starting strength gym
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: Poor Squat grip - need help

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    7

    Default Poor Squat grip - need help

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    24 yo, 5' 7", 156 currently(was 134 in January)

    Started lifting for the first time in January(no real lifting history) with SS & have had a ton of success with the program. However, I've always had poor grip/wrist positioning with my squat due to a serious lack of flexibility to the point where I had to have my wrists almost perpendicular to the floor(pointing up) for good low bar position.

    Based on everything I've read in SS, I should of expected this to improve some throughout the process and didn't have much improvement over the first month, so I started incorporating shoulder dislocations & pec stretching to try and allow myself to bring my hands farther back behind me so I could get a proper grip per SS. This has helped some, but still not to the point where I can get a grip that isn't straining my wrists now that my weight is getting really heavy.

    I have read that a "vicious" massage or ART(Active Release Technique) are good options for flexibility improvement, but wanted to see what other suggestions were out there or if there is just the possibility that I may be out of luck & be forced into HB position. I'd really love to stay with low bar since I love it & prefer it to HB in my limited experience.
    Last edited by TruFloridaGator; 04-01-2010 at 11:14 AM.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    297

    Default

    How wide is your grip? And do you take a good grip before getting under the bar.. or do you get under and grip at the same time?

    I use a slightly wide grip and I also, before getting under the bar, wrap my hands around the bar so that the top of my hand is parallel with the ground. When I get under the bar from this position, my wrists are perfectly straight.

    Not sure if this will help...

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by JT in MD View Post
    How wide is your grip? And do you take a good grip before getting under the bar.. or do you get under and grip at the same time?

    I use a slightly wide grip and I also, before getting under the bar, wrap my hands around the bar so that the top of my hand is parallel with the ground. When I get under the bar from this position, my wrists are perfectly straight.

    Not sure if this will help...
    Grip width has gone to about my index finger on the rings, in my attempt to get my wrists fixed. Used to be much narrower.

    I take a proper grip before getting under the bar with the top of my hand more or less parallel to the ground with straight wrists. However, when I go to get under the bar, I cannot get back to low bar position while maintaining this grip without my wrists starting to bend and being pushed back.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Wood-Ridge, NJ
    Posts
    423

    Default

    I had a similar issue. I Did a lot of stretching and shoulder dislocates. Got my middle finger to the rings on the bar.

    I finally went to a massage therapist, and that pretty much took care of it. It's unbelievable, that doctors get paid crazy $$$ wouldn't be able to resolve this problem for me. But 1-2 hours with a good, certified, massage therapist was like magic.

    It felt like two obstructions behind my shoulders were removed. Now my pinkies are inside the rings.

    I plan on getting a massage about once a month now.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Posts
    7

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by homerj742 View Post
    I had a similar issue. I Did a lot of stretching and shoulder dislocates. Got my middle finger to the rings on the bar.

    I finally went to a massage therapist, and that pretty much took care of it. It's unbelievable, that doctors get paid crazy $$$ wouldn't be able to resolve this problem for me. But 1-2 hours with a good, certified, massage therapist was like magic.

    It felt like two obstructions behind my shoulders were removed. Now my pinkies are inside the rings.

    I plan on getting a massage about once a month now.
    I actually got one today but can't tell if there is any improvement yet. She worked on my shoulders a ton & said I had a lot of tightness & "knots", but didn't get good feedback from here, so I think I'll probably see someone else.

    How soon did you see the results & what should I may asking/saying to the therapist to ensure I'm getting what I want out of the massage.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
    Posts
    794

    Default Having similar problem

    Just hoping I can encourage HomerJ742 to share more -- or anyone else with experience. I had pretty much given up on getting my wrists straight and elbows up. I thought maybe it was just an anthropometry issue -- I think I've got freakishly long arms -- and I think much of it is from the elbow down. Maybe I just can't get the suggested grip?

    So, when I read that massage had made a big difference, I was encouraged. But we've got to know more detail about the massage -- was it anything in particular? Did you just get lucky with a random therapist?

    Anybody else with this problem and/or suggested solution?

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Maryland
    Posts
    297

    Default

    Maybe it was the happy ending that helped.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Posts
    895

    Default

    I have orangutang arms, but have never had much problem with grip width. Ring fingers on the bar rings. Frankly, index finger on the rings isn't bad, especially if you have shorter arms.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    10,378

    Default

    starting strength coach development program
    Quote Originally Posted by JT in MD View Post
    Maybe it was the happy ending that helped.
    Ha!

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •