Forearm pain and bench grip

[Dave_G]

Hi Ripp - As my weights have gone up in the bench, I'm getting a pain in the top of my forearms. (According to diagrams I looked up, it looks like it is the brachioradialis) It seems to be grip related. I searched on these boards for similar complaints, and people who are responding always seem to ask if the angle of the wrist to the forearm is straight. 180 degrees. To me, that feels uncomfortable. So, I reviewed the bench portion of my SS DVD, and as best as I can tell, the people's wrists are not 180 degrees, but slightly angled back in order to position the bar right on the end of the ulna. Am I not seeing the video clearly enough? Is 180 degrees proper?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Funny you should mention this. The correct grip angle for both the press and bench press is about 10-15 degrees of wrist extension. An article about this will be up shortly.

[DRice311]

Hi Ripp - As my weights have gone up in the bench, I'm getting a pain in the top of my forearms. (According to diagrams I looked up, it looks like it is the brachioradialis) It seems to be grip related. I searched on these boards for similar complaints, and people who are responding always seem to ask if the angle of the wrist to the forearm is straight. 180 degrees. To me, that feels uncomfortable. So, I reviewed the bench portion of my SS DVD, and as best as I can tell, the people's wrists are not 180 degrees, but slightly angled back in order to position the bar right on the end of the ulna. Am I not seeing the video clearly enough? Is 180 degrees proper?

Dave - I've been having a very similar issue. Same exact area, kind of a radiating pain. I've recently got it somewhat under control. It was made worse and really aggravated by pullups. Extremely frustrating. I tried quite a few things, but it seemed to really respond to ART. The guy I saw seems to think it was the ulnar nerve. He used a lot of words like junky tissue, adhesions . . .etc. Anyway - after two treatments, it is honestly a lot better. Before that, it was a chronic problem that had been bothering me for a few months.

[Dave_G]

Dave - I've been having a very similar issue. Same exact area, kind of a radiating pain. I've recently got it somewhat under control. It was made worse and really aggravated by pullups. Extremely frustrating. I tried quite a few things, but it seemed to really respond to ART. The guy I saw seems to think it was the ulnar nerve. He used a lot of words like junky tissue, adhesions . . .etc. Anyway - after two treatments, it is honestly a lot better. Before that, it was a chronic problem that had been bothering me for a few months.

Thanks for the info. Based on this, I just called my wife's friend, a massage therapist, to see if she is certified in ART, which she is. She's going to come by tomorrow. A session or two with her, plus the ART, and all should be well. LOL! That plus I will correct my grip as Ripp describes above and I should be good to go!

[quagmire]

Related, often when benching, when I rack the bar, then release my grip, my forearm hurts. No pain during benching. Because of the pain, I rack the bar, then bring my elbows up, and THEN release the grip (which is better painwise).

[Mark Rippetoe]

Fascinating.

[David_G]

People really underestimate the importance of the hand muscles and their use in barbell training(TRY BENDING THE BAR WHILE YOU BENCH...)

Most people don't know how to place the bar in their hand or don't even know that it's as crucial to the lift as any other part of the arm

[JCavin]

Related, often when benching, when I rack the bar, then release my grip, my forearm hurts. No pain during benching. Because of the pain, I rack the bar, then bring my elbows up, and THEN release the grip (which is better painwise).

I had this problem from forearm splints caused by barbell curls. I can't do them for more than a few weeks without the pain resurfacing. YMMV.