Reverse grip BP form question...

[PTAaron]

I just tried these today on the smith machine... My wrists hurt for about 10 minutes after my set... I must have done something wrong with my grip... Here is how I did them: Hands positioned in the "curl" position - natural position they fall into when palms are supinated... grabbed onto the bar, and pushed up - lowering the bar to midchest level...
I found that this really torqued the ulnar side (little finger side) of my wrist...
Do you guys actually hold the bar tightly while doing these, or do you position your hand differently so it doesn't hurt the wrists? I guess the other option is that I am a wuss... that seems the most likely - but I'm hoping to hear there is some sort of secret to holding the bar that I have missed.

[nemo]

i never much liked doing this exercise in the smith. i just use a standard olympic bar, index fingers on the rings and i bring it down to where my abs meet my ribcage.

[In-Human]

Let the bar rest across your palm and only use your thumb and first two fingers to hold on, you will have some bend to your wrist but the idea to let the bar rest on the edge of your palm thats why you can only hold on with two fingers and your thumb, hands about 4" wider than shoulders and let your butt hang off the bench so you can pinch your shoulder blades against the pad by lifting your pelvic up just a little...

[USMuscle9403]

No, do not hold the bar tightly. Only use enough hand to support it.

[babygetoboy]

PTAaron, PM me, I'm right in your neck of the woods, we can get together and workout.

[MsteveM]

how wide was your grip? when you grabbed the bar, was your hand placement the same as doing a curl? as far as where the bar was in your palm. really i hardly hold onto the bar since i just let it rest towards the bottom of my palms with a wide grip. experiment with it a little.. my left wrist bothers me sometimes and this exercise doesnt aggrivate it at all. its probably your placement on the bar.

[MsteveM]

wowee.. arent we quick ones at answering

[USMuscle9403]

LOL, yea no kidding. I was thinking I was the only guy answering and I post and there are several people ahead of me.

[MsteveM]

not to hijack the thread or anything, but how long have these reputation poins been here?

[Northwatch619]

Having tried this as well yesterday on the smith machine I found myself adjusting the grip in the manor in which IH has mentioned. I also discovered that if arms leaned at an angle leaning towards my legs that it was working my shoulder more then my triceps. Keeping my arms vertical seems to work the triceps better. IH can probably tell us if this is correct or needs more adjusting. Thanks for the tip on the expanded grip width.

[PTAaron]

Thanks for all of the replies guys...
I had tried a few different grip widths, well - 3... one for each rest pause... and the only common variable was that I was holding the bar pretty tightly... When these come around again I will try them with the grip you guys are recommending - I'm sure thats the solution. I think I did these before back in '94 in my friend's basement gym, and I vaguely remember having to have the bar sit almost diagonal across the palm... but hell I can barely remember what I did last week...

[PTAaron]

not to hijack the thread or anything, but how long have these reputation poins been here?

I first noticed them when we got the new board design a few weeks ago - but I don't now I'm pretty new here

[In-Human]

Thanks for all of the replies guys...
I had tried a few different grip widths, well - 3... one for each rest pause... and the only common variable was that I was holding the bar pretty tightly... When these come around again I will try them with the grip you guys are recommending - I'm sure thats the solution. I think I did these before back in '94 in my friend's basement gym, and I vaguely remember having to have the bar sit almost diagonal across the palm... but hell I can barely remember what I did last week...

Yes that is how the bar sits, diagonal or across your palm thats why you only use your thumb and two fingers to hold on...

[PTAaron]

Thanks for the confirmation IH... can't wait to try them again ... my tris are pretty painful today from doing them yesterday!

[Swellin]

I have been using this same grip, but I have been placing my hands in much closer. This does cause some discomfort, but I move them out until it relieves the pressure. I am still able to put them pretty close in on the bar. I am then able to keep my elbows close to my body and really focus on using the tris for this lift. It sure is blasting them! Now it looks like I need to try them with a wider grip.