Every now and then, I'll go to the gym with the wife and do a few things while she does her own training. It's almost like a day off for me and just seeing what's possible. Sure there are more machines than free weights but I'll go with what I can get. Usually do a quick warm up doing DDP Yoga and then get to it. Normally when I go, I take my Fat Gripz with me to make the exercises harder and engage more muscles than the machine has you doing.
Most of the exercises I do with the FGs is Dumbbell Curls, Lat Pulldowns, Close Grip Pulldowns, Rows and Bench Press on the Smith Machine. I'm sure I'll get hounded one way or another for not using a real barbell, which is fine because like I said, it's just another exercise that I can make more difficult. When it comes to reps, I really don't do more than 10 with a weight and increase little by little until I can only do a few reps as opposed to the beginning. Sets are typically 3-4 or so per exercise. With the FGs, I don't use as much weight as I normally would since it's supposed to make the exercise harder and the muscles are working at a greater capacity.
I do take rest periods but only long enough to get going for the next set and then move on. With the SMBP, I wanted to test my strength and see where that went. When I go after this exercise, most of the time, I'll go until I can barely do a few reps but the last couple times, I've done quite a few sets until I start hitting singles and increase weight from there. The bar weighs 20 lbs so when I add on plates, I do count the bar when I lift. So far with the Gripz, I've gone up to 280 for a single which to me is the heaviest I've ever done having those things attached. I would say even with a machine, that's pretty decent strength.
Fat Gripz create an interesting element to Strength Training and teaches you more about control than anything else. It forces you not just to engage muscles but target the ligaments and tendons as well and you can build some crazy upper body strength from doing that. Utilizing the old school method of working with a Fat Bar, it adds another level of Strength Training that has helped many lifters reach new PRs and harness power from another perspective. You won't use nearly the same weight without them which isn't a bad thing, it's just another look at what you can do to build strength.
I'm the type of guy who doesn't really get into the whole isolation movement thing so if I'm going to work with machines or weights, I'm going to make it interesting and focus as many muscles at once in whatever movement with the upper body in this case. This way, I'm getting more out of the movement. Grab a set yourself and see what you can do with them. Remember, these are not to be taken lightly, work with a weight you are able to control and focus on the mind/muscle connection as you push or through the exercise. Turn an isolated movement into a multi joint strength builder.
Be amazingly awesome and build insane hand and wrist power.
