# Benching: Close or far grip?



## JCBourne (Jun 21, 2011)

How do you grip when you bench? I normally grip closer then most guys as I feel safer doing this, however I think it may be holding me back. I would say my grip is about shoulder width apart, although I would need to really check next time I go.

Which way do you do and way?


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## Anabolic5150 (Jun 21, 2011)

I found something that worked well for me and everyone I have ever trained with. Lay on the bench, bar unloaded and close your eyes. Let your arms relax a bit and then without looking at the bar, keep your eyes closed and reach up and grip the bar in the position your arms go to. That is your natural mechanical point (I call it that). Remember where it is or refind it on your next session. My bench went up quite a bit once I did this. 

I do on occassion go a bit wider but never closer unless working triceps.


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## cshea2 (Jun 21, 2011)

I don't go out real wide like a PL, but I am wider than shoulder width. Your getting so much ROM out of the bottom of the lift it probably limits the weight you can use, but it's much easier on your shoulders that way.


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## JCBourne (Jun 21, 2011)

cshea2 said:


> I don't go out real wide like a PL, but I am wider than shoulder width. Your getting so much ROM out of the bottom of the lift it probably limits the weight you can use, but it's much easier on your shoulders that way.



Yeah I find after bench, decline, incline weather it be on the barbell or dumbell my right shoulder is really sore and limited movement, but thats also my bad shoulder so might be the case. But both shoulders do feel pretty stiff after those exercises.

5150, check your PMs


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## tomjone20 (Jun 21, 2011)

I like to pause bench so I keep my grip at a shoulder level.  Helps with the explosion off the chest.


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## SuperLift (Jun 21, 2011)

Slightly wider than shoulder width for me, but not to wide. I put my arms out and grab the bar where my arms would be at with elbows at a 90 degree angle. If that makes any sense... Lol


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## ANIMALHAUS (Jun 21, 2011)

Just outside the shoulders, but Anabolic brings up a great idea.


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## WG 2.0 (Jun 21, 2011)

Close.


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## SloppyJ (Jun 21, 2011)

I've read that when you're at the bottom of the lift, that your forearms should be 90 degrees to your upper arm. For me, this is acomplished with my middle finger on the ring of the barbell. 

I am going to try 5150's advice and see where I land with that.


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## Flathead (Jun 21, 2011)

Close grip utilizes more tricep & shoulders & a wider grip hits your chest & upper back more. So hand placement would depend on where you need the most work.


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## M4A3 (Jun 21, 2011)

GymRat4Life said:


> How do you grip when you bench? I normally grip closer then most guys as I feel safer doing this, however I think it may be holding me back. I would say my grip is about shoulder width apart, although I would need to really check next time I go.
> 
> Which way do you do and way?



Ever since I injured my shoulder, I grip wide. Gripping closer in puts too much pressure on where I injured my shoulder. Been going wide so long now, that it feels totally natural.


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## Anabolic5150 (Jun 21, 2011)

Another thing to find placement is set up like I said before and using no bar, do a rep. Your body will move naturally and you can see where you end up. Use your natural mechanics to your benefit, not against you. Stay in that natural groove, it really helps. I did this on an old bench in the garage just now both ways I suggested and my hand placement landed exactly the same both times.


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## ovr40 (Jun 21, 2011)

nice advise 50, i'll have to try that. right now i bench with 1/2 my thumb nail beyond the end of the knurl for spacing and then wrap my thumb under the bar for the grip. I guess it all depends on how wide your shoulders are across though.I switched from a wider grip and my shoulders loved me for it (surgery on both of them years ago)


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## mlc308 (Jun 21, 2011)

Proper form dictates that you should lay on your bench and extend your arms to the side.  then you make your arms right angles and that is where you should put your arms on the bar... wherever you are able to achieve the right (as in 90 degree angle) angle for a normal flat bench.


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## Anabolic5150 (Jun 22, 2011)

May I ask where this proper form is "dictated" at please?


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## Curt James (Jun 22, 2011)

GymRat4Life said:


> How do you grip when you bench? I normally grip closer then most guys as I feel safer doing this, however I think it may be holding me back. I would say my grip is about shoulder width apart, although I would need to really check next time I go.
> 
> Which way do you do and way?



How long are your arms? I mean would you say you have long arms or shorter arms? The best benchers, it seems, have deep chests and shorter arms. My arms are freakishly long and my shoulder girdle is akin to a bunch of drinking straws and some bubble gum stuck together. 

I primarily stick with dumbbells, but if I'm benching with an Olympic bar I'll keep my grip fairly close. See the box:


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## Anabolic5150 (Jun 22, 2011)

Arm length is one of the key reasons to work with your natural body mechanics. Long armed guys I've seen in the gym sometimes try to bench to narrow, they can't find the groove. It's easier to bench if you are in a good mechanical setup for your body and keep that way.


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## ponyboy (Jun 22, 2011)

What 5150 is saying is bang on.  

Another way to measure this is while standing and your hands at your sides, close your eyes and simply raise your arms up of front of your body to eye level - they will follow a natural path and be a distance that your shoulder feels comfortable at while extending.  I use this to give people their width distance for push ups and it works great - but it works the same if the force is traveling the other way as well.  

Remember that a wider or narrower grip means that you are putting force through your shoulders in a different direction, which if you have shoulder issues can either get rid of them - or make them worse.


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## skinnyguy180 (Jun 22, 2011)

I would think this would partially depend on the goal and the experience of the lifter.  For instance I don't know that I would advise some one that has never done bench before to use what ever motion comes natural to them I would coach them on the correct movements and then let the small adjustments come from them with practice.  Also if the goal of a person: depending on how wide you grip generally the higher your drop down point on you chest will be causing you to work different muscles with in the same groups.


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## Anabolic5150 (Jun 22, 2011)

No one said anything about what motion they used, we are talking about hand placement. Your body will automatically assume the correct mechanical position to complete a task, we screw that up through incorrect movement. What's the right way to pick a dime up off the floor? To squat down is anatomically correct. Ever seen a small child pick up a dime or something from the floor? They squat down. No one taught them that, it's natural. But as we age we start bending at the waist, we fight nature. I added 90 pounds to my bench in 4 or 5 months once I got my hand spacing correct. Do I move my placement around on occasion, yes I do. But I'm much stronger in a correct anatomical position.


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## jagbender (Jun 22, 2011)

Anabolic5150 said:


> I found something that worked well for me and everyone I have ever trained with. Lay on the bench, bar unloaded and close your eyes. Let your arms relax a bit and then without looking at the bar, keep your eyes closed and reach up and grip the bar in the position your arms go to. That is your natural mechanical point (I call it that). Remember where it is or refind it on your next session. My bench went up quite a bit once I did this.
> 
> I do on occassion go a bit wider but never closer unless working triceps.


 

I like this idea!  when I coached Bullseye shooting we used a similar method for NPA  Natural Point of Aim

I Usually have my ring fingers in the grove when I bench.


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## Anabolic5150 (Jun 22, 2011)

jagbender said:


> I like this idea! when I coached Bullseye shooting we used a similar method for NPA Natural Point of Aim
> 
> I Usually have my ring fingers in the grove when I bench.


 
At one point I had my thumb on the groove, think that eventually led to my rotator cuff injury. I bench now with the groove between my index and middle finger on the groove, my natural width. I am pretty wide in the shoulders, but that is my natural hand placement. At my widest now, I am in my old position but decrease my weight considerably when doing this.


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## jagbender (Jun 22, 2011)

Anabolic5150 said:


> At one point I had my thumb on the groove, think that eventually led to my rotator cuff injury. I bench now with the groove between my index and middle finger on the groove, my natural width. I am pretty wide in the shoulders, but that is my natural hand placement. At my widest now, I am in my old position but decrease my weight considerably when doing this.


 
that would make sense  I am probably not as wide in the shoulders  I am only 5'9"


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## Anabolic5150 (Jun 22, 2011)

jagbender said:


> that would make sense I am probably not as wide in the shoulders I am only 5'9"


 
My training partner is 5'10" and his natural placement is one finger wider then mine. It's all about the individual. He is wider in the shoulders then me and an inch shorter but not quite as thick but well on his way. He is WAY stronger too, I hate him!! (He's also 20 years younger, LOL)


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## jagbender (Jun 22, 2011)

Anabolic5150 said:


> My training partner is 5'10" and his natural placement is one finger wider then mine. It's all about the individual. He is wider in the shoulders then me and an inch shorter but not quite as thick but well on his way. He is WAY stronger too, I hate him!! (He's also 20 years younger, LOL)


 

I'm 50  Cannot believe it though!


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## skinnyguy180 (Jun 22, 2011)

Anabolic5150 said:


> My training partner is 5'10" and his natural placement is one finger wider then mine. It's all about the individual. He is wider in the shoulders then me and an inch shorter but not quite as thick but well on his way. He is WAY stronger too, I hate him!! (He's also 20 years younger, LOL)



Haha your training partner is 20 years younger than you.  Your a savage!!


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## Anabolic5150 (Jun 22, 2011)

skinnyguy180 said:


> Haha your training partner is 20 years younger than you.  Your a savage!!



An old ass savage maybe. Thanks Bro, just do my best to keep up with his strong ass man. He whooped me today, BAD!!


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## carmineb (Jun 22, 2011)

Curt James said:


> How long are your arms? I mean would you say you have long arms or shorter arms? The best benchers, it seems, have deep chests and shorter arms. My arms are freakishly long and my shoulder girdle is akin to a bunch of drinking straws and some bubble gum stuck together.
> 
> I primarily stick with dumbbells, but if I'm benching with an Olympic bar I'll keep my grip fairly close. See the box:


 

for me, when I do bench of any kind, I put middle finger on the ring.  I know it is on the wide side however, I think it helps me keep tension on chest more, if I put my hands closer, it seems teh last part of the movement is all lock out, I prefer hitting middle of chest with flys and focus on outer chest with benching of whatever kind.....  ex.  close grip bench is primarily all lockout, much more stress on tris (for me anyway).


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## one2lift (Jun 25, 2011)

Anabolic5150 said:


> I found something that worked well for me and everyone I have ever trained with. Lay on the bench, bar unloaded and close your eyes. Let your arms relax a bit and then without looking at the bar, keep your eyes closed and reach up and grip the bar in the position your arms go to. That is your natural mechanical point (I call it that). Remember where it is or refind it on your next session. My bench went up quite a bit once I did this.
> 
> I do on occassion go a bit wider but never closer unless working triceps.


 
interesting idea..I will try it as well


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