Senior tailback has lengthy surgery on his throat after a weight bar falls on his neck while he is bench pressing on campus.
Wow! I have been weightlifting for over 15 years and I have never had this happen to me. I think he must have been showing off or he was not use to using heavy weight.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-stafon-johnson-usc29-2009sep29,0,3244790.story?track=rss
The most likely explanation is the use of a thumbless grip. A few years back I saw someone using a thumbless grip drop ~275 on his chest. The bruising was extensive. I imagine that if a similar amount of weight were to fall on your throat it would cause significant damage.
Sad to hear. I remember this happening to the the CA Junior College High Jump champ way back in 91 or so. It fell right on his chin and he was ought for months. He had a pretty good spotter as well but nothing can prepare a spotter for something like that. Ever since that day. I changed my grip for bench the next day and will never switch back.
Sorry if it sounds dumb, but how does someone not die if the bar falls on their throat?
hits at a slight angle perhaps? It falls of one hand then the other very soon after.
They said his thick neck saved his life.
I’ve pulled a bar off a guy before like that. He was using a thumbless grip and gloves. Very bad combo. Scott Mendelson thinks the thumbless grip is a bad idea, so that may be worth listening too.