The Affect of Grip Width on Bench Press Performance and Risk of Injury. The Bench Press Grip Width Does Not Affect the Number of Repetitions Performed at Different Velocity Loss Thresholds Alejandro Pérez-Castilla 1,* , Ivan Jukic 2, G. Gregory Haff 3,4 and Amador García-Ramos 1,5 Citation: Pérez-Castilla, A.; Jukic, I.; Haff, G.G. Bodybuilders, athletes, and recreational lifters select a grip width during the bench press that they believe will produce a greater force output. Bench press grip width? That in and of itself is not the problem. From finger-tip to fingertip I measure 6'6". 3. Before you get lost trying to compose an elaborate chest workout routine, keep in mind that there is a much simpler way to target all of these muscles more effectively while performing the bench press: change your grip width. The close-grip bench press, on the other hand, typically refers to any grip that’s narrower than shoulder width, which greatly increases the emphasis on the triceps. Women tend to place their hands about shoulder width apart and men tend to grab the bar wide. Grip width and muscle activity. The Reverse-grip Bench Press The thumbless grip, also known as the “suicide grip… This grip affects your triceps but also hits your inner pecs, allowing you to train specific areas of your chest that are less developed than others. I've been incorporating this grip during my volume days to get used to the technique, but after a couple weeks, it just still doesn't feel right. This game allows a wider grip than the max-81-cm-between-forefingers of competitive bench pressing. A standard bench press is done with your grip about 1.5x your shoulder width and your elbows flared to about 45 degrees, like so: Standard bench press grip width and elbow flare. Bench press lifting performance increases as grip width is increased up to approximately twice the biacromial width (shoulder width as defined by the distance between acromion processes) performance (Madsen 1984, Wagner 1992, Clemens 1997, Gilbert 2003). Grip width (narrow, mid, and wide) and the level of supination/pronation was varied to determine how these factors influence myoelectric amplitude during the flat bench press. Here we’ll break down the four essential set-ups any self-respecting dench dude needs to know. Bench press performance was assessed at six different grip widths (G1–G6). Too much narrower a grip will, for most people, take pounds off the work set by placing the responsibility for most of the lockout on the comparatively smaller triceps,although most lifters can close-grip a fairly high percentage of their standard-grip bench press. Bench Press Recommendations. Ask Question Asked 8 years, 9 months ago. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of grip width, chest depth, limb lengths, and bar path on the performance of a maximal bench press. Clemons, J.M. Most people just assume that you can grab the barbell anywhere and be able to bench press. 2. I have a long reach and was wondering what the optimal position is for my grip during bench press. Bench Grip Width As a person with longish arms, I've recently tried playing around with the max legal grip-wdith to reduce the ROM. Fine, bench with a closer grip. A reverse-grip bench is exactly what it sounds like: you grip the bar with your palms facing towards you. Gomo. Bench Press Grip Width. For those performing a full body workout, a single basic compound chest movement such as the bench press will generally be sufficient, envolving both sternal and clavicular heads of the pectoralis major, as well as the anterior deltoids, and triceps.. In Session 2, they used three different standardized grip widths (100%, 150%, and 200% of biacromial width distance) in random order at 50% of 1RM while also engaged in three different attention focus conditions (external focus on the bench press, internal focus on pectoralis major muscles, and internal focus on triceps brachii muscles). González-Badillo. The effects of grip width on sticking region in bench press. Viewed 4k times 9. Subjects were 24 experienced male weight trainers. Research has demonstrated that a wide grip (> 1.5 biacromial width) may increase the risk of shoulder injury, including anterior shoulder instability, atraumatic osteolysis of distal clavicle, and pectoralis major rupture. Tip #2: Adjust Your Grip Width. Using an excessively wide grip while bench pressing will result in radial deviation, while a grip that’s too narrow causes ulnar deviation. Grip Width. The Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 1997. Active 5 years, 2 months ago. At full extension, the narrow grip allows a great squeeze in the inner pecs. If your hands are 10-12 inches apart, this is the width you would use if you wanted to do a close-grip bench press when training your arms. Once you've determined the distance between your index fingers, it's time to transfer it to the Bench Press. Lack of rigidity in the core, legs, and upper body can impair overall success in the press. The primary muscular emphasis is on the chest. 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. summary . The ideal bench press grip width is one that facilitates perfectly vertical forearms when the bar touches the chest. A supinated grip resulted in increased activity for the biceps brachii and the clavicular portion of … In theory, varying your grip width heightens muscular hypertrophy and increases strength, but some health professionals say … LEHMAN, G.J., THE INFLUENCE OF GRIP WIDTH AND FOREARM PRONATION/SUPINATION ON UPPER-BODY MYOELECTRIC ACTIVITY DURING THE FLAT BENCH PRESS. Close (shoulder width), mid-grip, and a wide-grip (think powerlifting width). The Close-Grip vs Regular Bench Press. and C. Aaron, Effect of Grip Width on the Myoelectric Activity of the Prime Movers in the Bench Press. There are 3 main types of grip widths commonly used in the bench press. The wide-grip bench press, a variation of the staple bodybuilding exercise, seems to have an equal amount of proponents and detractors. Personally I train with a close grip for the majority of my phases, using a mid-g How wide the grip should be is dependent on lifter anthropometry. Therefore, a coach or individual should utilise grip variations such as a narrow or even moderate grip bench press during training, to reduce stress on shoulders and pectoralis major [2,3]. Meaning that taking a different approach to your press positioning could seriously accelerate chest development. A narrow grip stresses the triceps, while a wide grip … A thumb’s width off the edge of the knurl is a good place to start for grip width. Too wide or too narrow of a grip width … 11(2): p. 82-87. Effects of grip width on bench press performance The optimum grip width for enhancing the greatest results during bench press remains a controversial area of study. In real life, grip width also has a profound effect on what muscles are placed under most stress. ; García-Ramos, A. Green. The close grip bench press is a core training staple that can build size and strength in your triceps and chest—but are you sure you're even doing the exercise correctly? The reverse grip bench press is a great movement to work the chest and arms. Your goal will generally determine the amount of time you spend training each variation. Grip Width. Maximal intended velocity training induces greater gains in bench press performance than deliberately slower half-velocity training. I currently bench with my ring finger lined up on the band. A good rule of thumb is that the forearms should be perpendicular to the ground at the bottom of the bench press. This distance is your theoretical perfect grip width for the Barbell Bench Press setup. The grip we use when we bench ultimately determines which muscles work the hardest. The appropriateness of a particular width grip should be based on an individual basis. To get an idea of why that is, we can look at how our leverage changes as we bring our grip in closer: Using a narrower grip-width on the bench press shifts the emphasis away from our mid and lower chests and towards our upper chests, shoulders, and triceps. If you've been benching with a wider grip, you'll take an ego hit because obviously you won't be benching as much as you had been before this switch. It allows you to get much tighter in the upper back, providing better stability through the shoulders and providing more protection for them. Jagessar. Incorrect Grip Width The set up is one of the most critical aspects of a strong and stable overhead press. A: The traditional bench press usually refers to a flat-bench press performed with a grip that’s shoulder-width or wider. Remember, impingement is going to happen at a particular degree of shoulder rotation given a certain amount of shoulder abduction (shoulder abduction is the degree to which the elbows are flared; 90 degrees being completely parallel to the bar). While this is true, a lot has to change depending on where you place your grip. Varying your grip width when bench pressing will definitely change which muscle groups are doing the majority of the work for the lift. In layman’s terms, you’ll lose that all-too-important neutral wrist position by causing your wrists and forearms to excessively bend either inward or outward. It should be categorized as more of a hybrid motion much like the close-grip bench press and dip that can be used for more triceps involvement depending …