# COMPETITIVE BODYBUILDING - POWERLIFTING - ATHLETICS & SPORTS > POWERLIFTING FORUM >  Bench press grip? Wide or Narrow?

## Test247

I grip extremely wide.

I am just a tad over 6' tall, however my arms are 6'5". I go as far out as possible on the bench and usually end up sliding a little wider and having issues racking it without a spotter.

This is how I always lifted it was harder for me at first and I was told it hit the chest harder. 

Now Im having some pains occasionally in my bench and I was told this is hard on the shoulders and I should goto a narrower grip.

For most people a wide grip like I do is harder but now that Ive been doing it for years its easier for me and I can do 3-4 more reps usually on a wide grip as opposed to a narrow.

Just wondering what the mechanics on the joints were if its really hard on them or not.

thanks guys

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## DKU

I'm not sure about the problems associated with a wide grip. I go as wide as I can and I haven't had any problems.

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## Test247

How wide is that on a olympic bench I go all the way to the holders. Some are even wider and I even prefer that.

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## Noles12

I like wide grip. The ones i use have lines a little bit down the bar and i just put my middle finger at that point

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## Test247

That would be my narrow grip, I go several inches outside the lines.

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## DKU

I go right to the pegs. It pinches like a bitch when I rerack it sometimes.

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## SmittyTheOX

Make sure your tucking your elbows and you should be fine.

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## quarry206

wide grip does place extra stress on the shoulders and rotator cuff.. just make sure you warm up good first.. i know people that actually do sets of pull ups before bench to get there back and shoulders some blood flow..

just make sure your grip is a natural feeling. thats the biggest thing. work on keeping the flow natural and not stretch it out too far... 

i personally use a narrow grip and i bench more than double my body weight raw.. so its more of how u feel doing it where ever you place your hands.

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## Test247

Yeah I always do a few pull ups between every bench set, I've found it to be very beneficial....

I feel good wide, just seems to keep putting stress on the shoulder and causing these minor injuries. So maybe Ill have to drop my bench a few lbs and go with a narrower grip.

Im 210 right now, was benching 315 for about 6-7 reps

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## BgMc31

My wingspan is over 7' even though I'm only 6'4 but I bench fairly narrow. It's more comfortable to me and I bench a lot more narrow than wide. I guess I have my tricep strength than shoulder strength. Plus as a strongman, it helps more with overhead pressing going narrow on the bench than wide.

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## Test247

I guess its all what were used to..

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## powerliftmike

A wider grip does shorten range of motion and when using shirts usually gives more carryover. but just play around and find what works best. i believe training should incorporate close, med, and wide grips. but wide is what i use for comp and max presses

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## Misery13

close to really blast the triceps and make them more powerful...but make sure you use med and reg and wide grip too...

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## KeatonRHodges4

Hey wide grip works out mainly your chest and less extension you have to use. So during power lifting meets i like this rather than close grip which is all triceps and more extension but medium is the best for working out its not as hard on the shoulders and it works biceps triceps and chest if you want to target just chest or triceps w/o the chance of hurting yourself push-ups are your best bet try them with weight vest so you get more of a workout and another triceps would be reverse curls.

Hope that helped

Keaton

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## thehulk01

Wide grip will work your chest muscles more and a shorter travel. Closer grips is more triceps and more of a lift distance. In comp your gonna want to go wide and get the lift over with. But at the end of it all is just what your most happy with, good luck.

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## trulbfan3

wide grip for me

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## tballz

When I go too wide it hurts my right shoulder. So I go slightly beyond shoulder width.

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## audis4

just remember for comps one of your fingers needs to be touching the ring on the bench bar.

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## audis4

if your having pain in your shoulders your not benching like a powerlifter. Your using your shoulders v. your triceps and not using your back to let the weight down

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## Ashop

> I'm not sure about the problems associated with a wide grip. I go as wide as I can and I haven't had any problems.


If I go to wide I dont feel the power or push near the weight I like to. My arms are like 90 degrees and I really move the weight and feel it in my pecs.

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## powerliftmike

For raw benching having your forearm perpendicular to the floor at touch is probably going to be your strongest point

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## darkcrayz

> A wider grip does shorten range of motion and when using shirts usually gives more carryover. but just play around and find what works best. i believe training should incorporate close, med, and wide grips. but wide is what i use for comp and max presses


i bench narrow raw. to limit the range of motion though i bench off a 1 board or if my shoulder is really acting up a 2 board.

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## repira01

There's a problem with going wide. If you start lifting heavy weight you risk tearing a tendon in your chest. I think it is where the pec attaches to the clavical. Layne Norton is a natural pro bodybuilder and in the off season he does powerlifting and he was benching 500+ wide grip and tore his pec. I go narrow when benching alot of weight because of sholder pain.

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## graeme87

> For raw benching having your forearm perpendicular to the floor at touch is probably going to be your strongest point


So closer for raw bench and wide for shirt lifts?

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## Nooomoto

I see a lot of serious power lifters going super wide, I'm guessing because with a wider grip it's shorter distance to lock out. I prefer medium wide, open grip.

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## crazypat123

I roll my middle fingers Around the silver rings. Depends on your goals and how much you lifting though really.

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## tapnyaout

Being 5'10 with short/average length arms I wrap my pinky finger around the ring. Maybe that's the reason I'm such a wuss on the bench. :P

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## Test247

I tore my pec on the 6th rep of 310 going very wide this year. Luckily on a lot of gear it healed pretty quick.

It was like a rubberband snapping when it went.

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## tapnyaout

Closest thing to gear i've taken was DHEA. I took it LONG ago, with creatine mono, gained 30lbs and went up 100lbs on the bench making it a whopping 205lb bench press...WHAT A BEAST! j/k what a WUSS maybe..

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## RIDEHARD

I put index finger on ring and do cardio after each work out took mag10 for 4weeks and bench went up 205 to 235

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## BPack10

I go with a close grip because of shoulder pain. On the reverse grip I can go wide with no problems wide because I don't get as much rotation on the shoulders...

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## Doc.Sust

thanks for bumping a thread that is a few months old and dead

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## jackd1509

> A wider grip does shorten range of motion and when using shirts usually gives more carryover. but just play around and find what works best. i believe training should incorporate close, med, and wide grips. but wide is what i use for comp and max presses


i think he pretty much nailed this one. but sometimes, you might have to lower the weight when you change your grip due to the difference in motion. thats at least what i do.

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