Best grip for bench...

[Tattoo70]

This has probably been asked a tousand times but I want to hear from you. What do you consider to be the best grip for benching. I know that a close grip will work inner chest and tri's but on just a regular flat or incline or decline. What would you use? Shoulder width? Narrower? Wider?....Thanks....Tattoo

[MASTER]

just past shoulder, i guess what is called the normal bench or middle bench grip tends to be the best for overall growth

[Flexor]

This has probably been asked a tousand times but I want to hear from you. What do you consider to be the best grip for benching. I know that a close grip will work inner chest and tri's but on just a regular flat or incline or decline. What would you use? Shoulder width? Narrower? Wider?....Thanks....Tattoo

Close grip doesn't work inner chest man, that's a stupid myth. It works the triceps and shoulders more and takes emphasis off chest, especially since its at a mechanical disadvantage. Inner chest is not a muscle and it can't be worked by any specific exercise, whether its partial reps or some other BS.

For pecs, wider than shoulder width, lowering to 1-2 inches above the nipples with your elbows flared out, but the upper arms not fully perpendicular to trunk, is best. Lower mass must be used, but its best for the pecs. Alternatively just lower to below the nipples if its painful or uncomfortable or you want to use more mass.

[S.P.G]

A very wide grip can be Potentially dangerous.
to close will put a lot more of the load on the triceps.
what Jamesc said is about right but ppl will differ, give or take a inch or two.

[Blown_SC]

Wide, Mid, and Narrow grips should all be used IMO........... all have their purpose.

[Tattoo70]

Close grip doesn't work inner chest man, that's a stupid myth. It works the triceps and shoulders more and takes emphasis off chest, especially since its at a mechanical disadvantage. Inner chest is not a muscle and it can't be worked by any specific exercise, whether its partial reps or some other BS.

For pecs, wider than shoulder width, lowering to 1-2 inches above the nipples with your elbows flared out, but the upper arms not fully perpendicular to trunk, is best. Lower mass must be used, but its best for the pecs. Alternatively just lower to below the nipples if its painful or uncomfortable or you want to use more mass.

Not trying to start an argument but thats like saying that incline doesn't work the upper chest and decline doesn't work the lower. So basically what you're saying is that flat bench is all you need for chest? I think there are alot of people on here that will disagree with that.

[Flexor]

Not trying to start an argument but thats like saying that incline doesn't work the upper chest and decline doesn't work the lower. So basically what you're saying is that flat bench is all you need for chest? I think there are alot of people on here that will disagree with that.

You have the pec muscles confused, there are only two. The upper and lower pec are two separate muscles, and as a result incline and decline does cause greater contraction in them respectively. However, there is no inner chest muscle so you can forget about trying to target it with close grip. Close grip will work your pecs as a whole but no where near as good as another grip because of the reasons I already stated.

Hitting at different angles and with different grips is very good for growth and you need to do that for chest, so I'm not saying all you need is flat. I personally only do flat, and dips because my upper chest has grown fine with flat bench.

Decline is a waste of time if you can do dips, because it takes the same principle that decline works on but exaggerates it and puts even more load on the lower pec.

[S.P.G]

Flexors right the cheat is made up of two muscles pectorals major, and miner, they work as a hole, with different exercise you can put the enforces on different areas of that muscle.

[Flexor]

Yeah Pec Minor, which works like the serratus to protract the shoulder blades

and Pec Major clavicular head and sternal head...and we know their uses

But technically two muscles, of which one has two heads

[Tattoo70]

I see your point. Thanks for youe explanation.