Description
Wide-grip bench press to increase chest emphasis during the press.
01 · Setup
Set up the movement
- Lie on a flat bench with your feet planted on the floor.
- Keep your feet stable on the floor and your buttocks and upper back still.
- Bring your shoulder blades together and down, with your chest out.
- Grip wider than shoulder width, with forearms vertical at the bottom.
- Keep your elbows controlled without extreme flaring.
02 · Execution
Perform the rep
- Lower under control toward the middle of your chest.
- Pause with control briefly at the bottom without bouncing.
- Press along a stable path until the load is above your shoulders.
Technique cue
Fixed shoulder blades and a stable path on every repetition.
Common mistakes- flaring the elbows to 90 degrees
- bouncing off the chest
- bending the wrists backward
- lifting the buttocks
- lowering too quickly
Safety notes
Risks of poor execution
- With a free barbell, an uncontrolled load can fall onto the chest, throat or face.
- Bouncing or lowering too quickly can cause a pectoral tear and shoulder injury.
- Training close to failure without safety measures increases the risk of a serious accident.
- An excessively wide grip increases stress on the front of the shoulder.
- Bouncing or lowering quickly increases pectoral injury risk.