Master Grip Strength with the Saxon Bar & Anvil
Think you've got strong hands? These rare, heavy-duty implements at Basebell will push your limits. Test your raw hand strength with our Saxon Bar and Anvil setups.
Welcome to the most brutal grip implement in my gym, the Saxon Bar, the first of its kind in India. The moment you grip the empty square bar, you feel the demand on your pinch grip. The weight goes from easy to impossible very quickly.
This video perfectly illustrates the unique challenge of the Saxon bar. A 150kg axle bar deadlift is a tough but manageable lift for me. In contrast, I struggle to lift just over half that weight, 80kg, on the Saxon bar. It's a completely different kind of strength.
A close up of the Anvil Grip. This tool was developed from the old practice of blacksmiths training their grip by lifting an anvil by its horn. The smooth, conical surface makes it incredibly difficult to hold, requiring immense palm and finger pressure.
Here is a clean 40kg lift on the Anvil, done without any chalk to show what pure grip pressure can do. This vertical lift is a true test of hand strength and a key event in grip sport competitions.
A look at a grip day session. We worked on the Anvil lift, a vintage strongman exercise, and the Axle bar, another classic piece of equipment. Grip strength is a measure of your overall muscle health, and we use these odd lifts to build it from the ground up.
We tried something a little different here: Anvil grip pull-ups. It was an embarrassing number of failures before one of us finally managed to get a single rep. This shows how we experiment and push the limits of what the equipment can be used for.
About The Saxon Bar & Anvil: The Ultimate Grip Tests
Most folks rely on lifting straps to deadlift, but here, the weight doesn't move until your fingers can actually hold it. When you grab the square Saxon Bar, there is no knurling to save you, and the conical Anvil tests the exact palm and finger pressure that standard gym lifts ignore. If you are ready to fix your forearms and stop relying on gimmicks, this is where you start.
Why Grip Matters
Your grip is the limiting factor in almost every major lift. If your hands give out, your back and legs never get the full stimulus they need. Most commercial gyms focus on hypertrophy, but here at Basebell, we focus on functional strength that carries over to the real world.
The Saxon Bar & Anvil Experience
These aren't standard pieces of kit you'll find at a local gym in Bengaluru.
- The Saxon Bar: It is a square, pinch-grip bar. Unlike a standard round barbell, you can't rely on your thumb wrapping. It forces your fingers to do the heavy lifting, making standard deadlift numbers almost irrelevant here.
- The Anvil Grip: Inspired by traditional blacksmithing, this conical implement is a true test of palm pressure. Without the help of liquid chalk, you are forced to rely on raw finger strength to keep the weight from slipping.
How We Train
At my studio in Kalyan Nagar, we don't do 'fancy'. We test. Whether you are a powerlifter looking to fix a weak deadlift lockout or someone just wanting to build functional, resilient hands, I put you through specific protocols. We track progress with a digital dynamometer, so you see real, measurable improvements—not just guesswork.
If you have been struggling with forearm pain or your grip keeps failing on heavy sets, come in for a consultation. We will assess your imbalances and teach you how to integrate these odd lifts into your routine without burning out your tendons.
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