Medium-Grip Barbell Bench Press
A horizontal barbell press performed with the hands around shoulder width. It provides a balanced chest-and-triceps pressing variation between close- and wide-grip bench press setups.
- Body part
- Chest: all exercises
- Movement
- Push: all exercises
What it trains
- Chest Upper, Primary, 85%
- Chest Middle, Primary, 85%
- Front Deltoid, Secondary, 50%
- Triceps Lateral Head, Secondary, 50%
- Upper Abs, Stabilizer, 25%
- Serratus Anterior, Stabilizer, 25%
How to perform
Lie on a flat bench with the feet planted and take a moderate grip on the bar.
Unrack the bar and lower it with control to the chest while keeping the shoulders set.
Press the bar upward until the elbows are extended without losing the bench position.
Tips
Keep the shoulder blades retracted and the feet firmly planted.
Use spotter arms or a spotter when training near failure.
Common mistakes
Bouncing the bar from the chest.
Losing wrist alignment or allowing the elbows to flare uncontrollably.
Related exercises
Variations · 1
Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press
Different barbell hand spacing and pressing mechanics: medium versus wide grip.
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