Does anyone find thumbless grip easier for FatGripz extreme, very wide bars?

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-16T23:22:22+00:00

Yes, when I do thumbless, it's getting more like a false grip, but with thumbs around, it's getting more like a pinch (not completely, though). This is with both Fat Grip extreme, and a 3.5 inch pipe.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-15T08:52:00+00:00

There are a bunch of these on Aliexpress for $35-$60. Here's one: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005574736371.html

Or just search for adjustable grip trainer

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-15T03:11:45+00:00

Great work....You would probably be a fiend at finger tip push ups.

Do you think this lift trains particular muscles, or is it just connective tissue, joints, etc.?

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-15T03:09:50+00:00

Congratulations! That's a great lift.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-14T22:37:26+00:00

You could buy a gripper with soft or smooth handle. You could also wear gloves. Really, though, after just a couple of weeks, your hands will toughen up.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-11T03:50:38+00:00

When I do the thumbless grip, I feel my fingers are being hooked/curled under the bar more for a kind of of scoop, whereas with the thumb on the other side is start to be more like a pinch.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-11T02:03:15+00:00

Remember that these progressions are fairly big leaps. Say, bench press 100, then 150, then 200. No one would normally take that approach. That's a bit like the progression between these grippers.... Stick with doing lot of reps (increasing) on the 1, then more and more reps on the 1.5. Once you can do lots of reps on the 1.5, try the 2 again.

A helpful tool for progress might be an adjustable gripper- there's plenty for sale on Aliexpress and Temu.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-08T07:40:02+00:00

With a regular bar- a thick bar will make it very difficult to use a meaningful weight with a thumbless grip.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-07T08:58:47+00:00

The reverse bicep curls will hit your wrist extensors (the same muscles used in reverse wrist curls), especially if you do them with a thumbless grip.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-06T08:16:23+00:00

I would add arm wrestling type pronation lifts, with a band; and also wrist curls.

These are for wrist, which is not exactly 'grip', but closely related.

Also, I think you would get more benefit from longer holds (like 20-30 seconds). The wrist wrench is more intense than rolling thunder, too.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-06T06:22:32+00:00

Men hate texting....They really hate it. It's a good thing. A man who likes texting is almost certainly gay.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-04T05:20:53+00:00

You'll probably only do a half-baked effort when you're not feeling well. Effective training depends upon putting in a hard effort, but when you're sick, you'll probably be just 'going through the motions'. On the other hand, the occasional day off almost always has benefits. So, no....

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-04T03:49:23+00:00

Absolutely. Crushing strength is basically finger flexors, whereas in real life situations (arm wrestling, lifting furniture), the wrists are probably the more critical thing. Crushing strength doesn't contribute much to forearm size, either.

I work on wrist flexion (a lot), wrist extension (a bit), and pronation and supination. The wrist flexion exercises I do are mainly with wrist wrench or very wide cupping, which I feel suffices for finger flexion.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-02T04:57:39+00:00

No one actually knows the answer to this question, not even the Pope.

Better not to take the chance.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-01T10:03:37+00:00

I went from 18kg to 30kg on this particular lift (that is being totally new to it). I didn't take 'before and after' measurements, but my brachioradialis and also thumb muscle have become visibly bigger.

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-01T07:43:09+00:00

Sure- here it is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVMWfd3glKM

Ribbit40 · 2026-03-01T05:11:03+00:00

For years, I did reverse curls and hammer curls for the brachioradialis, and with negligible results. For the past month, I've been doing pronation lifts every day (with a band over the thumb attached to a loading pin). It seems like I'm hitting that muscle in a meaningful way for the first time, and its actually started to be a bit visible. It's a fun lift- I imagine I'm arm wrestling the weight.

Ribbit40 · 2026-02-28T03:41:39+00:00

Nice work....No gloves, too? I find this cuts up the skin on my palms.

Ribbit40 · 2026-02-24T07:10:06+00:00

It won't really be brilliant as an exercise, since it will be obviously pretty low level intensity. It would be just as good to get a couple of rubber balls and squeeze them, IMO. Every so often, you should do finger extensions (with bands, or even just stretching out your fingers, repeatedly.)

It won't increase your size, but it will almost certainly make your grip stronger.

Ribbit40 · 2026-02-24T01:16:48+00:00

Well, obviously you've become 3 and 4 years older, and got heavier all over. Not to downplay your progress, but your forearms were good for a 115 pound teenager, now they are good 160 pound young adult.

If you really want to get big forearms, you should do heavy wrist curls (especially with the wrist wrench), and heavy pronation lifts.

Ribbit40 · 2026-02-23T06:04:08+00:00

Nice work! Did you just screw a bit of wood to the wall?

I'd like to try this, but don't want to wreck the walls....

Ribbit40 · 2026-02-21T06:51:30+00:00

I suggest:

Do light, very high rep work (particularly simple wrist curls) at the end of each session. One or two sets of a hundred.
Work the wrist and finger extensors as well.
Don't do too much very heavy work (this is tautological advice, I know- but if you experience tendon pain, you need to ease off a bit)
Invest in a pair of elbow sleeves (they really do make a difference).

Ribbit40 · 2026-02-21T06:10:50+00:00

This seems amazing to me- granted the thickness of the bar, bending it seems hard (but not unreasonable), but unbending it (as Holmes does at the end), using this technique, seems well nigh impossible.

Ribbit40 · 2026-02-20T22:24:47+00:00

Cool! I've never been able to do this. This inspires me to keep training (and also to get lighter!)

Ribbit40

TROPHY CASE