I like my bench press grip narrow

[Kavn]

I use a shoulder-wide grip that's the narrowest I've seen. When I use a wider grip, my bench goes down quite a bit. Should I try the wider grip or stick to what is working now?

I'm 19 and 170 pounds. My max bench is 215.

 

[Tom P]

I say stick with what works for you, but you could still vary your grip every now and then

 

[Klotz]

Stick with what works. The goal of powerlifting is to lift as much as possible, so keep doing that.

I tend to move my grip about a finger wider every year.

 

[TDonovan]

Everyone has a different place they like to put their hands. I like mine on the narrow side as well. I found that when I place my arms any farther out that not only does my bench go down, but I hurt my shoulders.

I had some tendonitis fairly bad in my left shoulder. After switching to a more narrow grip my tendonitis improved dramatically, my bench went up, and I started making real progress. Do what's comfortable for ya.

 

[Hammerlock]

I used to bench with index fingers on the ring. It was really wide. Recently I've switched to a narrower grip, pinkies on the rings...when I first switched I was ALOT weaker and had a much greater ROM, but slowly I am adapting to the new grip and i think I will bench more than ever with this narrower grip instead, not sure though. My narrower grip is definitely more applicable to wrestling and bjj

 

[HA-Y-N Pitbull]

Do whatever feels best for you.

 

[Poseidon9]

I recently started mimicking Scott Mendelson's bench form (I figure if anyone knows his shit, it's him.) At first it was hard to get a feel for, but on about my 3rd workout everything clicked and I broke my old PR by 10 lbs.

If you're interested in changing to a wider grip, try it for a couple workouts until you get used to it, THEN evaluate it yourself.

 

[Standard]

I recently started mimicking Scott Mendelson's bench form (I figure if anyone knows his shit, it's him.) At first it was hard to get a feel for, but on about my 3rd workout everything clicked and I broke my old PR by 10 lbs.

If you're interested in changing to a wider grip, try it for a couple workouts until you get used to it, THEN evaluate it yourself.

Doing the exact same thing myself, even the leg tuck to keep my ass planted on the bench, i find that is really hard to get used to.

If its working for you, then stick with it i have found that the wider i go the better it is for me but it took awhile to get used to it, i have my index on the rings or slightly outside of them now but i'm a taller guy.

 

[snigg]

i always thought that a wider grip works your chest more, and a narrow grip is more arm strength? true? i use middle fingers on the rings.

 

[SmashiusClay]

I used to do all my benching with a narrow grip (shoulder width), despite making people I trained with rather impressed, I stuill opted recently to change out to a mnore orthodox bench width (pinkies on the rings) My bench has gone up a lot and my chest still has a long way to catch up to my lockout strength.

 

[PaiMeiBSNN]

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459808
says go narrow

 

[Lusst]

I used to like narrow also...until I discovered the potential that a wider grip and an arched back gave me. You live or die by the range of motion (ROM) on a lift.

 

[ThePitBull32]

you should switch up your grip to work your chest in more ways. narrow grip works the inner/upper pecs more, while wider grip works the outer/lower pecs to a greater extent.

 

[Lusst]

you should switch up your grip to work your chest in more ways. narrow grip works the inner/upper pecs more, while wider grip works the outer/lower pecs to a greater extent.

Do you know what I could do to work my inner shoulders, or my upper bicep?

 

[SmashiusClay]

you should switch up your grip to work your chest in more ways. narrow grip works the inner/upper pecs more, while wider grip works the outer/lower pecs to a greater extent.

*Throws fruit*

Actually since we have'nt seen Joey around in a while we need a new resident board idiot (kind of like a village idiot, but specific to lifting), you up for the job?

 

[Sohan]

I used to alter my grip width often in training, but for competition (410 max raw at 198 - 400 at age 19) I used a very wide grip and a good back arch. It reduced the distance the bar traveled and took advantage of my strong pecs (more likely I had strong pecs because of my wide bench training).

Do what works for you, but a 215 bench with a narrow grip says to me you could use some pec development. Can't bench big without a strong chest.

 

[JimJitsu]

Do you know what I could do to work my inner shoulders, or my upper bicep?

You can get a really good workout in said areas by performing regular circle jerk workouts supersetted with smith machine curls.

That's what I do anyway.

 

[ironbuddah]

I use a shoulder-wide grip that's the narrowest I've seen. When I use a wider grip, my bench goes down quite a bit. Should I try the wider grip or stick to what is working now?

I'm 19 and 170 pounds. My max bench is 215.

As someone who's logged numerous injuries over 15+ years of lifting - use a narrower grip.

I used to bench with a wide grip - elbows flaired out. Did that for years till I screwed up my shoulder.

Now I bench with a narrow grip (index finger just touching the smooth part of the bar) with my elbows tucked in. No pain, no problems.

My chest suffered a bit at first, but declines are a better chest exercise anyway and i just added a few sets of those.

 

[bacon]

I do wide and narrow. Until recently, I could bench more with a narrow grip. Not any more.

 

[Bubble Boy]

I've never changed my bench grip. It's always been a wide grip. Guess it's time to change things up a bit.