Help on bench press hand position?

[lvtrojan]

If I am trying to take stress off of my shoulders/delts when bench pressing and hitting the pecs more...should I grip the bar wider than shoulder width or closer together?

thanks for any help!

[Brookenator]

I get a better chest pump when I grip out farther. When I get in to far I only feel it in tris not my chest.I put my index finger on the knurling mark (rough spot).

[JakeSTSM]

Dumbell bench is considerably easier on the shoulders.

[lvtrojan]

why are dumbell presses easier on the shoulder than with the bench press bar?

[labouche]

cuz your arms are locked into an unnatural plane when lowering the bar that your hands are fixed to. the mechanics of the bench press place limits on the pathway used.
with db's your hands arent fixed and the path will be a natural one for your body.
that being said- the bench is best for strength and mass because of those very attributes.

[gopher]

Take a grip that puts your thumbs just outside your shoulders when you bring the bar to your chest. Wider hits the delts more. Closer hits the tris more. Also keep your elbows angled in closer to your body rather than flared out to the sides. Keeping your upper arms perpendicular to your body places more stress on your delts. I also agree that DBs may be your best bet to keep stress off of the delts.