Types of grips: direct, reverse, neutral for barbells, dumbbells and on the horizontal bar. Neutral Grip Dumbbell Raise Neutral Grip Dumbbell Raise

There are a large number of different exercises, many nuances and subtleties in the technique of their implementation. One of these nuances is the type of grip that is used when performing a particular exercise. And really, how to take the bar correctly, how to put your palm on the horizontal bar, from below or from above, and at what width should you keep your hands on the bar?

Why use different grips.

Different grips are used to pump muscles from different angles, more concentratedly affecting a particular area of \u200b\u200bthe muscle group. By changing the grip, you change the groups of muscles being worked out.

Thus, it turns out that there is no universal answer to the question: Which grip will be correct or which grip will be more effective. In most cases, the choice of grip will depend on the specific exercise and on the goals that you set for yourself when performing it.

Types of grips.

So, what are the grips? Depending on how the palm holds the bar or crossbar, there are three types of grip:

Straight or overhand grip.

Also called pronated grip, from the word pronation, which means rotary motion inside. In a position where the arms are lowered down, with such a grip, the palms will look back.

Neutral or Parallel.

In the position when the arms are lowered down, with such a grip, both palms are turned to the body and look at each other. The grip on the horizontal bar is also called neutral, when the palms look in opposite directions.

Reverse or underhand grip.

The so-called supinated grip, from the word supination, which means outward rotational movement. In a position where the arms are lowered down, with such a grip, the palms will look forward.

When performing exercises, the distance of the hands from each other is of great importance, therefore, depending on the width of the installation of the hands, the grips are also divided into three types.

Narrow grip.

With this grip, the hands should be placed already shoulder width apart. The amplitude of movement with a narrow grip is the maximum, which favorably affects the result. However, using narrow grip, you often connect non-target muscles, such as triceps, which take part of the load on themselves and the effect of the exercise decreases.

Medium grip.

With this grip, the hands are shoulder-width apart. The middle grip is the most common, considered classic and often serves to work out the muscles involved in the exercise. Ideal for beginner athletes.

Wide grip.

A wide grip is a grip when the arms are wider than shoulder width. With this grip, you can focus on the target muscle. However, this grip often reduces the effectiveness of the exercise, since it significantly reduces the range of motion.

According to the location of the thumb during the grip, the grips are divided into closed and open, or safe and dangerous, respectively.

Closed grip.

In this variant, four fingers hold the bar or crossbar on one side, and the thumb holds it on the other side, as if wrapping it around in a ring. When performing exercises with a barbell, this type of grip is usually used, since it is safe to hold the projectile with it. When performing exercises on the horizontal bar, it allows you to more tenaciously hold on to the crossbar.

Open grip (monkey, army).

This grip variant consists in the fact that the bar or crossbar is grasped not with four fingers, but with all five. Thumb in this case, it does not hold, but simply touches the projectile. It is believed that this grip helps to squeeze more weight. However, since the projectile can jump off the hand, it should be used with great care. In exercises with dumbbells, such a grip is generally not recommended. When pulling up on the horizontal bar, this grip is used by quite a few people, on this projectile this grip is also called monkey or army.

So, let's see what grips are used on various implements.

Grips when training with a barbell.

When performing exercises with a barbell, a closed grip is often used, which allows you to clearly fix the projectile in your hands. But still, there are also such athletes who are more comfortable holding the bar with an open grip. This mainly applies to back exercises and presses, especially the bench press, but since it is not safe, it will be better to use a closed grip.

Choice of direct or reverse grip often determined by the exercise itself, but a different grip width is often used when exercising with a barbell. All kinds of presses and pulls are often recommended to be performed with different grip widths, which contributes to a more complete study of the target muscles.

Grips when training with dumbbells.

Dumbbells should always be held with a closed grip. Unlike barbell exercises with dumbbells, it is possible to change the grip right during the exercise, this is often used. Holding the projectile at the starting point with one grip, we change it to another at the end point.

An example of a change in direct, neutral or reverse grip is the Arnold press or dumbbell side raiseswhen we supinate or prone the dumbbells while pressing to the top point. In exercises with dumbbells, the width of the grip is the distance between the hands, which is also customary to change in some exercises, bringing the hands together at the top and spreading them at the bottom, for example when bench press dumbbells.

The ability to use these techniques gives dumbbells an advantage over the barbell, which allows you to influence the muscles in a more diverse way and, ultimately, favorably influence their development.

Grips when pulling up on the horizontal bar.

This is where all kinds of grips are used, so it is with pull-ups on the horizontal bar. What you get as a result depends on how exactly you take up the crossbar. Different grips will help athletes with different levels of training achieve the desired result.

Using a reverse grip helps beginners in mastering pull-ups, as it makes it easier to perform the exercise due to the fact that a stronger biceps is included in the work and takes some of the load off the back. The width of the grip helps the experienced athlete to concentrate the load on certain areas of the back and work out the target muscles.

As you can see, different types of grip are an important part training process, so it's a good idea to take the time to learn how to use them in different situations. Knowledge of the subtleties and features various kinds grip, putting them into practice, will help to diversify and improve your workouts, which in turn will help you achieve the result you want.

Target Muscles: Shoulders

Equipment: dumbbells

In the starting position, the dumbbells are in front of the hips and almost touch them. The torso is straight, and the arms are almost straightened (but not completely) and fixed at the elbows until the end of the set. Keep dumbbells neutral (palms facing each other).
Inhale and, holding your breath, raise your hands in front of you. Do not allow movement in elbow joint- do not bend your arms and do not straighten them until they lock at the elbows. All movement is concentrated exclusively in shoulder joint. While lifting the dumbbells, do not reduce or spread your arms.
The distance between the dumbbells should always be constant: equal to the width of the shoulders or slightly less. Raise dumbbells to shoulder level or higher. Having reached the top point, exhale and slowly lower the dumbbells.
Pause briefly and do the next rep.
If you want to hit the deltas even harder, raise your arms 45 degrees above the horizontal passing through the shoulders.
Do not use your body to move the dumbbells out of place at the start of the lift by tilting your shoulders back and/or pushing your pelvis forward. Better take dumbbells easier.

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Program for training with dumbbells at home

This training plan is designed for home or training in gym with minimal sports equipment. You will train 3 times a week. You can train on it for a long period of time. Stop training on this plan if you feel that it no longer gives you results.

As is known, in strength training There are many types of grip. One of these types is the semi-supinated grip, also known as the neutral or parallel grip, characterized by the palms facing each other.

Diversity is extremely important point for continuous progress, so simply by changing the position of the hands, you can get a new training stimulus. Also, as a bonus, a neutral grip quite often feels more natural and thus relieves excess stress on the joints. Therefore, to maintain a successful long-term training, try the following variations of popular exercises using a neutral grip.

Presses overhead neutral grip

The overhead press is a great build-up exercise. muscle mass shoulders and triceps. And the “beam” allows you to perform them with a neutral grip, which is a fairly popular exercise in strongman tournaments. By the way, the world record for bench presses with a “beam”, set by Zydrunas Savickas, is 222.5 kilograms.

For correct execution For this exercise, the body must be slightly tilted back so as not to touch the chin. However, for those who have had or have back problems, this technique may cause some discomfort. If this is your case, then do the variation with dumbbells using a neutral grip.

Neutral Grip Bench Press

By far, the bench press is the most popular upper body exercise, however, overuse of the pronated grip can cause shoulder problems, and the supinated grip is simply uncomfortable for many. In the meantime, there are two great variations of the neutral grip bench press - the football bar bench press and the log bench press.

The football bar provides several different grip angles, one of which is neutral. For those who want to complicate the work, there is even a variation with thick handles. As for bench presses with a "log", for safety reasons they must be performed in a power rack, while the neck should lie on the stoppers at chest level.

Bent over rows with a neutral grip

One of the problems with bent-over rows is that there is too much neural drive required to maintain the correct position. As a result, the lats, as well as other traction muscles of the upper body, do not receive optimal training stimulus. In addition, at the moment when the bar touches the chest, the range of motion is also limited.

Sitting one-handed rows with a neutral grip allow you to grab upper part body with the free hand, which in turn helps to increase the involvement of the muscles of the torso. In addition, this variation allows you to use a wider range of motion compared to a barbell. In addition, sit-to-belt rows can be performed on a low block using neutral grip handles, which also provides a wider range of motion.

Neutral grip curls

Neutral grip curls, also known as hammer curls, are performed similarly to dumbbell curls, with the only difference being that the arms remain in a neutral position. By the way, this is a very valuable exercise for the arms, because in this way the work of the forearms increases, and as you know, weak forearms inhibit the growth of biceps. In the meantime, it should be noted that if you have structural balance, then the working weight in curls with a neutral grip should be 15 percent more than when using a grip underhand.

Triceps extensions with a neutral grip

There are several variations of the lying triceps extension. Using dumbbells and a neutral grip allows you to get a wider range of motion than with a barbell because it moves the weights along your head.

Pull-ups with a neutral grip

Changing from a pronated or supinated grip to a neutral one changes the way the elbow flexors work. In this case, the strongest grip for sipping is, as a rule, the average neutral grip. This variation increases the work of the elbow flexors, and the width of the grip should be approximately 55-60 centimeters. But a narrow neutral grip increases the work of the extensors of the shoulder, the width is about 15-20 centimeters (as a rule, a V-shaped handle is perfect for this). In addition, it is worth noting that this exercise considered advanced.

Front Squat with Neutral Grip

The front squat is known to be a great exercise for the lower body, however, when performing this movement, many are unable to keep their elbows up due to flexibility problems. This problem can be circumvented by using a safety squat bar with parallel handles, or by using hand straps held in a neutral grip.

Attach the straps to the bar at shoulder width or whatever width is most comfortable for you. Stand with your shoulders under the bar with your palms facing each other. How high you can hold on to the straps depends on your flexibility, meaning people with very poor flexibility will have more gap between the bar and their arms. Now take the bar off the power rack and start squatting. As you go along, you will find that using the straps in this manner allows you to keep your elbows high without discomfort.

Deadlift with a neutral grip

Deadlifts are a great exercise for building overall strength and size. And thanks to the hexagonal neck, this movement can be performed with a neutral grip.

The hexagonal shape allows you to perform it while standing inside the neck itself. This helps to maintain a more upright position of the body, which in turn increases the work of the legs. Incidentally, this type of bar was invented over 30 years ago and was inspired by the "trap bar" developed by Al Gerard, a North Carolina powerlifter, many years before.

Due to the design of the hexagonal bar, the center of the bar is in the same plane with the hips when performing this exercise - as opposed to a regular bar when the legs get in the way. Hands are at the sides in a neutral position.

Jump Squat with Neutral Grip

The hex bar is the best tool for jump squats. One study published in 2011 in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research found that the biomechanics of hex bar jumps are much more similar to jumps performed in sports. With a hexagonal bar, you can jump higher and generate much more force and power than with a straight bar. As a bonus, hex bar jumps also help develop trapeziums as the person performs shrugs during these jumps.

Shrugs with a neutral grip

The hex bar, trap bar, dumbbells, and many types of shrugs allow you to perform this exercise with your arms at your sides in a neutral position.

In contrast to dumbbell shrugs, a straight bar allows for a smoother movement because the weights don't catch on the legs. Perform this exercise in a power rack with the bar on the stops. You can also grab one of the frame legs with your free hand, which will help you maintain a more upright position of the body.

Variety is the key to success in strength training. However, it not only causes muscle growth and strength gains, it also helps keep joints healthy. This article presented several ways to train large muscle groups using a neutral grip. Try them and you will see how your training will change for the better.

Reading time: 10 min

Strong shoulders make the arms embossed, emphasize the biceps and triceps, help upper body look toned and athletic. We bring you the best shoulder exercises with dumbbells for women that you can do both at home and in the gym.

In the formation of the shoulder, one main muscle is involved - the deltoid, and the trapezius muscle also forms the back of the shoulder. It should be noted that the shoulders are one of most difficult in terms of physical development body parts. This is due to the complex structure deltoid muscles, which consist of 3 beams: anterior, middle (lateral) and posterior. The front beam is responsible for raising the arms in front of you, the middle beam is responsible for spreading the arms to the sides, the back beam takes the arms back.

Part of the exercises on the shoulders help to include several muscles at once: these are the so-called basic exercises. These include the dumbbell press while standing or sitting, so they must be included in your strength training. You can add to the basic exercises and insulating that work only one muscle group.

To train your shoulders, do the selected exercises in 4-5 sets of 12-15 reps. Select the weight of the dumbbells in such a way that you can do the desired number of repetitions. The dumbbell shoulder exercises listed below can be done at home or at the gym. The deltoid muscles are very easy to injure, so be careful when exercising.

Shoulder exercises with dumbbells

1. Dumbbell bench press with a direct grip standing or sitting

The dumbbell press is a basic shoulder exercise, always include it in your main workout. The dumbbell press predominantly engages the middle delts, but the front and back also take part in its execution. The exercise can be done standing or sitting.

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells are taken in hands with a direct grip and raised at eye level. Raise the projectile up, exhaling at the end of the lift. Pause briefly and lower your arms back to the starting position.

Sit on a bench, hold the dumbbells with an overhand grip at eye level. Raise the projectile up with an exhalation at the end of the lift. Pause and return to the starting position.

Main working muscles: front and middle deltas
: triceps

2. Dumbbell bench press with neutral grip standing or sitting

The dumbbell press with a neutral grip helps to engage the front delts to a greater extent. This shoulder exercise with dumbbells can be done either standing or sitting. There is also a variant of execution with alternately raising and lowering the hands.

Feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells raised at chin level with a neutral grip. As you exhale, lift the projectile vertically upwards, take a short pause, while inhaling, return to the starting position.

Sit on a chair, back straight, dumbbells raised at chin level with a neutral grip. Raise the projectile up as you exhale, after a short pause, return to the starting position.

Main working muscles: front and middle deltas
Additional working muscles: triceps

3. Breeding arms to the sides with dumbbells standing or sitting

This shoulder isolation exercise with dumbbells involves the middle delts.

Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, body slightly forward. Bend your arms and legs slightly. As you exhale, spread the dumbbells to the sides without changing the angle at the elbows. Return to starting position.

Sit upright on a bench with your elbows slightly bent. As you exhale, spread the dumbbells to the sides, trying not to change the angle at the elbows. Return to starting position.

Main working muscles: middle deltas

Another isolating exercise, only now for the back delt. Sit on the edge of the bench, tilt your body forward. As you exhale, spread your arms to the sides until parallel with the floor, arms slightly bent at the elbows. After a short pause, return to the starting position.

Main working muscles: rear delts

Isolation exercise for the back delt. Lie horizontally on a bench on your stomach, arms with dumbbells down, elbows slightly bent. As you exhale, raise your arms to a position parallel to the floor, without changing the angle at the elbows. On an inhale, lower to the starting position. You can change the angle of the bench to include new muscle groups.

Main working muscles: rear delts
Additional working muscles: middle deltas

This is an isolation exercise with dumbbells for the front and middle delt. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells are taken in hands with a direct grip. As you exhale, raise the projectile in front of you to a position until your arms are parallel to the floor. On inspiration, we return to the starting position.

Main working muscles: front and middle deltas
Additional working muscles: trapezium, pectoral muscles

Basic shoulder exercise with dumbbells. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, hands with the projectile lowered and located near the hips in front. Raise the dumbbells up to the level of the chin, the dumbbells should remain parallel to the floor. Make sure your elbows are higher than your hands. Hold your hands at your chin for a second and lower them down.

Main working muscles: middle deltas, trapezius muscle (trapezius)
Additional working muscles: front delts

The trapezius muscle is also involved in the formation of the relief of the shoulders. One of effective exercises for the trapezoid are scars. Stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart, dumbbells in your hands at your sides. As you exhale, raise your shoulders as high as possible, then as you inhale, lower them back to the starting position.

Main working muscles: trapezius muscle (trapezium)
Additional working muscles: middle deltas

Before doing shoulder exercises with dumbbells at home or in the gym, be sure to warm up your muscles. Shoulders prone to injury, so follow the technique of performing exercises and do not force the load. See also a selection the best exercises chest with dumbbells.

This is one of the main basic exercises for pumping the deltoid muscles. It will help you gain mass and strength. shoulder girdle, will make the shoulders wider and give them the desired rounded-convex shape.

The dumbbell press is one of the most popular exercises in bodybuilding. According to many professionals, it is almost impossible to “pump” the deltoid muscles without dumbbell presses. Most trainers believe that this exercise, first of all, loads the front bundles of the deltoid muscles, secondly, the middle bundles of the deltas are already connected to the work, and the back of the shoulder receives a completely insignificant share of the load.

The difference between the barbell press and the dumbbell press is that the amplitude and trajectory of movement during the dumbbell press is much larger, which means that the muscles get a greater load and are better worked out, which is undoubtedly a big plus for this exercise.

Ways to do the exercise

1. Standing and sitting dumbbell press

Take dumbbells, stand up straight or sit on a bench. In the starting position, the dumbbells are at eye level or slightly lower. Elbows are turned to the sides. Forearms are vertical. Deflection in the lower back. As you exhale, squeeze the dumbbells up, slightly connecting them above your head. On an inhale, slowly return to the starting position.

During the exercise, carefully control the trajectory of the movement of the dumbbells. Be sure to bring them over your head, by doing this you increase the dynamics of muscle work. Hands should move in the same plane.

Standing dumbbell press overhead.
Overhead dumbbell press while sitting.

2. Overhead Dumbbell Press with Neutral Grip

Take dumbbells and hold them in your arms bent at a right angle at shoulder level. Forearms are perpendicular to the floor. As you exhale, press the dumbbells over your head. On an inhale, lower the dumbbells to your shoulders.

Exercise options:

Standing dumbbell overhead press with a neutral grip.
Alternating dumbbell overhead press with a neutral grip while standing.
Dumbbell press with one hand overhead with a neutral grip while standing.
Overhead dumbbell press with a neutral grip while sitting.