Squat handles

[Robert NL]

Rip,

I've been thinking of making a pair of squat handles to relieve my shoulders. In the "bending barbell" thread you said this:

I think there is a big market for David's squat handles.

And also found this:

But we're in the process of developing a set of handles that have the potential of enabling a low-bar position with hands in front. Stay tuned...

I've searched the site but couldn't find Davids stuff you were refering to. Also it doesn't seem that you have developped the ones you talked about so, here goes.

I designed these and was wondering if you would be so kind to comment on them. Is this what you had in mind as well? Also what ofset from the bar do you feel would be a good start? Right now its 150mm center-center.



The top of the hole in the handle is slightly smaller than the bar and the slot is conical. The handle is positioned on the bar and secured with a pull/blow so that the knurl bites in the handle locking it in place.

[Mark Rippetoe]

These will allow the bar to roll, and will not work.

[Robert NL]

These will allow the bar to roll, and will not work.

Like I said the handles are fixed on the bar. Because the slots get narrower gradually. In the end of the slot the radius is slightly smaller than that of the bar. Give it a good pull/blow and it will grip the knurl very tightly. Thus allowing you to control the bar.

[tertius]

These will allow the bar to roll, and will not work.

I have been thinking about the rolling problem, and it's a tough nut to crack without the potential for chewing up the knurling on the bar.

[deeprooted]

Won't this (apart from allowing the bar to roll and possibly also destroy the knurling of the bar) require at least some static force from the chest, shoulders and arms in order to press the bar against your back? Kind of what you would do when you bench press (pressing horizontally).

With the conventional positioning of the hands on the bar and narrowing the grip as much as possible I feel that the resulting tightness from the upper back going through to the arms and relatively narrow hands on the bar is what keeps it on the back and not much if any actual force produced by the upper body (except from pressing the elbows up to preserve that tightness). With loosening of the shoulders (which I guess is the point of the handles for people with shoulder immobility) I can imagine all that tightness being lost and having to be compensated for with force coming from the upper body to press the bar against the back.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I have been thinking about the rolling problem, and it's a tough nut to crack without the potential for chewing up the knurling on the bar.

The wedging effect of these handles would chew up the knurl. If it's your bar and you don't care, cool. The Kirkham design had enough surface area under the clamps on the bar that the force is distributed widely enough to not scar the knurl.

Won't this (apart from allowing the bar to roll and possibly also destroy the knurling of the bar) require at least some static force from the chest, shoulders and arms in order to press the bar against your back? Kind of what you would do when you bench press (pressing horizontally).

I haven't tested them personally, so I don't know.

[Robert NL]

The wedging effect of these handles would chew up the knurl.

My bar is high tempered steel and I'm making these handles from very soft mild steel so I think damage would be minimal.

Off course it would be very muh possible to increase suface area, use a clamp construction and make it out of aluminium to minimise damage.

The Kirkham design had enough surface area under the clamps on the bar that the force is distributed widely enough to not scar the knurl.

Could you point me to those?

[Mark Rippetoe]

David can.

[MEbigUsmall]

What if you built a bar with handles on it.

[jlwilson]

Why not use lifting straps like this: ?