Why did Arnold Schwarzenegger use a suicide grip on bench press? 

Bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger has been training for decades now. Over the years, Schwarzenegger has learned a lot about the science of training and even modified it to fit his own preferences. Despite not being safe for everyone, his tricks definitely worked wonders for him. One of the most popular methods that he used was the suicide grip.

While performing a bench press, Arnold Schwarzenegger preferred not to wrap his thumb around the bar, making the lift a lot more dangerous than it already is. Even though this technique might feel more natural to some lifters, there is a huge risk of the bar slipping from your hand and leading to severe injury.

Agreeing with the fact that this makes the lift risky, Schwarzenegger prescribed having a spotter whenever you attempt the suicide grip. Additionally, he also mentioned that it does not have any hypertrophic value over the normal bench press but was just a personal preference.

In his daily newsletter from 2022, Schwarzenegger had stated:

"I could give you a whole page of reasons why I did it, but this newsletter is all about being honest. The reality is, there was no reason, and I mainly did it on the incline bench just because it felt good."

"It is called the suicide grip for a reason. Only do this if you have a spotter with you, and make sure you have a real spotter, not someone looking at their Instagram while you unrack the weight."

In a suicide grip, one's thumb isn't wrapped around the barbell, enabling very little control over the bar and having a massive risk of it slipping and falling on one's body.

Arnold Schwarzenegger mixes alcohol in his protein shakes

Back during the COVID-19 pandemic, Arnold Schwarzenegger was interviewed by Business Insider via a Zoom call. During the interview, he was seen sipping a glass of schnapps with a scoop of whey protein mixed in.

"I add a little bit of schnapps or tequila — tequila is also good...I sometimes put in the schnapps, I sometimes put in the tequila, it just gives it a little extra flavor," he said.

While this might sound like a good idea to some, especially given that Schwarzenegger himself does it, the research suggests that it reduces muscle growth and recovery. It might be better to stick with the traditional methods, at least while starting out.

Schwarzenegger is a renowned figure in the bodybuilding world. He won the prestigious Mr. Olympia title seven times, including six consecutive victories beween 1970-75. He also won the Mr. Universe title four times.