Optimal Hand Placement--Squats

[powerrack]

I'm asking this question because I seem to get wrist and forearm pains after heavy squat sessions. My bar placement is sort of mid-trap, and my hand placement is a medium grip. I'm thinking maybe a wider grip may help?

Anyone have any thoughts?

 

[Got ripped]

Maybe. It could what about your grip itself have you tried changing it? Could be your stance? Hows the angle of your grip? Is it more overhand turned or underhand turned? Fully extended thumb grip or more tucked in squeeze grip? I think theirs a variety of reasons and trial and error is the only way to find out for sure so good luck.

 

[the_warrior]

Is the wrist pain from squatting, or does it simply happen while squating? The reason I ask is because I was at one time in a training phase when I was doing cleans, jerks, push presses, and clean grip front squats, and all that started hurting my wrists with the result that I also had pain during back squats. I took a few weeks off from all those exercises and came back 100%

Otherwise, you're going to have to squat with whatever grip is comfortable for you. I try to get my hands just outside shoulder width since that seems to help me keep my upper back tight.

Also, I'm not sure how it would relate to wrist pain, but I've seen quite a few guys have to go wider in the grip due to lack of flexibility in external rotation.

 

[hellraiser27]

There shouldn't be any pressure on your wrist at all. Your back should be supporting the weight.
It shouldn't matter where you place your hands. Your hands should just be there to balance.

 

[powerrack]

Thanks for the replies. I would have thought that hellraiser, and I do not lack a strong back or traps so I would have thought they would take the burden of the weight. I'm going to try various grips and see what happens. I have long arms and am fairly tall, 6'1".

 

[Shelby]

A lot of lifters like using a closer grip (not too far from shoulder width) if their shoulder flexibility allows it.
A closer grip is very common among powerlifters in the IPF; it helps keep the upper body more upright. See examples in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXj052Ht5pg

A lot of guys don't have the shoulder flexibility for this though, especially if they have any shoulder issues.

Limb length is also a factor; for someone as tall as yourself, a wider grip is more often used (near the collars, and sometimes on the collars).

Wrist wraps might help too; I always wear them when I squat.

 

[powerrack]

A lot of lifters like using a closer grip (not too far from shoulder width) if their shoulder flexibility allows it.
A closer grip is very common among powerlifters in the IPF; it helps keep the upper body more upright. See examples in this video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXj052Ht5pg

A lot of guys don't have the shoulder flexibility for this though, especially if they have any shoulder issues.

Limb length is also a factor; for someone as tall as yourself, a wider grip is more often used (near the collars, and sometimes on the collars).

Wrist wraps might help too; I always wear them when I squat.

After seeing some of those videos I consider my grip narrow now too. It does put tension on my wrists with my long arms. I'm going to try a wider grip and wrist wraps on my heavy sets.

Thanks for all the posts and advice.