Medium grip bench press vs Wide grip

[Lifter_Dan]

I was messing with incline bench press yesterday, and I noticed I'm alot stronger with medium grip than wide grip.

I have small pecs (narrower shoulders) and large arms. So my triceps probably benefit more.

Also I've been hearing that you can get better "leverage" with a closer grip, and it's always a tradeoff between leverage and range of motion (widest grip being less ROM).

This was all a surprise to me as I've always seen IPF commentators saying benchers are leaving pounds on the platform when they aren't going maximum width.. I had thought medium grip benchers ONLY did it to save their shoulder problems.
Now I'm not so sure.

Are any of you guys stronger bringing your grip in and compete that way?

 

[Shrek]

Bench with the grip you are the strongest with. Isn't that the goal? To be the strongest?

 

[Lifter_Dan]

Bench with the grip you are the strongest with. Isn't that the goal? To be the strongest?

Yes true, if I was to compete tomorrow. But I'm thinking more long term.

I wonder if I'm weak with a wide grip because I'm a novice without enough volume in it yet?
Maybe over time wide grip may be better once I get used to it.. or maybe wide grip is better for singles. I was testing with reps of 10 since my obliques are strained don't want to go too heavy.

I'm curious why the dominant thoughts in PL are that wider is better, and if I should try and build it.. if anyone else had similar situation?

 

[Goosey]

Yes true, if I was to compete tomorrow. But I'm thinking more long term.

I wonder if I'm weak with a wide grip because I'm a novice without enough volume in it yet?
Maybe over time wide grip may be better once I get used to it.. or maybe wide grip is better for singles. I was testing with reps of 10 since my obliques are strained don't want to go too heavy.

I'm curious why the dominant thoughts in PL are that wider is better, and if I should try and build it.. if anyone else had similar situation?

Power lifting is about moving the most weight through the shortest ROM, or it should be anyway.

for strong and "healthy" joints both agonist and antagonist need to be of equal strength and flexibility needs to be a priority, both are achieved by full range exercise and not just using volume or certain exercises.

 

[Grunta]

I was messing with incline bench press yesterday, and I noticed I'm alot stronger with medium grip than wide grip.

I have small pecs (narrower shoulders) and large arms. So my triceps probably benefit more.

Also I've been hearing that you can get better "leverage" with a closer grip, and it's always a tradeoff between leverage and range of motion (widest grip being less ROM).

This was all a surprise to me as I've always seen IPF commentators saying benchers are leaving pounds on the platform when they aren't going maximum width.. I had thought medium grip benchers ONLY did it to save their shoulder problems.
Now I'm not so sure.

Are any of you guys stronger bringing your grip in and compete that way?

im also stronger in mid width grip on incline, I go a little wider on flat, just find I get the most of it this way so stuck to it.

 

[Darkoz]

Yes true, if I was to compete tomorrow. But I'm thinking more long term.

I wonder if I'm weak with a wide grip because I'm a novice without enough volume in it yet?
Maybe over time wide grip may be better once I get used to it.. or maybe wide grip is better for singles. I was testing with reps of 10 since my obliques are strained don't want to go too heavy.

I'm curious why the dominant thoughts in PL are that wider is better, and if I should try and build it.. if anyone else had similar situation?

Powerlfters will do what's needed to lift the most weight, reducing ROM by using wide grip is one way of doing it.
In the long term though you're asking for trouble as it puts the joints at a disadvantage.

 

[WoodyAllen]

It depends.

If you are an equipped lifter, you tend to have a wider grip to take advantage of the shirt.

If you are a raw lifter, generally lighter body weight guys can get away with a wide grip. Bigger guys need a slightly narrower grip. Also, in the IPF, at least one finger must be touching the ring on the bar, so super wide grip is not an option.

Bottom line is that you need to find out what works for you today, cos tomorrow it may be different.

For myself, I can't do a wide trip as it destroys my shoulders. When I carried a shoulder injury for about a year I had a narrow grip but now that its fixed I am back out to my normal position, with ring finger on the rings.

 

[Lifter_Dan]

im also stronger in mid width grip on incline, I go a little wider on flat, just find I get the most of it this way so stuck to it.

Thanks I didn't think of that, maybe I'll be fine on flat with wider but will test separately.

 

[Lifter_Dan]

It depends.

If you are an equipped lifter, you tend to have a wider grip to take advantage of the shirt.

If you are a raw lifter, generally lighter body weight guys can get away with a wide grip. Bigger guys need a slightly narrower grip. Also, in the IPF, at least one finger must be touching the ring on the bar, so super wide grip is not an option.

Bottom line is that you need to find out what works for you today, cos tomorrow it may be different.

For myself, I can't do a wide trip as it destroys my shoulders. When I carried a shoulder injury for about a year I had a narrow grip but now that its fixed I am back out to my normal position, with ring finger on the rings.

For wide grip I mean the IPF one finger touching the ring - i.e. the index finger.
Ring finger on the rings feels most comfortable for me as well and is what I used to use.
Interesting bigger guys can benefit closer, do you mean bigger as in 105s or bigger as in 120+?

I like the idea of saving the shoulder too though, longevity is important.

 

[Timeah]

I used to bench with pinky on the rings. These days i bench with middle finger on the rings. I tried full width, but that extra 2cm or so of legal width i can acheive is a weaker position for me and doesnt feel good in the shoulders at all....weird that 2cm makes all the difference.

I still have a pretty big ROM too. Would be 30-35cm lol. Atleast. And thats a pretty wide grip. Lol



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[Timeah]

Thats my grip. Doesnt look particularly wide. Haha. But it is. Im Just getting wider i guess haha

 

[White_Lie]

I usually bench with the middle finger on the ring, that's just where it feels comfortable but would be a wider grip for me personally.

If that is medium, narrow or wide really depends on how broad your shoulders are IMO. Medium grip to me is shoulder width, wide is about a hand width outside of that and narrow the other way. Can always go to extremes if you're not competing

As the others are saying, if you're competing, it's probably in your best interest to get comfortable with it as wide as you can to reduce that ROM. If it's just for building strength or muscle mass over the long term, then I'd suggest varying it every now and then or just doing what feels comfortable.

 

[Goosey]

OP

read this... http://ausbb.com/showthread.php?t=18273

 

[Bazza20]

I bench really narrow. Index fringers on the smooth middle bit of the bar. Just feels better for me.

 

[Lifter_Dan]

Thanks guys, flat Bench today does feel more comfortable wider than incline bench grip.

That's a great writeup by sticky as well. Getting tight as possible certainly makes the bar feel alot lighter. Getting the shoulders back as part of the setup really allowed a painless experience for my dodgy shoulder too.

I'll experiment more when my program takes me into heavier weights and try a few grips.

 

[WoodyAllen]

For wide grip I mean the IPF one finger touching the ring - i.e. the index finger.
Ring finger on the rings feels most comfortable for me as well and is what I used to use.
Interesting bigger guys can benefit closer, do you mean bigger as in 105s or bigger as in 120+?

I like the idea of saving the shoulder too though, longevity is important.

Bigger as in not 50kg. Its not an absolute. If you check out IPF light weight men, the japanese guys have an insane spread, more so as their shoulder width is smaller at that bodyweight.

Check this out:

As opposed to:

 

[Lifter_Dan]

Yep makes sense.

Daiki is a freak, I heard he trains bench 5-6 times a week. He doesn't seem to have extremely short ROM but is just so much training he has to be good at it.