Neutral Grip

In the neutral grip your palms are parallel to each other, like when you hold two dumbbells at your sides without rotating your forearms. It's also called the parallel grip or hammer grip, and it sits halfway between the overhand and underhand both in forearm position and in muscle activation.

The main advantage of the neutral grip is joint health. In this position, the shoulder sits in its most natural range of motion, with less risk of subacromial impingement. For lifters with shoulder or wrist issues, the neutral grip is often the only pain-free option for performing pull-ups, presses, and rows. But it isn't only a 'therapeutic' grip: biomechanically, it lets the biceps and brachioradialis contribute in a balanced way, making neutral-grip pull-ups slightly easier than overhand pull-ups.

Where to use it: neutral-grip pull-ups (you need parallel handles or a dedicated bar), single-arm dumbbell row, hammer curls, neutral-grip dumbbell shoulder press, neutral-grip dumbbell chest press. In all these exercises, the neutral grip reduces stress on the shoulders and wrists without sacrificing muscle activation. If you've been training for a long time and your joints are starting to complain, working the neutral grip into your programming isn't a compromise: it's a smart choice.