If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best thick bar grips are, then I’d recommend the Yes4All Barbell Grips as the best one.
If you’ve ever wanted a way to strengthen your arms, build size, and improve your performance with just one piece of equipment, then this may be what you’ve been missing out on!
Thick bar grips let you instantly make the outside diameter of bars, dumbbells, resistance bands, and cable attachments bigger.
However, thick bar grips come in a variety of shapes and sizes so we’ve reviewed a few of the best thick bar grips to help you make an informed decision about the one that may benefit you the most.
Here are the top thick bar grips we’ll be reviewing:
- Fat Gripz Original
- Yes4All Barbell Grips
- Gorilla Grip Weightlifting Thick Grips
- Iron Bull Strength Alpha Grips
- Core Prodigy Fit Grips
What are the Benefits of Thick Bar Grips?
Using thick bar grips is similar to using a fat bar for weight-training.
Using a fat or thick bar during resistance training can reap performance benefits that training with a standard bar simply can’t match.
Bigger Strength & Mass Gains
The best thick bar grips will promote more muscle fiber activation which has been shown to lead to bigger strength and mass gains.
When you increase the diameter of your grip, your hands and arms have to work harder to contract more in order to exert proper control.
This forces them to adapt by increasing muscle fiber size to become more efficient at that movement.
Improved Grip Strength
Have you ever seen people using straps to lift heavy weights? This is because their grip fails before the targeted muscle has a chance to.
Grip training through the use of thick bar grips is fantastic for helping you lift more weight without the help of straps by improving your grip strength.
Studies have shown that grip strength is actually a good indicator of longevity and health, so working on yours would really be in your best interest.
Bigger Forearms & More Activation
Improving your grip through specific, targeted training will ultimately enhance your forearm strength and size.
If you’re not doing forearm-specific training, then they can get left behind and end up imbalanced compared to your upper arm.
Using the best thick bar grips will allow you to train your forearms and help them to keep up without extending much extra effort other than slipping the thick grips onto a bar or pair of dumbbells before lifting.
Alleviate Stress on Joints
Thick bar grips allow you to lift weights without compounding your joints with more stress.
Grip training with thick bar grips can lead to fewer injuries and less muscle imbalances over time, in addition to recruiting more muscle fibers.
When you add thick bar grips to your training, you may have to lower the weight you’d normally use.
However, despite decreasing your weight you’ll be lessening the forces being applied to your joints and soft tissues, which can exacerbate wear and tear prematurely and potentially cause overuse conditions and injuries.
How to Choose the Best Thick Bar Grips
Thick bar grips are great for taking your workouts to the next level and adding more of a challenge to lifts that you may have gotten complacent with.
But, you’ll want to look for certain things when you’re choosing the best thick bar grips.
Outer Diameter
There are varying widths available to suit different hand sizes and goals.
- 1.75in: most versatile for improving your performance during a variety of lifts
- 2.25in: most popular grip size, and the best for targeting your arms to build size and strength
- 2.75in: most specialized, often used by professional strength athletes
Inner Diameter
Standard is about an inch. If this feels like it’s too loose on some bars or dumbbells it may be because you need to grip them tighter.
Length
Anything above 4.75in may pose some issues for some dumbbells.
Shape
A bit of an ergonomically designed arch works best to help with grip comfort. When it’s just a straight grip with no arc, it can be more difficult for some people to grip.
Material
Generally made from high-density rubber or silicone. Silicone tends to be more popular for overall comfort and grip assistance.
Grip Texture
Little rubber grooves, indentations, dots and wedges all help to enhance the best thick bar grips to make them more comfortable and easy to use.
You may want to look for these features if you’re worried about your grip slipping or sliding around.
Ease of Application and Removal
Some thick bar grips are too stiff or tight and take a vice grip plus half of your strength just to get them onto the bar.
If it takes more than a couple of seconds to apply them, then the grips are just doing a little too much to be of benefit.
They shouldn’t distract you from your workout, but rather they should enhance it.
What’s the Best Way to Use Them
The best thick bar grips are used by NFL players, bodybuilders, Special Forces soldiers, UFC fighters, CrossFit athletes, and other professional athletes because they can really enhance your performance in a way that standard equipment just can’t match.
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of thick bar grip training.
- Wrap the thick bar grips around any regular dumbbell, barbell, pull up bar, cable attachment or any other bar to transform it into a thick bar. The grips double the diameter of most regular bars and can make your training more effective.
- Make sure to squeeze them tightly while lifting to prevent slipping and sliding around on the bar. They’re meant to be gripped well in order for them to work properly. If you’re not squeezing them hard enough, then they may not be as effective at staying on the bar, and certainly won’t help your grip as much.
- When doing a pushing exercise like bench press, the gap should face away from you.
- During pulling movements, place the gap toward the inside of your palm to get the most effective grip.
Review Roundup of the Best Thick Bar Grips
Fat Gripz Original
The original Fat Gripz may be one of the most popular thick bar grips currently available.
They’re touted as “The Award-Winning Shortcut to Head-Turning Arms” and people seem to be pretty pleased with the features they offer.
They are about 2.25in in diameter on the outside, and 1in on the inside portion that wraps around the bar.
They fit most dumbbells, barbells, Olympic bars, and cable attachments. Plus, they have beveled ends to help them fit onto E-Z bars, which are angled.
As one of the most expensive options on the list, they are a big brand name that’s been made popular by celebrities and professional athletes.
So, that might be something to consider when rationalizing the price. They’ve also been featured in Men’s Health, Muscle & Fitness, Iron Man, and Men’s Fitness magazine.
This set of thick bar grips is made from military-grade rubber and is heavy-duty which makes them pretty durable. They are available in one color, blue.
Pros
- you can really feel the difference in your forearms, they’ll be so sore
- almost immediate grip strength improvements
- they feel like giant rubber erasers
Cons
- get slippery when sweaty
- chalk makes them harder to grip
- you may have to decrease your weight significantly while you’re getting used to the larger grip
- may receive a pair of grips with one not having a cut/opening to place on a bar
Yes4All Barbell Grips
Being one of the lowest-priced items on this list, I was surprised to learn that Yes4All barbell grips actually deliver a lot of useful features.
They come in blue or black and are made from high-density, non-slip rubber that doesn’t compress and won’t cause calluses.
So, if you’re not a fan of wearing workout gloves, then these may be a good option for you.
They measure 4.7in in length, 2.2in in diameter on the outside, and 1in along the inside.
This set will fit most barbells, dumbbells, pulldown ropes, cable machine attachments, and kettlebells pretty well.
This product has an ergonomic design, which I really like because the arch helps to prevent your grip from slipping.
It generally feels more natural to have an arced shape for your palm to wrap around.
Yes4All barbell grips are fit to use for CrossFit as well as bodybuilding style training to increase muscle size and strength.
The company also offers a 1-year warranty and 60-day free return if you aren’t happy with your purchase.
Pros
- feels high quality and durable
- similar to Fat Gripz but less expensive
- relatively easy to put on and take off
Cons
- fit a little loosely on 1in diameter dumbbells
- might be uncomfortable if you have shorter/smaller fingers and a wide/large palm
Gorilla Grip Weightlifting Thick Grips
Gorilla Grip thick grips come in 4 colors: blue, black, green, and red.
One of my favorite features about this product is the non-slip technology for improved grip performance.
They have finger grooves which help you to get a good grip, and prevent slipping.
They’re pretty durable because they’re made from high-density silicone rubber which is soft on the hands, but tough enough to last through a ton of use.
Plus they’re lightweight and flexible which makes application and removal pretty hassle-free.
These thick grips are a little longer than some others on the list in that they’re 5in long.
They are also 2in thick which is the most popular thickness among weightlifters trying to build strength and size in their arms.
The Gorilla Grip thick grips also help to reduce joint pain in your hands, wrists, fingers, and elbows which can be really helpful for long-time lifters and people who have excessive wear and tear, but still want to push themselves.
Another notable feature is that they’re compact and easy to travel with.
Pros
- more natural arc to them which makes them more comfortable to grip
- don’t need weightlifting gloves when using these
- their design helps you to really get a firm grip on dumbbells
- feel really durable and tough
Cons
- maybe too big for some people, comparable to the size of a “giant corn cob”
- they have a chemical smell
- may feel too hard and bulky for some
- might be too long for some dumbbells
Iron Bull Strength Alpha Grips
The Alpha Grips 2.0 by Iron Bull Strength pretty much check all of the boxes as far as criteria to look for in the best thick bar grips.
So, it makes sense that they’d be priced a little higher than most of the options on this list.
They’re made with a curved, ergonomic design that provides extra support and a more natural grip, which contributes to safer, efficient training.
The finger grooves are great for increasing your grip strength, and they include indentations that help you position them with minimal effort.
Iron Bull Strength Alpha Grips are 2in thick on the outside, and 4.75in long. They should fit most dumbbell, pull-up bars, and cable attachments.
The company is confident in their durability, considering they offer a lifetime warranty.
These thick grips are heavy-duty and made with high-density material that should last for a good amount of time. Plus, you get two color choices, either green or charcoal.
Pros
- they stay secure on dumbbells without slipping or spinning
- help you to feel stabilizer muscles you didn’t even know you had
- help relieve stress on joints
- well built
Cons
- have a slight gap on standard bars
- maybe too wide for a standard plate-loaded dumbbell
- smell toxic
Core Prodigy Fit Grips
The last item on our list is the Core Prodigy Fit Grips, which are the only thick grips to come in the color yellow, as well as black.
This is a cool feature if you’re looking for something that will stand out and be easy to find in your gym bag.
They’re 2in in diameter on the outside, and 1in on the inside. Measuring in at 4 5/8in long, they’ll definitely fit most dumbbells, cable attachments, and bars.
This is one of the products on this review that doesn’t feature the ergonomic arch. These thick grips are straight and mimic the angle of the bar without any added fluff.
This product is made from high-quality, dense military-grade silicone that should resist serious wear and tear. They’re made to be long-lasting and feature non-slip material.
Pros
- easier to open than other grips
- yellow color makes them easy to spot
- this type of rubber keeps the bar from sliding
- can feel the difference in your forearms and fingers right away
- firm but soft when on a bar
Cons
- you might hate them at first but they really help with your gains
- may need gloves to keep hands from slipping when sweaty
- design may not alter natural grip enough to feel results for some
- not comfortable for some people
Conclusion
We reviewed a ton of products to give you the best choices to help you make an informed decision about buying the best thick bar grips, and we’ve finally narrowed them down to one winner.
The Yes4All Barbell Grips come in at the top of the list based on meeting all of the criteria specified above, not to mention they’re the most affordable item on the list!
Coming in at 4.7in long, they’re going to fit most standard dumbbells and other bars, so you won’t have to worry about an ill-fitting product.
They meet the criteria for the best thickness for building bigger arms with 2.2in being the outer diameter measurement.
These are the best thick bar grips for targeted arm training to increase size and strength, based on our research and experience using thick grips.
It also doesn’t hurt that they’re designed ergonomically with an arch that creates more of a natural fit for your grip and prevents slipping.
The company also offers a one year warranty with a 60-day free return policy so it’s safe for you to try them out and see if you actually like your purchase before completely committing.
This set of thick grips is made from a strong, non-slip rubber that isn’t rough on your hands. Plus they’re easy to put on and take-off.
