Don’t Trip. Full Grip!

We naturally grab the pull-up bar:

A) with our thumb wrapped around the bottom (full grip), or

B) over the top (overgrip, suicide grip).

While there’s no exact right or wrong, there is a better or worse. Here’s a few reasons the FULL GRIP is BETTER:

• Prevent shoulder injury

The shoulder is safer when you use a full grip. The thumb wrapped around the bar during gymnastics promotes “external rotation”, which is a stronger and safer shoulder position than “internal rotation”.

Check it! Put your arms out with thumbs up. Now turn your thumbs down. Which feels better/stronger? Thumbs up is external rotation. Thumbs down is internal rotation.

• Get better at gymnastics

The overgrip shifts the workload to smaller muscles in the hands and forearms, which tire out faster. A full grip allows the larger muscles like the lats and biceps to do more of the work, conserving grip strength and enabling longer sets. With less fatigue in the grip, you can focus on better form and more productive reps. More quality reps = better technique and faster progression. 

For Bar Muscle Ups: A full grip provides more security on the bar, allowing for a more aggressive kip without slipping forward. This means you can generate more power during the transition, making muscle-ups more efficient and achievable.

• Skill transfer

CrossFitters LOVE skill transfer. That is when we get better at one movement, we get better at a bunch of others. Use the full grip in gymnastics just like we do with KB swings, rope climbs, deadlifts, cleans, snatches, devil’s press, farmer carries, etc.

• Don’t fall

Have you seen that gym-fail video of a CrossFit athlete slipping and falling off the bar? Check their grip. They were probably using the suicide grip (hence the name)!

Now try it! Start by warming up with the full grip then gradually build up to using it with all of your gymnastics sets. It’s not comfortable at first, but you’ll get used to it!