Bench Press Wide Grip
The wide grip bench right clearly cuts off 2 3 of rom compared to the narrower grip.
Bench press wide grip. Here your forearms are about perpendicular to the floor when the bar is in the bottom position. Because the range of motion has been shortened you re getting deeper with the bar for the same amount of shoulder rotation. A common option for bench pressers is a position about halfway between the close and wide grips.
A wider grip also allows us to get closer to the shoulder before impingement starts to occur. The wide grip is the most movement efficient bench press grip to use in terms of bar path meaning it requires the least amount of bar movement to complete a rep. The wide grip bench press is a compound exercise targeting the chest and to a lesser extent the triceps.
In comparison the wider grip bench press will push the body to involve more muscles in the exercise which translates to a greater engagement of major muscles such as the pectoralis major. Well if seen from head on that is. Find out if a wide grip is the right style for you.
Because of the shorter distance the bar has to travel dudes using this set up can usually press a heavier load. Martin s concern over the risks outweighing the benefits is supported by a review of research published in the strength and conditioning journal which found that the amount of torque in the shoulders in nearly 1 5 times greater when performing a wide grip bench press than a narrow grip one thereby increasing injury potential. The amount of work is defined by multiplying the force with the distance it needs to be applied over.
The main difference between this exercise and the standard bench press is that the hands are placed farther apart on the bar. One study has found that the wide grip bench press causes a greater hypertrophy in all major muscles compared to the narrow grip. The wide grip is pretty easy to get your head around because the perpendicular arm angle makes the lifter look like a giant w shape.
A wide grip bench press reduces the range of motion that the barbell needs to travel when compared with a narrow grip bench press. For most people this is the most comfortable width. Once you re comfortable with the standard barbell bench press it s time to explore the many variations.