Bench Press Grip Width: How Wide Should You Grip the Bar?

Grip width changes which muscles do most of the work, how far the bar travels, and how your shoulders feel. There is no single correct width, but there is a simple way to find yours.

The starting point: forearms vertical

At the bottom of the rep, with the bar on your chest, look at your forearms from the side and from the front. For most lifters, the strongest starting width is the one where the forearms are close to vertical, stacked under the bar. Start there and adjust a finger-width at a time.

Close, medium and wide

Grip	More work for	Range of motion	Notes
Close (about shoulder width)	Triceps	Longest	Easier on many shoulders; great accessory
Medium	Balanced chest, shoulders, triceps	Medium	Where most lifters press best
Wide	Chest and front shoulders	Shortest	Competition limit applies; harder on some shoulders

Competition limit

In IPF powerlifting, the hands may not be wider than 81 cm between the index fingers; the rings on a power bar mark that width. Check your federation's current rulebook.

Wrist and hand position

• Put the bar low in the palm, over the forearm bones, not back in the fingers. A bar in the fingers bends the wrist back.
• Squeeze the bar hard. A tight grip makes the whole upper body tighter.
• Sweaty hands let the bar creep back in the palm. A small amount of Odyssey Liquid Chalk keeps it where you put it. See sweaty hands when lifting.

Grip width and sliding

Wider grips with a big arch rely on a planted upper back. If you slide toward the rack as you drive, your grip width effectively changes relative to your shoulders mid-set. Fix the slide first: how to stop sliding on the bench press. If the bench pad is the issue, an Odyssey Bench Mat lays flat and holds your back in place.

More bench work: how to arch and the bench press accessories that help.