Just to be clear, we ARE NOT recommending you take up this grip variation, especially if you\u2019re\u00a0new to weightlifting<\/a>. But we wanted to give you all the facts to you can decide for yourself. So, let\u2019s dive into this controversial grip.<\/p>\n Also known as a false grip, the suicide grip bench is an open grip weightlifting technique where you position your thumbs next to your index finger instead of wrapping them around the barbell as you would with a traditional bench press. So the most noticeable difference with suicide grip bench vs. regular comes down to thumb placement.<\/p>\n Proponents of using a suicide grip typically talk about three main benefits:<\/p>\n When you use an open grip, you have to keep your wrists neutral, or else you run the risk of the barbell or dumbbells slipping out of your hands. To keep your wrists neutral, you have to position the barbell at the base of your palms. This makes it easier to align your wrists right over your forearms, which is the optimal angle for\u00a0bench press power<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tucking your elbows is one benefit of the suicide grip bench, as it can minimize internal rotation and provide some relief for your shoulder joints. Over time, excessive internal rotation can lead to injury, chronic pain, or other problems that can sideline you from the gym.<\/p>\n This goes with the point above about tucking your elbows. With your elbows positioned closer to your body, you\u2019ll activate more of your triceps. If you\u2019re tricep dominant (which a lot of people tend to be), then using a suicide grip could help you improve your lifts.<\/p>\n Now, the suicide grip isn\u2019t without its cons. Let\u2019s walk through what detractors might say about why you shouldn\u2019t take up suicide grip bench.<\/p>\n Without your thumb wrapped around the weights, you have less command of where the weight goes. This creates an opportunity for the bar or dumbbells to slip out of your hands and come toppling down.<\/p>\n As we\u2019ve discussed, one of the main differences between suicide or thumbless grip vs. regular grip is thumb placement. Gripping the weight tight and wrapping your thumbs around as you do with regular bench press gives you a safe lock from the bar crashing down on your face. When you use an open grip, that safeguard goes away, as the weight can shift in your palms more easily.<\/p>\n There may be more benefits than safety for going with a traditional grip. Wrapping your thumbs around the weight helps maximize irradiation, more commonly known as muscle tension. You can increase muscle tension in stabilizing muscles, such as your forearms, shoulders, and lats, by gripping the bar tight.<\/p>\n Keeping your lats tight and having a\u00a0strong upper back<\/a>\u00a0are especially important on bench too, as they play a pivotal role in the eccentric portion of the movement (i.e. lowering the weight or bar) and support your shoulders. You can squeeze your lats tighter with a traditional grip.<\/p>\n This was on the benefits list but it also belongs on the disadvantage side of things too. When you bench press, you want to make sure that your elbows are tucked slightly so that you can press up with maximum force. But tucking in your elbows too much puts more pressure on the triceps, which may lessen chest and shoulder activation.<\/p>\n Because your thumbs aren\u2019t wrapped around the barbell, suicide grip bench may lead you to overly tucked elbows (in an attempt to prevent the weight from falling on your face). On the other hand, with traditional grip bench, you can better position your elbows under the bar and keep\u00a0muscular tension<\/a>\u00a0on your chest.<\/p>\n The suicide grip will never be 100% risk-free but you can mitigate the risk and prevent\u00a0common weightlifting mistakes<\/a>\u00a0by following these useful tips:<\/p>\n You can use the suicide grip or open grip on plenty of other exercises besides bench. Here are a few of them:<\/p>\n Just to reiterate, we do NOT advise using the suicide grip bench, especially if you\u2019re a strength training beginner. While there are positivtes to benching with a suicide or false grip, such as keeping your wrists neutral for optimal bench press power and providing relief for your should joints, there are also some negatives.<\/p>\n Safety is probably being the biggest one, as not wrapping your thumbs around the weight increases the risk of the bar slipping out of your hands. It can also be hard to engage other muscles (like your lats) when you opt for a suicide grip. If you decide that the benefits outweigh the risks, make sure you always have a spotter, chalk up for better grip, set up the bar in the center of your palm, and squeeze for dear life with your other four fingers when performing the lift.<\/p>\n Looking to get shredded in time for summer? Check out our blog post on\u00a0how to lean and have a successful summer cut<\/a>. Or, if you\u2019re looking to put on muscle and add some size, you\u2019ll want to check out our blog post on\u00a0lean bulking<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n About the Author:<\/b> Website:\u00a0Chad\u2019s Business Website<\/a> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Ironmaster has been specializing in producing the best home gym, and RV gym, equipment since 1978. #ironmaster #homegym #strenthtraining #adjustableweightbench #adjustabledumbbells #beanironmaster #getbusylifting #strengthforlife #suicidegrip<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Is this controversial grip best for your bench? Let\u2019s run down the pros and cons so you can decide for yourself.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,5],"tags":[157,86,61,55,22],"class_list":["post-293","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-tips-hacks","category-workouts-exercises","tag-bench-press","tag-tips","tag-weight-training","tag-weightlifting-workouts","tag-workouts"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=293"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":378,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/293\/revisions\/378"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=293"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=293"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=293"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What Is Suicide Grip Bench Press?<\/b><\/h2>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog-assets\/BLOG_grips_600.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\nWhy Use Suicide Grip Bench?<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
1. Your wrists stay neutral\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
2. Your shoulders are in a safe position<\/b><\/h3>\n
3. You can activate your triceps more<\/b><\/h3>\n
Disadvantages of the Suicide Grip<\/b><\/h2>\n
1. The weight can slip out of your hands<\/b><\/h3>\n
2. It can be hard to activate other muscles\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n
3. Your elbows may be overly tucked<\/b><\/h3>\n
Is It Safe to Use Suicide Grip?<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
What Other Exercises Can You Use the Suicide Grip?<\/b><\/h2>\n
\n
Takeaways on Suicide Grip Bench\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
\nChad Richardson is a freelance writer from Cincinnati, OH. It\u2019s actually been rumored that Chad came out of the womb doing bicep curls, so it should come as no surprise that he enjoys creating content to help others get in shape and live healthier lives. When he\u2019s not in the gym impersonating Arnold Schwarzenegger, you can probably catch Chad at a local bar with some friends, frustrated with his hometown Red Legs\u2019 inability to stay above 500 for a whole season. His philosophy on life? Take action starting TODAY on that thing you\u2019ve been putting off…Not tomorrow, next week, or whenever you feel motivated…A small step might not seem like much right now, but even small steps add up to a mile eventually.<\/p>\n![\"Ironmaster](\"https:\/\/www.ironmaster.com\/blog-assets\/ChadR_AuthorPhoto_1652477951.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n
\nLinkedIn:\u00a0Chad\u2019s LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n
\nCheck out\u00a0Ironmaster.com<\/a>\u00a0to learn more about our full line of personal strength training equipment. Weight benches, like our legendary\u00a0Super Bench Adjustable Weight Bench<\/a>\u00a0are the foundation of any home gym. The unrivaled\u00a0Quick-Lock Adjustable Dumbbells<\/a>\u00a0and it’s system of interchangeable weight plates save you both space and money with their modular, multipurpose design. Another customer favorite, the\u00a0IM2000 Self Spotting Machine<\/a>\u00a0(Smith Machine style half rack!) is so versatile you can build your ultimate gym in most typical spare rooms, garage, or basement. Learn how to build a\u00a0custom package<\/a>\u00a0to take advantage of our everyday discount program, where the more you bundle on qualified items, the more you save!<\/p>\n