10 Miles Back Again

[dagill2]

All of the above apply to me.

[Koestrizer]

@Cyrrex

For a strict press, your elbows should probably be pointing forward as much as you can manage.

Disagree. Forearms 90° angle from the bar to the floor with your elbows underneath the bar (ever so slightly in front of the bar). Although that feels like they are far out in front for a lot of people. Elbows in front of the bar would be correct for any kind of press with leg drive. But I’m probably splitting hairs again, am I?

@Cyrrex

that means my thumbs are actually brushing up against the smooth part of the bar.

Wow that’s close. My ring finger is on the ring of the power bar for a strict press.

I agreee that most people I see in the gym are a) gripping too wide and b) placing the elbows wrong + failing to engage the lats as a base to press from.

An ideal grip in my book is totally dependend on the lifters arm length first and foremost and shoulder width secondly.
If I had to give an opinion on a general grip width, it would be “a little wider than shoulder width”.

[Cyrrex]

@Koestrizer

Disagree. Forearms 90° angle from the bar to the floor with your elbows underneath the bar (ever so slightly in front of the bar). Although that feels like they are far out in front for a lot of people. Elbows in front of the bar would be correct for any kind of press with leg drive. But I’m probably splitting hairs again, am I?

That was a hair worth splitting. I did not mean to imply pointing straight forward during the lift…that’s more like a rack position for an olympic lift or whatever. So it is as you say, elbows underneath the bar during the press. I was just trying to illustrate the difference from the wide grip a lot of people use, because that will have your elbows flaring outwards. It is actually your shoulders that need to rotate in. Too many people have them out in the same position they would use for a BTN press.

@Koestrizer

it would be “a little wider than shoulder width”.

And I agree with this. The cue of trying to put the back of your hands on your shoulders will usually get you in roughly that position.

[Koestrizer]

@Cyrrex

The cue of trying to put the back of your hands on your shoulders will usually get you in roughly that position

Good point. Haven’t tried that

[Voxel]

I was watching the train your ass of videos for bench press and got some ideas for the press too…

[guineapig]

@Cyrrex

ning to ask you about this. Most people I observe at the gym are, in my opinion, doing it “wrong” in terms of grip. At least wrong if moving more weight is the goal, BB is a different matter. It is not a placebo. Despite the ROM increasing, you will engage your lats more and all of your power will be compacted instead of spread out, especially if you bring in a lot of air into your chest cavity.

Sames. I like a relatively close grip press. Safer for my shoulders and long ROM is good for gains. For actual strength testing I feel like I can better engage all the muscles involved particularly triceps which are my dominant muscle group anyways. More power out the blocks to blow through sticking points.

[dagill2]

Ooh, you tease. Go on…

[Voxel]

Train Your Ass Off with Dave Tate: More Bench Press | elitefts.com

Embedded with the proper time (14:31)

[dagill2]

I already press thumbless, have done for a while. I tried it with bench and didn’t get on with it, but I’ll be reviewing bench form when I get back to it as it seems like a good opportunity.

[Voxel]

Not the thumbless bit, I do that. It was more that sure I grip the bar hard but I can certainly do better. I saw your reply and I’ll respond when I’m at a keyboard

[dagill2]

I remember focussing on grip in the bench, but never on press. I’ll definitely give that a try, thanks.

[T3hPwnisher]

I just wish to saw Crom laughs at your narrow grip presses.

He laughs from his mountain.

[Cyrrex]

“Crom” sounds like somebody who has wide shoulders already, thus necessitating a wider grip than those of us of more mortal flesh.

[T3hPwnisher]

He’s the god in the Conan universe.

Shoulder width shouldn’t play a role though when we are discussing gripping as it relates to a shoulder width grip. A guy with wide shoulders gripping shoulder width is a guy gripping shoulder width.

I like outside shoulder width. I feel like people grip too narrow.

[Cyrrex]

I think maybe it is the definition of “outside”. In my case, I would call it “just a bit outside shoulder width”. I think you could easily go a whole hand outside and still be in a pretty good position. That might put Crom all the way out to the ring for all I know.

[T3hPwnisher]

This is the width I like

Axle Strict Press: 5x241, 1x256, 1x266, 0x276 (lifetime PRs)

I think the Crom quote was not understood how I intended.

[dagill2]

That is a seriously wide grip.

I think I will probably experiment with a few different grip widths on the press. Try and save overuse and maybe find what works best.

[Cyrrex]

The Crom quote served its purpose. I think you might BE Crom. It is hard to tell from the lighting.

In any case, while your grip is surely wider than mine, it is nothing I would consider to be absurdly wide. I think it probably also works better with the crazy weight and the backward lean.

[T3hPwnisher]

@Cyrrex

I think you might BE Crom.

I’m not. The point wasn’t that it’s a physically manifested entity who also does presses. They were supposed to be beyond that. I whiffed on the delivery.

The lean in this case is a product of the weight. Necessary counter balance as things get beyond bodyweight, especially with an axle. But I use the same with lighter weights and a barbell. I think people go too narrow and miss out. Part of that is people like to float the weight in their hands rather than rack it.

[Cyrrex]

Physiology comes into play as well. If I understand what you mean by “floating” the weight, I don’t have any trouble racking it with a narrow grip. Unless I have to get my elbows up, but that is a different story.