How to do Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press

Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press is a compound exercise targeting the chest: several joints work together, it takes heavy loading well and belongs at the start of a session. Secondary muscles: shoulders, triceps. Equipment: barbell. Difficulty: intermediate, add it once the basics are solid. It takes 5 steps; the most common mistake is covered in the tip below.

Step-by-step

1. Lie on your back and grip the bar about one and a half times shoulder width
2. Pinch your shoulder blades, lift your chest, and unrack the bar
3. Lower the bar to mid-chest with your elbows at roughly 60 degrees from your torso
4. As the bar lightly touches your chest, press it back up powerfully
5. Keep your wrists straight and forearms vertical throughout the set

Coaching tip

Caution

How to program it

Sets × reps and rest by goal; load and long rest matter most on compound lifts. Start at the bottom of the range in week one; add 2.5–5% when you hit the top with clean form.

FitCi applies this table to your age and goal automatically and writes weekly progression.

Alternatives

• At home, no equipment: Push-Up, Incline Push-Up
• Same muscle, different equipment: Flat Dumbbell Press, Incline Dumbbell Press, Dumbbell Fly

More chest exercises

• Barbell Bench PressBar ile Bench Press
• Incline Barbell Bench PressEğimli Bar Bench Press
• Decline Barbell Bench PressAşağı Eğimli Bar Bench Press
• Flat Dumbbell PressDambıl ile Bench Press
• Incline Dumbbell PressEğimli Dambıl Press
• Dumbbell FlyDambıl Fly