Exercise

Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press: How to Do It, Muscles Worked

Last updated 26 July 2026

What muscles does the Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press work?

The Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press primarily targets the chest, and also recruits the shoulders, triceps as secondary muscles. It's classified as a intermediate-level strength movement using barbell.

What are the most common Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press mistakes?

• Not locking out fully at the top, cutting the working range of motion short.
• Arching excessively through the lower back instead of bracing the core.
• Flaring the elbows out to 90 degrees from the torso, which stresses the shoulder joint.
• Bouncing the weight off the chest or letting momentum replace control at the bottom.

How should I program the Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press — sets, reps and frequency?

As an upper-body pressing movement, it responds well to a moderate-to-heavy 4-8 reps for 3-5 sets when trained for strength, or 8-12 reps for hypertrophy. Most lifters train it once or twice a week as a primary movement in a push/pull/legs or upper/lower split. Add small amounts of weight or an extra rep once every working set can be completed with good form — the same progressive overload principle behind every strength exercise in the library.

What are good Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press variations and alternatives?

• Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip — barbell, beginner level, chest
• Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip — barbell, beginner level, chest
• Decline Barbell Bench Press — barbell, beginner level, chest
• Decline Dumbbell Bench Press — dumbbell, beginner level, chest

Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press at a glance

Attribute	Value
Level	Intermediate
Equipment	Barbell
Category	Strength
Primary muscles	Chest
Secondary muscles	Shoulders, Triceps

How to do the Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press, step by step:

1. Step 1. Lie back on a flat bench with feet firm on the floor. Using a wide, pronated (palms forward) grip that is around 3 inches away from shoulder width (for each hand), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. The bar will be perpendicular to the torso and the floor. This will be your starting position.
2. Step 2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your middle chest.
3. Step 3. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
4. Step 4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.