What is the standard bench width, and how do they relate?
It's important to pick a grip on the bench press in order to maximize strength and performance.The grip you choose will impact the muscles used, the distance the barbell needs to travel from start to finish, and the bar path.Many powerlifters use a wide grip for bench press and have wondered if that is something you should be doing as well.
A bench press that is 1.5-2X the width between your shoulders is considered a wide grip.The wide grip bench press allows you to maximally recruit the pec muscles, which are responsible for producing maximum force off the chest.A wide grip bench press reduces the range of motion of the movement and decreases the amount of work required to press the barbell.
When using a wide grip bench press, these are positive outcomes.There are many factors to consider when choosing a bench press.Let's talk more!
If you enjoy this article, you will most likely like our guide on the 10 best beNCH press accessories to increase strength and technology.
The pecs, shoulders, and triceps are all used in the bench press at different degrees.There are three factors that affect the specific muscles recruited.
The choice of grip is related to the amount of chest and triceps used.A bench is considered to be a grip if you grab the bar 2X the distance between your shoulders.
If the distance between your shoulders is 40 cm, and you grab the bar 80 cm apart from your index finger, then this would be considered a wide grip bench press.
An analysis done by Lehman shows that a wide grip bench press recruits the pec muscles more than a narrow grip does.Your elbow will fall in line with the barbell throughout the range of motion if you grip it wider.On a narrow grip bench press, when the elbows tuck inward in front of the barbell, you will recruit less chest muscles.
Before we discuss the reasons why people bench press in a wide grip, we need to understand the mechanics and muscles used.
In my article The Best Bench Press Tempo (How Fast Should You Bring The Bar Down), I talked about the mechanics and muscles used on bench press.
Lifting less range of motion, recruiting the larger musculature of your chest, and setting your shoulders in the start position can be achieved by taking a wider grip on the bench press.Powerlifters use this grip in combination with other technical principles to lift more weight.
A wide grip bench press reduces the range of motion that the barbell needs to travel.You perform less work when you do less range of motion.
The force that needs to be applied over a certain distance is used to calculate the amount of work.It is a disadvantage if you need to move the barbell over long distances as it will require more energy to apply the same amount of force.
Check out our article 5 tricks for bench pressing with long arms to learn more about range of motion.
The muscles of the pecs will be maximally recruited by using a wide grip on bench press.
If you are a lifter who has strong pec muscles compared to your shoulders and triceps, you will want to pick a grip that helps you recruit these muscles to the fullest extent.
If your pec muscles are strong, you should ignore developing your shoulder and tricep muscles.For most people, the hardest part of the bench press range of motion is when the shoulders and elbows are not straight.If you have strong pec muscles and can leverage your strengths to drive the barbell off your chest with speed, then a wide grip will put you in the best position possible.
The shoulder position you set for the bench press should be pulled down and pulled back.There is a good video showing you what that looks like.
As you unrack the barbell and bring the weight to your chest, you should be able to hold this position.If the scapula moves off the rib cage at any point, it will feel like the shoulder blades are sliding apart or lifting upward, which will make it hard to bench press.
A lack of strength will result from the loss of position, decreasing your ability to produce force as you drive the barbell off your chest, and increasing the chance of injury to the shoulder.
It is easier to keep your shoulder blades upright in a bench press.The closer the barbell gets to your chest, the more your shoulders will want to roll up and forward.
Powerlifters use a wide grip bench press as the default position.It would be odd to see a world-class bench presser use a narrow grip.Powerlifters want to maximize their range of motion when lifting a lot of weight.
Powerlifters try to reduce the range of motion by using a special technique called the bench press arch, which involves pushing their chest high up on a bench.
Powerlifters can lift more weight if you combine the wide grip style bench press with other technical principles to reduce the range of motion.
If you want to learn more about the bench press arch, how to implement it, and some of its benefits, read our guide here.
There are a few things you need to know before bench pressing in a wide grip.
If you are used to benching in a narrow grip and want to take your grip out wider, the bar path will change slightly and you will find yourself touching higher on your chest.
If you touch the same point on your chest as you do in a narrow grip, it would be a much weaker position.The new touch point on your chest will begin to feel natural over time.
My complete guide on the bench press is dependent on your grip and arm length.
Since the wide grip bench press requires a significant amount of strength from your pec muscles, you might not be able to handle the same loads you were doing before.
I have seen lifters become discouraged when they mistake the wide grip bench for a decrease in training load.They try the wide grip for a couple of workouts and then use the grip they were using before.When rushing into a grip where your muscles aren't used to the additional load, the lack of initial strength on the wide grip bench is not necessarily because of the grip itself.
The bench press wrist position is going to be different if you are bench pressing in a wide grip.
It is expected that your chest needs some time to catch up to the level of strength required if you were previously more of atricep-dominant bench presser using a narrow grip.
Elbow and bicep pain can be caused by taking your grip out too wide or too fast.Check out my complete guides on how to avoid those issues if that is the case.
If you don't have shoulder mobility or have had a shoulder injury, a bench press may place the shoulder in a vulnerable position.
Fees recommends bench pressing with a grip no wider than 1.5X shoulder-width distance for lifters who lack shoulder mobility or have a history of shoulder issues.
The 1.5X shoulder-width grip places the shoulder below a 45 degree abduction and decreases the rotator cuff and bicep tendon strength.It was stated that this is a general recommendation and there are lifters who could go wider and still be safe.
Lifters who display a limited range of motion in the upper body or have shoulder issues should modify the load and perform stretching techniques and rotator cuff stabilization exercises as they widen their grip.
A wide grip bench press can be used as a special method, which I detail in my article on 10 special exercises to improve your power lifting movements.
2X the distance between your shoulders is considered a wide grip bench press.
The formula that powerlifters use to determine their grip width is described in the video below.
The bar 2X shoulder-width distance is one of the additional factors that should help determine your ideal grip.
The powerlifting rules for bench press state that you cannot hold the bar more than 81 cm apart.At a maximum, your index finger on both hands must be covering the hashmark, because it provides this distance for you.You cannot go beyond this point if you grip the bar narrower.
Measure the distance between your broad shoulders at 42 cm.The grip-width is 84 cm if you double it.Based on your body mechanics, you cannot double your shoulder-width distance to fit the 2X recommendation because this is a grip that you can't use.
Someone with longer arms will want to hold the bar wider than someone with shorter arms.It is important not to compare your grip width with another person's, especially if they have a different arm length.
If you have long arms and are benching with a shoulder-width grip, you could be a good candidate to widen your grip for bench press.
The recommended distance for a wide grip bench press is 2X.
It is clear that based on the power lifting rules for bench press and someone's limb lengths/proportions that a fixed 2X shoulder-width grip is not practical in the real world.
The optimal grip for bench press should be determined by using more of a range between 1.5X and 2X shoulder-width distance.You can maximize your bench press strength if you fall within this range.
A lifter might commit to widening their grip out over several months, but after a long-term commitment, if they still don't feel comfortable in this grip despite their best efforts, then they should not blindly keep a wide grip.A more moderate grip closer to the 1.5X shoulder-width distance might produce better results for them.
If you don't have strong pec muscles and shoulder stabilization, a wide grip bench press will be harder.If you work on increasing the size and strength of your pec muscles and improve your shoulder stability, you can get stronger in a wide grip bench press.
Your chest muscles will be involved in producing force if you grip the bar wider.Most powerlifters bench press in a wide grip that is between 1.5-2X shoulder-width distance, but your exact grip should be based on your individual body mechanics and personal preferences.
There was a man named Clemens, and he was named AARON C.The myoelectric activity of the prime movers is affected by the grip width.The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research is a peer-reviewed journal.
Gilbert G, Lees A.Larger athletes are discriminated against by the maximum grip width regulations.The Journal of Sport Sciences was published in 1994.
Green, C., and Comfort, P.The risk of injury and bench press performance are affected by grip width.The Strength and Conditioning Journal is a journal.The article is titled "10100-000-01."
The Flat Bench Press has an Influence on Forearm Pronation/Supination on the Upper-Body.The journal deals with strength and conditioning research.The Semantic Scholar was published in 2005;19(3):587-591).
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