I am reviewing the Cap Barbell Chromed Solid Double D Handle MBT-502. I have reviewed many Cap products and attachments for your home gym or the ones you use at the gym. I always consider whether an attachment is what I consider to be essential. I will tell you about this product and at the end whether I think the D Handle is an essential piece of gym equipment.

What is a Double D Handle?

This handle is V shaped but rather than being just a singular upside down V such as a tricep pressdown attachment might be, it has 2 handles as you can see from the picture. Rather than holding it at the base as you would some attachments you hold it in the middle of each handle. One hand goes on one side and the other hand goes on the other side. Unlike some attachments, this one really can’t be used with one hand thus it isn’t what I consider to be a versatile piece of equipment. I use it for 2 exercises.

It is small so if you own it will take up very little space. It weighs 3.97 pounds , which makes it light. That has an advantage over other attachments that are heavy and can be difficult to attach because of the weight. The D Handle is used for working the back. I know of no other part of the body this attachment will work. I suppose if it is the only piece of equipment you own, you can be creative with it and hold it like you would the Cap Barbell Cable Handle for shoulder or bicep exercises. You can hold just one handle of this double and do one armed rows. I think it is an uncomfortable way of exercising though when you use equipment for an exercise for which it really wasn't designed. (However just a note here, when you work your back, you work your biceps and shoulders as well.)

It is made of solid steel and is essentially indestructible. There is no material on this attachment. It has what is known as knurled handles meaning that they aren’t smooth. Like the Cap Barbell Cable Handle it has a welded flange adding to its indestructibility. What does knurled mean? It means that the base of the handle is "One of a series of small ridges or grooves on the surface or edge of a metal object, such as a thumbscrew, to aid in gripping." (yourdictionary.com) It has diamond shaped textured metal handles. The positive to this is that it does help grip the handle. My hand will not slip as it would if the handle were smooth. The other side however which isn’t a downside for me is the need to wear gloves. If you wear rings or would prefer not to have calluses you will need gloves for this handle.

What’s a welded flange? Again from yourdictionary.com “A protruding rim, edge, rib, or collar, as on a wheel or a pipe shaft, used to strengthen an object, hold it in place, or attach it to another object.” If you look at the picture you will see a hole. That hole is what gets attached to the cable. The piece of metal that is then welded onto the handle is truly welded.

Unlike other attachments this one does not have rotating handles. I don’t notice any problems because these handles don't rotate. The two exercises I do with it are not affected by the design of the D Handle.

How does it go on the cable/pulley machine?

You will start by connecting it to a cable or pulley machine. The reason I separate the two – cable and pulley- is because when I talk about a pulley machine I think of a large piece of equipment, which has two sides on which to work. You might also find a single unit with just a cable on it. They work the exact same way. Essentially they are one and the same. Your gym or your home will have machines, such as a leg extension seat, it will have free weights such as 10, 20, 30, etc. pound dumbbells, and it will have equipment on which you will put weights in whatever size you want. These weights are often put on barbells or machines.

The Cap D Handle will go on a machine that works by pulling the weights with a cable. The cable will have a round metal piece on the end. Attached to that it will have a clip. If it isn’t on the cable, look around the floor or on another attachment. The clip opens so you can put the hole of the Handle through the clip. If the pulley is high and you are having trouble pulling it down the clip might be in a heavy weight. Just pull it out and then the cable will come down easily and you can attach the Handle to it. I don't use this Handle with a cable machine. Both exercises I use it for are on machines with a weight stack.

Jo’s Your Personal Trainer’s Guide to the D Handle.

The Cap D Handle works the back as I have said. It works the lower part of the latissimus dorsi (lat) muscles. You'll work this area the best with attachments that have a close grip such as the Cap D Handle.

The first exercise I’ll teach you is called the seated row. If you have a machine at home, you may do seated rows on the floor with the D Handle connected to a cable. Different machines allow you to do rows in various ways. In a gym you’ll be on a bench with your feet again a platform most likely. Grab the Handle while sitting up straight. You will have adjusted the weight already. Pull the handle toward you so that it hits about abdomen height. Your arms will be back with your elbows facing back as well. You should feel your shoulders blades tighten so that if I came up to you and placed my hand between you shoulder blades my fingers would actually be gripped in the middle. It is important that you sit straight. You don’t want to lean back on this one even though you may have seen people doing a seated row in this way.

I also use the D Handle with the lat machine and do lat pulldowns. If your home gym has a lat tower you probably have a lat bar. You can use a D Handle to work the mid back rather than the outer back. Because the handles are close together all exercise you do with the D Handle will work this area of your back. You will do this exactly as you would do a traditional lat pulldown except with this handle. You will pull the D Handle down in front of you while sitting straight. One advantage to using this handle that I like is that you can’t put it behind your head like you can with the lat bar. I think that’s dangerous; using the D Handle eliminates that danger to your neck. You want to make sure that the handle is being pulled with your back and try to leave your biceps out of this exercise as much as possible.

Please be conservative with the amount of weight you use. Unless you are reading this because you know me you probably are not a body builder. Injuries do happen. What we are finding out is that of course older people may be more prone to injuries as they workout, younger people, if exercises are done incorrectly will pay with pain and problems later in life. If you perform these (and have asked your doctor if you are just starting an exercise program) with correct form, which is much more important than heavy weights you will be much less apt to hurt yourself. Remember that using muscle to move a weight is far more effective than using momentum.

Jo’s Final Thoughts.

Not all attachments are my favorite. This is one of them that I think is a non-essential piece of equipment. Having said that I will say that because I use a gym I use every attachment to vary my program and get the most out of my workout. I am considering it nonessential if you are choosing among the attachments. This isn't the first one I would buy.

If you have a lat bar you can almost totally replicated the D Handle by holding the bar closer to the middle. In this way you are now working the same area of the back as you would with the D Handle. The same is true of the seated row although using a long bar on the seated row is a bit awkward. I still wouldn’t call this essential for you. It costs about $18.00 so it won’t break the bank. It will change your workout a little and changing it often is crucial so I am going to recommend the D Handle. It is just not a mandatory piece of equipment.

Good luck, have fun and be careful.

Please feel free to leave me a question or comment

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