. If you were to get only one thick bar, the -inch diameter one (or one slightly
less thick) would be the best choice.. Whatever thick bar you use for bench pressing or overhead pressing, do
the work inside a power rack or an alternative apparatus that functions in a
similar way. Position the pins/safety bars at the right height to catch the bar
should you lose your grip or fail on a rep. ere is less room for errors with
a thick bar than a regular bar.. An unloaded, Olympic-length and solid -inch bar weighs about pounds.
A solid -inch bar of the same length weighs about pounds, so a partially
hollow one would be easier to handle. A regular Olympic bar onto which
a -inch diameter tube has been welded between the inside collars weighs
about pounds. Hollow pipes are lighter and cheaper.Difficult-to-handle objects
. You may want to follow the examples of Dr. Ken Leistner and Kim Wood
and get yourself an odd-shaped and perhaps bulky object for some fun,
challenging and potentially productive holding, lifting or carrying, to finish
off a workout. A thick bar is just a starter. Logs, logs with handles attached,
beams with handles attached, and sandbags can be used. But be very careful
not to over-extend yourself, use poor lifting form, get your toes caught under an
object that crashes to the floor, or get injured in any other way. If in doubt, do not
do it!. Awkward-shaped objects are more difficult to handle than their weight may
suggest. Be very careful! Wearing steel-capped boots is a necessity when lift-
ing difficult-to-handle hard objects. And do not lift such objects on a surface
that cannot stand having something dropped on it. To make it easier on the
floor, and remove the chance of serious damage to your feet, use sandbags,
with rope handles attached when necessary. Even if one should land on your
foot while wearing shoes with soft uppers, it should not do any lasting dam-
age. Play safe!. Something you could do with a thick-handled dumbbell is to fix up a “chal-
lenge” ’bell like some of the old-time strongmen did. Set it up just out of
reach for your current strength at one-hand deadlifting (bracing your disen-
gaged hand on your lower thigh), and work on it once a week until you can
pull it. en set up a new challenge dumbbell, and work on that.