Barbell Wide Bench Press
Barbell Wide Bench Press is ready for real load and honest reps and works as a chest-day opener.
How to do Barbell Wide Bench Press
- Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
- Grasp the barbell with a wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
- Lower the barbell slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows slightly flared out.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Wide Bench 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 Wide Bench 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.
Easier and Harder Than Barbell Wide Bench Press
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Barbell Wide Bench Press — Frequently Asked Questions
How do you do the Barbell Wide Bench Press?
Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench. Grasp the barbell with a wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended. 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 Wide Bench Press work?
The Barbell Wide Bench 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 Wide Bench 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 Wide Bench 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 Wide Bench Press?
Try the Lever Incline Chest Press V. 2, Cable Decline Fly or the Weighted Svend Press. Each trains the pectorals with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.
