close grip bench press vs wide grip

[fslima0]

Ok. I've been bench pressing with a wider grip (pinkies touching the rings) for a long time since I am tall, and I have reached a plateau. I thought by having a wider grip, it would help me lift more weight. But then I tried a very close grip, and it felt very light. Is it because my chest is weak in comparison to my triceps and delts or what? or the other way around? should I be doing the bench press with a close, medium or wider grip? I want to switch it up and do more close grip in order to increase my bench... Will that help? Thanks

PS: I never work my triceps in isolation (I am doing SS)

[P1noy]

Ok. I've been bench pressing with a wider grip (pinkies touching the rings) for a long time since I am tall, and i have reached a plateau. I thought by having a wider grip, it would help me lift more weight. But then I tried a very close grip, and it felt very light. Is it because my chest is weak in comparison to my triceps and delts or what? or the other way around? should I be doing the bench press with a close, medium or wider grip? I want to switch it up and do more close grip in order to increase my bench... will that help? Thanks

PS: I never work my triceps in isolation (I am doing SS)

You should use a variation of grips in your routine. Closer grip will focus more on your innner chest as well as hitting your delts and tris. Normally close grip bench is harder then the wider grip

[italianplaya30]

your chest/shoulders and back need to be strengthen up....if the weight is flying up on closegrip that means your triceps are strong

alternate between using the two...when you stall out on widegrip switch to closegrip and vice versa

[fslima0]

your chest/shoulders and back need to be strengthen up....if the weight is flying up on closegrip that means your triceps are strong

alternate between using the two...when you stall out on widegrip switch to closegrip and vice versa

Yea I stalled out on the wide grip bench press. Will probably do close to medium grip from now on. Thanks for advice

[fslima0]

You should use a variation of grips in your routine. Closer grip will focus more on your innner chest as well as hitting your delts and tris. Normally close grip bench is harder then the wider grip

Thats what I thought too. Close grip being harder the wide grip, but when I tried it it felt light. Obviously I didn't want to put too much weight on the bar since I had never done a close grip bench press before, but it felt light.

[kanis999]

Stick with medium grip primarily. When performing close grip, the barbell takes a different path, which hovers lower on your chest. Keep this in mind to avoid poor technique and injury. Also note that close grip bench tends to feel easy for the first few reps, but suddenly becomes difficult without much warning. Even if the first 6 reps feel really easy, you might be surprised and find yourself failing at 10 reps.

[fslima0]

Stick with medium grip primarily. When performing close grip, the barbell takes a different path, which hovers lower on your chest. Keep this in mind to avoid poor technique and injury. Also note that close grip bench tends to feel easy for the first few reps, but suddenly becomes difficult without much warning. Even if the first 6 reps feel really easy, you might be surprised and find yourself failing at 10 reps.

Thanks for the tip man

[mrpatrson]

Stick with medium grip primarily. When performing close grip, the barbell takes a different path, which hovers lower on your chest. Keep this in mind to avoid poor technique and injury. Also note that close grip bench tends to feel easy for the first few reps, but suddenly becomes difficult without much warning. Even if the first 6 reps feel really easy, you might be surprised and find yourself failing at 10 reps.

I find this to be very true myself

[corepuncher]

Ok. I've been bench pressing with a wider grip (pinkies touching the rings) for a long time since I am tall,

Wow, pinkies on the rings is narrow grip for me. I am stronger with index finger on the rings. For me, wider grip is easier. Then again, I am within 20 lbs of max flat bench with my incline bench. I've been making it a point to try to bench with pinky on rings now, since I am weaker that way. Kinda pisses me off, I should be benching more given my other lifts. Not sure if my triceps are weak or my pecs.

[mickydees]

You should use a variation of grips in your routine. Closer grip will focus more on your innner chest as well as hitting your delts and tris. Normally close grip bench is harder then the wider grip

no such thing as inner chest. paused close grip bench is hnnnng for tris