There are many things in the fitness world that nobody ever thinks to train newcomers in. Exercises such as pushups, situps, and running are assumed to be so intuitive that anyone can just hop in and do them - or they can’t, in which case we figure they’re too weak and simply need to train more. In these cases, a little instruction may make all the difference between success and failure.
In the case of gripping a bar, you may go your whole fitness lifetime not realizing your grip is less-than-perfect. Instead, you might simply find yourself wearing out too quickly, not lifting as much as you might, or having hand pain as your limiting factor.
Click on the slideshow to the left to see the basic grips and techniques and how to best learn them.
Knowing what grip to use, at what time, and with which hand position, can help tremendously, and can be the difference between progress and stagnation in every one of your lifts (and some of your bodyweight exercises). Be aware, however, that some of these grips will feel completely unnatural at first. Keep working at them, and you’ll feel right at home!
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