Neurosurgeon shares ‘advice that could save your life’ after 55-year-old Brazilian man dies at gym during bench press

Dr Jagannathan shared how a barbell slipped from the man's hands and lead to a lethal chest injury despite immediate assistance from others.

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 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 of the incident captured the harrowing moment the weight fell.

Expert analysis: what went wrong?

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 advice could save your life' to Instagram on December 21.

In the video, Dr Jagannathan detailed the physiological impact of such an injury. “It appears the injury was somewhere in the chest area — whether it’s diaphragm, lungs, or cardiac,” he explained, noting the deceptive nature of the injury where the victim briefly stood up before the fatal collapse.

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.

The danger of the 'suicide grip'

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'. “Some people like to place their thumb on the outside of the bar... which is exactly what that guy in the video did,” Brandon said in the video Dr Jagannathan shared

In a suicide grip, the thumb is placed on the same side of the bar as the fingers rather than wrapped around it – 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.

2 critical safety rules to prevent fatalities

To prevent similar accidents, Brandon and Dr Jagannathan highlighted two non-negotiable rules for heavy lifting:

⦿ 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.

⦿ The 'full' Grip: Lifters should ensure the bar sits in the ‘groove’ of the palm with the thumb wrapped securely around the bar. This ‘locks’ the weight in place and prevents it from sliding down toward the chest or neck. “Something that simple can save your life,” Brandon concluded.

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.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.