Product reviews

C

CrazyOldMan

2
OK this could very easily end up being an area that becomes spam target number one, to prevent this I would like to set a few ground rules and hope people stick to them.

Must contain
Product name
Product purpose
Why you got it
Experience level
What was good
What was bad
Conclusions

Must not contain
Links to sites to buy them
Illusion of perfection, there are no perfect products

The final rule will be hard to follow but see how it goes.
If someone else disagrees, let them. We all have different experiences, aims and preferences. As such what works for me will not for all and vice versa. The intention of this thread is to give people the opportunity to see what users of products think of them and the more different opinions this contains the better chance they have of being able to decide if to spend their hard earned on something. This isn't facebook, if you love a product and I don't it doesn't mean either of us are pleasuring doughnuts etc. it means we are different and that is good.
 
Fat gripz - Designed to be a substitute for an expensive thick bar, this is basically two shaped tubes of high density rubber with a slit to enable them to be slid onto a bar.
I read a lot of hype about them being the new arm blaster etc. but in truth I largely ignored this and just wanted to improve my grip strength. There are alternatives which some people prefer. I looked at different ideas then saw a good deal on these so decided to get the originals.
I have only been using these for a week so far so there will be an update later but this is my first impressions.

Good stuff
The hype says they engage the arms and they sure as hell do that. Mainly this is hands, forearms and biceps, to such an extent even a push movement ie bench was hitting my biceps.
I like being thrown out of my comfort zone so using these was great for me, as it meant I was made to feel very pathetic in movements I am normally confident in. If you like ego massaging these are not for you.
No need for chalk so far. More grippy than metal, so less need for chalking hands.

Bad stuff
Arms are not generally the strongest point for most of us so using these will be weakening one of your weakest links meaning the rest of your body is not working as hard. Example deadlifts become limited to how long you can hold the thicker bar instead of relying on your back, legs etc.
They do slip on the bar. Not much but there is definate movement during each set. Most noticed this on bench and my grip didn't stop this. Not sure if this will stop as they wear in, will see.

Conclusion
They are easy to use and will definately imprve my grip, which is what I wanted. Not sure if I risk letting other body parts fall behind by using them for so much of my current routine, will update in a couple of months regarding that.
I am glad I got them, but think in future they will form part of my training not a cornerstone of it as now.
There are alternatives and I don't know how good they are, opinons will vary. I am not saying these are best but they are good.
Time will tell if my arms become huge by using them, in reality I doubt it but I have been wrong before.
 
Rip-60 - Suspension trainer that is marked as a real competitor for the TRX with added bonus of being able to do alternate side work.

I like suspension training, and saw some dreadful cheap imitations. This looked like a good quality piece of TRX with a bonus.

Been using this in my training for 9 months. Used TRX for year or 2 before and have done a few times recently.

Good
Well made and really good quality, equal to TRX.
Easy to adjust and use.
Effective and confidence inspiring kit.
Same as other suspension trainers make simple exercises easier or harder dependant on how you use it.

Bad
Handles aren't as nice as TRX and there is no strap beneath them for putting feet on comfortably.
Alternate work is not totally smooth due to friction between straps and metal section it has to slide over.

Conclusion
First thing is it as good as TRX? Yes and no. Both good quality and have their advantages over the other. If you use the under handle straps a lot you will miss them, as moveing the handles to put feet on loops is not as comfortable. But the alternate ability and instability removing the pin gives is great.
I like it, and the TRX and would like to have both if I could but hard to justify both. This gets used often enough and I have found it a good buy.
Suspension training is great but I tried a few cheap versions, they were horrible and felt unsafe rather than unstable, some even stretched noticeably when I tried them. This doesn't mean they would be no good for a low intensity user, but as with anything assess what you will use it for before buying one.
 
Kettlebells - Modern, expensive take on the old Russian system of putting metal into old kettles to train with. ironically the origins were to save money on gym gear.

I wanted to be able to do swings etc. at home as I had been doing in the gym.

I have been using these for around 5 years now in various manners, if including gym and home use. I will confess when first seeing them I didin't see the point when dumbells were available.

Good
They are the only piece of iron deliberately designed to be swung around etc.
There are various ways of holding the same weight due to large shaped handles and bowl shaped weight.
It is easy to switch hands safely using release and catch methods, pass overs etc. due to size of handles.

Bad
Compared to dumbells they are expensive for their weight. I know this is due to them being cast in one piece but it still feels like a lot to spend on iron.
Dumbells don't bash you on the wrist etc. if you swing them and these do. You get used to minimising it but it's still unsettling.
Price means you end up with large weight gaps in your collection, which gets annoying when wanting to go up a weight.

Conclusion
They are good kit, and I love using them. I don't like the price but am glad I bought them, in fact often wish I'd bought pairs instead of singles.
They aren't dumbells and don't replace them so to have full range would need both. Personally I had to make a choice and prefer the kettles.
 
Horizontal loading farmers walk handles - handles that mean the handle rests on the floor but discs don't. Designed for the farmers walk, strangely enough.

I wanted to do something different and thought this could be a good way of getting kit that would add to my home gym and replace dumbells in some ways.
There are expesive options on line but welders are noticing that these can be made easily and by not adding a label can be sold cheap but still profitably.

Been using them for a few weeks.

Good
The set I got are solidly made and great to use. They hold more weight than I can.
They are a good alternative to dumbells in a very limited capacity, to big for standard OHP etc. but great for singl arm deadlifts etc.
They ensure I don't damage my discs on the ground when walking with them.

Bad
They are large bits of kit, made of a mix of steel box and tubing. Not for the space conscious, but then neither is a home gym.
The become tubular bells when knocked, which is annoying on occasion.
Limited uses, which I did expect in fairness.

Conclusion
I wanted something different and I got it. The exercise farmers walk is great especially the turns, which are infuriatingly difficult.
They have opened up new activities and I am really glad I got them.
 
Texas Power Bar -- Designed to be used by powerlifters for squats, bench press and deadlifts. They're generally rougher, tougher and less spinny than olympic barbells, and have the knurling positioned differently. All barbells are versatile, with straight bars being the most versatile equipment, and because of this you could train your whole body quite effectively with just a barbell, a rack, a bench and a variety of weight plates. Been using it since late last year for the power lifts.

Good:
The rough knurling is easy to grip with the hands, and I don't feel secure doing low bar squats with anything smoother or less rigid. Even the smooth parts of the bar aren't very smooth when compared to the olympic bar. If I recall correctly, they can handle loads significantly heavier than any mortal man can possibly get off the ground. For relatively simply, heavy movements with a straight bar path, I like them.

Bad:
Everything that makes them great for the power lifts makes them bad for the olympic lifts. The olympic lifts need a bar that's more flexible, has greater spin, and is a little bit smoother. Elegant it ain't.

Conclusion:
It's somewhat of a luxury item, in that you can certainly train all the same lifts without it. I can do the power lifts better with it than without it, so for the competitor it has its place. For the general non-athlete, it probably doesn't matter much what specific brand of barbell you use, so long as you can grip it and it doesn't bend to the point of damage as soon as you put some weight on it.
 
Olympic Weightlifting Shoes

Often referred to as squat shoes, which I think is a bad description of these, as they are good for some squats and bad for others. Weightlifting shoes come in a variety of styles and are made from various materials, with the heel typically made of hard plastic or wood. The sole is generally very thin at the toe end, about an inch thick in the heel, and provides no cushioning. The elevated heel results in squats being more upright than a flat heel would.

I got my Olympic weightlifting shoes because the shoes I had been wearing to the gym had finally given out, and I wanted to see what all the fuss is about. My main training is for powerlifting, which actually means these weren't the wisest purchasing decision, but I do enjoy the Olympic lifts and, short of becoming crippled first, will no doubt get back into them sooner or later.

I've had these for about 6 months, give or take.

Good:

Lack of cushioning is great for heavy lifting. Makes a much more stable surface. First thing I noticed when lifting with them is that I became more immediately aware if my weight shifted forwards. If your squat depth is limited by calf flexibility, these shoes will help you squat deeper, because the elevated heel will allow your knees to drift further forwards without your calves getting too great a stretch. Sending the knees further forwards will in turn make for a more upright, quad-dominant squat, which is great for front squats, overhead squats, high bar squats and the Olympic lifts.

Bad:

Remember how I said just before that they can make it easier to squat deeper? Yeah, well they made it a lot harder for me to squat deeper. Why? Because my calf flexibility wasn't getting in the way of me squatting ATG. Since these shoes send your knees further forwards, you actually need to squat lower to break parallel. Consequently, when I first started wearing these, hitting parallel felt like how several inches below parallel had felt previously. Not fun. Also, because they make you squat in a more upright position, you can't sit back as far, meaning that these aren't great for posterior chain recruitment. Oh yeah, the elevated heel also makes them none too great for deadlifts. So, basically, everything that makes them great for Olympic weightlifting makes them less than ideal for powerlifting.

Oh, and they're not meant for walking in.

Conclusion:

These are fairly expensive, so if you don't have a good reason to wear them, I wouldn't be quick to recommend them. If your style of lifting makes a flat heel preferable over an elevated heel, these probably aren't the shoes for you. If your style of lifting does benefit from an elevated heel, go for it. They definitely beat squatting in running shoes or on 2.5kg plates (which people with calf flexibility issues often squat on) due to stability.
 
Fat gripz update.
Been using them around 8 weeks now and very glad I got them. I don't know how well they compare to others like grip force or using a genuine fat bar but I like what these have done.

Unlike the hype I didn't get huge arms by adding these to my routine but my arms were engaged more and I have noticed a change in shape and massively improved grip confidence.
When purely using a thinner bar your forearms seem to build a chicken drumstick shape with bulk close to the elbows and virtually nothing at the wrists. Even after only a short time I have noticed there is definatley more muscle on the lower half of my forearms. For those after aesthetics this may not be good news as it's not where the eye is usually drawn. There may have been more mass built onto the rest of my arms too but in truth I haven't noticed.
The grip confidence has been a massive boost. I have had to do a number of things outside of training which have needed grip in various positions and this has definately felt easier.

Against on this product has to be max effort. There is no way I could lift nearly as much with these as I can without them on any pulling movement. Given time I may be able to but I think that would take years. This is definately a supporting lifting style not one for everything.
Pushing movements using these do have issues with sliding out to the side and they do slip around the bar as you grip starts to fade on pulling movements. the only way to get around this would be a genuine fat bar which I may consider if finances allow.

Even if I get a fat bar these will still be useful on the kettles etc. so I won't see them as a waste of money. If you want prettier arms I think curls etc will do it better, I may be wrong, but if you want more functional strength these are great.
 
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