This article provides a discussion on the generation of an incident wave with the help of the stored-torque torsional Kolsky bar and explosively loaded torsional Kolsky bar. It examines the procedures followed for measuring the waves in these bars. The article compares the compression Kolsky bar with the torsional Kolsky bar. It includes information on the various application areas of torsional Kolsky bar: limitations on strain rate, low- and high-temperature testing, quasi-static and incremental strain-rate testing, and localization and shear-banding experiments.