MY NEW BENCH GRIP Ft. CONNOR LUTZ

[@stephaniebirkhimer162]

I think I've been doing this without realizing it. I vaguely remember reading something on Greg Nuckols's website about putting the bar more diagonally in your hands to utilize the "bend the bar" technique. Greg would be a good guy to have on your channel, he's really into the science behind lifting and you guys could make some really informative stuff!

[@taekler]

That's a smart man given some great tips! This was what i needed to fix my form! Thanks a bunch buddy

[@infamoussteven]

Thank you so much Bryce and Connor! I've been struggling for the past year with my bench due to shoulder issues and gave this grip a try during my bench session today and it was the best bench session I've had in a long time!

[@JohnmillerPowerlifting]

the one and the one Connor Lutz, what a legend

[@Erik-fn2xg]

I realized that I was over-tucking my elbow while benching with max width and when I asked a world record bench presser at my powerlifting gym about it, he recommended me this kind of grip. It's been working great and my bench has finally started moving again! As it also has worked for so many others at the gym we named the grip after him, not Lutz ;) I thought it was a funny coincidence when you started talking about the same type of grip in a video just a few days afterwards.

[@bryndleystanworth6961]

That was awesome! Lutz had the best bench tutorial on KZbin before he deleted it, happy to see this it's really damn good and got me thinking

[@MP-mz7un]

Moses stanworth does someone know why he deleted it?

[@adrianknox8993]

Phenomenal video man.

[@QQyoko]

Wait a minute, this isn't FCF. But the TV is here... I'm so confused. Is the new bench grip setting the plates on fire?

[@robinsonvs.parkinsons4090]

Been playing around with this grip from your earlier description and it's helped a ton. A few tweeks with this tutorial and I might actually have a better bench at my meet this Saturday. I'll say it again, best powerlifting channel on the tubes.

[@6661StJimmy]

Legendary duo right here

[@zinskeep]

This grip feels smooooth. Been doing this the past couple weeks by just naturally finding it feels better.

[@twan_alanzo]

I used to have a pretty hard time remembering to cue proper elbow tucking and flaring. I had actually learned the grip from Nick Wright OHP'ing but when you mentioned a similar version for bench i decided to try. Instantly had an easier time tucking and flaring because of the natural tension it makes, havent had noticeable strength improvement yet but its helped me actually like benching.

[@ethanlewis7635]

Great grip to use, been working for me for years.

[@themanwiththeplan197]

Connor is such a knowledgeable lifter, and seems like a super cool dude. I take a relatively wide grip, and am a weak kitten when it comes to bench, so this is something I'm gonna give a shot.

[@Tommaso_Paoli]

Been waiting for this one!

[@Goldcohen22]

Just tried the way you bench and I found it forced me to stay tight throughout the movement. I find that keeping tight was a real issue for me so thank yoy for sharing this.Took my previous 5 rep pr and did 8 with it!

[@dubbz317]

Great video, bro!

[@ultra7021]

Amazing info thanks. Some of it I was sort of figuring out myself and this just confirmed it, but otherwise stuff like the thumb thing just made the "bend the bar" cue click for me for the first time.

[@thomaslevesque5442]

words to live by, really informative !

[@jbrown259237]

Great video, thank you.

[@antonmadto]

I'm gonna use this cue. And i think it's applicable for overhead press

[@mattymattffs]

I've been using this bulldog grip for a while, but this is the first time I've heard about squeezing the thumb. I'll have to give it a shot!

[@Gumnball]

Great video !l I've been playing around (and struggling) with my bench grip to avoid shoulder pain. I had to work my upper back retraction, shoulders position and widen my grip and so my hand position. I fell more stable and strong now but still lack in stability. I'll adjust my grip as Connor demonstrate in the video, It will help me fore sure !

[@transmundanemusic]

Trying this for bench tomorrow.

[@thatoneguy8493]

Ben Blue dude right, same!

[@racerx2580]

Connor come back to your channel man, plz! We need another true no bs lifter helping us with ideas on how to build our strength mass. Youre a good dude! And your current videos are still helpful as well!

[@cystictostrong1215]

awesome video

[@ToraJutsu01]

This looks a bit like the military press grip set up used by the Starting Strength crew.

[@ErikBrabantsPianist]

Have been dealing with weightlifter shoulder for the past four months, if it ever heals will definitely try this out

[@donha475]

Great video! Thanks. I have tiny

[@MachineDNGRZN]

YES

[@haikuancheoh2418]

this is golden

[@ohnenamenspieler]

Nice Stuff. Starting strength recommends that grip. :)

[@grizzlymanverneteil4443]

Lol CT and Mendelson at the beginning. I don't know if anyone noticed this, but this gentleman has huge biceps.

[@jonnenne]

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

[@jayn8392]

Man those are some gnarly lifts for that weight class. I am about 150 when healthy (recovering from surgery) and I can't imagine getting those numbers as a natural. What a beast. It would definitely help my lifts to put some weight on.... but I like having abs too much.

[@B0mbo-h7x]

Keep using excuses to justify being weak

[@xenios7]

4:30 info

[@spiloFTW]

Hold on thats not an IPF legal belt!

[@calgarybarbell]

Where?!?!

[@Dippedinblackink]

Hmm this is pretty interesting. Is this the same thing as a Bulldog grip? Also if you're internally rotating the wrist I would think that would cause more of a tucking of the elbows no? I'm going to have to try this out asap to see how it feels tomorrow.

[@YGHuang]

I've used this method for a while, and it works! Here's the question: should I grip the bar firmly or just maintain the gap between my fingers and the bar? cuz I saw Alan Thrall used this grip as well ,and he didn't grip the bar firmly. ps: How do you open up your hips for the sumo? I can external rotate my hips easily, but my abduction just sucks..Appreciate it!!

[@mattymattffs]

Alan Thrall uses a different grip. He uses a pinch grip. This is more of a bulldog grip.

[@parlindgren9009]

Oh.. I’m doing this .. didn’t know it had a name

[@shao5141]

Got a new Sub! Keep it up!

[@JackieJea]

the grip you're using called "bulldog grip", if you want to go more extreme with your hands even more internally rotated, then look into the "japanese grip"

[@YungJuve]

I first learned about this grip from JP Cauchi's tutorial.

[@Tez0rd]

Tried this grip out and although it improved positioning and drive I felt like I lost the torque created in shoulders/lats that is usual from bending the bar...any thoughts or tips on this?

[@Sinhro480]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZ-lnpx4ptVgd6s Mark Rippetoe is talking about this que while pressing . 2:30

[@brownerthemonk]

Weird question.... what jeans do you wear.... Powerlifting and jeans that fit don't go together I've found.

[@calgarybarbell]

Levi’s 541 - athletic fit baby

[@AP2922]

Chris Brown I wear Levi's 513 athletic fit and you can get those with some stretch in the fabric which helps.

[@twan_alanzo]

For the most part just try to find jeans with some spandex in them and you'll be fine.

[@neosanking1388]

Most people in Comment section are confused and are stuck at Internal Rotation of the Wrist. Hope this Helps.. 4:30

[@Andratos95]

I have a question: I thought the Japanese grip was only good to kinda "cheat" the allowed grip width by increasing it to the limit and decrease the ROM. In this case though, it seems like you are just doing the grip even with a standard grip (like middle finger on the 81 rings). So there is a reason to do this grip that goes beyond the mere "decrease ROM" thing?

[@Andratos95]

Wait a second... So should you externally or internally rotate the elbows? I didn't get that part

[@TevynSmith]

National aerobics championship song 😍😍

[@zeljko4189]

Tried this grip months ago but it put my shoulders in internal rotation and i couldn't even unrack the bar.It probably works only for very wide bench press.

[@SmallFry01]

I tried this and it's pretty painful on my wrists and hand palms. Is this normal? And if so, does it go away after a while?

[@bastilift]

Is this the same as the Japanese grip JP Cauchi talked about it in a couple of his videos? I've actually tried that and got pretty bad tendonitis in my forearms and elbows after 3-4 weeks. It's definitely something to ease into slowly over multiple weeks.

[@Matt-ey7pk]

Basti Lift I'd use wraps

[@calgarybarbell]

It’s pretty similar, maybe a bit less exaggerated than what JP was talking about. But similar concept yeah! And yeah, as with most changes, you’d want to take it reasonably slow and ease into it. Did you switch back? Or slowly change over and avoid the tendon issues?

[@nolenlifts4661]

Isn’t this grip going to internally rotate the shoulders?

[@AsifIqbalMunir]

It's basically rotating your wrists & forearms, your shoulders still stay in that same position

[@nolenlifts4661]

Asif Munir id have to try it out. I don’t Bench very wide but I don’t Bench very much either lol

[@AsifIqbalMunir]

Nolen Elam It's not meant for closer grip styles, I've tried it with my close grip bench and yeah that's when the shoulders get internally rotated. You can still do this grip w/o doing the thing with the thumb in the video so it's kinda like just resting the bar on your palm. KZbin bull dog grip, there is another excellent video of it

[@calgarybarbell]

Yeah, it’ll internally rotate your shoulders a bit, but generally it’ll achieve a neutral position if the athlete is prone to over-externally-rotating the shoulders (which I think a LOT of people are because of the stupid ‘tuck your elbows’ cue)

[@thatoneguy8493]

Damn that shit turns into a decline bench with less range of motion with that arch

[@jakemitchell7397]

That's the point

[@thatoneguy8493]

I get that. I tried this grip today and it felt phenomenal. Gonna do this every time

[@Matt_Lifts]

Chase Grengs how much strength did you gain? Ive never used wipe grip seriously. I tried it once or twice and noticed i was weaker and stopped.

[@thatoneguy8493]

Matt Lifts well currently my max is only 200 lbs on flat. But I tried this a few days ago AFTER maxing out in incline and after heavy db shoulder presses and 170 felt like 135 so it definitely helped drastically. Also for the first time I could actually feel my chest working to move the weight instead of just my triceps and front delts

[@benlabour1545]

In bench it's never going to be the pressing muscles that are weak it's the upper back (traps) turn the lowering phase into a row (force scapula back as you lowering the back) u will never struggle again

[@calgarybarbell]

Hey man, I respect what you’re saying and I think those muscles and training them correctly is really important, but I definitely think the pressing muscles are often the weakest link in the bench press.

[@benlabour1545]

I bet u press more than u can row right? And if u can row just as much I bet u not consiously retracting your scapula as u row the bar to your chest. You have to mimic the way the scapula suppose to work same as a push up as you drop further n further down the more u retract then protract as u push up it doesn't work if u just hold it retracted from the beginning

[@benlabour1545]

Look at the slingshot , reverse band bench etc it's all designed to put lots of tension on the upper back traps n to imitate a row your pecs are responsible for horizontal aduction triceps elbow extension front delts transverse arm flexion, PPL will always do these movements when pressing off their chest hence it can't be a weakness in those muscles

[@calgarybarbell]

The slingshot literally mimics the action of the pecs... I’m not sure where you’re going with this. Are you saying someone would get more out of rowing and back work for pressing than doing more pressing?

[@benlabour1545]

Calgary Barbell definitely, the BB is such a complicated grey area in the lifts because of different body types thicker torsos cues techniques etc but in general when PPL can't progress n their general technique is fine it's upper back/traps how many times have u seen PPL with huge squat n deadlifts numbers n even been coached how to BB but their BB is still poor or far behind? It's their traps that are lagging behind n they dnt simply work by just holding them back n pressing they are activated as if u doing a row as I described above how (row=consiously pull shoulder blades together AS u pull the bar to the chest then protract n go back to starting position) Also with dumbells press, PPL never plateau with that exercise why? Cos of the increases ROM at the bottom u can properly naturally retract the scapula (traps) whilst under tension from weight with barbell bench u can't cos the bar gets in the way so u have to cue yourself to do it it, doesn't happen naturally

[@Thematija006]

Do you external or internal rotate the sholder joint?

[@calgarybarbell]

Connor said ‘externally rotate’ a few times and I think what he meant was ‘internally rotate’. The ideal is that it doesn’t change the shoulder *position* but rather the shoulder *orientation*. You can handle a bit of internal rotation, so long as the scapulae remain retracted and depressed really well.

[@Thematija006]

Yea, but if you want to make a tension in forearm and bicep with thumb, you need to imaginary "externally rotate" (push the thumb into the bar- palm supination ) and then when you press, then internally rotate shoulder (whole arm). Am I right or ?

[@calgarybarbell]

Yeah, you’re correct. I’d say that whether you need to internally or externally rotate depends on your starting position.

[@Thematija006]

Calgary Barbell Thanks for answer!

[@joebigjoe]

So it’s pronounced Loots

[@groovytony5568]

Is this the grip Mike T's using ? Isn't this grip called the bulldog grip ?

[@calgarybarbell]

Very similar yep!

[@groovytony5568]

Was the grip painful on the wrist at first ?

[@calgarybarbell]

I didn’t find it bad at all, but I use pretty beefy wraps

[@zpl68]

Haven't heard from this guy since his stuff with jonnie

[@lauravo3355]

Does anybody here get bruised in the bottom of the thumb bone... as it gets close to the wrist (i think it;s called thumb metacarpal)? any tips on how to avoid that?

[@TheYYellowmamba]

clutz, come back tho...

[@calgarybarbell]

You just may see him around here more... he’s living in Calgary and all...

[@Coachwojo69]

That's internal rotation, not external rotation

[@calgarybarbell]

You’re correct yes. I believe he misspoke.

[@alexalfaro6396]

Still zero dislikes 👌

[@atomuwakamatsu7492]

Put Mehar on the channel

[@MeharBhogal]

Atomu Wakamatsu lmao

[@MeharBhogal]

Atomu Wakamatsu lmao

[@bjornbondemark1804]

Stupid question but is this like an "instant fix" or is it something that you'll have to learn to control and give some time to learn? Gonna try it out for sure, awesome video with great explanation :)

[@ΔΗΜΗΤΡΗΣΔΑΒΡΗΣ]

Instant fix for me being doin it for years

[@mattymattffs]

Helped me a lot from day one, has only improved since then

[@calgarybarbell]

For me, it seemed like a pretty quick and intuitive change, for some I don’t think it would be as easy to transition into

[@스텔-c6o]

1:33 when he locks out jesus his knee naturally hyperextends... i better not see this guy leg pressing

[@rossMIE]

Min Young Kim thought the same thing, looks horiffic, but guess for him it's fine, did make me feel a bit sick though 😂

[@AsifIqbalMunir]

Bulldog grip is what ppl seem to call it

[@calgarybarbell]

That’s what I’ve heard it called as well

[@Gumnball]

I saw Alan Thrall' video on the Bulldog grip and it seems that the point is to have your fingers pressing the bar with the tips in order to force the bar to stay tucked lower on your hands and aligned with the forarms. What Connor is showing looks more like an in-between classic and japanese grip. See John Paul Cauchi video on the Japanese grip : kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4jKdn2fqd2orMU

[@jamesoakley1048]

No hate, But what’s with that crazy arch? The rom is so small

[@Matt_Lifts]

James Oakley to push the maximum weight. Surely you're aware of the fact that powerlifters want to lift as much as possible.

[@jamesoakley1048]

Matt Lifts No I get it, I guess I’m just thinking too much like a body builder

[@yswead97]

No offense , but , do the same kind of arch (if you can in the first place ) and bench 4 plates at 74 kgs lol. Let us see how much you gon bench son , 2 plates tops .

[@jamesoakley1048]

yswead97 that doesn’t answer my question at all You fuck

[@Leo.witchere]

calm down, he said "no hate" and tbh the arch is ridiculous

[@KenpachiZarakiX]

So bulldog grip like your boy Alan Thrall started doing. Nice.

[@mattymattffs]

Alan uses a pinch, not a bulldog grip. He is just naming it incorrectly.

[@poomuncherful]

Hey man, I’m currently 2 weeks out from my meet with using your 16 week program. Is it normal to feel pretty beat up and fatigued at this point? Thanks boys for all your videos, other content creators should be following in your shoes of producing genuine solid powerlifting content.

[@Zerfoy]

havent read his 16 week program but many meet preps end with a fatigue overload, then you deload/rest up for a week to get back to insane strengths to set some PRs at meets

[@calgarybarbell]

2 weeks out? Yeah that’s definitely normal! Try to take the extra effort to focus on passive recovery outside of the gym as much as you can - IE extra sleep, extra food (depending on bw and class..) and things like specific de-stress times or Meditations.