Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press

Also known as: decline barbell wide-grip press

Intermediate

Pectorals

Barbell

Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press trades complexity for pressing power across the chest, and it works as a chest-day opener.

How to do Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press

Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips.
Grasp the barbell with a wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Lower the barbell to your chest, keeping your elbows out to the sides.
Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Add to an AI Workout Plan All Chest Exercises Barbell Chest Exercises All Barbell Exercises

Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

4 sets of 4-6 reps with 3 minutes of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.

Hypertrophy

4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.

Endurance

3 sets of 15-20 reps with 45 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.

Common Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press Mistakes

Gripping off-centre so one side carries more load

Set both hands on matching knurl marks before each set.

Letting the shoulders roll forward at the bottom

Set the shoulder blades back and down before rep one and hold it there.

Repeating the same load and rep scheme for months

Pick one variable, load, reps, or tempo, and push it every week.

Easier and Harder Than Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press

Easier progression

Lever Standing Chest Press

Harder progression

Plyo Push Up

Swap Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press For

Push-up Plus

Medicine Ball Chest Push Multiple Response

Smith Decline Reverse-grip Press

Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press?

Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips. Grasp the barbell with a wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower the barbell to your chest, keeping your elbows out to the sides. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press work?

The Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press primarily targets the pectorals. It is classified as a chest exercise and is performed with a barbell.

How many sets and reps of the Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press should I do?

For muscle growth: 4 sets of 8-12 reps with 75-90 seconds of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press good for beginners?

It is an intermediate movement. You will get more out of it once you can already perform the basic chest patterns with controlled form. Beginners can still use it with light load and close attention to technique.

What can I do instead of the Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press?

Try the Push-up Plus, Medicine Ball Chest Push Multiple Response or the Smith Decline Reverse-grip Press. Each trains the pectorals with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.

Is the Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press the same as the decline barbell wide-grip press?

Yes. The Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press is also commonly called the decline barbell wide-grip press. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "decline barbell wide-grip press" refer to this same movement.