Wide Grip Bench Press Guide: Form, Benefits, and Tips
Master the wide grip bench press with our expert guide. Learn the proper technique to target your outer pecs and build a broader, stronger chest.
How to Perform
- Lie flat on the bench and grasp the barbell with a grip significantly wider than shoulder-width, typically placing your pinky fingers on the outer knurling rings.
- Retract your shoulder blades and plant your feet firmly on the floor to create a stable base of support.
- Unrack the bar and hold it directly over your mid-chest with your elbows fully locked.
- Lower the barbell slowly toward the center of your chest while keeping your elbows flared out to emphasize the stretch in the outer pectorals.
- Touch the bar lightly to your chest without bouncing it to maintain constant muscle tension.
- Press the bar back to the starting position by driving through your palms and extending your arms.
- Exhale at the top of the movement and reset your breath for the next repetition.
Common Mistakes
- Bouncing the bar off the ribcage to gain momentum.
- Allowing the lower back to arch excessively off the bench.
- Tucking the elbows too close to the torso which shifts tension to the triceps.
- Failing to maintain a consistent bar path during the ascent.
Muscles Worked
Primary movers
- Outer Pecs
Stabilizers
- Anterior Deltoids
- Triceps Brachii
- Pectoralis Major
Related Guides
- Bench Press — Chest
- Benchpress Dumbbells — Chest
- Bent over Cable Flye — Chest
Outer Pecs · Chest