Our new sponsor, Big Back Grips, was nice enough to send me a pair of their grips to check out and review.
I know what most are thinking (as I was thinking the same thing), "I want to feel the bar. I don't want to use that wussy crap over my hands, etc.."
Honestly, if you are open minded a little bit, these things can be pretty effective. Here are some of the reasons why I liked them:
1) Training females- Most females don't want to get their hands all trashed up and calloused. These grips are great for decreasing the friction between the surface of the hand and the bar. As well, for the price, they are much cheaper than lifting gloves; and, lifting gloves wear down, need to be replaced, and because you were them all time often start to get a foul stentch.
2) Those of us who work with our hands- Working in sports massage (or those that work as a physical therapist, chiropractor, etc), having beaten up calloused hands isn't always great for your patients. No one likes to have their muscles palpated by a brillo pad. Would I use the grips all the time? No. But, using them a few times in my workout will decrease some of the bar friction, especially if I use them on exercises that require a stren grip (IE, deadlifts or rows).
3) GRIP STRENGTH- Most of you are probably thinking "what the hell are you talking about?" But, for those of us that can't afford to purchase a fat bar or thick handled bar, these little grips come in handy! They are sort of like a poor mans fat bar, acting as another layer that you must grip through in order to hang onto the barbell (sort of like wrapping a towel around the bar and then performing the lift). Using them on deadlifts or shrugs really challeneges your grip.
For the price, the Big Back Grips are a great tool to add into your training program. Most of us don't give a darn about the callouses, but we can appreciate the importance of a well trained grip.
A pair of the big back grips is an inexpensive way to add some variety to your training program, in the form of "poor mans thick bar lifting", with things like deadlifts and shrugs.
Patrick
I know what most are thinking (as I was thinking the same thing), "I want to feel the bar. I don't want to use that wussy crap over my hands, etc.."
Honestly, if you are open minded a little bit, these things can be pretty effective. Here are some of the reasons why I liked them:
1) Training females- Most females don't want to get their hands all trashed up and calloused. These grips are great for decreasing the friction between the surface of the hand and the bar. As well, for the price, they are much cheaper than lifting gloves; and, lifting gloves wear down, need to be replaced, and because you were them all time often start to get a foul stentch.
2) Those of us who work with our hands- Working in sports massage (or those that work as a physical therapist, chiropractor, etc), having beaten up calloused hands isn't always great for your patients. No one likes to have their muscles palpated by a brillo pad. Would I use the grips all the time? No. But, using them a few times in my workout will decrease some of the bar friction, especially if I use them on exercises that require a stren grip (IE, deadlifts or rows).
3) GRIP STRENGTH- Most of you are probably thinking "what the hell are you talking about?" But, for those of us that can't afford to purchase a fat bar or thick handled bar, these little grips come in handy! They are sort of like a poor mans fat bar, acting as another layer that you must grip through in order to hang onto the barbell (sort of like wrapping a towel around the bar and then performing the lift). Using them on deadlifts or shrugs really challeneges your grip.
For the price, the Big Back Grips are a great tool to add into your training program. Most of us don't give a darn about the callouses, but we can appreciate the importance of a well trained grip.
A pair of the big back grips is an inexpensive way to add some variety to your training program, in the form of "poor mans thick bar lifting", with things like deadlifts and shrugs.
Patrick
