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All forearms exercisesForearms · Gym

Thick-Bar Hold

Hold a loaded thick bar for time. Builds crushing grip.

IntermediateThick bar / fat gripz3 × 20–30 s
Thick-Bar Hold demonstration thumbnail — Barbell Holds
GripThick bar / fat gripz

Thick-Bar Hold

Demo · Strength & Sport

Verified Thick-Bar Hold demonstration by Strength & Sport. Click to play.

How to do the Thick-Bar Hold

  1. 1Double overhand grip
  2. 2Stand tall
  3. 3Hold until near failure

Benefits of the Thick-Bar Hold

  • Builds strength and size in the grip under sustained isometric tension
  • Builds real relative strength — moving your own bodyweight through space
  • Loads predictably week to week, which makes progressive overload simple to track

Sources

Educational information only — not medical advice. Exercise technique, sets and reps are general guidance and may need adjusting for your experience, equipment and health history. Talk to a qualified clinician before starting or changing a training program if you have an injury or medical condition.

  1. 1Schoenfeld, Ogborn & Krieger (2017) — Dose-response of resistance training volume on hypertrophyJournal of Sports Sciences
  2. 2ACSM position stand (2009) — Progression models in resistance training for healthy adultsMedicine & Science in Sports & Exercise
  3. 3Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd editionU.S. Department of Health and Human Services