fail my deadlift.
[/quote]

8

[quote]MJENKS71 wrote:
Its all I use, you’ll never see a barbell press in a competition so why train with one? Makes pulling more challenging too.[/quote]

Good point. If you’re going to do strongman you need a fatbar. My fatbar has done a lot to relieve my elbow tendonitis.

9

i used to use it for pretty much everything except cg bench and rows. ive shy’d away and been using a bar again for everything. may be time for a change up.

i always felt the fat bar seemed like it was working my triceps more, the guy that got me into strongman said he felt the same way.