# Big Back Grips



## P-funk (Jul 31, 2008)

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


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## ZECH (Jul 31, 2008)

Very cool!


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## Merkaba (Jul 31, 2008)

I'd try em for free.  But my padded gloves work pretty well.  No callouses...People make fun of my hands because they say I've never done any real work 'cause they're so baby buns smooth.


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## PreMier (Jul 31, 2008)

you have to be a dealer to purchase them?

i never get callouses but i think they would be cool for shrugs if it makes the bar a little thicker


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## BigBackGrips (Jul 31, 2008)

*Thank you for the comments on Big Back Grips*

Patrick,

Thanks for your kind comments about Big Back Grips. I will add that I work out in a gym with many older lifters. They LOVE the grips because because of the greatly increased gripping power.

But from both older and younger lifters, I do get a lot of "I don't really need these." But then try them and it's "Wow!"

People don't really believe how much gripping power they add, especially when doing any kind of lat pull. The trainers, competitors and every day lifters are eating them up.

Anyway, if any ironmagazine readers have any questions about them, shoot me a message. I'd love to hear from you.

And they are available retail at Big Back Grips

Anyway, ironmagazine.com is working really well for us and we appreciate the sales and comments we've gotten! So thank you to everyone!

Larry
Big Back Grips


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## AKIRA (Jul 31, 2008)

I am a bit confused about how it can improve grip strength as well as improve grip..

Not negating the actuality of it, I understand how it can improve grip strength, but I cant see it helping to move a heavy deadlift better vs. when youre not using these.


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## P-funk (Jul 31, 2008)

AKIRA said:


> I am a bit confused about how it can improve grip strength as well as improve grip..
> 
> Not negating the actuality of it, I understand how it can improve grip strength, but I cant see it helping to move a heavy deadlift better vs. when youre not using these.



If you put these over the bar, you have to grip harder in order to hold the bar and perform the lift.

This will decrease the amount of weight that you can use for that set, just like if you were to try and deadlift with a fat bar/thick bar or a towel around the bar.  The goal in this instance is not to ramp up weight and see what you can do, but to help improve your grip strength and what you can hold onto.

By working on your grip, you will be able to hold more weight and have better control over the bar.  When you go back to work on the deadlift without them, you can hold onto the bar with heavier weight.  It is like doing static barbell holds, or dead weight hangs, or anything that works on your grip strength.


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## AKIRA (Jul 31, 2008)

Ok.  I thought there was something else to it.

<~Over analyzes...shit, everything.


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## BigBackGrips (Jul 31, 2008)

*Big Back Grips and gripping strength.*

Hi,

Let me try to clarify. 
Big Backs are about having phenomenal back workouts. And about a cleaner, more comfortable grip on *any* bar or rope you use while lifting.

So we don't promote Big Back Grips as a way to strengthen your muscular grip, but as a way to take your grip out of the equation so you can totally focus on the muscle you're working, especially lats.

That's because Big Backs grip a bar or handle so solidly that your lats burn out before your grip does. Even with sweaty hands, there's no slipping, no forearms burning out while your lats want to keep going, no burning in your palms from rough knurled metal.

You can do more weight, more reps, with more focus.

Larry
Big Back Grips


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## Perdido (Jul 31, 2008)

I bought them. My hands get torn up at work and are very callused to begin with.
Gloves work well on the job but in the gym they slip. So far I am happy with the grips. They haven't neccessarily increased my grip strength since that was pretty strong to begin with but certainly have made the comfort level better on my hands during workouts.


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## KelJu (Jul 31, 2008)

Good idea for some I guess. I am a wood worker, so my hands are cut up, torn, smashed, and calloused to hell and back anyway.

Still, my curiosity is peaked. How do I get a pair?


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## Hoglander (Jul 31, 2008)

I put rubber shelf liners in my cabinets at home and had the same idea. Good luck.


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## KelJu (Jul 31, 2008)

KelJu said:


> Good idea for some I guess. I am a wood worker, so my hands are cut up, torn, smashed, and calloused to hell and back anyway.
> 
> Still, my curiosity is peaked. How do I get a pair?



Ignore that stupid question. I read somebody posting that they were dealer sales only, but I found the retail order link.


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## Merkaba (Jul 31, 2008)

hell I might just try em!


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## BigBackGrips (Jul 31, 2008)

The easiest to get Big Backs is, of course, Big Back Grips
Just click Retail Orders.

I promise you will love the way they feel.

Larry
Big Back Grips


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## GoalGetter (Aug 2, 2008)

*A girl's perspective*

I like to lift heavy on occasion. I like to work on my pullups (all 3 of them- hahaha!), and I like to do lunges and one-legged RDLs with dumbbells. I have a semi-bum left hand from an old car wreck, and I've always used it as a cop out for not having a strong grip, so I've always used cotton wraps. 

Also, at  my gym the pullup bars and dumbbell handles, and some of the olympic bars are REALLY gritty. It wasn't so much about calluses, as it was about flesh-tearing pain not letting me get through a set. So I used wraps for all of these things. I hate the wraps. They dug into my wrists when the weight was heavy, they made me have to go through the process of wrapping and unwrapping every time I was going to do a set, or sit there resting with my hands attached to whatever I was holding, like a lazy idiot.

Not only that, I always felt like I was "cheating" in my deadlifts because my natural grip sucked and I relied heavily (no pun intended) on my wraps in order to get through my heavy reps.

About a week and a half ago, Patrick handed me a pair of the Big Back wraps and asked me to try them and see what I thought.

Honestly. wow. I love them. They are comfortable as hell, just enough padding, but not so thick that my tiny hands can't grip a bar. I also found out that with my wrists now unbound and thus pain free, my pullups and my deadlifts are still strong, and with better form, and I don't have to pause in the middle of some sets to give my wrist a break or allow circulation back into my hand. hahaha!

As for calluses, yeah, I guess, they'll be good for that too, but that's not a concern for me. Those are badges of honor in MY book.

Excellent product. I definitely recommend them!

(Oh, by the way, hello everybody... long time no post!)


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## BigBackGrips (Aug 2, 2008)

*Try Big Back Grips on reverse-grips deadlifts*

Goal Getter, thanks for your comments!

I just want to mention, if you use a reverse grip on deadlifts as most people do, Big Back Grips will definitely give you a better set as the bar will not be nearly so eager to slip from your hands and you can focus fully on each rep. The rubber tread does its job quite well. 

The Big Backs will definitely give you a much firmer grip on the deadlift bar than gloves. I've never been a fan of straps myself (one of the reasons I developed Big Backs), so I can't really compare personally. But I know of guys who use straps while hating them. So Big Backs are a really good solution.

And they work phenomenally well on any kind of lat pull:







Feel free to check out the video of Con using them (he's an addict now) or visit our site.
VIDEOS: YouTube - BigBackGrips's Channel
BIG BACK SITE: Big Back Grips


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## min0 lee (Sep 14, 2008)

GoalGetter said:


> (Oh, by the way, hello everybody... long time no post!)


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