gripping the bench bar

[averagekid]

ive recently heard that you should grip the bar tight while benching.. but i always assumed it was for benchers who grip the bar with their thumb around it

my benching style has always had my thumb behind the behind the bar, with the rest of my fingers.. should i still be gripping the bar tight?

[ZachG85]

You should wrap your thumb around the bar and squeeze it. Thumbless grip has two disadvantages. One, you can't squeeze hard enough. Two, it's way too easy for it to fall forward and crush ya.

[Danimal]

Don't discount the thumbless grip. It puts your elbows in a better position and lets the bar ride more over the top of your wrist so you don't get the wrist problems from your hands bending back with a heavy bar. I've benched this way for years and have never lost the bar. You can still grip it tight with your fingers.

[ZachG85]

Don't discount the thumbless grip. It puts your elbows in a better position and lets the bar ride more over the top of your wrist so you don't get the wrist problems from your hands bending back with a heavy bar. I've benched this way for years and have never lost the bar. You can still grip it tight with your fingers.

I would disagree here. You simply cannot grip as hard with a thumbless grip. If you think you can, try deadlifting thumbless for a while.

As for dropping, sure you haven't yet, maybe you won't for a long time. I did a while back, only using 265 and it was plenty of inspiration to never ever risk that again. Mendy has mentioned a drop thanks to thumbless grip using in the 600s and said he couldn't breath right for two months.

As for the elbows, so does a reverse grip bench but that got made illegal thanks to all the injuries that occured.

[Darracq]

I use a thumbless grip also. I have lifted on and off for years, i have never droped the bar either. IT just works for me, It feels so strange to wrap my thumbs around and makes my wrists hurt. I woudnt recomend if you dont already do it though. When i try to squeese the bar i just feel like i am using strenght to grip instead of bench.
I lift in a power rack so if i ever do drop it its no big deal.

[averagekid]

When i try to squeese the bar i just feel like i am using strenght to grip instead of bench.

i see.. thats the way it felt like to me when i had my bench day today. i dont think i noticed a big difference tho. should i even bother gripping the bar tight?

[phikappa]

My motto is: You have an opposable thumb...so use it!



Anyway, I focus on lifting the weight. Thinking about my grip would only distract me.

[Danimal]

I always bench in a rack too so even if I dump one, it's ok. At a meet, well, pray for good spotters, lol! If my son is lifting off I know he's going to be there for me, and usually the meets I do have good spotters. That's the chance you take though.

[Darracq]

i see.. thats the way it felt like to me when i had my bench day today. i dont think i noticed a big difference tho. should i even bother gripping the bar tight?

WS guys say to do it. But i say do what feels the best to you. I havent heard the Metal Militia guys say it but i am not sure.

[averagekid]

yeah; ill just do whats been working for me then.. ill change styles if/when necessary.

[ZachG85]

WS guys say to do it. But i say do what feels the best to you. I havent heard the Metal Militia guys say it but i am not sure.

I say look at the best. Mendy says it's called a "suicide grip" for a reason, Latt has said to squeeze the hell out of the bar, I don't believe there's an article out there written by a WSB/MM or other elite bencher that says to use a thumbless. But hey, do what's good for you.

[raffiki]

I don't care who you are, what you body type is, or what power animal you have, wrapping your thumb around the bar and gripping the bar hard is THE best way to do it. You can learn to position your hands to keep the strain of your wrists. It may take some time to learn, so may not be able to give 110% for a few workouts (GASP).

By the way, I've also seen a guy drop the bar on his neck.

[fr0stbyte]

Be careful. If you plan on competing, some feds like the IPF have rules against a thumbless grip. It would suck to get use to that grip and find out you have to switch at the last moment. Better check with your federation first.

[Darracq]

The feds i lift in allow it. Some you have to sign a waver. The reason i went to that grip is because i cut my hand between the thumb and index finger and i couldnt hold the bar with thumbs around. But i could bench with a suicide grip. I got used to it and felt stronger so i stuck with it. I tryied thumbs around a while back and almost dumped the weight on me. I know i would just have to get used to it.

[Strongerthanall]

I rest the bar on my knuckles and wrap only my thumbs around the bar. People look at this and think I'm gonna lose control of the bar but I don't. I'm a creature of habit and have no idea if I would be stronger by gripping hard with my hands. The downside is I have these nazty azz callouses on the outside of my knuckles!

[ZachG85]

I rest the bar on my knuckles and wrap only my thumbs around the bar. People look at this and think I'm gonna lose control of the bar but I don't. I'm a creature of habit and have no idea if I would be stronger by gripping hard with my hands. The downside is I have these nazty azz callouses on the outside of my knuckles!

Wait. So you make like a fist and put the bar on that, but with your thumb around it? Jeezus, I can't believe you haven't broken your fingers yet.

[b~rad]

Wait. So you make like a fist and put the bar on that, but with your thumb around it? Jeezus, I can't believe you haven't broken your fingers yet.

LOL it was a joke. and a good one lol. at least i hope it was a joke.

[gopostal42]

I rest the bar on my knuckles and wrap only my thumbs around the bar. People look at this and think I'm gonna lose control of the bar but I don't. I'm a creature of habit and have no idea if I would be stronger by gripping hard with my hands. The downside is I have these nazty azz callouses on the outside of my knuckles!

that would take a really long thumb and possibly with an extra joint or 2 in it

[Danimal]

There is a bencher in CT who has a deformed hand. He literally rests the bar on the stump and competes that way. So much for a tight grip.

[Memnoch]

Never use a thumbless grip, you can't get as much power and your asking for a bad injury, as well as the fact experienced lifters will mock you. I've never see a good bencher use anything other than the standard full grip.

[Danimal]

Hmm, in every meet I've ever done, I've never been "mocked" for using a false grip by the experienced lifters. Maybe that happens in your gym with insecure people, but powerlifters support each other, not mock each other.

Also, tell me how I won't get as much power?

[Mateo_66]

I have a theory on the thumbless grip. I believe it makes for a wider surface to be pressing off of. Although it only increases the width of the hand by only about an inch. I dont know thats just my theory I however do not support the thumbless grip as I have too seen a poor sapp drop the bar. I believe that if you fellows have wrist problems invest in some wrist wraps. I never bench without them. I mean seriously think of all the pressure you are putting on those small wrist joints. The reason the wrists bend back in the bench is to cut down the distance the bar has to travel and this is the most powerful technique for pressing.

[Darracq]

I dont see how the bar can fall out of your hands, I place the bar in the middle of my hand and the bar forces the wrist back and i wear good wrist wraps,zero wrist pain.The finger are around the bar keeping it from rolling off the other way. I bench elbows in which keeps the elbows i from of the hands, if i had elbows out i could see how the bar could fall forward or if i had ****ty form and benched towards my feet, but i bench low on ribs and back over face. Just get an empty bar and have an open mind and test this out.

[Strongerthanall]

that would take a really long thumb and possibly with an extra joint or 2 in it

No I'm serious. The bar rests on my hand and my knuckles are crunched behind it and I wrap my thumbs around for stability. I've been bencheing that way for eh...22 years.

[Strongerthanall]

LOL it was a joke. and a good one lol. at least i hope it was a joke.

Oh..and I aint no joke.

[gopostal42]

No I'm serious. The bar rests on my hand and my knuckles are crunched behind it and I wrap my thumbs around for stability. I've been bencheing that way for eh...22 years.

that's pretty crazy but i'm glad it works for you, how bout a pic?

[Strongerthanall]

that's pretty crazy but i'm glad it works for you, how bout a pic?

I've seen others do it...its grabbing the bar the same way as everyone without wrapping your 4 fingers around the bar. Instead of grabbing it just rests on your palms with your fingers curled back. I love it. Gotta bring a camera to the gym. Wanna post some vids so I can get some flames...ha ha ha ha.

[gopostal42]

i see what u mean now thats not as crazy as i thought but its still out there to me

[KrushR]

I don't care who you are, what you body type is, or what power animal you have, wrapping your thumb around the bar and gripping the bar hard is THE best way to do it. You can learn to position your hands to keep the strain of your wrists. It may take some time to learn, so may not be able to give 110% for a few workouts (GASP).

By the way, I've also seen a guy drop the bar on his neck.

I'll have to give it another shot, as I've been going thumbless for quite some time. When I wrapped my thumbs around it felt off-balance, but could that be due to the outside of my wrists being stronger than the inside? Actually, I guess it would be the opposite...I dunno.
I feel like with the thumbless grip the weight is being more evenly distributed, as it feels flatter. It helps keep my elbows in. I'll have to give the thumbs another try next week sometime.

[Mateo_66]

I'll have to give it another shot, as I've been going thumbless for quite some time. When I wrapped my thumbs around it felt off-balance, but could that be due to the outside of my wrists being stronger than the inside? Actually, I guess it would be the opposite...I dunno.
I feel like with the thumbless grip the weight is being more evenly distributed, as it feels flatter. It helps keep my elbows in. I'll have to give the thumbs another try next week sometime.

I dont know if this helps any or not but think about it this way. When you go thumbless in a way you are changing the width of your hand by about 1 inch depending on the thickness of your thumb. If all of a sudden you were to change your grip and wrap the thumb back around it would be as if your hand shrunk an inch in width. This would take time to get used to. If you want to bench with your thumbs wrapped just keep practicing and it will come to ya just like the thumbless grip did. Make sure you do other pressing movements in the same manner.