Question 1

What's the real difference between Pronated vs Supinated grip?

Accepted Answer

Wrist rotation directly affects arm muscle recruitment.

• Pronated (palms facing away): Minimizes bicep involvement in pulling movements, forcing the back muscles to dominate. For arm exercises, it targets the brachialis and brachioradialis.
• Supinated (palms facing you): Places the biceps in their strongest position (supination). Reverse-grip lat pulldowns often allow heavier loads, but some lat stimulation gets stolen by the biceps.

Question 2

Wide grip vs close grip for back training — what's the difference?

Accepted Answer

There's a classic gym saying: "Wide grip for width, close grip for thickness."

• Wide Grip: Arms pull down from the sides (shoulder adduction), primarily targeting the upper lats and teres major for a wider V-taper.
• Close Grip: Elbows stay tight to the torso pulling back (shoulder extension), primarily targeting the lower lats, mid-back rhomboids, and traps for deeper, thicker back development.

Question 3

Why does my wrist always hurt during exercises?

Accepted Answer

This is usually caused by using a straight bar for heavy curls or pushdowns, forcing your wrists into extreme pronation or supination, creating tendon friction at the ulna/radius. The fix: immediately switch to an EZ-curl bar or rope attachment to return to a natural neutral wrist angle.

Question 4

For muscle growth, are cables or free weights better?

Accepted Answer

They're not interchangeable. Dumbbells and barbells (free weights) always resist gravity vertically, ideal for heavy compound movements. Cables pull in the direction of the cable, meaning muscles maintain constant tension throughout the entire range of motion. The perfect hypertrophy program starts with free weight compounds, then finishes with cables and various attachments for isolation burnout sets.

Gym Cable Attachment Guide

What am I training today?

Available Attachments6 items

Tricep Rope

Physical Specs

Core Advantages (Pros)

Limitations (Cons)

Grip Biomechanics FAQ