Larsen Stian, Gomo Olav, van den Tillaar Roland A Biomechanical Analysis of Wide, Medium, and Narrow Grip Width Effects on Kinematics, Horizontal Kinetics, and Muscle Activity on the Sticking Region in Recreationally Trained Males During 1-RM Bench Pressing Frontiers in Sports and Active Livin VOLUME = 2 (2021)(https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fspor.2020.637066) DOI=10.3389/fspor.2020.637066 ISSN=2624-9367. Grip the bar with an overhand grip with hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart keeping a neutral wrist. You can continue with the barbell bench press as well, but use an appropriate weight and build up the strength.
Reverse grip bench press trains more anterior delts, upper chest and biceps, and less triceps. The barbell bench press is often performed with a shoulder width overhand grip. 2. It activates the chest as a whole. 2021 Jun 14;18(12):6444. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126444. WHICH BARBELL BENCH PRESS GRIP WIDTH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Here well explore how changing the gripaffects the dynamics of the movement. It activates the chest as a whole. Barbells bench press is great for building upper muscle and strength but its tough on the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joints. 
https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fspor.2020.637066, Incline Dumbbell Press Alternative: How to Target the Same, Mixed Grip Deadlift: Benefits, Muscles Used, More, Leg Press vs Leg Extensions: Differences Explained, Incline Dumbbell Press Alternative: How to Target the Same Muscles. Plus, because the shoulder is more internally rotated and less externally rotated, youll take the onus off your shoulder joint. You could also do a few sets of both during the same session. Now, if your shoulder joint, elbow joint, or wrist hurts during any of these grips, it's important that you work oneliminating this pain with isolation and rehabilitation-type exercises. The reverse grip forces you to tuck your elbows more which makes it more of a horizontal lift. bench press reverse grip guillotine barbell chest movement upper better building workout workouts guide The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration.
Now, if your shoulder joint, elbow joint, or wrist hurts during any of these grips, it's important that you work oneliminating this pain with isolation and rehabilitation-type exercises. But if youre looking to build triceps and improve your lockout strength then this is perfect. 3.
One among these bench press variations is the wide grip bench press, with the primary difference between the two being the angle of resistance imparted to the lifter by a change in their grip width and shoulder stance. Sign up to get the latest on sales, new releases, killer workouts, actionable fitness content and more.
You must consult with a medical professional before acting on any content on this website. But, what the barbell bench press does is build strength that transfers over to things we do outside of the gym. The bench press is considered king among upper body push type exercises, with the ability to impart significant muscular hypertrophy and other forms of training stimuli to the chest muscles, shoulders, triceps brachii and a variety of other muscle groups found in the upper body.
While it is true that isolation exercises are the best possible choice for highly targeted muscle group activation, shifting the primary mover muscle group in a compound exercise like the bench press can save both time and energy by also training other muscle groups apart from the target muscle itself. This only affects the upper body and in no way does it change the way you use your lower body or core. Youll use more weight for better strength and hypertrophy benefits. Lie flat on a bench and get your eyes directly underneath the barbell. 1. This bench press gripis the classicversion and the one most performed in gyms around the world. The muscle groups acting in a stabilizing capacity for the wide grip bench press are the medial and posterior heads of the deltoid group, the biceps brachii during the eccentric portion of the exercise, the abdominal stabilizer muscles as well as the gluteus muscle group, if the proper form is being used. Effective strengthening exercise for sports like sprinting, tennis, football, and baseball. Reverse grip can be treated like an alternate exercise. 2017 Jun 22;57:61-71. doi: 10.1515/hukin-2017-0047. Trains the harder to reach upper chest muscles. BENEFITS OF THE REVERSE GRIP BENCH PRESS: Out of all these variations, its the most difficult to set up and execute. 
You can alter between standard and wide grip bench press as you see fit. Among the various machine-based leg exercises available, few are as frequently used as the l Inspire US serves as an informational hub for people looking to start their fitness journey. It can also be hard onthe shoulder joint if you normally feel pain with shoulder flexion.
The distance at which the exerciser can place their hands apart is, of course, up to their own individual biomechanics and physical measurements, and as such it is best for the exerciser to go by feeling instead of any mathematical standard - if they feel that their pectoral muscles are being stretched better than with a traditional hand grip, then it may be considered a wide grip bench press. This is why you need to vary your grip occasionally. Conversely, if you have trouble benching because of shoulder pain, then you may find the reverse grip is the best way to bench press (i.e. Ideally, you want to mix it up and implement standard, wide, and close grip bench press for overall muscle development of the chest, triceps and delts. Develops high levels of lockout strength. Its advisable to have a stopper to un-rack and re-rack the bar. J Hum Kinet. if you can't do standard or wide grip, see if reverse grip works!). PMID: 34198674; PMCID: PMC8296276. Thegrip works more chest than anterior deltoid and triceps which makes it your go-to for more overall chest size and strength. There is no better or worse grip for the barbell bench press, it just depends on your goals. Strengthen your delts and.
This variation maximally recruits the upper chest muscles and reduces the range of motion which decreases the amount of work it takes to lockout. But its a great change of pace lift and if you want to strengthen your upper chest, this is for you. This lift requires higher levels of wrist strength and mobility plus biceps and forearm strength. So, like you'd do incline or decline bench, you can use the reverse grip in a similar way. This is due to the elbows being more in line with the barbell throughout the ROM. The allure of a big chest, boulder shoulders, and bugling triceps is likely what drives you towards the barbell bench press. By addition to this decreased range of motion, the lifter will also find that the amount of weight they are capable of lifting has also increased as the energy required to move it a shorter distance is also decreased, greatly aiding individuals whom compete in strength based athletic competitions. However,with the chest being a big fan-shaped muscle with fibers running in multiple directions, it pays to varythe grip and angle of your press. Although grip strength is not an issue with most pressing exercises the standard overhand grip makes it easier on your wrists to grip because your elbows will be in line with them. This variation works all three of the chest region equally (upper, middle, and lower). The wide (overhand) grip barbell bench press is a grip thats 1.5-2X the width of your shoulders. Getting stronger is always better, and this exercise builds strength by the bucket load. These sets help grease the groove and help you decide your working weight for the day, and the extra volume is helpful for fat loss and hypertrophy. Changing your grip on barbell bench press will allow you to hone in on different muscles and work on weak areas or muscle imbalances. Get used to holding the barbell like this. Green, Carly M. CSCS; Comfort, Paul MSc, CSCS The Affect of Grip Width on Bench Press Performance and Risk of Injury, Strength and Conditioning Journal: October 2007 - Volume 29 - Issue 5 - p 10-1l. It doesnt matter if you're a powerlifter, athlete, or just want to look good, the barbell bench press is the go-to exercise to slap on upper body size and strength. Less range of motion allows you to potentially use more weight. Comments will be approved before showing up. Stabilizer muscle groups are muscles contracted in an isometric or otherwise relatively minor capacity for the purposes of retaining stability of the weight being moved, the body itself, as well as to reduce the incidence of injury from overextension or improper muscle activation. You will experience some writs soreness so lighten to weight build the forearm strength before going heavy. The close grip bench press shifts the load more to your triceps and less to your chest and anterior deltoids. This grip allows you to retract and depress the shoulder blades better allowing for easier setup and unracking the bar. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Wide grip recruits twice as much chest as it does triceps compared to the standard shoulder-width overhand variation(study). Dont attempt if you have any shoulder issues. This makes it doubly important to warm up thoroughly for this lift. Wide grip recruits twice as much chest as it does triceps compared to the standard shoulder-width overhand variation(. Another large difference between the wide grip bench press and the traditional bench press is the altered angle at which the bar is raised over the body, with the elbows bending less and the scapula being held in a more secure position that allows the barbell to remain stable throughout the exercise. barbell exercise list press You can play around with it to see how you feel. 3, 4, and 5 day per week programming options. But if you havent got time for that or you want to extend your warm-up, ramp-up sets are your best friend. More often than not, this will help you to avoidany painin your joints. 
Powerliftersuse it during competitions and the rest of us use it to build and strengthen the chest. The wide grip bench press is a compound upper body exercise of moderate to high intensity, much like the traditional bench press itself - though with a different level of muscular activation spread between each muscle group in concern.
Strengthen your delts and rotator cuff for your shoulder joint, your brachialis, biceps and triceps for your elbow joint, and your forearms for your wrists. This can have a variety of benefits from a health, training and safety perspective - though is not without its own set of drawbacks that may make choosing a wide grip bench press over a more traditional one a less advisable approach for certain individuals. Yes, its great for the shoulder joint but puts more stress on the elbow joint and this takes it through a large ROM. As such, while there is no doubt that performing the wide grip bench press alongside other healthy habits such a adequate sleep and proper nutrition can be of great benefit to an individual, we have instead elected to only list the benefits that can only be imparted by the wide grip bench press and exercises similar to it. Then underhand (more commonly called the reverse grip) bench press is a grip position where the knuckles of your hands are facing away from you. 
This makes it doubly important to warm up thoroughly for this lift. When is the Best Time To Drink A Protein Shake.
However, certain training requirements - especially in more advanced athletic training - will require that a variation of the bench press be used so as to impart a similar but somewhat altered angle of resistance or training stimuli.
Being a large scale compound movement made for the purposes of activating the majority of the push muscles located in the upper body, the wide grip bench press utilizes both primary mover muscles as well as secondary movers muscles in order to produce the main force behind the movement. Also, be sure to warm up appropriately, don't just jump into your working sets cold. This allows for better muscle development and avoiding overuse injuries.
They will then arch their back somewhat while retaining contact with the bench through their upper back and buttocks, creating the safest possible position from which to perform a bench press movement. The close grip barbell bench press variation is where you set up with your hands just inside shoulder-width, but some people go even more narrow. 4. This alteration in the lifters hand placement and subsequent biomechanic repositioning will often cause a reduction in the incidence of shoulder joint related injuries as well as allow the wrist to conform to a more natural angle as the repetition is performed. And the close grip press has great carry over to the lockout portion of the overhead and standard bench press. Isolation exercises, push ups, and dumbbell pressing exercises will serve you well. Note: Many people say that the close grip is good for the inner chest, but there is no clear evidence of this. This is also applicable in cases of a wide grip bench press utilizing the suicide grip, wherein the exerciser will completely pronate their wrists so as to allow the bar to rest along the middle of the palm, with the wider grip stance posing a chance of the barbell slipping from the exercisers hands and injuring them. The eccentric portion of the repetition now completed, the exerciser will then contract their triceps brachii and pectoral muscle groups, causing the bar to be pressed away from their chest as their arms reach nearly full extension above their torso. Debbie (Deb) started powerlifting and Olympic lifting in High School as part of her track team's programming; She continues to train in order to remain athletic. tricep push pushups diamond exercise triceps close ups arm grip exercises hand pushup regular wide diamonds muscles muscle target chest
Although youll use more weight and less ROM, you need excellent shoulder mobility to pull this lift-off.
This, by extension, results in less wrist, elbow and shoulder joint injuries caused by the exerciser improperly moving in an improper manner or otherwise overloading the connective tissues located in the upper body. A benefit both to powerlifter athletes and to individuals with poor upper body flexibility, the wide grip bench press presents a significantly shorter range of motion than a traditional bench press due to the angle at which the arms are placed at. In addition to these, other muscle groups that are not necessarily contracted in a dynamic manner are still utilized so as to stabilize the weight, reduce the chance of injury and prevent overextension of the primary and secondary mover muscles - with the former group being referred to as stabilizer muscles. This, of course, comes at the cost of a significantly reduced triceps brachii activation and subsequent decrease in the training stimuli said triceps brachii muscle group can receive from the wide grip bench press. barbell workout press triceps muscle bench muscles grip close worked floor fitness training esercizi con bodybuilding decline gym chest exercises The information being shared is for educational purposes only. barbell This grip is not so common, and will take some getting used to. At SFS we strive to equip you with the tools and knowledge needed for your fitness journey. You'll have your hands at shoulder-width, or just a little wider.
For example, one session you use standard, the next you use wide grip. A lot ofpowerlifters use the wide grip because of the easier setup and less ROM. The wide grip puts your upper back in a better position to press.
Generally speaking, it isthe variation where youll be able to lift the most weight. Note: Many people say that the close grip is good for the inner chest, but there is no clear evidence of this. This variation maximally recruits the upper chest muscles and reduces the range of motion which decreases the amount of work it takes to lockout. Like all resistance exercises, the wide grip bench press presents a variety of benefits native to the very nature of exercise itself, with only as specific few of these benefits being reserved solely to the wide grip bench press. Once the appropriate hand placement has been determined by the exerciser, they will then unrack the barbell and lower it to their sternum or mid chest, allowing the bar to come within an inch of touching them if not outright touching their skin. Lower the barbell to just above the chest and repeat. This higher stability also has the added benefit of allowing further muscular hypertrophy to occur due to an increased volume of repetitions being performed by the exerciser as their stabilizer muscles are fatigued at a lesser pace, allowing the primary and secondary mover muscles to do their jobs for longer periods.
There are four ways to grip a barbell when performing the barbell bench press: Switchingthe grip doesnt change the muscles trained but it doesalter the emphasis on the way these muscles are trained. Standard Grip = Well-rounded for chest, triceps and front delts, Reverse Grip = More upper chest+ biceps (and easier on the shoulder/elbow joint), Why You Have 4 Pack Abs vs 6 Pack vs 8 Pack, 9 Best Elliptical Machine Choices For All Budgets, Arnold Press: Correct Form & Programming Tips, Endomorph Body Type: The Best Diet & Workout Routine. Typically, the best fix is to strengthen the stabilizer muscles surrounding the joints. That said, many old school lifters use it for inner chest so there is probably some merit to it based purely on the ability to really squeeze the chest at the top. The main benefit of training the chest from different angles is better overall muscle development, avoiding overuse injuries, and giving you more variety in your training. The wider grip of this particular bench press variation provides a more stable base along the bench that the exerciser is lying on, as well as less shoulder instability during the dynamic portion of the movement - resulting in an easier time moving the barbell as well as reduced chance of direct and indirect injuries. Heres an example for someone who does 200lb+working sets: 10 reps with an empty barbell8 reps with 135 pounds6 reps with 165 pounds5 reps with 175 pounds4 reps with 185 pounds. Can help you train around elbow and shoulder soreness/pain. bench press kennelly ryan grip heavy gym pounds man widths train different ve muscles mass criticalbench Wide Grip Bench Press: Benefits, Muscles Used, and More. Powered by Shopify. Because youre lying down on a bench, using a barbell combined witha relatively straight pressing path, the bench press should be your strongest pressing exercise. Builds biceps and chest at the same time. Standard Grip (Shoulder-width Overhand Grip). This bench press gripis the classicversion and the one most performed in gyms around the world. However, you may find that some grip widths don't feel right for you when benching, or even cause some pain. Most noticeably the wide grip bench press presents a significant advantage in terms of pectoralis minor and pectoralis major training stimulus, surpassing that of the traditional bench press and especially that of the narrow grip bench press, of which primarily activates the triceps brachii. At first you may feel like it's going to slip out of your hand. Note: We will also provide links to Youtube videos so you can watch a demo of each movement being done correctly. The wide grip bench press may be considered a more advanced form of the traditional bench press due to its more specific training focus, that being of its enhanced pectoralis muscle group activation that may be quite beneficial to experienced athletes whom have reached the point of needing more specific muscular activation. The barbell bench press is a horizontal pushing exercisethat involves pressing a barbell upward while laying on a bench. BENEFITS OF THE SHOULDER-WIDTH OVERHAND GRIP BENCH PRESS: Because youll use the most weight and perform this often you need to be careful with your joints,as they can take a beating from the heavy barbell (regardless of which grip you use).
