Finding your ideal bench press grip width

Grip width on the bench press affects everything: how much you lift, which muscles work hardest, and whether your shoulders stay healthy.

Most people never experiment with grip. They grab the bar where it feels natural and bench that way forever. This leaves strength on the table and often causes shoulder problems. Our exercise guide covers setup details for every lift in the program.

The Standard Recommendation

Your forearms should be vertical — perpendicular to the floor — when the bar touches your chest.

Stand in front of a mirror and extend your arms at a 45-degree angle from your torso (the angle your arms make during bench press). Your hands should be directly above your elbows. That’s approximately your ideal grip width.

For most men, this means gripping with your index or middle finger on the power rings (the smooth rings marked on Olympic barbells). For most women, it’s slightly inside the rings.

Why Forearm Angle Matters

A 2017 study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research analyzed bench press mechanics across different grip widths. When forearms are vertical at the bottom position:

• Force transfers directly through the wrist and elbow into the bar
• Chest, shoulders, and triceps share the load optimally
• The bar path stays efficient

Grip too wide: Your forearms angle outward. The chest works harder but the shoulders take excessive stress. Many shoulder injuries come from benching too wide.

Grip too narrow: Your forearms angle inward. Triceps dominate and chest activation drops. You’ll lift less weight and miss the full benefit of the movement.

The Biacromial Method

Sports scientists use a formula based on biacromial width — the distance between the bony points on top of your shoulders.

Optimal grip width = 1.5 × biacromial width

To measure: Have someone mark the acromion process on each shoulder (the bony point where your arm meets your torso). Measure the distance between marks. Multiply by 1.5.

If your biacromial width is 15 inches, your grip should be approximately 22.5 inches between index fingers.

This formula puts most people’s grip at or just inside the 81cm legal maximum for powerlifting.

Signs Your Grip Is Too Wide

• Shoulder pain in the front of the joint
• The bar touches high on your chest (near collarbones)
• Your elbows flare to 90 degrees
• You feel weak off the chest but strong at lockout
• Wrist pain from angled wrists

Signs Your Grip Is Too Narrow

• Triceps fail before your chest feels worked
• The bar touches low (near your sternum or below)
• You feel strong off the chest but struggle at lockout
• Your elbows tuck extremely close to your body

How to Experiment

Step 1: Find your current grip by feel. Mark it by noting which finger sits on the ring or counting knurling lines from the smooth center.

Step 2: Bench with that grip for a normal session. Note how it feels at the bottom, midpoint, and lockout.

Step 3: Next session, move each hand in by one thumb width. Bench the same weight. Compare.

Step 4: Following session, try one thumb width wider than your original grip. Compare again.

Most people find their best grip within this range. If all three feel identical, stick with the middle option.

Competition vs Training Grip

Powerlifters often bench with a very wide grip (maximum legal width is 81cm between index fingers) because it shortens the bar path. Shorter path = less work = more weight.

For 5x5 training, this isn’t necessary or advisable:

• The wider grip increases shoulder injury risk
• You’re building strength, not peaking for a meet
• Moderate grip allows better muscle development

Train with comfortable, shoulder-healthy grip width. If you ever compete, you can experiment with wider grip during meet prep.

Grip Width and Arch

Your grip width interacts with how much you arch your back. A bigger arch raises your chest, changing where the bar touches and altering the forearm angle at the bottom.

If you bench with a significant arch:

• You may need a slightly wider grip to keep forearms vertical
• The bar will touch lower on your chest
• Your effective range of motion is shorter

If you bench flat-backed:

• Standard grip width applies
• The bar touches higher
• You have a longer range of motion

Neither style is wrong. But understand how they interact.

When to Change Grip Width

Shoulder pain: Move hands in by one finger width. If pain persists after 2-3 weeks, see a professional.

Plateau at lockout: Consider moving hands in slightly to increase tricep involvement.

Plateau off the chest: Consider moving hands out slightly for more chest leverage.

After adding arch: Reassess forearm angle and adjust accordingly.

Don’t change grip width frequently. Pick something reasonable and stick with it for months while you learn the movement and build strength.

Wrist Position Within the Grip

Grip width is only half the equation. Where the bar sits in your hand matters too.

The bar should rest on the heel of your palm, directly over your forearm bones. This creates a straight line from bar to elbow.

Common mistake: Gripping with the bar in your fingers or mid-palm. This bends your wrist back, causes wrist pain, and wastes energy stabilizing the bar.

Wrap your thumbs around the bar. Suicide grip (thumbs under) is dangerous — the bar can roll off your palms and onto your neck.

Put It Into Practice

Grip width changes can feel awkward initially. Your coordination is trained to your current grip. Give any change at least 3-4 sessions before judging it.

If you’re currently having shoulder issues or feel stuck at a plateau, experimenting with grip width costs nothing and might solve the problem.

Check out the full bench press form guide for complete technique breakdown, browse the exercise guide for all five lifts, and track your progress with Lift5x5.