Bench press grip question

[zeljko]

Hi guys,
i read the Starting Strength book and in the bench press chapter it’s instructed to use the grip which is used in the overhead press(to rotate the hands in order to set the bar on the heel of the palm).When i set up for the bench press this kind of grip puts my shoulders in internal rotation and i’m not sure if this is good or not or am i doing something wrong.So my question is when setting up for the bench press do i only rotate my hands(palms) in order to grip the bar or my entire arm and put my shoulders in internal rotation?

[LeahBBM]

If I understand your question, you only rotate your hand, with your thumbs pointed down to grip the bar. You might also find this article helpful. https://startingstrength.com/article/gripping_matters

[neandrewthal]

I’m normally pretty geeky but TBH that article complicated things a bit much for me with the talk of all the individual bones when I read it a while back. Now that I have learned more about the grip by other means I can skim through the article and see that the same basic information is in there, it just wasn’t easy to tease out on my first read through.

Anyways, what you are talking is called the Bulldog grip and I had no idea they recommended it in SS. I have SS edition 2 and I thought maybe they added it for edition 3 but I just checked my copy and sure enough, it’s there but it’s just a picture with a caption under it that is easy to forget when I am under the barbell trying to remember a whole bunch of other things.

I wish I had started doing it sooner because I am at the point where I need wrist wraps to do my bench worksets without pain and when I tried the bulldog grip the other day, I hated the way it felt. Not so much how it pushes on my ulna but the way my elbows felt.

This video briefly discusses the elbow position and the change in the lift mechanic that goes with the bulldog grip:

Powerlifter Runs 1 Mile & The Bulldog Grip

[zeljko]

@LeahBBM

If I understand your question, you only rotate your hand, with your thumbs pointed down to grip the bar. You might also find this article helpful. https://startingstrength.com/article/gripping_matters

Thank you,this was helpful.

[zeljko]

@neandrewthal

I’m normally pretty geeky but TBH that article complicated things a bit much for me with the talk of all the individual bones when I read it a while back. Now that I have learned more about the grip by other means I can skim through the article and see that the same basic information is in there, it just wasn’t easy to tease out on my first read through.

Anyways, what you are talking is called the Bulldog grip and I had no idea they recommended it in SS. I have SS edition 2 and I thought maybe they added it for edition 3 but I just checked my copy and sure enough, it’s there but it’s just a picture with a caption under it that is easy to forget when I am under the barbell trying to remember a whole bunch of other things.

I wish I had started doing it sooner because I am at the point where I need wrist wraps to do my bench worksets without pain and when I tried the bulldog grip the other day, I hated the way it felt. Not so much how it pushes on my ulna but the way my elbows felt.

This video briefly discusses the elbow position and the change in the lift mechanic that goes with the bulldog grip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opZPYfGc33E&t=1s

Yes,you’re right,it is the bulldog grip and Alan demonstrates the way i set up for the bench too.As you can see at 8:38 Alan rotates his hands and flares his elbows to properly grip the bar.This flare of the elbows is what makes my shoulders feel awkward and i was wondering if that was the right way to set up for the bench.