Squats, OHP, Long forearms

Ask questions, post videos, help others not screw up

Moderators: mgil, d0uevenlift

Post Reply
hackerhercules
Registered User
Posts: 167
Joined: Mon May 07, 2018 3:35 pm

Squats, OHP, Long forearms

#1

Post by hackerhercules » Thu May 19, 2022 12:31 pm

Kind forum reader, please forgive me if this question has been asked but I could not be assed to try 52 different search terms to see if my precise combination of circumstances had been addressed elsewhere. (Watch someone point out I've asked this Q before and just forgot lol)

I am under the impression that I have long forearms. Mostly because I lifted with @chromoly once (is she still alive? I hope so) and when I got in position for my OHP she made a hilarious face at me and said I had long forearms. (Secretly, I think being fat also puts my biomechanics in a weird position but this is being addressed, slowly)

When I OHP, it is biologically impossible for me to rack the bar on my chest/delts while maintaining proper wrist and elbow position (aka without rolling it onto my fingertips, or while keeping my elbows positioned below/in front of the bar). Doesn't matter how wide or narrow my hand placement is, it's not happening. We're talking like 4-5 inches off my chest. I can tuck the bar just beneath my chin though, without tilting my head way back or anything goofy.

When I squat, if I place my hands in as close to my shoulders as possible, my bar shelf (or whatever) inevitably ends up getting loose. Whereas if I place my hands as far out as they can go, I find it a lot easier to keep my bar shelf (or whatever) real tight. This is the exact opposite of what I've told to do with squats.

Does anyone else have this/these issue(s)? Has anyone seen them in other lifters? It's not impacting warmups or heavy singles, I squat 545@8 to depth on Monday, and OHP something like 215@8 on Tuesday, but bar roll on squats and unpredictable OHP performance begins to creep in on volume work and I'm trying to explore ways to solve it.

User avatar
5hout
Registered User
Posts: 1556
Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2019 5:32 am

Re: Squats, OHP, Long forearms

#2

Post by 5hout » Thu May 19, 2022 12:53 pm

I have no solution for you, other than to point out that a lot of elite powerlifters use a super wide grip.

Insanely wide:
https://youtu.be/DsXj2fQ4uow?t=503

Less wide, but remember how short he is and look at the arms.
https://youtu.be/rRO51Qqt-I8?t=107

Pretty darn wide:
https://youtu.be/-AXaRbhv_gw?t=178

I'd note that a lot of 242/308 people squat with collar to collar grips, (especially from monolifts). I've played around with the wide grip and really like it as a variation.

User avatar
mgil
Shitpostmaster General
Posts: 8464
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2017 5:46 pm
Location: FlabLab©®
Age: 49

Re: Squats, OHP, Long forearms

#3

Post by mgil » Thu May 19, 2022 3:59 pm

@hackerhercules, great to see you around again. Also, @chromoly is alive and doing well!

Regarding your limb length issues, is the floating rack preventing you from getting enough ROM in the lift? It’s arbitrary anyhow, so if you’re looking for more ROM, switch to dumbbells or similar and do overhead work that way. I guarantee that letting your grip rotate allows for more ROM. Sometimes that forearm issue is really a thoracic spine flexibility issue. And it’s no big deal anyhow.

Same goes for squats. Grip where things feel good and the bar is stable. There is no such thing as perfect technique.

User avatar
Hardartery
Registered User
Posts: 3107
Joined: Sat Nov 21, 2020 6:28 pm
Location: Fat City

Re: Squats, OHP, Long forearms

#4

Post by Hardartery » Fri May 20, 2022 8:49 am

First, narrow bar grip is not going to keep your "Shelf" tight or big or anything. You will find that there is a grip width that maximizes Rear Delt contraction for your biomechanics, that is the right grip for maintaining a "Shelf". If I go narrow, there is little to no contraction of the rear delt muscles I am simply using the painfully awkward linit of ROM to prevent bar movement. It's a great way to trigger crippling tendonitis in your elbows if there is any bar whip.
Mot larger lifters using an ultrawide hand placement are doing it because of their shoulders (Arthritis, or just no ROM from the benching and pec work), or because they are just wide. If I squat with a normal Power Bar, I am starting with my hands all the way out and MAYBE by set 4 or 5 I can achieve bar position and have my hands inside the cups to rack/unrack. A Squat bar is significantly more comfortable because of the greater distance between collars and the lack of bend in the bar.
As far as long forearms and rack position.... got pics or video? I cannot rack on the delts until I have done siginificant warming up of the shoulders, this has everything to do with arthritis and loss of ROM.I'm not saying it's not your forearm length, but I'm not saying it is. I have monkey arms, 77" reach on a 72" height and my finger tip to elbow is 18". I can rack with warmups.

Post Reply