To quote Brian Alsruhe at the end of a long description of typical barbells involving flex, whip, knurling, rotating sleeves, etc., versus "An axle is a pipe."
@@Bmxae What? My Fat Gripz don't spin because the bar usually has knurling that grips into the plastic Fat Gripz. BUT I agree, it's uncomfortable and not really the same as an axle bar.
Hey Alan, I've been watching your videos off and on for over a decade at this point. Love the content. Any chance we could get an in-depth guide to benching. Including breathing and bracing, bending the bar, leg drive yada yada yada. As well as potential tips and tricks for breaking a plateau. I'd love to hear what you have to say.
I made one from 2" galvanized. Cut it to 7' then made fat dumbell handles from the scrap. I wanna say the 10' stick was $30, but that was a few years back.
Yeah my axel is just a schedule 80 2" pipe with collars welded on. I just have to remember that it's 20lbs lighter being hollow and add more plates to compensate. I originally got it just for landmine use so I wasn't bending my barbell.
8:45 yeah that make sense because the center of mass of an axle or log is wider so there's more "surface area" of the bar to land on points A & B, unfortunately these are hard to find. I should really upgrade to a better gym in 2025 but I'm still noob so my local YMCA will do for now. I do own a pair of Fat Grips however
I have a power bar and weightlifting bar, and it always feels better to bench the slightly thicker power bar. I always wondered if there was just something wrong with me. My psychiatrist confirmed that there is in fact a lot wrong with me, but this video validated my bench preference!
I've got an axle bar in my garage gym but have only ever used it for axle deadlifts and the odd clean and press. But i will definitely give this a go, could help my lagging bench press 😂 thanks Alan! TRAIN UNTAMED!💪👍
Axle deadlifts are very good because the bar doesn't whip and it forces you into a slightly different position. But you don't need one to bench with lol
I've been exclusively using axle bars or fat gripz for everything but squat for a year now and I love it. I use a cheap 1.75" piece of conduit from lowes, I have other pieces that are only about 3 to 4 feet long, but I can slide them over my 1.75 to increase the grip size to 2.25 or 3" thick, plus they turn into a rolling thunder style bar. Good cheap solution to have 2 or 3 axle bar sizes under 100 bucks.(just finished the video, nice you mentioned the conduit option I did not see that coming, also that was an amazing set of deadlifts on that axle bar you did.)
Dense rubber installable grips for the bar to make it an axle bar just arrived. $25 for the pair or something like that. Have them in my bag to take to gym to start using. The idea for them is a bit long range of motion on the eccentric at my chest to get some more stretch at the bottom of the lift.
Eric bugenhagen is a big proponent of using fat grips on bench with a traditional barbell. I'm sure many of us train at conventional gyms that don't have axle bars. The fat grips give you the wrist advantages while adding an additional benefit of slightly increasing the range of motion. Maybe worth trying!
I picked some up when I started getting hand pain from benching heavy again. I don’t use them all the time, but they are a fantastic addition to the gym bag and definitely change the feel on pressing exercises.
I have pinched that nerve in my hand a couple of times over the years. Such an annoyance, but thankfully just a rare and random one. After having 2 bad wrist breaks on the same wrist skiing which required resetting the bone, I've had to switch to close grip bench. If i get chance I'll give the axle bar a shot
I’ve used to bench with a false grip for years until everyone on the internet convinced me I was going to die. My bench has never been the same since I switched to a standard grip.
If you've got proper safety bars or are in a smith machine feel free to go thumbless but at the same time you might build up a bad habit and forget to switch back when you try to bench without safeties/spotters.
i've been using fat gripz on all my pressing movements and it feels much better given how big my hands are. also the irradiation effect gives you more stability
HOLY CRAP! I've been having a similar thing with hand pain while benching. Every now and then it just starts burning. I thought it was nerve pain but wasn't sure!
Great idea, never thought about investing in an axle bar but maybe i will if wrist issues occur. I would use fat gripz though, much cheaper and you can use them for your dumbbells and pullup bar to get some forearm work. What do you think? (Edit, it seems that having fat gripz might actually help get a better stretch on the pecs, like having a mini-cambered bar, not a big effect but not detrimental either)
honestly when I bench, I don't even wrap my fingers around anymore. I kind of do something similar to that powerlifter position you showed, but my fingers aren't pressed on top. so many people I remember would fear monger about suicide grip... but I have safeties at the correct height for that exact thing
I recently made a sort of block that attached to a barbel. I was using it to limit my range of motion to help with shoulder pain. I wonder if a mix of that and fat grips could provide the same affect that you were talking about with the axle bar. All it would be missing the non-spinning plate horns. But that might be a good option for people who don’t have room in their gym for multiple bar types.
Would you recommend the Titan Fitness 7 FT Axle Barbell or the Fringe Sport 'El Gordito' Stubby Axle Bar for a casual/intermediate lifter that doesn't want to spend more than ~$100 for a bar?
I think where the bar hits your chest would still have to be more precise with fat grips. He mentioned how benching with the Axel bar he wasn’t having to slow down at the bottom of the rep to be precise on where the bar hits the chest because it’s nots so thin.
@@squiddaddy936 Hmm I think there actually might be a benefit to the fat grippz then. It would help getting a bigger stretch on the pecs. Like a mini-cambered bar.
First, you should use a regular grip. Second, for strength and size thicker is better, but one my use thinner bars and build up. Use for everything. Why? That challenge to the grip elevates stimulus to the whole upper body.
Eat real food, eat a full meal the day before and day of your heavy lifting days. Maintain consistency in your workout schedule. Stick with it, don't get discouraged. Mix up your compound lifting variations after each plateau. EG for squat, try maxing out your front squat, box squat, zercher squat, etc, then come back and train back squat. Start light with new exercises and build up, as always. Variety will help ensure you are enjoying each workout as well. Recognize that you are still very young and will continue to grow. These are just ideas and starting points. You are your own master. These are serious totals for a youngster so perhaps you're already doing these things. Get a coach if you are serious about pursuing serious strength.
I have that same kind of pain in my hand, though it doesn't short circuit my arm, but it feels very uncomfortable and annoying. But it only appears sometimes, most of the time Im ok
I use Fat Gripz or Iron Bull 3.0 for my bench variations. $30-40 and you can change any bar. Existing knurling isn't even requiered. 😊 Easy gains using 80% while having my elbows thank me. Having a non-rotating bar like a true axel bar is just unnecessary.
I’m bored again with standard workouts so do this cool different thing until I’m bored with it in 3 months and the cycle will repeat on an infinite loop.
As I was told once by a powerlifter buddy: “if you aren’t competing, there’s no reason to exclusively use a straight bar.” I haven’t tried benching with an axle bar before but I switched to a kabuki kadillac bar a few months ago and I’ll never go back to a straight bar.
Not totally related to this video but I've been trying to get this answered & can't get a clear answer. How strong would i need to be in order to not completely embarrass myself at a novice strongman comp?
high in the hand or low in the hand? Maybe Proximal vs Distal would be better terminology. Regardless I'll make sure the bar is closer to my wrist, not fingers. Message received
Why are you calling the grip "high in the hand"? That is low in the hand. When you are grabbing the bar the lower palm is lower than your fingers. Think a bit longer about these things before making videos lol!
"TRAIN UNTAMED" - never gets old
Until last week I heard it as “TRAIN ON TIME”
To quote Brian Alsruhe at the end of a long description of typical barbells involving flex, whip, knurling, rotating sleeves, etc., versus "An axle is a pipe."
I bench press with a strongman log
Peak peak of motion
I bench with a tree trunk
based💪💪
@@NAVEENCHAURASIYAA I was really hoping someone would up the craziness of what they bench with
FreakieD was doing a bunch of log incline pressing actually, it's just like a neutral grip board press. Seems pretty cool honestly
You can also put fat grips on a regular barbell to get a similar hand feel to an axel.
I do both as my fat grips and axel bar are different diameters.
No, Fat Grips will spin around the bar. It's uncomfortable and not safe at all. Fat Grips can also twist the harder you grip them.
@@BmxaeI have done the fat grips bench variation also. It was cheaper than buying an axle bar and they don’t have it at my gym. Next best thing. 😅
@@Bmxae What? My Fat Gripz don't spin because the bar usually has knurling that grips into the plastic Fat Gripz. BUT I agree, it's uncomfortable and not really the same as an axle bar.
+Extra ROM.
I want a Swiss bar. I prefer neutral grip pressing. Train untaaaammmmeeeddddd 🤘🏽
I just tried one a couple times this week and it felt great on my left AC joint injury in my shoulder.
Hey Alan, I've been watching your videos off and on for over a decade at this point. Love the content.
Any chance we could get an in-depth guide to benching. Including breathing and bracing, bending the bar, leg drive yada yada yada. As well as potential tips and tricks for breaking a plateau. I'd love to hear what you have to say.
I made one from 2" galvanized. Cut it to 7' then made fat dumbell handles from the scrap. I wanna say the 10' stick was $30, but that was a few years back.
Yeah my axel is just a schedule 80 2" pipe with collars welded on. I just have to remember that it's 20lbs lighter being hollow and add more plates to compensate. I originally got it just for landmine use so I wasn't bending my barbell.
8:45 yeah that make sense because the center of mass of an axle or log is wider so there's more "surface area" of the bar to land on points A & B, unfortunately these are hard to find. I should really upgrade to a better gym in 2025 but I'm still noob so my local YMCA will do for now. I do own a pair of Fat Grips however
I have a power bar and weightlifting bar, and it always feels better to bench the slightly thicker power bar. I always wondered if there was just something wrong with me. My psychiatrist confirmed that there is in fact a lot wrong with me, but this video validated my bench preference!
I love bench/incline with an axle. Feels better on my wrists and since 99% of strongman involves axle, it has perfect carryover.
I've got an axle bar in my garage gym but have only ever used it for axle deadlifts and the odd clean and press. But i will definitely give this a go, could help my lagging bench press 😂 thanks Alan! TRAIN UNTAMED!💪👍
Learned all this on my own. Even bought a 3" bar for this. 😊
there are bow bars which also has a very thick grip size
and for axle bars why buy it when you can put fatgrips on normal bar?
100% just use FATGRIPS on a bar save money and space
Exactly
Like an axle bar isn't like $80
Axle deadlifts are very good because the bar doesn't whip and it forces you into a slightly different position. But you don't need one to bench with lol
@@Copeman9999 bro deadlift is hard to grip even with normal bar peoples use straps 600 lbs axxle bar you deadlif it? add video
I've been exclusively using axle bars or fat gripz for everything but squat for a year now and I love it. I use a cheap 1.75" piece of conduit from lowes, I have other pieces that are only about 3 to 4 feet long, but I can slide them over my 1.75 to increase the grip size to 2.25 or 3" thick, plus they turn into a rolling thunder style bar. Good cheap solution to have 2 or 3 axle bar sizes under 100 bucks.(just finished the video, nice you mentioned the conduit option I did not see that coming, also that was an amazing set of deadlifts on that axle bar you did.)
Dense rubber installable grips for the bar to make it an axle bar just arrived. $25 for the pair or something like that. Have them in my bag to take to gym to start using. The idea for them is a bit long range of motion on the eccentric at my chest to get some more stretch at the bottom of the lift.
Thank you for this information!
Eric bugenhagen is a big proponent of using fat grips on bench with a traditional barbell. I'm sure many of us train at conventional gyms that don't have axle bars. The fat grips give you the wrist advantages while adding an additional benefit of slightly increasing the range of motion. Maybe worth trying!
I picked some up when I started getting hand pain from benching heavy again. I don’t use them all the time, but they are a fantastic addition to the gym bag and definitely change the feel on pressing exercises.
Hoping to get myself a axle bar for Christmas, been wanting one for awhile
I have pinched that nerve in my hand a couple of times over the years. Such an annoyance, but thankfully just a rare and random one.
After having 2 bad wrist breaks on the same wrist skiing which required resetting the bone, I've had to switch to close grip bench. If i get chance I'll give the axle bar a shot
I didn't send a DM, but I did wonder about why you were benching with an axle bar. Thanks for the info.
I’ve used to bench with a false grip for years until everyone on the internet convinced me I was going to die.
My bench has never been the same since I switched to a standard grip.
Small price to avoid death
If you've got proper safety bars or are in a smith machine feel free to go thumbless but at the same time you might build up a bad habit and forget to switch back when you try to bench without safeties/spotters.
@@alburaq3290 :) at some point or for some time :)
false grip gets a bad rep. i've seen more people drop a barbell with a full grip lol
i've been using fat gripz on all my pressing movements and it feels much better given how big my hands are. also the irradiation effect gives you more stability
HOLY CRAP! I've been having a similar thing with hand pain while benching. Every now and then it just starts burning. I thought it was nerve pain but wasn't sure!
never heard of an axle bar this should be fun
Nice video! Could you make a similar video on the Safety Squat Bar?
‘Here in my garage’… intentional?
Great idea, never thought about investing in an axle bar but maybe i will if wrist issues occur. I would use fat gripz though, much cheaper and you can use them for your dumbbells and pullup bar to get some forearm work. What do you think? (Edit, it seems that having fat gripz might actually help get a better stretch on the pecs, like having a mini-cambered bar, not a big effect but not detrimental either)
Fat grips on triceps pushdown with a v-bar as well.
honestly when I bench, I don't even wrap my fingers around anymore.
I kind of do something similar to that powerlifter position you showed, but my fingers aren't pressed on top. so many people I remember would fear monger about suicide grip... but I have safeties at the correct height for that exact thing
I noticed my strengh and stability went up with bigger bars_ with everything like pull-ups, dumbles,
I recently made a sort of block that attached to a barbel. I was using it to limit my range of motion to help with shoulder pain. I wonder if a mix of that and fat grips could provide the same affect that you were talking about with the axle bar. All it would be missing the non-spinning plate horns.
But that might be a good option for people who don’t have room in their gym for multiple bar types.
9:18 LMAO. I wish I would have such a cool gym guy/coach nearby like you are Alan. You are really awesome.
I have a conduit bar, it slaps
I bench with a camber bar, football bar and a barbell
How much can you load on your homemade electrical conduit axle bar?
this just inspired me to buy some fat grips
(i'd consider axle bar if i had a home gym)
I bench press with two sandbags duct taped to an elephant bar 😤
Credit to Donnie Thomspon for the axle bar bench idea.
Would you recommend the Titan Fitness 7 FT Axle Barbell or the Fringe Sport 'El Gordito' Stubby Axle Bar for a casual/intermediate lifter that doesn't want to spend more than ~$100 for a bar?
Fat gripz for under $100
Buy some pipe
I do all my barbell work with an axle because I don't have a barbell...😐
Interesting.
I deadlift with an EZ curl bar
That suicide grip looks even more risky when used with the axle bar.
You should have spotters if you’re going so heavy it concerns you.
How is using an Axle bar different from merely benching with fat grips? I can imagine it might be different, but I don't know how yet.
I have the same question. Seems like a steep investment if you're just doing it when having some wrist issues.
I think where the bar hits your chest would still have to be more precise with fat grips.
He mentioned how benching with the Axel bar he wasn’t having to slow down at the bottom of the rep to be precise on where the bar hits the chest because it’s nots so thin.
@@squiddaddy936 Hmm I think there actually might be a benefit to the fat grippz then. It would help getting a bigger stretch on the pecs. Like a mini-cambered bar.
Fat grips are definitely cheaper and easier to store, but axle bars are some of the cheaper specialty bars out there.
@@MindfulMovementPractice ohh that is smart
First, you should use a regular grip. Second, for strength and size thicker is better, but one my use thinner bars and build up. Use for everything. Why? That challenge to the grip elevates stimulus to the whole upper body.
damn, look at at those biceps quiver at 5:05
brother Alan is it possible to book an appointment face to face and pay you for some tips?
It's on his website. Email him
@@MasoNowa thank you kindly for your comment i will check it up
how do i improve my lifts . they are currently at - bench - 110kg, squat - 160kg , deadlift - 185kg ( i am 17)
Eat real food, eat a full meal the day before and day of your heavy lifting days.
Maintain consistency in your workout schedule. Stick with it, don't get discouraged.
Mix up your compound lifting variations after each plateau. EG for squat, try maxing out your front squat, box squat, zercher squat, etc, then come back and train back squat. Start light with new exercises and build up, as always. Variety will help ensure you are enjoying each workout as well.
Recognize that you are still very young and will continue to grow.
These are just ideas and starting points. You are your own master. These are serious totals for a youngster so perhaps you're already doing these things. Get a coach if you are serious about pursuing serious strength.
@@xlittlep thanks for the advise👍👍
Axle bar AND thumbless grip tho???
Fuck it, ima go max out on fat grip bench for the first time ever and if I like it I'll get an axel bar or make one for my home gym 😂
I Made my own axle bar
I have that same kind of pain in my hand, though it doesn't short circuit my arm, but it feels very uncomfortable and annoying. But it only appears sometimes, most of the time Im ok
I use Fat Gripz or Iron Bull 3.0 for my bench variations. $30-40 and you can change any bar. Existing knurling isn't even requiered. 😊 Easy gains using 80% while having my elbows thank me. Having a non-rotating bar like a true axel bar is just unnecessary.
nice video alan but the people ask for the old sect of atg sq xD
I’m bored again with standard workouts so do this cool different thing until I’m bored with it in 3 months and the cycle will repeat on an infinite loop.
sounds like Coop was right and home gyms won out
As I was told once by a powerlifter buddy: “if you aren’t competing, there’s no reason to exclusively use a straight bar.”
I haven’t tried benching with an axle bar before but I switched to a kabuki kadillac bar a few months ago and I’ll never go back to a straight bar.
Everyone including powerlifters that compete should not exclusively train straight bars. It’s healthy for the joints to use different stimuli
@@SC_310absofuckinglutely
Yeah I got fed up with shoulder mobility during back squats and just went with SSB instead and occasional Zerchers.
I wanna say the hand thing is the legit and the other thing is mumbo jumbo
i bench press my dog which has been very optimal for my gains. i put her on a full bulk which should help with progressive overload
whats a good axle barbell to buy ?
i love to add fat grips on dip bars
Not totally related to this video but I've been trying to get this answered & can't get a clear answer. How strong would i need to be in order to not completely embarrass myself at a novice strongman comp?
Find a competition on ironpodium. Is there a single event you think you wouldn't zero right now? You're strong enough.
Who was stronger? Chubby Alan or lean Alan?
Would Axel Rose approve?
I don’t see why not. 😂
You own so many axle bars 😂
He's cornering the market....so people will have to buy the axle bar directly from him at incredibly high prices in the future LOL
Yeah it’s crazy. One is a lot.
I have tiny hands im unable to lol
I bench press with an atlas stone
high in the hand or low in the hand? Maybe Proximal vs Distal would be better terminology. Regardless I'll make sure the bar is closer to my wrist, not fingers. Message received
0:44 😂😂
They are actually pretty cheap right now
You can bench with fat gripz ?
You shouldn't bench with axle bar.
Yes, you should.
Can't you just use fatgrips?
I am first comment, lovely.
Why are you calling the grip "high in the hand"? That is low in the hand. When you are grabbing the bar the lower palm is lower than your fingers. Think a bit longer about these things before making videos lol!