{"id":366016,"date":"2025-12-24T13:42:08","date_gmt":"2025-12-24T13:42:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/366016\/"},"modified":"2025-12-24T13:42:08","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T13:42:08","slug":"neurosurgeon-shares-advice-that-could-save-your-life-after-55-year-old-brazilian-man-dies-at-gym-during-bench-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/366016\/","title":{"rendered":"Neurosurgeon shares \u2018advice that could save your life\u2019 after 55-year-old Brazilian man dies at gym during bench press"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An accident at a local gym in Brazil that led to the death of a 55-year-old amateur weightlifter, has sparked a conversation among fitness experts regarding gym safety <\/a>and proper lifting techniques. Ronald Montenegro was reportedly performing a bench press on December 1 when a heavily weighted barbell slipped from his grasp, striking him directly in the chest. CCTV footage <\/a>of the incident captured the harrowing moment the weight fell. Also read | 52-year-old man dies of heart attack while working out at gym: Doctors explain how to prevent such tragedies<\/a><\/p>\n

\"A A 55\u2011year\u2011old man in Brazil died after a bench\u2011press accident — while he was lifting, the barbell reportedly slipped from his hands and struck his chest. (Representative picture: Freepik) Expert analysis: what went wrong?<\/p>\n

Although Ronald managed to momentarily free himself and stand up, he collapsed seconds later. Despite the immediate efforts of fellow gym-goers and emergency responders, he could not be resuscitated. The incident gained attention on social media and Dr Jay Jagannathan, a neurosurgeon at the Jagannathan Neurosurgery Institute in Michigan, posted a video titled ‘This weightlifting <\/a>advice could save your life’ to Instagram on December 21.<\/p>\n

In the video, Dr Jagannathan detailed the physiological impact of such an injury. \u201cIt appears the injury was somewhere in the chest area \u2014 whether it\u2019s diaphragm, lungs, or cardiac,\u201d he explained, noting the deceptive nature of the injury where the victim briefly stood up before the fatal collapse.<\/p>\n

To provide actionable safety advice, Dr Jagannathan turned to his personal trainer, Brandon Orzame, calling him a world-record-holding powerlifter and owner of Limitless Performance.<\/p>\n

The danger of the ‘suicide grip’<\/p>\n

Brandon identified a specific technical error that likely led to the tragedy: the use of an open grip, often referred to in the fitness community as the ‘suicide grip’. \u201cSome people like to place their thumb on the outside of the bar… which is exactly what that guy in the video did,\u201d Brandon said in the video Dr Jagannathan shared<\/p>\n

In a suicide grip, the thumb is placed on the same side of the bar as the fingers rather than wrapped around it \u2013 Brandon warned that if the wrist tilts or the palm becomes sweaty, there is nothing to stop the bar from sliding out of the hands.<\/p>\n

2 critical safety rules to prevent fatalities<\/p>\n

To prevent similar accidents, Brandon and Dr Jagannathan highlighted two non-negotiable rules for heavy lifting:<\/p>\n

\u29bf Always use a spotter: Having a person stationed at the head of the bench provides an immediate fail-safe if the lifter loses control or cannot complete the repetition.<\/p>\n

\u29bf The ‘full’ Grip: Lifters should ensure the bar sits in the \u2018groove\u2019 of the palm with the thumb wrapped securely around the bar. This \u2018locks\u2019 the weight in place and prevents it from sliding down toward the chest or neck. \u201cSomething that simple can save your life,\u201d Brandon concluded.<\/p>\n

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.<\/p>\n

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.<\/p>\n