Taping weights to instruments is not the best way to go

[crubio]

I've been training with 9lbs of lead shot taped to the bottom of my KB. I read a similar story about a girl who taped some weight to her clubbell and got injured so I figured I'd share my experience.

I've decided to ditch my 20kg kbs. Not because I don;t like them, I love them. Its because of the excessive torque caused by taping 9 lbs to the bottom of my 16kgs,

This torque causes slight differences in techique to compensate for the leverage needed to maintian these in proper balance. Which in turns compensates to slightly off technique. Coupled with high reps, in turn may cause poor form and minor injury.

I tweaked my back on my last fibonacci ladder using the 20 kgs. I am sure that the off center weight had something to do with it. I probably compensated somehow, coupled with high reps, it led to a minor trauma.

I was able to relieve the trauma just before bed last night, but not before I spent the entire day worrying about it. This morning I woke up and did Warrior wellness and relieved where I found the probelm to be. At the rear of the hip insertion point of both hips.

I'm not 100% sure how I tweaked it form wise, but my guess is excessive pushing of the hips forward, coupled with torque compensation when swinging the KBs between my legs for the cleans, which caused slight rounding of my back.

I've decided the risk reward ratio is too great to go with taping added on weight. If I could buy solid cast ones I would. I think the benifit I got from them was tremendous, however, I can still make progress switching between the 24kgs and the 16kgs. Although I do not feel good about training this way, I am certain its better than taping on weights and adding unexpected torque.

Feeling back to 100% today

[Scott Sonnon]

Chris, sorry to hear this, amigo. I did something similar with one of the first designs, a plate-loading variant. Without the fixed center of mass, we not only endanger proper form, but we imperil our health. I used to do a lot of odd object lifts and drives, including water-filled kegs. When one has the expectation of deviation, one can at least attempt preparation. However, when one expects only slight deviation due to the movement against resistance in extreme ranges of motion (such as in CST), one must use a fixed center of mass. I have the scars and property damage to validate that fact.

Sorry again to hear about your back, but in all honesty, we both got off pretty lightly considering what may have happened. We need to look at this as a low-cost, high-value lesson.

[crubio]

Scott I agree. The design of the clubbells and the fixed center of mass, one expects only slight deviation of technique. Once the center of mass is changed the mechanics of the lift change. While this is OK and even desired with odd object lifting, such as kegs of water, it is NOT OK when center of mass is expected.

In fact now that you mention it, I see extreme danger in a plate loaded version of a club! The center of mass would change very time a plate was added. This could be very very bad news for someone who expect one ROM and winds up with another.