Tip: 3 Bench Press Grips

Choosing Your Bench Grip

Moving your hands two inches to the left or right can completely change your bench press and what muscles are being targeted. Here's a quick refresher along with the disadvantages to each grip.

Close Grip

Main Muscle Used: Triceps
Disadvantage: Overuse can lead to extreme elbow pain.

Middle Grip

Main Muscle Used: Triceps and Pecs
Disadvantage: If you only use this grip (as many people do) it can cause deficiencies and a lack of max strength in the pecs and triceps.

Wide Grip

Main Muscle Used: Pecs
Disadvantage: Overuse can lead to a pec strain and/or shoulder pain.

In order to build a record-breaking bench you have to incorporate all of these grips. This ensures that there are no deficiencies created.

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