Gripping a bar...

I've seen a few different grips when it comes to benching. There is the reverse-grip, false grip, and then what I consider the right grip, where your thumb is over the bar and allows you to grip it palms facing forward.

I grip the bar at around shoulder-width or a little bit wider than that. How far should your hands be from each other? And what effect does it have on the muscles being worked? I've seen experienced body-builders grip a bar with their hands much wider than should-width.

-Roek
 
That depend on what form of benching you're doing. Wide-grip, close-grip or conventional.

However, the false grip is very much frowned on as the bar can easily slip (I've seen videos of guys getting a bar to the chest after losing their false grip).
 
Can you use a false grip in powerlifting?

I use a false grip, even with dumbells. I find it much more comfortable. Yes it's less safe tho
 
I'd have to ask Cressey on this, but I'm sure his and everybody else's repsonse is going to be, "why do that."
 
I have always used a false grip on bench press. If you have enough flexibility in your wrists (and are using good form) it is perfectly safe. I have never dropped the bar or even felt close to dropping it. If you are comfortable with the false grip, I would see no reason not to use it.
 
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