Thumb position while benching? - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

verve · 26-07-2005, 07:30 PM

Been watching a Jay Cutler video, and when he's benching, he has his thumb along the underside of the bar, rather than gripping with his thumb around it. Tried it today in the gym, felt alright but unusual so I went back to my normal grip. Just curious why he uses that one, and if anyone else on here does?

The video was "A cut above" if anyone wants to have a look.

DB · 26-07-2005, 07:37 PM

yes mate always do it on most lift dunno why just feels comfy for me less stress of my wrist and thumb

Bigdav · 26-07-2005, 07:47 PM

safer doing it with your thumbs wrapped round the bar, especially with heavy weights. Gives you a better grip on the bar, but if you have a good spotter any way is just as good

**Aftershock** · 27-07-2005, 11:21 AM

I do it with m thumbs along the bar. I find it makes it easier to balance the weight if your using an olympic bar.

Nev · 27-07-2005, 11:44 AM

never tryed it with thumb along bar il try it next time im down , c what like it is

dk246 · 27-07-2005, 12:17 PM

i bench with ma thum under the bar.

i find that if my thum goes around the bar, my hands have a tedancy to slip out wider

**Jimmy** · 27-07-2005, 10:45 PM

i dont use thumbs at all

i have them the side i have my fingers

this is called a suicide grip

thumbs under the bar is calle semi suicide

**hackskii** · 27-07-2005, 11:09 PM

I think having the thumbs next to the fingers hits more triceps.
Thumbs around the bar hit more front delts.

I did have a friend doing bench and he had the suicide grip going on and he was benching and the bar rolled off of his hands and POW it landed on his ribs.
Oh boy did that guy jack him self up.
He was out of the gym for quite some time.
When he told me the story, I started laughing but I was not trying to laugh but it was funny.
The whole time i was thinking like STUPID!

dk246 · 28-07-2005, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimmy

i dont use thumbs at all

i have them the side i have my fingers

this is called a suicide grip

thumbs under the bar is calle semi suicide

thqts the grip i meant

the bar jus rests on the palm of ur hand

h4ydn · 18-08-2005, 03:13 PM

i use the suicide grip aswell, not only for comfort but for these reasons:
firstly, when you grip with your thumb, you tend to wrist your wrist to a natural holding position, so the knuckles are inline with the straight of your foremarm, this means your wristing the weight - therfore your body is tryign to consentrate most of its effort intosupporting the wrist and the surroundign muscle to stop the weight from tipping away, thus you cant lift as much as well as risking damage to the wrist
the other reason is that as you are not depending on your wrist muscles as much, (i find) i can bench more weight, dunno if thats just me, but i find i can bench more. But this grip can also be used in t-bar rows and lat pulldowns (but i use wrist straps in the lat pulldown just to keep it incase i let go, aswell as alowing me to go heavier)
anyway, thats what i gotta say, agree or disagree, try it and find out for yourself

verve · 18-08-2005, 05:52 PM

Well I would like to try this, but after what happened to Hackskii's friend I'm not so sure...

**hackskii** · 18-08-2005, 05:57 PM

He got hurt bad

It was funny and sad all at the same time.

Timmy Smooth · 18-08-2005, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hackskii

It was funny and sad all at the same time.

Like when you're shagging in the back of your girlfriend's dad's car, but have to pay for the valet afterwards to get rid of the evidence?

Jock · 20-08-2005, 03:26 PM

Started using a thumbless grip years ago, used to have sore wrist joints but they have all but stopped.....

Old Man GABA · 03-10-2005, 01:57 PM

A mate of mine droped 130kg on his chest benching with a thumbless grip, broke 3 ribs.
It aint called the suicide grip for nothing...

I dont use a thumbless grip myself

26-07-2005, 07:30 PM	#1 (permalink)
verve 666 Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: At work, probably. Posts: 674	Thumb position while benching? Been watching a Jay Cutler video, and when he's benching, he has his thumb along the underside of the bar, rather than gripping with his thumb around it. Tried it today in the gym, felt alright but unusual so I went back to my normal grip. Just curious why he uses that one, and if anyone else on here does? The video was "A cut above" if anyone wants to have a look.

26-07-2005, 07:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
DB UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SW London Posts: 11,847	yes mate always do it on most lift dunno why just feels comfy for me less stress of my wrist and thumb __________________ Affiliate of Bulk Supplements Direct Discount Code= BSD290 UKBFF southcoast 2008, O80kg Champion

27-07-2005, 11:09 PM	#8 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 24,471	I think having the thumbs next to the fingers hits more triceps. Thumbs around the bar hit more front delts. I did have a friend doing bench and he had the suicide grip going on and he was benching and the bar rolled off of his hands and POW it landed on his ribs. Oh boy did that guy jack him self up. He was out of the gym for quite some time. When he told me the story, I started laughing but I was not trying to laugh but it was funny. The whole time i was thinking like STUPID! __________________ Scott

18-08-2005, 05:57 PM	#12 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 24,471	He got hurt bad It was funny and sad all at the same time. __________________ Scott

26-07-2005, 07:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
Bigdav Move along, nothing to see here Join Date: May 2005 Location: Aberdooom Posts: 615	safer doing it with your thumbs wrapped round the bar, especially with heavy weights. Gives you a better grip on the bar, but if you have a good spotter any way is just as good

27-07-2005, 11:21 AM	#4 (permalink)
Aftershock UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 4,071	I do it with m thumbs along the bar. I find it makes it easier to balance the weight if your using an olympic bar.

27-07-2005, 11:44 AM	#5 (permalink)
Nev Looking Freaky Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: u.k Posts: 512	never tryed it with thumb along bar il try it next time im down , c what like it is

27-07-2005, 12:17 PM	#6 (permalink)
dk246 cookie monster Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Llanelli (im on the right side of the bridge) Posts: 520	i bench with ma thum under the bar. i find that if my thum goes around the bar, my hands have a tedancy to slip out wider

27-07-2005, 10:45 PM	#7 (permalink)
Jimmy UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Forest gym crawley Posts: 4,548	i dont use thumbs at all i have them the side i have my fingers this is called a suicide grip thumbs under the bar is calle semi suicide

18-08-2005, 03:13 PM	#10 (permalink)
h4ydn Newbie Trainer Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: kislingbury - just out side northampton Posts: 54	i use the suicide grip aswell, not only for comfort but for these reasons: firstly, when you grip with your thumb, you tend to wrist your wrist to a natural holding position, so the knuckles are inline with the straight of your foremarm, this means your wristing the weight - therfore your body is tryign to consentrate most of its effort intosupporting the wrist and the surroundign muscle to stop the weight from tipping away, thus you cant lift as much as well as risking damage to the wrist the other reason is that as you are not depending on your wrist muscles as much, (i find) i can bench more weight, dunno if thats just me, but i find i can bench more. But this grip can also be used in t-bar rows and lat pulldowns (but i use wrist straps in the lat pulldown just to keep it incase i let go, aswell as alowing me to go heavier) anyway, thats what i gotta say, agree or disagree, try it and find out for yourself

18-08-2005, 05:52 PM	#11 (permalink)
verve 666 Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: At work, probably. Posts: 674	Well I would like to try this, but after what happened to Hackskii's friend I'm not so sure...

20-08-2005, 03:26 PM	#14 (permalink)
Jock LEAGUE LEGEND! Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: UK Posts: 3,092	Started using a thumbless grip years ago, used to have sore wrist joints but they have all but stopped.....

03-10-2005, 01:57 PM	#15 (permalink)
Old Man GABA Thank god for Memories Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: West Sussex Posts: 334	A mate of mine droped 130kg on his chest benching with a thumbless grip, broke 3 ribs. It aint called the suicide grip for nothing... I dont use a thumbless grip myself