Arnold Schwarzenegger is famous for many reasons, but one thing that will always be associated with everyone’s favorite Golden Age bodybuilder is the breadth of his pecs. Considering the enormity of said pecs, it’s no wonder people want to know how Arnie built them, and if you’ve ever done any research on the subject, you may have noticed that he used to have a rather unusual grip on the bar when I was in the bank. -pressing, often called “suicide grip”.
Before discussing this type of grip any further, it’s important to emphasize that this article is not an explanation, and no one should try the suicide grip, period. There’s a very good reason why it’s called that; One slip of the hand and that’s it. And not only with the training of the day but also with the integrity of your ribs, lungs and neck. Please do not try it under any circumstances. You have been warned.
What is the suicide grip?
The suicide grip refers to the position of the thumb when holding the bar for exercises such as the bench press. Instead of using an overhand grip, an overhand grip with palms down in front of the thumb moves the thumb to the same side of the bar as the rest of the fingers. This makes the bar somewhat unstable, as it could easily slip out of your grasp.
Why did Arnold Schwarzenegger use the suicide grip?
One of Arnie’s fans asked him about the suicide grab in early 2022 and he responded in his newsletter saying, “I could give you a whole page of reasons why I did it, but this newsletter is about being honest.” quotes men’s health (opens in a new tab)“The reality is there was no reason, and I mostly did it on the incline bench just because it felt good.”
The reason it might ‘feel good’ to use the suicide grip is that it keeps the wrist joint in what feels like a more natural position. The problem is that the benefit of a more comfortable wrist position doesn’t outweigh the danger of the bar slipping and hurting you. When Arnie used it, he was already building muscle for at least a decade and a bit, so he knew exactly what he was doing in the gym.
You, on the other hand, dabbling in full body workouts, they are not experienced enough to even contemplate the idea of using the suicide grip. Even if you have a spotter, a person standing behind you who can potentially help you if you can’t push the bar back to the starting position, you may not be able to react quickly enough if the bar slips.
Is there any benefit to using the suicide grip for the bench press?
The only real benefit of the suicide grip is the increased comfort levels mentioned above, which is simply not reason enough to try it. 99.9% of people who bench press will never have to use the suicide grip, as it’s simply not necessary. If you want pecs as big as Arnie’s, all you need to do is A) make sure you eat enough and the right things so that can increase naturally, B) go to the gym and do the work, even if you don’t feel like lifting, and C) mix up your workouts to stimulate your muscles and help them grow.
pumping iron
For those interested in Arnie’s muscle building methods, check out how he used pectorals flies to widen the pectorals and his Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Plan for Mass, which is a real training plan that anyone can follow to increase size (although it is quite hard). Speaking of focusing on specific parts of the body: Mike Tyson Neck Routine It used to be something quite different in the past, not to mention Iron Mike Bodyweight Workout.
We also have some ideas on how Henry Cavill trained for The Witcher sets and what non-aqua training did Jason Momoa used to get in shape for Aquaman 2. For those who don’t care about celebrity workouts, there’s a push-pull-legs routine which will surely build muscle in the shortest amount of time.
