Close-Grip Chest Cramping

[Sean Stangl]

I've been using close-grip to train up my bench for a while now. But for that whole time, I've been unable to get close to muscular failure.

Instead, before that, one of my pecs will start cramping. Back in the day Jordan suggested drinking coconut water, high-salt things, etc., and nothing really helped. It doesn't seem to affect the efficacy of the training, but it is very uncomfortable and forces me to stop early. Once I get the pre-cramp feeling, I also can't squeeze my chest until a few hours have elapsed, or the cramp comes back and gets stuck there for a few painful seconds. It looks like someone dug a trench out of my upper pec.

No other lift has ever caused cramping.

Does anyone have any ideas for how to prevent it, or what causes it?

[Bryan Dobson]

Maybe do loaded dips instead of close grip bench pressing if you can't train it effectively?

[Sean Stangl]

Maybe do loaded dips instead of close grip bench pressing if you can't train it effectively?

The training seems to work despite the cramping. Loaded dips aggravated some shoulder issues, but I had tried that.

[Bryan Dobson]

Maybe play with hand placement to see if it alleviates the cramping. I have had that experience in the past and going just a little wider (index touching smooth) helped. It's basicly a hard contraction and you aren't getting a stretch on the bottom.

If your grip is not the issue and the NG press is driving progress just follow up the work with stretching if it helps you in the comfort department.

Maybe a video of the NG bench work showing your elbow angles?

[Satch12879]

But for that whole time, I've been unable to get close to muscular failure.

This is an interesting statement; care to elaborate on what you mean by this?

[Sean Herbison]

This is an interesting statement; care to elaborate on what you mean by this?

Probably that what's limiting him isn't what he's trying to train. Like having to stop squats because your shoulder hurts.

[mcclamic]

I've had success with chewable Tums helping reduce cramping. Probably only helps you, though, if you are short on calcium

[Meshuggah]

I've been using close-grip to train up my bench for a while now. But for that whole time, I've been unable to get close to muscular failure.

Pre exhaust those pecs with heavy dumbbell flys. Check out Mike Mentzer's old workouts, they are very effective.

[Sean Stangl]

This is an interesting statement; care to elaborate on what you mean by this?

Like Sean said, it's that my last set ends because of cramping. So for example, a close-grip training session might be 315x5@(7,8,8,9), where the last set is @9 not because the muscle is giving out but because I feel a cramp coming on. After that I can't do any more sets. I use CGBP for volume accumulation, and the volume winds up being an acceptable amount, but it's a pity that it gets cut short.

Interestingly, I just looked back at my logs searching for "cramp," and I found a note that I don't get cramps if I avoid locking out fully. So maybe that's part of a solution.

I've had success with chewable Tums helping reduce cramping. Probably only helps you, though, if you are short on calcium

I never stopped drinking the milk :-)

Pre exhaust those pecs with heavy dumbbell flys. Check out Mike Mentzer's old workouts, they are very effective.

That's an idea. Since the cramping is in the upper pecs, it could also be that those fibers are just undertrained relative to the rest of the muscle belly.

[hamburgerfan]

Pre exhaust those pecs with heavy dumbbell flys. Check out Mike Mentzer's old workouts, they are very effective.

Mike Mentzer Is A Liberal Fraud