Paul, these form checks shared are invaluable, I’m remote so there are no SS gyms close, I’m able to video and correct by learning from you in these coaching sessions. Thank you so much for doing these. Al
Thanks Paul for these valuable learnings for your viewers. I have tried thumbs around grip in squats and elbows do feel good with this grip. However, what is the art of staying tight with stretched pecs and stable bar. The stretched pecs and shoulder blades retracted comes easily with thumbs on top of bar with narrow enough grip although it bothers elbows. But how to get similar tightness with thumbs around grip? As wrist extends and bar comes on knuckles, it does not give same tightness as with thumbs on top of bar. Please advise. Thanks.
Correct. Allowing the wrists to bend back in the thumbs-around grip reduces the tension on the shoulders and pecs. So, to create a stable shelf of muscle for the bar to sit on means you need to bring your hand closer together. Basically, you want the narrowest grip you can tolerate (hands as close to the shoulders as possible). But this is important: In the thumbs-on-top grip, you can just slide your hands inward and narrow the grip width once you're under the bar. You cannot do that with the thumbs-around grip (too much friction). So, you have to narrow your grip BEFORE you get under the bar. Use the markings on the barbell as a reference. Start wide (e.g., index finger on the mark). As you progress through your warmups and the shoulders loosen up, move in one finger with each set or two so that by the time you're ready for your work set, you might have your ring finger or even pinky finger on the mark. Takes a little practice, but you'll figure out how tight you can get.
