are your wrist completely straight when you bench?

[audiophyle]

When I keep my wrists straight I can't hold onto the bar, but when I bend them back my wrists hurt. Do you keep your wrists completely straight?

 

[EnglishBeef]

I keep mine at a slight angle. Try wrist strenghing exercises or straps

 

[jackangel]

Mine are always bent back, because I've never gotten into the habit of straightening them (like you, I feel the bar might slip, and it's an added distraction). They hurt a bit too. It may be a bad habit, but I don't know that I'll ever change it.

 

[PolishHammer1977]

Yes my wrists are alwya straight. I moved them during a lift once and almost had to drink through a straw for the rest of my life. Luckily I had a good spottr/friend there. My wrists havent moved since.

 

[JOKER47]

I keep mine at a slight angle. Try wrist strenghing exercises or straps

I have the same problem.

What exercises would you suggest for strengthening the wrist itself?


Joker

 

[Exodus]

I keep mine at a slight angle. Try wrist strenghing exercises or straps

same here......... idont feel right with them cocked all the way back or straight up.

X

 

[spatts]

It's ok for your hand to be bent back as long as the BAR is over your wrist. That means you can have your hand cocked back, but the bar has to be in the lower part of your palm so that your wrist, elbow, and the bar are all on the same plane. If the bar is on the back part of your palm, like by your callouses and the base of your fingers, you're asking for trouble.

Make sense?

 

[Becoming]

I agree with spatts on this- I keep the bar over the wrist, on the lower "meaty portion" of the palm. I have never had to do any strengthing exercises and it does cause a slight angle in the wrist, which from habit, I just kind of lock in. Also, I rarely have wrist problems, though I do get a little callousing and bruising on my palm (lower hand, away from normal callouses up bythe fingers) from time to time....

I think the key is envisioning the elbow, wrist, and bar all in line vertically..

 

[spatts]

I think the key is envisioning the elbow, wrist, and bar all in line vertically..

Exactly.

 

[Liftbig]

mine are pretty close to straight up and down, if your wrist is bent back you cant grip the bar as hard as you could straight up and down.