Dropped Heavy Bench Press on Throat

[askthetrainer]

What is the worst injuries any trainers clients have had during training sessions?

I just saw the news about the USC football player who dropped the 275 Pound barbell on his throat even though a strength coach was "spotting"

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=4512778

[TheManofSteel]

I was just talking to another trainer about this, if someone "drops" 275lb even the strongest guy would have a tough time "catching it"

I was wincing just hearing about it, hope he recovers fully

[2020Wellness]

I've been lucky enough to have never suffered an injury in my life. I've also been lucky enough to have never injured a client.

Train smart to stay safe!

[Environ]

The worst accident I saw was when a guy unracked a squat bar loaded up to 140 kg and immediately toppled over backwards. He didn't even have time to bend his knees as he fell. Just a perfect arc as he fell over. His head missed a bench by inches. I don't know how he didn't kill himself. Surely the impact of his neck hitting the bar as he landed must have been significant.

[Suckmykiss]

How do you even drop a barbell on your throat like that? you must know you're just about maxed out and get the spotter to take it.. or maybe he tore his pec or something and had to drop it?

[2020Wellness]

How do you even drop a barbell on your throat like that? you must know you're just about maxed out and get the spotter to take it.. or maybe he tore his pec or something and had to drop it?

There was definitely some stupidity at play. You have to be handling a weight that you shouldn't be handling to full out collapse under it. I should probably watch the video before speaking, but its fairly obvious that he was overdoing it.

Was he declining it? If he was, thats more understandable how it could come down on the neck. Flat bench, that'd be hard to do with a weight you can control.

[nitrotxtt]

There was definitely some stupidity at play. You have to be handling a weight that you shouldn't be handling to full out collapse under it. I should probably watch the video before speaking, but its fairly obvious that he was overdoing it.

Was he declining it? If he was, thats more understandable how it could come down on the neck. Flat bench, that'd be hard to do with a weight you can control.

Serious liability issues there. If I was USC I would be shaking in my boots. This smells lawsuit all over it.

[Richoss]

There is no way a spotter could of saved him from the accident.

Mostly because the bar slipped out of his hand, and I don't think there is anyone with a quick enough reaction time to catch that. And of course, how do you expect someone to catch a 275lbs barbell from a spotters position? Spotters are used for the second last or last rep of the set to make sure he isn't pinned underneath the bar. You can't expect them to catch a slipping barbell of 275lbs

[nsiegel5]

Decline is the death of people. There are a bunch of noobies that visit my gym and twice now I have pulled the bar of their throats during decline presses. This one guys face was bright red and he was garggling trying to scream for help. He was fortunate I was close by and noticed or he could have been killed. People are just dumb and do stupid things its more common then you might think.

[BSCSCS]

To have 275 "slip" out of someones hands and fall on their throat, there has to be some severe dumbassery from either the lifter, the spotter, or both. This guy is a 210lb elite athlete, I am a 190lb. joe who reps 275 and can't ever imagine a scenario where I would DROP the weight...get stuck, yeah it's happened, but to just flat out drop it? No.

Edit: Maybe if I tore a pec/tri/delt etc...

[TheManofSteel]

To have 275 "slip" out of someones hands and fall on their throat, there has to be some severe dumbassery from either the lifter, the spotter, or both. This guy is a 210lb elite athlete, I am a 190lb. joe who reps 275 and can't ever imagine a scenario where I would DROP the weight...get stuck, yeah it's happened, but to just flat out drop it? No.

I was thinking maybe along the lines of a horrible muscle spasm and he winced in pain and dropped it... or maybe his wrist/elbow are previously injured and gave out on him...

[MarkTrainer]

There is no way a spotter could of saved him from the accident.

Mostly because the bar slipped out of his hand, and I don't think there is anyone with a quick enough reaction time to catch that. And of course, how do you expect someone to catch a 275lbs barbell from a spotters position? Spotters are used for the second last or last rep of the set to make sure he isn't pinned underneath the bar. You can't expect them to catch a slipping barbell of 275lbs

I agree that you would have to be pretty quick and/or lucky to catch the bar if your hands weren't already on it. However, it is quite possible to catch it and hold it. I once was spotting a guy with 315, had my hand a few inches under the bar from the start, and when his right wrist rolled back, I grabbed the bar and pinned it to the support bars until help came. (Much like getting ready to do a bent-over row.)

Finally, you never know when a joint, ligament, etc..., will give out until it does, even when following proper form and using a weight you can handle.

[loxleynew]

I'm thinking he was holding the "suicide" grip with no thumb and it slipped out perhaps. If that's the case then he is a dumb@ss. Who knows though....

[askthetrainer]

From extreme bouncing, extreme back extension football players are notorious for terrible form in the weight room likely because numbers mean everything to the on-the-field coaches...

He probably had the aforementioned suicide grip and was likely nonchalantly racking the last rep hard and it slipped as the bar was above his neck and he almost died, sucks...

[theapexxxx]

To have 275 "slip" out of someones hands and fall on their throat, there has to be some severe dumbassery from either the lifter, the spotter, or both. This guy is a 210lb elite athlete, I am a 190lb. joe who reps 275 and can't ever imagine a scenario where I would DROP the weight...get stuck, yeah it's happened, but to just flat out drop it? No.

Edit: Maybe if I tore a pec/tri/delt etc...

Odds are its a case of suicide grip stupidity.
Especially if someone uses the suicide grip with heavy weight after they've been sweating. Accident waiting to happen. Just for the sake of a little "comfort".

And as for those saying its stupidity from the spotter. STFU!! I'll drop 275 lbs all of a sudden and lets see you catch it.

Lesson of the day:
Suicide grip is named so for a reason.

It could also be a simple case of rotator cuff injury as well. If your rotator cuff just gives out, the weight is just gonna fall. And fall fast. No matter how strong, elite or whatever the person may be. You can't lift without a rotator cuff.

[kserajuddin]

How do you even drop a barbell on your throat like that? you must know you're just about maxed out and get the spotter to take it.. or maybe he tore his pec or something and had to drop it?

Yeah I remember as a kid I used to do chest myself and go to failure - I used to make it challenge that since I didn't have a spotter, I would have to get my last rep up, no matter what - it might be that same stupidity at play in this USC case -

There were a couple of times I couldn't get that last rep up - I would have to sit it on my chest until I could get the strength and body english to throw it up - not fun -

[BSCSCS]

Odds are its a case of suicide grip stupidity.
Especially if someone uses the suicide grip with heavy weight after they've been sweating. Accident waiting to happen. Just for the sake of a little "comfort".

And as for those saying its stupidity from the spotter. STFU!! I'll drop 275 lbs all of a sudden and lets see you catch it.

Lesson of the day:
Suicide grip is named so for a reason.

It could also be a simple case of rotator cuff injury as well. If your rotator cuff just gives out, the weight is just gonna fall. And fall fast. No matter how strong, elite or whatever the person may be. You can't lift without a rotator cuff.

The spotter was a university strength coach, was he not? I'm sure he noticed the "suicide grip", if not, he wasn't paying close attention. I would also bet that the spotter had a little voice inside his head saying "maybe this guy shouldn't be doing this"...and he said F it, he can handle it. Now if the guy tore his rotator cuff, then it's nobody's fault. But it didn't say anything in the article about any other injuries than to the throat area.

[theapexxxx]

The spotter was a university strength coach, was he not? I'm sure he noticed the "suicide grip", if not, he wasn't paying close attention. I would also bet that the spotter had a little voice inside his head saying "maybe this guy shouldn't be doing this"...and he said F it, he can handle it. Now if the guy tore his rotator cuff, then it's nobody's fault. But it didn't say anything in the article about any other injuries than to the throat area.

Doesn't necessarily mean he tore his rotator cuff. It could have just simply given out.
And of course the coach could have noticed the suicide grip. Many powerlifters use suicide grip. Try and convincing them out of it is harder than simply telling them its dangerous. Alot of times it takes an accident such as this to truly prove a point.

[acslaterson]

The Strength Coach wasn't spotting him, I believe it was an assistant coach. Maybe they were finished with the set and re-racking the weight and it missed the support? I cringe just thinking about it, something I will never really have to worry about though. My wrists are messed up from maxing out on bench in High School and I only do dumbbells and machines now.

[askthetrainer]

The Strength Coach wasn't spotting him, I believe it was an assistant coach. Maybe they were finished with the set and re-racking the weight and it missed the support? I cringe just thinking about it, something I will never really have to worry about though. My wrists are messed up from maxing out on bench in High School and I only do dumbbells and machines now.

Most of the time these young athletes hate when you put your hands near the bar when they're benching.

I can picture the incident in my head (unfortunately) and I see a normal set probably 5-8 reps where the player is just pumping away fast and tried to rack the weight emphatically and it slipped.

If it was a heavy weight or max for the guy the spotter would have likely had his hands closer to the bar where he could either slow it down or deflect it ever so slightly enough to avoid this disaster...

The neck is so fragile I can't imagine how much it got ****ed up w/ 275 + pounds of force crashing on it, dayum x1000

[RIKTER]

How do you even drop a barbell on your throat like that? you must know you're just about maxed out and get the spotter to take it.. or maybe he tore his pec or something and had to drop it?

Probably benching with a suicide grip, meaning thumbless.

[tbrady12]

From extreme bouncing, extreme back extension football players are notorious for terrible form in the weight room likely because numbers mean everything to the on-the-field coaches...

He probably had the aforementioned suicide grip and was likely nonchalantly racking the last rep hard and it slipped as the bar was above his neck and he almost died, sucks...

thats exactly what i was thinking when i heard of the accident... hear of this alot with type of grip very dangerous and not very many benefits doing it this way

[flexapeal]

This should have never happened. With that much weight there should have been 2 spotters standing by. If I was his family I would consider sueing due to his season ending injury and maybe even not being able to go pro. I can assure you I bet it doesn't happen again. Sometimes trainers get lazy and are used to a guy lifting a certain amount with ease. This is what gets people hurt. This is why 9-11 happened. We get used to things and drop the ball. I hope he makes a full recovery and gets to play ball again.

[askthetrainer]

This should have never happened. With that much weight there should have been 2 spotters standing by. If I was his family I would consider sueing due to his season ending injury and maybe even not being able to go pro. I can assure you I bet it doesn't happen again. Sometimes trainers get lazy and are used to a guy lifting a certain amount with ease. This is what gets people hurt. This is why 9-11 happened. We get used to things and drop the ball. I hope he makes a full recovery and gets to play ball again.

I disagree w/ the first part... in a Div 1 NCAA (esp an elite one like USC) strength & conditioning program punters are often throwing up 275 like it's nothing and there's NO WAY there could be 2 expert spotters as there's usually 1 teammate who's spotting by staring at the female athletes in the area...

Just think how many sets of bench press go on in the world on an hourly basis (millions?) and I've never heard of this happening ever...

But I do wish this dude a full recovery which they say he will get but....

Does anyone think he will Actually play Football Again? I mean, he had to get a ****ing tracheotomy for god sakes...

[Sicshift]

in 12 years, I've never had a client injure themselves in the slightest.

However, while at gyms, I've seen the paramedics come a couple times. One from a dislocated shoulder while doing military press and another when a woman fell off the treadmill and hit her head pretty hard.

That's about it. Heard tons of stories of torn pecs, and injuries of my own but nothing horrible.

[carl.c]

Askthetrainer: Go on youtube and search lifting injuries. The first one I found was a kid using the suicide grip. Poor kid never had a chance he unracked the bar and it went straight on to his neck. I get the feeling this is the grip the usc player was using.
As for his future they are not saying much but 7 hours under the knife to rebuild his neck dosn't sound good.

[strkout35]

This should have never happened. With that much weight there should have been 2 spotters standing by. If I was his family I would consider sueing due to his season ending injury and maybe even not being able to go pro. I can assure you I bet it doesn't happen again. Sometimes trainers get lazy and are used to a guy lifting a certain amount with ease. This is what gets people hurt. This is why 9-11 happened. We get used to things and drop the ball. I hope he makes a full recovery and gets to play ball again.

bs. 275 and you want two spotters. granted thats alot of weight i couldn't do that but for this guy 275 was not his max and it shouldn't have been a problem. you can't sue, who's fault was it. the spotters can't be held accountable for this.

[BSCSCS]

bs. 275 and you want two spotters. granted thats alot of weight i couldn't do that but for this guy 275 was not his max and it shouldn't have been a problem. you can't sue, who's fault was it. the spotters can't be held accountable for this.

This is a guy that was going to get drafted. A starting tail back for a multi million dollar program. A commodity worth potentially millions of dollars in the NFL. Now I understand in a normal gym with regular joes this ish happening, but in this setting, there really is no excuse. I bet money that the "suicide grip" is absolutely banned in a lot of universities after this incedent.

[flexapeal]

I disagree w/ the first part... in a Div 1 NCAA (esp an elite one like USC) strength & conditioning program punters are often throwing up 275 like it's nothing and there's NO WAY there could be 2 expert spotters as there's usually 1 teammate who's spotting by staring at the female athletes in the area...

Just think how many sets of bench press go on in the world on an hourly basis (millions?) and I've never heard of this happening ever...

But I do wish this dude a full recovery which they say he will get but....

Does anyone think he will Actually play Football Again? I mean, he had to get a ****ing tracheotomy for god sakes...

Its cool, you don't have to agree. It doesn't matter if its 100 or 300 lbs, if it drops your gonna get hurt. I have seen 2 spotters help out for a lot less weight. It all depends on the their limits. It probably doesn't happen like it should but if there were 2 spotters he would be in a lot better shape. Do you think one person can grab the weight in time and hold all that weight from overhead? I don't think so.

[flexapeal]

This is a guy that was going to get drafted. A starting tail back for a multi million dollar program. A commodity worth potentially millions of dollars in the NFL. Now I understand in a normal gym with regular joes this ish happening, but in this setting, there really is no excuse. I bet money that the "suicide grip" is absolutely banned in a lot of universities after this incedent.

Who knows what really went on in the gym. There could have been messing around and not paying attention. They are going to cover their own azz first and say the spotter was right there. The head coach even said , " hey, accidents happen in the gym all the time ". Who knows.... all we can do is hope he gets to go pro.