Don't use this grip!

A news article caught my eye last week about a barbell accident that killed former UN leader John Ashe. The article focused on politics (Ashe was under investigation for corruption) but did mention that it happened while bench pressing and the cause of death was traumatic asphyxiation, meaning the bar likely fell on his throat.

There were no details about how it happened, but my first thought was "thumbless grip." Whether that was the cause or not, benching sans thumbs is not a good idea.

The thumbless bench press grip is also known as the "suicide grip." Lots of people use it, including some very heavy benchers. The main (only?) reason to use it is to compensate for a lack of shoulder mobility and get a wider grip. 

Some people use the suicide grip for long and successful lifting careers. Good for them. There's no good reason to use it. And if you think having a spotter makes it OK, watch this video. 

Lifting weights is extremely safe...when done properly. Be smart, stay safe, and lift!

Be seeing you.