‘How much ya bench, bruh?’ has become an unofficial catchphrase among ‘gym bros’ everywhere. Monday is known as ‘International Chest Day’. If you want the use of any kind of bench on a Monday night in your local gym, you better get in line.

Strip away the caricature and body hair removal/fake tan and you have an important exercise for building strength and size.

The bench press is a fundamental movement. You lie on your back and push a heavy object away from you. It might not sound very ‘functional’ but just you wait until it starts raining tigers. Then you’ll be glad you waited till 9.50pm for that bench.

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Should you Use a Wide Grip or Narrow Grip for Bench?

Walk into most gyms (on a Monday) and you’ll see droves of young, skinny men gathered around a bench while one of their buddies half reps 60 kilos for a maximum set of five reps. Good job.

You’ll also see some outrageous wide grips. Here’s the (bro)Science:

  • You can bench more with a wide grip
  • A wide grip on the bench works your outer pecs more
  • I saw this dude on YouTube who benches 700lb and his grip was wider than a Hummer parking space

Like most broscience, there is fact in there. Top power lifters do use a wide grip. Having a wider grip also leaves less distance for the weight to travel, leading to an easier lift.

So a wide grip is the way forward?

Whoa, steady on there. There’s a key reason why top powerlifters use a wide grip: Unless they’re lifting ‘raw’, those guys are wearing a special shirt that creates tension across the chest and arms. This forces the arms out causing the wide grip.

Added to this is the simple physics of the weight traveling less distance and you’ve got a big max bench brewing. It’s also easier to stabilise the weight on a wider grip.

Geared powerlifters don’t do a wide grip out of choice, they do it out of necessity. They need the numbers. It’s what they lift for.

The downside is this: injury.

It’s much easier to tear a pec or a rotator cuff muscle when benching with a wide grip, especially if you’re working without a shirt.

Does that mean a narrow grip is best then?

A narrow bench grip doesn’t seem to have much going for it. Popular thought about a close grip bench is:

  • It focuses on the shoulders and triceps more, not your chest
  • It makes the bar unstable, affecting your weight
  • It looks a bit naff

I’d agree for the most part with the first 2 points. As for the third, I couldn’t care less.

Yes, your shoulders and triceps will be working harder, but chest engagement has a lot to do with your skill as a lifter and how good your ‘mind/muscle’ connection is. You can still activate your chest with a narrower grip. It just takes a bit more focus.

The other benefit is your lats work harder with a close grip. They come into play to stabilise the weight.

If you superset bench press with pull ups, your lats will be activated giving you a better lift and a good pump.

The best thing for a narrow grip is safety. As it’s more unstable, its harder to go too heavy. There’s also the advantage of reduced strain on your pecs as your shoulders, arms and lats take the strain of the bar.

Which is best: Narrow or Wide Grip?

Let’s be real – you’re not a competitive powerlifter and probably never will be. You’re a Dad.

And after you’ve finished crushing the weights, you’ve got the rest of the day to get on with including work, bath times, bed times and helping with impossible homework.

What’s more important? Big bench numbers or your health?

That’s not to say you shouldn’t strive to be as strong as possible but maybe it’s time to be a bit smarter. Injury prevention should be pretty high on your priority list.

Often the middle road is the best to travel. That’s why I go somewhere in the middle. My bench grip isn’t super wide or narrow – somewhere in the middle works fine.

I start with my hands just wider than my shoulders and push straight up, engaging shoulders, chest and finally lats at the top of the movement. Since I started benching this way, I’ve drawn some funny looks. But I’ve never had an injury.

Who’s the mad man now?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn73X6DHJnY

 

Try this: next time you bench, drop your lifts by 10-20% and narrow your grip a little. It will feel weird for a while, but I’m never going to bench another way – unless someone buys me one of those rubber shirts…

Neil

P.S. Sign up for my emails because they’re good to read.

 

About Neil M White

Neil has been writing for a number of years. He has worked as a freelance writer both in the UK and internationally and has worked on a number of high profile media projects. Neil spends his spare time hiking, in the gym or hanging out with his family.

6 comments add your comment

  1. Hi Neil
    I agree with you about the narrow bench press being the better choice for most lifters.
    I have always benched narrow so for me the choice is obvious. I don’t even get the ‘ego-boost’ that comes from using more weight because I’m actually stronger with a narrower grip.
    Perhaps if I practised with a wider grip for some time, I’d slowly get better at it. But at the moment I don’t get any power off the chest with a wide grip.

    Keep up the work! Your articles always present information in a new and interesting way.

  2. I’m a fan of the narrow grip, my elbows are (ideally) tight to my sides on the way down. But that’s for two reasons: 1) I injured my right shoulder a couple of years ago and narrow grip form helps. 2) BJJ – close grip is better for specifc strength training for it.

    The shoulder injury is the main factor though, close grip is so much easier on the joint (for me anyway).

    • Yes, avoiding injury is the main motivator for me too. If guys can bench with a wide grip and no injury, more power to them. Interesting about the connection with BJJ – that makes sense. Thanks for commenting.

    • Hi Mark, thanks for commenting. I think it’s best to find what works with you and go with that. If an intermediate grip feels comfortable and natural then I’d keep doing it.

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