Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press
A wider grip increases pec stretch and overall range of motion. It works mainly the chest and front deltoid, with help from the triceps.
In Flawless, a man aged 23–39 reaches Gold, the third of eight ranks, at 1.2× bodyweight (95 kg at 80 kg). For a woman it is 0.85× (50 kg at 60 kg).
How to do Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press
- Lie on the bench with eyes under the bar, shoulder blades pulled together and down, feet flat and a slight arch in the lower back.
- Take a wide grip, about 1.5 times shoulder width, so the forearms are vertical at the bottom of the press.
- Lower the bar with control to the lower half of your chest; the wide grip shortens the path and shifts the work to the chest.
- Press up while exhaling; if the front of the shoulders complains, move the hands in a few centimetres.
These are the same steps you see in the exercise guide in the Flawless app.
Muscles worked
| Role | Muscle | Anatomical name |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | Chest | Pectoralis major |
| Primary | Front deltoid | Deltoideus anterior |
| Secondary | Triceps | Triceps brachii |
Muscle data from StrengthLog.
Why do it
- Mass and strength across the whole chest
- Stronger lockout on every press
- Carries over to overhead work and dips
Strength standards for Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press
| Rank | Men | Women | Man, 80 kg | Woman, 60 kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | start | start | – | – |
| Silver | 0.8× | 0.55× | 65 kg | 32.5 kg |
| Gold | 1.2× | 0.85× | 95 kg | 50 kg |
| Platinum | 1.6× | 1.1× | 127.5 kg | 65 kg |
| Diamond | 2× | 1.4× | 160 kg | 85 kg |
| Obsidian | 2.5× | 1.75× | 200 kg | 105 kg |
| Painite | 3× | 2.1× | 240 kg | 125 kg |
| Antimatter | 4× | 2.8× | 320 kg | 167.5 kg |
Ratios are one-rep max ÷ bodyweight for ages 23–39; kilograms are rounded to 2.5 kg.
Flawless takes your best set of Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press, estimates your one-rep max with the Brzycki formula (reps are capped at 12) and divides it by the bodyweight in your profile, so you never have to test a true max. Women’s limits are 30 % lower than men’s. For other ages the app lowers every limit: by 8 % under 23 and from 40 to 49, by 18 % in your 50s, 28 % in your 60s and 38 % from 70.
Similar exercises
Questions
What muscles does Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press work?
It works mainly the chest and front deltoid, with help from the triceps.
How do you do Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press?
Lie on the bench with eyes under the bar, shoulder blades pulled together and down, feet flat and a slight arch in the lower back. Take a wide grip, about 1.5 times shoulder width, so the forearms are vertical at the bottom of the press. Lower the bar with control to the lower half of your chest; the wide grip shortens the path and shifts the work to the chest. Press up while exhaling; if the front of the shoulders complains, move the hands in a few centimetres.
What is a good Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press for my bodyweight?
In Flawless, Gold starts at 1.2× bodyweight for men aged 23–39 and 0.85× for women, Diamond at 2× and 1.4×. For an 80 kg man that is a 95 kg and a 160 kg one-rep max.
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