Weightlifter dies after 315-pound barbell drops on his neck

[dfoster]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/12/2...fter-315-pound-barbell-drops-on-his-neck.html

ANKENY, Iowa – Authorities say a 22-year-old man has died after a barbell slipped from his grasp and crushed his neck at a gym in central Iowa.

The accident occurred Monday morning at Elite Edge Transformation Center in Ankeny, about 10 miles north of Des Moines. A spokesman for the center, Mark Yontz, said Thursday that Kyle Thomson was bench-pressing 315 pounds when the barbell slipped.

Ankeny Fire Chief James Clack says the barbell fell on Thomson's neck. Clack says a fire ambulance took Thomson to a Des Moines hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Yontz says there were spotters watching Thomson on the bench.

Damn, never heard of a bench pressing accident before. Be careful out there.

 

[j123]

Not surprised, no one can bench more than teh 275

 

[gespenst]

That's why I bench press only in a cage. If I can't lift the bar or it slips from my grip it just falls onto cage side bars instead of my neck or chest and I and stay alive.

 

[blaseblah]

This is why I use dumbbells.

 

[Phlog]

Getting a power rack for the home gym and this is only making me happier..

 

[Chad R. Thundercock]

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/12/2...fter-315-pound-barbell-drops-on-his-neck.html




Damn, never heard of a bench pressing accident before. Be careful out there.

I'm 99% sure he used a suicide grip.

 

[bushman505]

This is why I don't even lift....


Not.

I just use the rack, never killed my self.

Crazy story though, my cousins fiancé doesn't in exactly this way. It was like 15 years ago now I guess and he was lifting alone in his apartment and just had a bench set up and was fairly strong I guess.

He went missing for a few days finally the police or fire department or somebody axed down the door and they found him still on the bench but dead as fuck.

It's all good though, in the haze of crippling depression my cousin went on some fuck binge across Europe and met a much cooler husband (who trains legs too rather than just bench). Cool guy, he's a firefighter and was in the marines for like 10 years.

 

[j123]

This is why I don't even lift....


Not.

I just use the rack, never killed my self.

Crazy story though, my cousins fiancé doesn't in exactly this way. It was like 15 years ago now I guess and he was lifting alone in his apartment and just had a bench set up and was fairly strong I guess.

He went missing for a few days finally the police or fire department or somebody axed down the door and they found him still on the bench but dead as fuck.

It's all good though, in the haze of crippling depression my cousin went on some fuck binge across Europe and met a much cooler husband (who trains legs too rather than just bench). Cool guy, he's a firefighter and was in the marines for like 10 years.

 

[Cmart]

I'm 99% sure he used a suicide grip.

This. Wrap those thumbs around the bar, kids.

 

[j123]

This. Wrap those thumbs around the bar, kids.

What's the benefit of that grip?

 

[Cmart]

What's the benefit of that grip?

I've been there when a guy dropped 335 on his chest in (very amateur) competition, and the spotters caught it only on the first bounce. He luckily suffered just bruised ribs since it was low, not at neck level. He used a thumbless grip and the bar came off his palms. I've never seen a guy simply have the bar roll out of his hands with a "thumbs-wrapped" grip.

The benefit of the thumbs-wrapped grip would be to make the bar less likely to roll out of one's hands and injure or kill them.

 

[j123]

I've been there when a guy dropped 335 on his chest in (very amateur) competition, and the spotters caught it only on the first bounce. He luckily suffered just bruised ribs since it was low, not at neck level. He used a thumbless grip and the bar came off his palms. I've never seen a guy simply have the bar roll out of his hands with a "thumbs-wrapped" grip.

The benefit of the thumbs-wrapped grip would be to make the bar less likely to roll out of one's hands and injure or kill them.

I guess I should've clarified, I meant suicide grip. I've always used a full thumbs-wrapped grip, the idea of a thumbless grip never occurred to me, until I saw it on teh interwebs

 

[Oblivian]

A lot of people that advocate thumbless grip feel it helps keep the elbows in.

 

[deadshot138]

Thumbless grip can fuck you up. Dropped 245# on my chest on the incline bench and had bruised ribs for 2 months. Never fucking used that shit again.

 

[belph]

A lot of people that advocate thumbless grip feel it helps keep the elbows in.

Didn't tate do it because it took some of the strain off his pecs? Seem to recall reading that ages ago.

 

[ens189]

Stafon Johnson (USC RB) did this with 275 a few years ago and crushed his throat. Not worth using that grip.

 

[Oblivian]

Didn't tate do it because it took some of the strain off his pecs? Seem to recall reading that ages ago.

No idea. I know I've seen other decent lifters use it, although it's uncommon. There was a big debate about it on this forum many years ago and most just feel it isn't worth it.

 

[belph]

No idea. I know I've seen other decent lifters use it, although it's uncommon. There was a big debate about it on this forum many years ago and most just feel it isn't worth it.

The cons seemingly outway the pros by a wide margin. Like it for the press, though.

 

[Oblivian]

I can understand using it if you lift in a cage, but then you get used to that and are at risk if you lift outside of a cage (different gym, comp, etc.).

 

[Cmart]

I guess I should've clarified, I meant suicide grip. I've always used a full thumbs-wrapped grip, the idea of a thumbless grip never occurred to me, until I saw it on teh interwebs

Some seem to find it more comfortable or somehow advantageous. To me, the risk outweighs any benefit.