USAWA

ET,

Check out this company even with shipping they have good prices.

http://www.metalsdepot.com/

Jesse

ET, I plan to bring a couple of db handles to your meet for the dumbbell to shoulder. If you use ANY db handle with a 1″ handle it will probably end up bent before the event is over. At Thoms we used a handle that was 2″ and it worked great for this event. Now the Cyr press is limited to a handle of 1.5″ so that is different. Al

Then that 1″ all thread will work just fine. I really like those handles made out of all thread. The plates go on tight and can be secured tightly with a nut, and the all thread gives a great grip when covered with a little tape. Al

ET, I have cut them with a hack saw and had no problem with the threads….just worked the nut on and off a couple times (that’s what she said).

Thanks for giving that link, Jesse. This is very timely for me because I am running out of room on the 14-inch dumbbell that I am using for one-arm lifts from the floor while sitting on the edge of a bed. Of course 14 inches is the standard length of a dumbbell and I have not been particularly excited about the prices plus shipping that I have seen on eBay for longer bars.

What I am doing is probably closer to a seated one-arm row than a seated one-hand deadlift. Whatever it is called, I got 5 reps (3, 2) with 156 with each arm the other night. My left arm is clearly stronger than my right arm and I always lift the dumbbell up on top of my bed on the last rep with my left arm. Maybe that isn’t too bad for a “dying old man”, which technically I am supposed to be according to conventional medical thinking since there is supposed to be no cure for congestive heart failure (CHF), with life expectancy after diagnosis at 5 years. So I should have four more years.

I beg to differ, however, as I feel great and I doubt if I am still in a CHF state. I am still not ambulatory, however, which I attribute to incompetent local prosthetics companies, so I am almost resigned to having to design a prosthesis myself and have some place like a machine shop assemble it for me. (If Al didn’t live so far from me, I might ask him if he could use his obvious machine shop skills and assemble one for me.)

Anyway, my goal is to use over 200 pounds in that exercise and I’m sure that I will either do it or come close to it because 156 is clearly not close to my limit and I hope to continue improving in that lift. Something resembling a seated one-arm row with over 200 at my age would presumably be world class, I would think.

I know virtually nothing about steel so for my purpose should I order hot rolled steel, or cold finish steel, … or maybe lukewarm steel? LOL Seriously, suggestions would be appreciated. (I will definitely order 1 inch as I intend to use regular exercise plates on it, not Olympic plates.)

One disappointment I have had in recent years is that my press has dropped off considerably as I passed age 65, whereas I assumed that I would be able to press decent poundages almost forever. But I am coming back a bit as I did a seated reverse press with 101 for 2 reps the other day. That is well short of where I want to be, but maybe I will keep improving.

Tom

ET – I’ll also bring a couple of my 1 inch “ready rod” db handles along so you don’t cut a finger off with your hacksaw. I have several of them in the gym as I consider them “throw away” handles because if you drop a swing with them – that’s it – they’re bent and ready for the iron scrap pile.

Tom – Glad to hear about your training progress. Keep up the hard work!!! Lifting weights is uplifting not only physically, but mentally as well. You’re an inspiration to all of us. Al

Put the nut on before you go to cut and then cut flush on the outside of the nut. When done, un-thread the nut, and that will help keep the threads clean.