Guest Harlan Jacobs Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 I no this has nothing to do with grip, But since Roark started the thread about grip feats that you don't belive and I made my statement, he pointed out that the bench press has been aided by bench shirts. ( VERY TRUE ) I just wanted to say that I have been training for a bench contest on Oct 5. Last month I hurt my shoulder/chest and can't bench with a regular grip at all. I have found out that I can do close grips. So I am going to go on and compete and bench close grip. And no, I am not going to wear a shirt. Roark, you motivated me to keep the shirt off then that I am doing close grips. I know this should not be on this board, but I wanted to thank Roark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mobsterone Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 Due to sloppy form for years etc I too have had the same problem and found that I also can do close-grip BP as described. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roark Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 Harlan, Good luck in your contest. Years ago I tried this as a wrist exercise: On a bench, assume the top (finished) bench press position, but with a grip where both palms are facing your head (Anthony Clark's style). Now instead of performing a bench press, simply allow the hands to arc toward the head (keep arms straight). Then wrist curl the weight back to the top. It's rough on the thumbs which carry most of the load. Keep elbows unbent. For safety, use the power rack safety rods set just below the bottom of your arc range, so that if you drop the bar it settles on the the safety rods and not your head! Fun for variety, but be ready for onlookers to point out that you don't know how to perform a bench press Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 Sure is grip related! I narrowed my grip by 5 to 6'' on the benchpress, and my shoulders have thanked me for it. Also my very narrow grip benchpress poundage is very little less than my normal grip. Good to know that people are not just training their grip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Piche Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 So have I. The elbows flare with a wider grip killed my pecs and shoulders over the years. I am paying now. I've moved it in as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldGuy Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 And what hurts in a different way, is that after a while you catch back up to the poundages used with the wider grip, which means you could have gone narrow from day one and maybe never injured your shoulders. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willardjamessloan Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 hi harlan, good job not wearing those pieces of ###. today at contests if you do not spend 250 dollars on a triple demin shirt you can not win. One little piece of help still flare your elbows out do not keep them under your forearms good luck : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tou Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 I bench close grip since the last two years and my shoulders thank me everyday for it. I lift a little less weight but never hurt my shoulders since switching. CGBP, dips and OHP are a killer combination for a big and strong upper body. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
strongmitts Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 Yall don't give powerlifting gear any credit. Have any of yall ever put on a super tight poly bench shirt? Talk about a grip workout! When all my team members are putting on bench shirts, guess who they come to look for? The guy with the strong fingers, who can pinch up that last little bit and pull it down in the arm pit. Wanna good forearm pump? Try rolling up some knee wraps and cranking them on someone as tight as possible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisJames Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 It's a great tricep builder also and has a better carry over for the standing press.Ibelieve John Davies , Shemansky and Doug Hepburn uesd narrow grip bench to improve the Olympic press. Best of luck in your comp. Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest mg6680 Posted September 24, 2002 Share Posted September 24, 2002 Dips, CGBP, shoulder press and rowing are all I do now. Once a week, very low volume and lots a weight. Making better gains than I ever did w/o the aches and pains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Harlan Jacobs Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 As far as just triceip work, I think I like JM press beter than close grip. For those of you that have never tried these,give them a go. Do them just like close grips but stop the bar about 4-5 inches from your chest,pause, and lock out. I have also found that squeezing the bar and actualy trying to bend it ( during benchpress ) keeps me tighter and in my groove beter. Oh, and strongmitts has a point about putting on powerlifting gear. Not a bad workout in itself. This is also a drug tested meet and just a state meet, so I should do ok. After all, I get to compete in the master's class ( 40-45 ) . Also I doubt there will be many in the 319 lb class at my age ,that are drug free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick Walker Posted September 25, 2002 Share Posted September 25, 2002 Just a quick suggestion for those of you having shoulder pain during medium to wide grip benches. Instead of pressing back towards your head, which puts the stress on the shoulder and causes your elbows to flare out thus taking the stress off of the triceps, try keeping the bar in a straight line. Take the bar out of the rack, at arms length lower it towards your feet as far as you can without it falling on your belly, then lower it to your upper ab region. The whole time drive the elbows into the side of the body and squeeze out on the bar like you are trying to pull the bar apart. One the bar reaches your upper abs, press it out. Yes out. Keep it going towards your feet as much as possible as you press up. You will find this is extremely hard! And, I would say a 300 lb bencher would struggle with 135 for reps so start light. But, it fries your triceps and makes them stronger. Within a couple of months, the elbow flare will be gone along with the shoulder pain! Rick Walker :hehe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mjoynt Posted September 26, 2002 Share Posted September 26, 2002 How close do you guys place your hands in the close-grip bench, and how many sets and reps do you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Harlan Jacobs Posted September 26, 2002 Share Posted September 26, 2002 Since I am going to be doing it in a contest, I am treating it like I would reg bench. After warm-ups, I am doing 5x3 actual work sets. As far as hand spacing goes, I have my index finger on the start of the knurl. You may have to play with that. If I go any closer it hurts my wrist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tou Posted September 26, 2002 Share Posted September 26, 2002 I place my hands just like Harlan. For the moment, and for about 1 month, I do 5x5. Later, I'll drop to 5x3 and eventually, lots of singles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sybersnott Posted September 26, 2002 Share Posted September 26, 2002 Question: does anyone here use a thick bar to do their benches? And if so, what kind of results are you getting? When I bench (and this may sound odd), I don't do any warm-up... I just go straight to it with what I left off on. I can do 2 sets of 10 with my bodyweight on the bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Harlan Jacobs Posted September 27, 2002 Share Posted September 27, 2002 I have never done flats with a thick bar, But I have done inclines. To tell you the truth, I feel stronger with the thick bar. I know I am not , But I like the way it feels in my hand when I am pushing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wood Posted September 27, 2002 Share Posted September 27, 2002 Hey Rick, today I tried benching in the manner that you described and found it to be an extremely effective exercise. Thanks for sharing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisJames Posted September 29, 2002 Share Posted September 29, 2002 Sybersnott, i always bench with a 2 inch bar and i have had great results through using it.When i now try using a normal bar it feels like a toy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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