Bench press with an open grip. Technique for performing bench presses. Bench press option
The barbell grip has a lot of nuances that allow you to load different areas of the same muscles. The wide-grip bench press, for example, is considered a compound exercise because it engages a large number of muscle groups, allowing you to lift maximum weight in this position. But it is not the only and correct one.
Effect of arm length
Roughly speaking, there is no such thing as a single correct grip for the bench press, since it will differ depending on your goals and individual characteristics.
For example, the width of your grip depends in part on the length of your arms.
The longer a person's arms, the more work he will have to do to move the bar from the chest to straight arms. The length of the arms also affects the distance between the palms when gripping. The relationship here is direct - the longer the arm, the farther the hands on the bar will be from each other.
This is explained simply: when a person presses a barbell in the classic version, he must bend his elbows 90 degrees in the starting position. It turns out that the distance between the palms clearly depends on the length of the arms from shoulder to elbow. The width of the chest also affects what the grip will be, but only slightly.
Width of brush placement
The best known exercises are the wide-grip barbell bench press, the medium-grip bench press, and the last option with a narrow grip.
Let us remember that the basic bench press with an emphasis on the pectoral muscles is done with a wide grip, an intermediate version in which the load is distributed between the chest and arms is done with a medium grip, and the triceps or inner chest is pumped with a narrow grip.
On a classic bar weighing 20 kg there are grooves (marks) that determine the place of the index or any other fingers.
The width of the grip in the bench press is determined, firstly, by the goal (which muscles you are pumping), and secondly, by the length of your arms. To get the barbell you really need, use an empty bar first.
With the classic bench press. Lie down under the apparatus, position yourself on the bench so that your eyes are exactly under the bar. Now place your hands on the barbell in the area of the marks. Do the bench press several times and determine the most comfortable position for your hands. Remember which fingers are at risk. This will allow you to start working with the projectile right away next time.
The index finger, ring finger, or any other finger may be at risk. Your task is to grasp it so that your arms do not move apart, but it is also comfortable for your elbows to move apart. For example, with a height of 187 cm, I’m at risk with my middle finger. When I'm tired - nameless. For those who are shorter, the risk is located under the ring finger or little finger. In general, see for yourself.
When bench pressing with a close grip, it is important to grip the bar so that the bar maintains balance and does not fall to either side. The approximate distance between the hands is 20–30 cm. During the movement, your elbows will be brought towards the body. In this position, the triceps work effectively, and along with them the shoulder muscles (deltoids), namely the anterior bundles. And the lower you lower the bar from neck level, the more the deltoids will be loaded.
The medium grip is a kind of intermediate option. The elbows are slightly away from the body when moving.
Open and closed grip
Typically, when doing a bench press, athletes hold the bar in a ring, wrapping 4 fingers on one side and the thumb facing them. This grip is safe - the bar will not roll off your hands and onto your chest.
There is another interesting option that can help you press more weight. And it consists in not placing your thumb towards the rest. That is, the bar is wrapped around all 5 fingers and lies on the palm.
However, if used improperly, the bar can slip off your palms and fall onto your chest - after all, it is not fixed in any way except by the bends of your palm. Therefore, if you are a beginner, you do not need to use an open grip. Dumbbells should not be held like this under any circumstances.
Another serious disadvantage of such an open grip is the large load on the wrist joint, which bends strongly back so that the barbell does not roll off the palm. With a normal grip, the bar lies in the palm of your hand, covered with your fingers on both sides. There is nowhere for him to roll, and there is no point in bending his wrist either. And in this case, the position of the bar depends on the bend of your hand.
The hands experience a similar unpleasant load, in particular, when it is more convenient for a person to cross his arms, but he still keeps his elbows parallel to each other.
Direct and reverse grip
Some trainers claim that the reverse grip when pressing is a very cool thing, it allows you to load some top-secret areas of the pectoral muscles.
However, practice shows that athletes who use the classic straight-grip bench press, incline bench press and dumbbell flyes at different angles achieve significant success even without this. That is, there are no secrets.
When using a reverse grip on the barbell during the press, a significant load is placed on the front deltoids. These muscles are not the strongest and most resilient, so to speak, due to the high mobility of the shoulder joint. And then there’s the stress – you can easily fall into the risk group for shoulder diseases. And this will deprive you of the opportunity to fully train.
So, is it worth practicing? It’s better to grab the bar with a classic straight grip. Safe and effective.
Thickness and relief of the fingerboard
Practice shows that a thicker bar (up to certain limits) allows you to work with greater weights than a thin one. A classic 28 mm bar is much more convenient in terms of basic bench press than a 25 mm thick bar. This difference is very noticeable when it comes to 100 kg or more.
It's a matter of simple physics - a smaller area exerts more pressure under gravity. The thinner the bar, the more it will put pressure on the palm with the same weight, and it will get tired faster. That is, the triceps and chest do not care about the thickness of the bar. But for brushes this parameter will be very important.
With horizontal presses, grip strength does not particularly affect the efficiency of your press. The comfort of the neck matters more.
A bar that you can grip firmly will be comfortable. Typically, vultures have a textured surface alternating with smooth areas. Smooth areas are needed for deadlifts or other exercises where sharp terrain can damage the skin. For the bench press, relief is a very good thing.
The smaller the relief, the stronger you need to grip the barbell so that it does not slip in your hands. This wastes additional strength, which could help during the bench press. The working weight immediately drops by a couple of kg. Perhaps some of you had no idea about this.
If the bar is old and worn, use talcum powder, magnesium, or athletic gloves. There should be excellent grip between the skin of the palm and the surface of the fingerboard.
Technique for performing bench presses.
The bench press is one of the most popular competitive movements. Athletes of many sports in the preparatory period use the bench press in their training.
The bench press is the second competitive exercise, so it is very important that the athlete in this exercise is able to further develop the success begun in the squats. If he manages to successfully solve this problem, then as a rule this is the key to victory in triathlon.
Let’s start looking at the technique of performing the second competitive exercise of the bench press in the same way as in the squat by familiarizing yourself with the technical rules.
Bench press (rules and order of execution).
Reasons why weight lifted on a bench press does not count.
Bench press phases.
| Author | Phase 1 | Phase 2 | Phase 3 | Phase 4 | Phase 5 | Phase 6 | Phase 7 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Jamison (USA) | Position on the bench and eat pcs. from racks | Lowering the bar to the chest | Actually the bench press | ||||
| John Lear (Canada) | Position on the bench | Removing the bar from the racks | Preparing for the bench press | Lowering the bar to the chest | Actually the bench press | ||
| Theodor Arcidi (USA) | Position on the bench | Removing the bar from the racks | Preparing for the bench press | Lowering the bar to the chest | Actually the bench press | ||
| Charles Poliguin (USA) | Position on the bench | Removing the bar from the racks | Lowering the bar to the chest | The actual press Fixation of the apparatus | |||
| Rick Well(USA) /21/ | Preparatory part | Overclocking | Actually the bench press | We'll put the pressure on | |||
| Leonid Ostapenko (Russia) | Position on the bench, grip of the barbell | Removing the bar from the racks | Preparing for the bench press | Lowering the barbell to the chest | Fixing a pause | The actual barbell press | |
| Tsedov Roman (Russia) | Removing the bar from the racks | Waiting for the "Start" command | Lowering | Maintaining a “noticeable” pause | Squeezing | Waiting for the command to "stand" | Lowering the bar onto the racks |
| Sheiko Boris (Russia) | Acceptance of pre-launch position | Starting position (fixing the barbell with straight arms) | Lowering the barbell to the chest | Fixing a pause with a barbell on the chest | The actual bench press | Fixing the projectile in the final position | Returning the projectile to the racks |
As can be seen from the table, Russian powerlifting specialists, unlike foreign ones, break down the bench press technique into phases in more detail.
Below is a description of the phases of performing the bench press technique proposed by Honored Trainer of Russia B.I. Sheiko.
First phase- The pre-launch position technique consists of:
A) the athlete’s position on the bench (back arch, leg placement);
When positioned on a bench, the athlete should try to arch his back as much as possible, keeping his shoulders and buttocks in contact with the bench. (see photos 1,2,3) Since January 2001, technical rules have allowed lifting your head off the bench.
The more the athlete arches his back, the shorter the distance of the barbell, the less physical effort the athlete will have. Moreover, the height of the bridge can be limited only by the flexibility in the lumbar and thoracic regions of the athlete, since the height of the bridge is not limited by the competition rules. In this case, you should try to “pull” your shoulders as close to the pelvis as possible. The athlete’s first point of support in this position is the neck and trapezius, the shoulder blades should be brought together and should not touch the bench, the shoulders should be lowered as far as possible. The muscles of the legs and back are in a tense state, the pelvis should touch the bench but not rest on it ( see photo 3), the second fulcrum is the athlete’s legs. At this moment, it is very important at what height the bar is located; it should lie on the racks at such a height at which the athlete could accept the bar from the assistant without breaking the bridge. If the barbell lies high on the racks, the athlete will have to reach for it and the deflection in his lower back will decrease, which will increase the length of the press. If the barbell is in a low position on the racks, the athlete will not be able to bend to its full extent and will have difficulty removing the barbell from the racks.
b) barbell grip;
The fingers should wrap around the bar lying on the racks, with the thumbs positioned “locked” around the bar.
Athletes mainly use two grips: a wide grip of 81 cm, the maximum allowed by the competition rules, in which the main load falls on the pectoral muscles, and a medium grip with a width of 70-75 cm, which more strongly involves the triceps and deltoid muscles, depending on the length of the arms and strength potential of the athlete's pectoral muscles. Because people have different body measurements, limb lengths, and strength areas, the ideal grip width may be different for everyone. But nevertheless, the axiom is the same for everyone: the wider the grip of the hands (but not more than 81 cm), the shorter the path of movement of the barbell from the chest and, as a result, the physical work performed by the athlete will be less, and vice versa, the narrower the grip of the hands, the longer the path of movement of the barbell, and the physical work done will be great.
We also must not forget that the wider the grip of the hands, the greater the load placed on the pectoral muscles, and the narrower the grip, the more the triceps and deltoid muscles are loaded. The anterior lobe of the deltoid muscles should be below the line of the pectoral muscles.
Due to the fact that athletes have different body parameters, limb lengths and strength areas, the ideal grip width is strictly individual and may be different for everyone.
V) remove the bar from the racks.
The lifting of the barbell is carried out by the athlete independently or with the help of assistants. Recently, at all international competitions, in 99.9% of cases, one assistant in the center helps remove the barbell. Receiving the barbell from the assistant from the racks, the athlete slightly raises the pelvis, brings the barbell forward and lowers it as far as possible with straight arms, by bringing the shoulder blades together and lowering the shoulders down, then lowers the pelvis until it touches the bench.
G) position of the legs.
The feet should be placed as close as possible to the vertical projection of the pelvic girdle. The leg muscles are in a tense state. The athlete must stand on his feet and only touch the bench with his buttocks ( see photo3). This practice helps stabilize the entire body, and the muscles involved work more efficiently. Wide-legged positions are just as common as close-legged positions, but both positions involve elements of closing the body on the bench.
Second phase- The starting position consists of:
A) fixing the barbell on straight arms until the senior judge’s command “start” - (“stat”).
After receiving the barbell from the assistant, the athlete fixes the barbell in a stationary state with his arms fully straightened at the elbow joints and waits for the senior judge’s signal “start” (“stat”).
Third phase- lowering the barbell to the chest.
After the senior judge’s signal, the athlete lowers the barbell to his chest. Lowering the barbell to the lower edge of the pectoral muscles should be carried out relatively slowly, with full control of the tension of all muscle groups involved in the movement. In this case, the athlete makes a counter movement with his chest towards the bar, without lifting the support points of the body from the bench. The angle between the shoulder and the torso is approximately 45 degrees both when lowering the barbell and when pressing. Lowering the barbell to the chest and pressing from the chest is performed while holding the breath.
Fourth phase- fixation of the pause with the barbell on the chest.
After receiving the signal from the senior judge, the athlete must lower the barbell to his chest and hold it in a stationary position on his chest with a certain and visible pause. Standing still means stopping.
Fifth phase- The bench press itself consists of:
A) lifting the barbell from the chest;
After the barbell has visibly stopped on the chest, the athlete puts maximum effort into the muscles that directly perform the press - the pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps and lats. With the so-called “chest” style of pressing, the shoulders of the arms should be perpendicular to the body, while getting maximum benefit from the inclusion of the anterior deltoid muscles in the work. When performing a “triceps” press, the elbows should be shifted somewhat closer to the body; the initial impulse to lift the barbell from the chest is also given by the latissimus dorsi muscles, moving the athlete’s shoulder joints forward. With the “chest” style, the bar moves almost vertically with a slight deviation towards the racks, with the “triceps” style - deviating backwards from the vertical plan. A powerful exhalation is made in the upper third of the press, almost when pressing with straight arms. Some athletes, when lowering the barbell to their chest, tense their pectoral muscles and relax their arm muscles a little. They explain this by saying that this is necessary to ensure a sharp release from the chest, a small acceleration, which is achieved by relaxing and then sharply tensing the latissimus dorsi muscles with the immediate involvement of the pectoral muscles, deltoids and triceps. Other athletes, placing the barbell on the chest, do not relax the muscles of the arms, so they cannot sharply tear the barbell from the chest. When an athlete rips the barbell from the chest, the movement at this moment should go from the legs (by tensing them) towards the head, but in no case upwards, otherwise the pelvis will be torn from the chest benches. .
The bar should move approximately vertically upward, with a slight slope towards the racks. Try to ensure that the bar does not move strictly vertically upward or towards the legs, this excludes the deltas from working.
Postgraduate student at the Kuban State Academy of Physical Culture R.A. Tsedov videotaped athletes at competitions at a frequency of 25 frames per second. In the process of processing the video recording using a computer and a package of specialized programs, 12 trajectories were obtained and the frame-by-frame horizontal and vertical movements of the CTS were calculated.
As a result of a visual analysis of the resulting 12 graphs of the CTS trajectories, R.A. Tsedov chose the fact of intersection of the trajectories of the vertical lifting phase drawn through the CTS at the beginning of the lowering phase as a distinctive feature allowing to classify various bench press executions. Due to this fact, all trajectories of R.A. Tsedov divided into 3 groups.
To the first group he includes trajectories that do not intersect the vertical ( Fig.1), to the second group - trajectories that intersect the vertical once ( Fig.2), to the third group - trajectories crossing the vertical twice ( Fig.3).
The type of trajectory of the TSP when lifting the bar is significantly influenced by the trajectory of the TSP when lowering it. Group 1 trajectories are observed when the athlete is in the descending phase in the NE section ( Fig.1) places the projectile excessively forward and down. Then, due to the elasticity of additionally stretched muscles in the 3rd phase during lifting (section VA), the CTS has a relatively vertical trajectory that does not intersect the vertical of the starting position SE.
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| Fig 1. Trajectory graph of group I CTS | Fig 2. Trajectory graph of group II CTS | Fig 3. Trajectory graph of group III CTS |
Consequently, the boundary position (BP) between the 2nd and 3rd phases (C), compared to that between the 5th and 6th phases (A), is closer to the head relative to the athlete’s body.
Group II trajectories are observed in the case when the athlete has difficulty overcoming the “dead point” in the lifting phase (section BA in Fig. 2), which is associated with the approach of the CTS trajectory to the vertical of the starting position SE and its intersection at point D. In this case The GP between the 2nd and 3rd phases is located further from the head relative to the athlete’s body, compared to the GP between the 5th and 6th phases.
The trajectories of group III, according to R.A. Tsedov, are associated with the fact that the athlete at the beginning of the lifting phase (section BA in Fig. 3), having lost the elastic impulse due to a long delay in the “dead point” (section BF), vigorously lifts the bar forward and upward, which predetermines the repeated intersection of the vertical starting position CE at point D. In this case, the ratio of GP (C) and (A) coincides with group 1.
V) passing the "dead point";
When analyzing the graphs performed by R.A. Tsedov in the 5th phase (see Table 2), a “stumbling threshold” (hereinafter referred to as “dead point”) was identified - the most inconvenient area for the manifestation of an athlete’s active muscle strength. This zone is one of the main factors limiting sports performance ( Fig.4). The section of the graph enclosed between verticals A and B is the indicated zone.
Correlation analysis showed that the height and time of manifestation of the “dead spot” for each athlete is purely individual. Their values depend on: the qualifications of the athlete, gender, the percentage of the weight of the equipment to the individual maximum result in the bench press. It has been established that with increasing qualifications of athletes, in competitive conditions, a more pronounced “dead point” is observed. This fact is probably due to the weight of the projectile approaching the record result of a certain athlete.
The time for the manifestation of this zone from the GP between the 4th and 5th phases (see Table 2) averages 0.4 - 1.2 s. Depending on the anthropometric characteristics of the lifter, the distance from the chest at this time is 11 - 18 cm. /14/
G) we'll put the pressure on.
During the final part of the press, approximately in the upper third of the press, it is recommended to make a powerful, sharp exhalation. Straightening your arms at the elbows should occur simultaneously.
Sixth phase- fixing the barbell in the final position with straight arms, until the senior judge’s command “on the racks” - (“rack”).
After full and simultaneous straightening of the arms, the athlete fixes the barbell in a stationary position and waits for the senior judge’s signal “on the racks” (rack).
Seventh phase- returning the bar to the racks (after the senior judge’s command “to the racks” - (“rack”).
After the signal from the senior judge, the athlete returns the barbell to the racks independently or with the help of assistants by shifting the center of gravity of the projectile, located in the straightened arms, back, behind the vertical projection of the athlete’s eyes.
A frame-by-frame breakdown of the bench press technique was done by the Honored Trainer of Russia, senior coach of the Russian junior team I. G. Derevyanko.
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Receiving the bar from an assistant. After the assistant released the barbell, Jennifer brought the barbell forward a little more and stopped it against the lower part of the pectoral muscles.
As we can see, Mile arched her back and rests on two points: the first is her neck and trapezius, and the second is her legs. The pelvis only touches the bench. The heels are maximally pulled up to the vertical projection of the pelvic girdle. The athlete fixed the barbell in a motionless state, with her arms straightened at the elbow joints, waiting for the senior judge's signal to start.
In frames 3 and 4 You can see how Mile, when lowering the barbell onto his chest, makes a counter movement with his chest towards the barbell, without lifting his pelvis from the bench.
The deflection of the “bridge” has reached its maximum ( see frame 5.), legs are tense, the pelvis barely touches the bench, the athlete seems to be on her feet. In this position, she made a visible stop of the barbell on her chest ( see frame 6.).
After stopping the barbell on the chest, the athlete makes a maximum explosive effort with the muscles of the upper shoulder girdle. The barbell is lifted from the chest using the pectoral, deltoid, triceps and latissimus muscles ( see frames 7 and 8). The initial impulse (movement) at this moment comes from the legs towards the head.
The most difficult moment of the bench press has arrived, passing the “dead point” ( see frame 9). The athlete, by concentrating volitional and muscular efforts, successfully passed the “dead point” zone and presses the barbell until her arms are fully straightened ( see frames 10 and 11). Please note that the higher the barbell, the smaller the height of the athlete’s “bridge” becomes. This suggests that she seems to be moving her body away from the bar.
After full and simultaneous straightening of the arms, the athlete fixes the barbell in a stationary state and waits for the senior judge’s signal “to the racks.” ( see frame 12.)
Any athlete knows that to properly pump the chest, it is necessary to use the load at different angles, using, and. On the one hand, this is correct, since the pectoral muscles receive a comprehensive workout. On the other hand, no matter what angles we “bomb” our chest at, the grip width in the bench press remains the same. At the same time, most athletes perform the bench press with the least effective average grip.
Meanwhile, grip width plays a crucial role here. Surely everyone knows that in addition to the pectoral muscles, the triceps are also involved in the bench press. Thus, changing the width of the grip allows you to regulate the interaction of these two muscles - the wider the grip, the less work of the triceps and the greater the load on the chest, and vice versa.
Why is the medium grip so popular in bodybuilding, since it is not the most optimal from the point of view of pumping up the pectoral muscles? It's simple. The fact is that it is the most convenient. At the lowest point of the exercise, the elbows are bent at a right angle, and therefore the load is distributed between several joints - the shoulder, elbow and wrists. This position is very convenient.
What is wrong with an average grip on the bench press? The thing is that this grip is not able to properly load the pectoral muscles. In it, a significant part of the load is taken on by the triceps, which, being smaller muscle groups, significantly limit the strength potential of the bench press. In addition, the load on the pectoral muscles changes its vector - most of the work falls on the weak internal areas of the pectoral muscles and the upper chest. Thus, something as classic as the bench press pumps the chest only half-heartedly. In order for the pectoral muscles to fully realize their potential, it is necessary to direct the load over the entire area of the chest, and not on individual muscle bundles.
To maximize the load on your pectoral muscles, use an extremely wide grip on the bench press. It almost completely eliminates the triceps from the work, forcing the load to hit exactly across the entire plane of the chest. By the way, a wide grip is actively used by all strength athletes, since it is the one that can effectively increase pectoral strength.
When you switch to a wide grip on the bench press, you will probably notice that you cannot handle the previous working weights. There is nothing wrong with this, feel free to lower the weight of the barbell. The most important thing is that now the pectoral muscles receive maximum load. By the way, you shouldn’t give up on the average grip. It is logical to assume that using both types of grip will bring more results. For example, pump your chest exclusively with wide-grip bench presses for 4 weeks, and medium-grip for the next 4 weeks.
Related materials.
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After reading this guide, you can easily determine for yourself which grip to hold the barbell when performing an exercise such as the barbell bench press. So, let's try to answer the question of how wide you need to place your hands when grabbing the barbell.
The bench press is an exercise aimed primarily at working the pectoralis major and triceps muscles. The pectoral muscle itself consists of a large number of muscle fibers and can be conditionally divided into several zones or sections: upper (clavicular), middle, lower, internal (closer to the sternum), external (closer to the shoulders). And in order to have beautifully and harmoniously developed chest muscles, it is necessary to work all sections equally, paying more attention to the lagging parts. To focus on the upper, middle or lower chest, you need to change the inclination of the bench. So, for example, when choosing a horizontal bench, the main load falls on the middle chest. When bench pressing on an incline bench, head up - the upper chest, head down - the lower chest.
With the width of the grip, we can shift the load from the external to the internal section. In addition, the width of your arms affects the range of motion and how much weight you can lift.
Narrow grip
A narrow grip is when you place your hands at a distance of 25-30 cm, that is, approximately shoulder width apart. It is no longer advisable to place your hands for two reasons: firstly, the narrower your grip is, the more difficult it will be to maintain the balance of the barbell; secondly, in this case the elbow joints will be in a disadvantageous position, which can lead to injury. When using a narrow grip, the main load falls on the triceps and the inner part of the pectoralis major muscle. When using a close grip, your forearms should form an angle of slightly less than 90° to the floor as you lower the bar.
Wide grip
A wide grip means placing your hands much closer to the plates at the edges of the barbell. As you lower the bar, the angle between your forearms and the floor should be beyond 90°. When using a wide grip, the main load falls on the outer part of the pectoralis major muscle and shoulders. The triceps are least involved here. When performing a bench press, a wide grip on the barbell allows you to lift more weight than a medium or narrow grip. This occurs due to a decrease in the amplitude of movement of the barbell and due to an increase in the number of muscle fibers of the pectoralis major muscle involved in the work. However, this increase in strength comes with an increased risk of shoulder injury.
Medium grip
When performing a bench press, the barbell is most often held with a medium grip. As you lower the bar, your forearms should form an angle of exactly 90° with the floor. Here the load is distributed equally to the chest muscles and triceps. For most people, a medium grip is the most comfortable. But the best grip is the one when you don’t experience discomfort doing the exercise over and over again.
Reverse grip
A reverse grip is when you place your hands shoulder-width apart with your palms facing outward. Your forearms should be perpendicular to the floor. Keep your elbows strictly at your sides, and never spread them out to the sides. When performing a bench press with a reverse grip, the main emphasis of the load falls on the triceps and the upper (clavicular) section of the pectoralis major muscle.
How to choose the right grip for you
So what's the best bench press grip for you? There can be no clear answer here. After all, not only which muscle group you want to focus on depends on how you position your hands. The choice of grip should be determined by the specific training goal you have set for yourself today.
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The article will discuss variations in the technique of performing the classic basic exercise. bench press on a horizontal bench, wide grip. This article is the result of my many years of searching for the optimal bench press technique for myself. I have never thought so much about any exercise or looked for information. And the point is not in my special attitude to this exercise, but in the body structure that is unsuccessful for the bench press - long arms, a flat chest and an inflexible spine (accordingly, the most successful structural features for the bench press are short arms, a barrel-shaped chest and increased flexibility of the spine ).
Perhaps, I have collected all the morphological features that are unsuccessful for the bench press and, as a result, the bench press has always been a problematic exercise for me. In this article, I will briefly outline everything that I managed to understand in the biomechanics of the bench press on a horizontal bench with a wide grip, trying to understand it almost throughout my many years of training, and practical conclusions that allowed me to increase my bench press three times from the original one, and also, highlight three different styles of performing the bench press, which I consistently “passed” by increasing my bench press from the initial level (not yet knowing everything that is stated in this article) to my current level (thus, I am only writing about that , which I used in practice). The article will present both generally accepted ideas and concepts, as well as my personal understanding of some aspects, which does not claim to be true or “correct.”
The horizontal bench press with a wide grip is the main exercise for the chest, anterior deltoids and triceps, i.e. the basis for the athletic development of the muscles of the front part of the torso (pectoral and anterior deltas).
Also, the exercise is competitive, a test to assess the strength of the upper body.
Depending on the technique of performing this multi-purpose exercise, it is possible to shift the emphasis of the load both to the top and bottom of the pectoral muscles, as well as to connect additional muscles to lifting the barbell, such as the latissimus and leg muscles (press in powerlifting).
As mentioned above, three options for performing the bench press technique will be considered, which I classified as: "fitness press", "bodybuilding", "elevator"(powerlifting and generally competitive).
A little anatomy and biomechanics
The main driving force in the wide grip bench press is the pectoralis major muscles. The pectoralis major muscle has a fan-shaped structure: extensive attachments of fibers on the lower ribs, sternum and collarbone, converging at the attachment point on the humerus like the handle of a fan - layering on each other and forming a thickening that forms the anterior wall of the axilla. In addition, in addition to the overlay position at the insertion site, the fibers are also somewhat twisted, causing the lower fibers to attach higher on the humerus than the upper ones.
The main action of the pectoralis major muscles is to flex the humerus bones in the shoulder joint, in the horizontal plane, or, more simply, to bring the arms together in front of the torso. 
In this movement, the entire muscle contracts - multidirectional fibers of the upper and lower parts of the pectoralis major muscle act relative to each other at a certain angle, and the direction of their resultant coincides with the direction of the fibers of the middle (horizontal) part of the muscle.
But due to the specific relationships of the location of the shoulder joint, the places of attachment of different parts of the muscle on the chest and the humerus, in order to realize this consistency, the humerus should not be clearly perpendicular to the torso, i.e. at an angle of 90*, and slightly brought towards the torso, i.e. lowered so that the angle is less than 90 * (but not less than 45 *, otherwise the dominant movement will be normal flexion in the sagittal plane and priority in the movement will go to the front parts of the deltas). 
In addition, the upper part of the pectoralis major can act as a regular flexor (in the sagittal plane) along with the anterior part of the deltoids, and all parts of the muscle can adduct the humerus to the torso along with the latissimus dorsi (in most movements, the pectoralis major is the antagonist of the latissimus, but they are synergistic in adduction of the humerus).
In relation to the bench press, it is possible to combine horizontal flexion with adduction of the humerus - due to the raised chest due to the deflection of the spine (more on this below). Horizontal flexion begins to be combined with adduction when, in the initial position with straight arms in front of the torso, the angle between the straight arms and the torso (in the sagittal plane) is less than 90*. 
This also contributes to a more complete involvement of all parts of the pectoralis major muscles in the movement.
The synergists of the pectoralis major muscles in the bench press with a wide grip are the front deltoids and triceps. If the work of the triceps is more or less unchanged, then the degree of involvement of the front parts of the deltas can vary depending on the angle between the humerus and the torso (in the frontal plane) - the smaller it is, the more load falls on the deltas. 
When the humerus is positioned perpendicular to the torso (angle 90*), the “place” of the front parts of the deltas in the movement is partially “taken” by the upper part of the pectoral muscles, which mainly carries out the movement of the humerus, with the mediocre participation of the deltas and main (middle and lower) muscles. parts of the pectoral muscles. When the humerus is positioned at a 45° angle to the torso, the degree of participation of the anterior parts of the deltas in the implementation of the horizontal bench press with a wide grip is greatest, and it is believed that the anterior deltoids and pectoralis major muscles are involved equally.
Practice
Actually, in this section I will try to present a description and practical aspects of three options for performing the classic bench press with a wide grip on a horizontal bench, the way I see and understand them.
Fitness press is to lie down freely on a bench, your back is flat, your legs are freely on the floor, or you can lift them and put them on the edge of the bench. Slightly bringing the shoulder blades together, take the barbell with a wide grip, and lower and lift it, inhaling and exhaling at an average pace, along a vertical trajectory, touching the lower point of the top of the chest just below the collarbones, while the elbows are spread apart so that the shoulder bones form a cross with the body (perpendicular, i.e. at an angle of 90 * to the torso).
This is the most stupid bench press option of all - neither the pectoral muscles nor the deltoids work normally. The shoulder joint is in an unfavorable and dangerous position under load. The main work is performed by the upper part of the pectoral muscles, the fibers of which are horizontal in this position of the humerus, and the vector of their thrust coincides with the movement of the humerus. The main part of the pectoralis major muscles only stretches as much as possible in the lower position of the barbell (which in itself is a weak position for the bench press), and the vector of traction of its fibers at a strong angle to the humerus does not contribute to the full realization of their strength.
The only advantage of this option may be that when the barbell is lowered close to the neck and the elbows are turned outward, the chest is maximally stretched in the lower position and this allows you to “feel” the muscles well (but is not an advantageous position for the manifestation of maximum strength). From here follows the main field of its application - this can be the very first, warm-up approach with an empty bar.
This version of the bench press is sometimes mistakenly considered “bodybuilding”, because... indeed, some especially gifted, in the literal sense of the word, competitive-level athletes perform the bench press in exactly this way and with naturally decent weights. Their talent in this case is genetic, lies in the fact that they can perform exercises any way they want, sometimes simply without knowing or understanding the correct technique, and at the same time not get injured, progress and achieve results.
Surprisingly, sometimes even fitness instructors in gyms, people who by profession must understand what’s what, teach their students exactly this version of the bench press as the “correct” one.
Bodybuilding press, this is the same good old bench press, as grandfather Schwarzenegger bequeathed it to us. 
The most common version of the bench press, the most physiological, safe and best stimulating the development of the torso muscles (major pectoral and anterior deltoids, as well as triceps). And although, as follows from my article, there are at least three variations of the bench press technique, if you choose one that most closely describes the “correct” technique, it would certainly be the bodybuilding variation of the bench press. .jpg)
It contains such an element as the “deflection” of the spine, which in turn is divided into lumbar and thoracic (mainly, of course, the lumbar, since the thoracic spine is inactive due to the ribs forming a relatively rigid frame of the chest), but the essence of which is the same - the spine extended to an arc, between the two areas in contact with the bench - the spines of the shoulder blades brought together and the buttocks. This is not yet an elevator “bridge”, but:
- lumbar deflection and raised chest with the shoulder blades brought together and pressed to the bench as much as possible;
- tense buttocks and legs that sit firmly on the floor;
- slightly forward (towards the legs) elbows and lowering the barbell to the bottom of the pectoral muscles in the nipple area, as a result of which the shoulder bones are not a priori perpendicular to the torso as in a fitness press, but make an angle of less than 90* with the side surface of the torso at the bottom point of the press.
The role of raising the chest due to deflection is worth mentioning separately. Namely, that with this position in the bench press, in addition to a reduction in the amplitude of movement and less stretching of the muscles at the bottom point (the most powerful position), the humerus bones not only bend in the horizontal plane (or flexion in the horizontal plane is combined with normal flexion when the humerus bones are positioned at an angle of 45 * to the torso in the frontal plane), but due to the position of the humerus at an angle of less than 90 * to the torso in the initial position in the sagittal plane, the flexion movement begins to be combined with adduction, which also contributes to the most complete involvement of all parts of the pectoralis major muscles. 
In principle, the greater the deflection of the spine, the better the result (if the result in the bench press is an end in itself), but individually it varies greatly depending on the flexibility of the spine (it is advisable to gradually develop the flexibility of the spine with special exercises, which will be discussed below). 
Reducing the angle between the humerus and the torso in the frontal plane, at the lowest point, from 90* to 80-45*, allows you to reduce the stretch of the chest at the lowest point and “turn on” the entire mass of the pectoralis major muscles to full strength, since the total thrust of all The fan-shaped muscle fibers converging towards the humerus begin to work to lift and bring together the humerus bones in front of the chest. But there is no direct relationship here - the more you press your elbows, the better the result.
The only thing that is certain is that the elbows should not be “splayed” to the sides, but placed forward to improve the biomechanics of the press.
But to what extent this can be done, in the range of 80-45* of the humerus to the torso in the frontal plane, depends solely on the individual characteristics of the ratio of musculoskeletal levers and thrusts, the ratio of the strength of the pectoral muscles and anterior deltas, and is determined practically as the most comfortable and powerful position humerus at the lowest point.
But in principle, in bodybuilding, where the goal is maximum development of the pectoralis major muscles, it is not customary to press the elbows too hard - usually this is at least 70-80* of the humerus to the torso, i.e. elbows slightly forward (as in the photo on the left), and in sports where the result in the bench press is an end in itself, more often the elbows are pressed harder - up to 45* of the humerus to the torso (as in the photo on the right). .jpg)
According to the position of the shoulder bones to the torso, due to the need to always keep the elbows strictly under the bar, the place where the bar touches the chest at the lowest point can be in the range from the middle of the pectoral muscles to their lower part or even lower - under the chest.
In the bodybuilding press, the butt “sits” tightly on the bench, and the legs, although tense and firmly resting on the floor, perform not so much a supporting function as a stabilizing one on the bench, so they can be placed quite freely and in a variety of ways: wide, narrow, directly under buttocks, in front of the buttocks, or they can even be placed with support only on the toes of the feet - whichever is more convenient for you. 
In practice, to comply with all the above conditions, the sequence of actions to take the correct starting position and then press may look like this:
- lie down loosely on the bench and grab the barbell lying on the racks with a wide grip;
- place your feet close to the bench so that your buttocks tense;
- without removing your hands from the bar, bring your shoulder blades together and pull the shoulder girdle down the bench, thereby creating a deflection and lifting your chest (do all this in one movement - simultaneously contracting the erector spinae muscles and the muscles that adduct the shoulder blades to the spine (middle part of the trapezius , diamond-shaped));
- feeling the emphasis with your shoulder blades pressed together on the bench, support on your tense buttocks and legs, squeeze the bar, take 2-3 deep breaths and while inhaling, holding your breath, remove the bar from the racks, bringing it with straight arms to the top or middle of the chest, exhale and inhale lower the bar to the middle or bottom of your chest until it touches;
- at the moment of contact, hold your breath and, without pausing, lift the barbell to the starting position, exhaling somewhere in the upper third of the lift (hold your breath at the beginning of the lift - for a low and medium number of repetitions with the appropriate weight, for a high number of repetitions with a light weight, hold your breath , of course, to nothing).
The lifter's press is the same as the bodybuilding bench press + bridge. In my understanding, the “bridge” in the bench press is not the lumbar and thoracic arch of the spine (which is also present in the bodybuilding bench press), but rather the bridge, i.e. has the same essence as the gymnastic, wrestling bridge. Namely, deflection with the absence of the supporting function of the pelvis, when support is provided only at two points - at the ends of the bridge. Accordingly, in the bench press these are the feet and shoulders (the top of the trapezius, and the contracted shoulder blades may not even touch the bench at maximum deflection of the spine), and the athlete seems to stand on his feet and shoulders, only touching the bench with his buttocks. 
Since there is an element of “getting to your feet,” it is advisable to place your feet approximately under the buttocks and naturally the support should be on the entire foot. 
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At the same time, the bridge in the bench press of course presupposes a fairly strong deflection of the spine (usually a minimum - like the maximum deflection in the bodybuilding press), but a strong deflection is a flexible concept and can vary depending on the flexibility of the spine. Just like a gymnastic bridge - anyone can stand on a gymnastic bridge, but the type of this bridge, depending on flexibility, will be very different. It’s the same in the bench press - you don’t need to have the flexibility of a professional gymnast to implement the bridge technique (of course, it would be nice, and professional bench pressers often have fantastic flexibility, but as I said, most people don’t have it, and it’s not necessary). .jpg)
In this case, the barbell, after being lifted from the racks, is brought to the middle or bottom of the chest, and lowered under the chest (in the area between the nipple line and the solar plexus), with the elbows pressed to the torso while lowering.
The amplitude of the press with this technique is reduced to a minimum, which directly proportionally affects the amount of weight lifted (the less extension of the shoulder joints and flexion of the elbow joints at the bottom point of the press, the more weight can be lifted - in fact, this is already a partial press, and not a full-amplitude one), and pressing the elbows to the torso and the very specificity of the movement of straightening the arms in this position of the body (a combination of normal and horizontal flexion of the humerus bones + their adduction) contributes to the maximum involvement in the work of bringing the humerus bones in front of oneself not only of all parts of the pectoral muscles, anterior deltoids and triceps , but even the latissimus muscles in the initial phase of the lift, which under normal conditions are antagonists of the pectoralis major muscles. In fact, bringing the biomechanics of the bench press closer to that of push-ups on wide bars, where, as is known, a record number of torso muscles are used for one exercise (also called “squats for the upper body”).
Another feature of the lifter press, in my opinion, inseparable from the bridge technique, is the maximum reduction and lowering of the shoulder blades when taking the starting position. Actually, I didn’t know what truly retracted and depressed shoulder blades meant until I switched to the bridge press. The need for this additional contraction of the shoulder blades and their lowering down (along the back towards the legs), 
I experienced it precisely when implementing the bridge technique, while in the usual bodybuilding press, I thought that everything was fine with the retraction of my shoulder blades.
In other words, if we transfer the concept of lowered or elevated shoulder blades to the vertical position of the body, the shoulders should not be raised up towards the ears, as in shrugs with a barbell or dumbbells ("shrugs"), but should be lowered and brought together as in the final position of a deadlift – shoulders are lowered, shoulder blades are brought together, the chest is protruded.
Regular stretching exercises performed after training, a balanced load on the back and chest muscles during training, provide sufficient joint flexibility, stretching and muscle strength to bring the shoulder blades together in the bodybuilding press, but special training is required for the lifter press. In particular, the following exercise is for flexibility of the shoulder joints and stretching of the chest, without the ability to perform which, maximum reduction of the shoulder blades in the bench press is impossible.
If you can’t hold a gymnastics stick (anything light, straight and long enough) with a wide grip, lower it back from a position above your head until it touches your buttocks and lift it back up, then the potential for bringing your shoulder blades together has not been realized, and it’s worth working on (the trick of this exercise is not inversion shoulder joints, as you might think, especially if it doesn’t work out, but in the conscious maximum contraction of the shoulder blades when lowering the gymnastic stick back down and then lifting it - then the discomfort in the shoulder joints will be minimal, and the exercise will become easy and natural).
Also, when switching to a bench press with a bridge, you need to regularly (optimally - after each workout, when the muscles are warmed up) work on the bridge itself, doing a regular gymnastic bridge on the floor and bending while lying on your stomach (training the static strength and endurance of the muscles that hold the body in position bridge), and special exercises to increase the flexibility of the spine (stretching the corresponding muscles and ligaments). 
In general, the lifter's press with all its features is designed for results in the bench press as an end in itself. I think when doing fitness with weights, it is not advisable to master the lifter press technique. In addition, from my past experience, I concluded that the bridge technique cannot be truly effective at the initial stage of training - when the muscles are untrained and uncoordinated. During this period, attempts to bench press while standing on the bridge are not only ineffective, but also taking away the strength and concentration to hold the bridge, will most likely lead to a decrease in the result in the press. Only after creating a certain general strength and muscular “foundation”, the bridge and all the technical features attached to it begin to “work”. At least I, being at the level of the working weight in the bench press in the range of 60-100 kg., repeatedly tried to press while standing on the bridge, and nothing good came of it - it began to work out, and gave additional impetus to the growth of the result in the press, only when the worker the weight passed over 100 kg, which I “reached” exclusively with the “bodybuilding” bench press technique.
I think, again without pretending to be the ultimate truth, the point here is the inability of an untrained person to “collect” and coordinate the efforts of almost all the muscles of the body to carry out the most powerful and powerful bench press, and given the energy consumption of the efforts of all the muscles of the body at once, this is not possible for beginners. From my own experience, I think you need to first increase your bench press by about two times from the original one, doing it with bodybuilding technique, i.e. while maintaining the supporting function of the pelvis, and then you can try to master the “lifter” technique (if the goal is maximum results in the bench press).
The sequence of actions for taking the starting position in the “lifter” press can be as follows (alternatively, there can be many of them - everyone has their own, this is the option I use): 
It is this bridge that provides a stable base for a powerful press, rather than simply lifting your butt off the bench.
Next, remove the bar from the racks, holding your hands as you remove the bar with your elbows slightly forward, not to the sides, and bring it to the middle or bottom of your chest. 
Lower the barbell onto the solar plexus area (pressing your elbows as you move down) until it touches your torso, then immediately lift it slightly, shifting toward your head so that it is in its original position above your chest. As you lift the barbell, you can turn your elbows slightly to the sides (this controlled movement has nothing to do with the involuntary “spreading” of the elbows to the sides at the very beginning of the lift, which indicates poor technique). Try to lift quickly and powerfully. When lowering, you shouldn’t hesitate either - you should lower at maximum speed, which allows you to maintain control over the barbell (“throwing” the barbell on your chest and “beating” are not appropriate here), since slow lowering wastes strength and energy, which may not be enough to climb.
P.S. Another thing that should be said about the “bridge” technique in the bench press is that one should not confuse the deprivation of the pelvis’ supporting function due to standing on the bridge before the bench press and holding it the entire time the exercise is performed - with maintaining non-supporting contact of the buttocks with the bench, with involuntary lifting butts off the bench during the bodybuilding press - due to poor uncontrolled technique, this very bodybuilding press.
I believe that the involuntary lifting of the butt from the bench in the bodybuilding press, which many people and not only beginners are guilty of, is nothing more than an involuntary, reflexive attempt of the body to move into a more powerful supporting and power position to complete the repetition.
For those who currently have such a problem (involuntary lifting of the butt off the bench), I can advise you to decide on a bench press option - bodybuilding or lifting.
If you choose a bodybuilder, you should learn not to include your legs in the press, and the first remedy for this is to elevate them. Of course, we are not talking about placing them on the edge of the bench, but about stands 10-20 cm high (I once used platforms / plinths for deadlifts), which should be placed on the sides of the bench in front of it, and put your feet on them , so that they still perform a function that stabilizes the body on the bench, but give the torso the opportunity to fully perform the press - being in a supporting position only on the bench (with support on the compressed shoulder blades and pelvis).
If you choose the lifter version of the bench press, then you just need to master the stereotype of standing on the bridge before the bench press and holding it the entire time the exercise is performed, having read the section above (and naturally, looking for additional information in other sources - special literature on powerlifting).
N.B. When describing different styles, I rather rigidly “packed” them into a narrow framework, according to clear criteria, in accordance with my vision of such elements of the press as bridge, deflection, supporting function of the pelvis and legs, etc. I am sure that a lot of experienced athletes are seen differently. For example, that the deflection of the spine is the bridge, and the supporting or non-supporting function of the pelvis cannot in any way divide the exercise into different options, etc. Moreover, I myself saw a bench press of 250 kg. with deflection of the spine, but without depriving the pelvis of its supporting function, i.e. “bodybuilding” press according to my classification, at a powerlifting competition. The fact is that with this article I am not going to assert anything, much less argue with anyone. This is actually my most subjective article. I’m just sharing my vision of the situation that I developed during the “processing” of a lot of information on the bench press (often contradictory) and attempts to put it into practice over the course of several years. Accordingly, my vision of the bench press, formed during my training experience, which is effective for me, may not coincide with the vision of another person with a different view of the bench press, which is no less effective for him. I am also sure that my experience will be useful to many, which is why I wrote this article.
Some universal technical subtleties of the bench press
1) As for the width of the grip, it also reduces the amplitude as a deflection/bridge, but the established competition limit of 81 cm (between the hands on the inside) puts athletes with short arms relative to the torso in a somewhat advantageous position compared to long-armed ones , and if you can do something with the amount of deflection by developing flexibility, then you can “fight” with long arms only by developing their strength, in particular the deltoids and triceps (the so-called “auxiliary” to the bench press - standing and sitting press, dips, bench press (medium grip).
If participation in competitions is not expected, then athletes with different anthropometry will have different “wide” grips: for some it may be 90 cm, and for others – 70 cm. A universal way to determine the optimal grip width in the bench press lying down wide grip, regardless of the style in which this press is supposed to be performed (fitness, bodybuilding, powerlifting), it is very simple: with the elbows bent at an angle of 90* and the humerus perpendicular to the torso, the forearms should be perpendicular to the bar - this will be the optimal width of the “wide grip” in bench press, as well as wide-grip pull-ups, overhead presses (I wrote more about choosing the optimal wide grip and its variations in the article
).
All beginners have a tendency to have a narrower grip, due to weakness of the torso muscles and an involuntary desire to shift most of the load to the arms. This is natural, and if the medium grip in presses and pull-ups feels more comfortable, then you should use it - as the strength of the large torso muscles increases, gradually expanding it to a “real” wide one.
2)
When talking about the technique of the classic bench press with a wide grip, it is considered bad manners not to mention that the forearms should be vertical (perpendicular to the floor, the barbell - the essence is the same) at the lowest point. I did not fail to mention this when describing the bodybuilding bench press, although in this “golden rule” not everything is as simple as is commonly believed, and in my opinion it is only partly true. Or rather, from which side to look (in the literal sense): if you look from the side of the head or legs, then a slight deviation of the forearms from the vertical in the plane of the bar is “camber”, a completely acceptable and even inevitable phenomenon if you press with a wide grip while pressing your elbows to torso. You can, of course, if you press your elbows to your torso, take a narrower position, thereby keeping your forearms vertical - this is the so-called. “triceps” press with a wide grip, or rather a medium-wide grip, which is practiced by some powerlifters (with strong front deltoids and triceps, and a relatively weak chest - which, however, is not very clear to me, because in this case, wouldn’t it be more advisable to work on the strength of the pecs , which will give even greater results in the bench press than adapting the bench press to a weak chest... but often the weights lifted in this way are so large relative to my best result that it’s not for me to judge). 
Another thing is the verticality of the forearms, when viewed from the side - the need for this is unconditional and is also known as the need to keep the elbows strictly under the bar (and at any point of the movement, and not just at the bottom, since control of the barbell and the rationality of the applied efforts directly depend on this) . 
Failure to do this, when tilting the forearms towards the head, will lead to excessive bending of the arms at the elbow joints and, as a result, overstrain of the triceps, which in this situation will become a weak link limiting the result, or the barbell will simply be pulled towards the head, with loss of control over it. Throwing your forearms towards your legs will lead to a loss of control over the barbell and it will simply be pulled towards your legs, which is where the bench press attempt will end. 
A general rule that allows you to always keep your elbows under the bar and control the barbell accordingly: the more your elbows spread to the sides when lowering the barbell (up to the position of the shoulder bones perpendicular to the body), the closer to the neck the bar drops; The more the elbows are pressed against the body, the further the bar is lowered from the head, right up to the solar plexus. 
Those. The elbows and bar should always be in the same plane, on the same vertical line, and the forearms should remain vertical accordingly when viewed from the side. 
3)
In the initial position, lying on a bench, the shoulder blades should not only be brought together as much as possible, but also preferably lowered (down along the back, i.e. towards the legs). As already mentioned, if we transfer the concept of lowered or raised shoulder blades to the vertical position of the body, the shoulders should not be raised up as in shrugs with a barbell or dumbbells (“shrugs”), but should be lowered and pulled back (shoulder blades retracted) as in the final deadlift position.
However, there is an individual approach here, as with the angle of the humerus to the torso - some people just put their elbows forward, while others press them to an angle of 45* of the humerus to the torso. It’s the same with the shoulder blades - some people simply bring them together and begin to press, while others, with a conscious effort (of the latissimus and lower parts of the trapezius muscles), further lower them.
One thing is certain - the shoulders should not be raised towards the ears, i.e. at a minimum, they should be in a natural lowered position, and when taking the starting position for the press, bringing your shoulder blades together, you should pay attention to whether your shoulders involuntarily rose up. 
4)
There is a lot of controversy surrounding the “closed” or “open” grip in the bench press. As far as I know, competing athletes are not concerned about this topic due to the competition rules, according to which the grip must be closed. As for the amateur bench press, the debate does not stop between supporters of both grips. I can only express my point of view on this problem. 
Theoretically, the “closed” grip itself is certainly safer than the “open” one. On the other hand, practically, the grip is not so important as the complete control of the bar, which is determined not by where the thumb is located - under the bar or covering it, but by the compression force of the bar and grip on it.
In other words, you can grab the bar with the “correct” “closed” grip, but if you don’t squeeze it properly, your palms will be sweaty and slippery, and the bar will be wet or greasy, then the bar may not slip out of your hands and fall on your face, but and you won’t be able to do a normal bench press – in this case, it’s better not to take up the bench press.
Thus, if the grip on the bar is good, the bar is properly compressed in the hands, then the danger of an “open” grip is greatly exaggerated. Hence the conclusion: first of all, you need to ensure that the barbell is dry and clean, your palms are not sweaty, and also train your grip strength, not to mention the fact that the bench press does not tolerate lack of concentration and carelessness.
As an aid to the above, we can recommend sports magnesium (not to be confused with talc, which worsens grip), which dries out the palms and improves grip on the bar, and in the absence of magnesium, fitness gloves (it is important to carefully choose your size so that your hand does not dangle in them, and pay attention to the material of both the inner side - so that the hand does not slip in them, and the outer side - so that it provides good grip on the bar, as well as overall strength). 
To conclude this topic, I will say that in all the photographs of Arnold where he does the bench press that I have seen, he holds the bar with an “open” grip - it is difficult to imagine that Arnold Schwarzenegger may not understand or know something about the bench press, most likely he it’s just more convenient, like many others, and if the above safety rules are observed, the risk of the barbell slipping out of your hands with a catastrophic collapse on the chest or face, which is so scary for adherents of the “open” grip (there are even videos demonstrating this on the Internet), tends to zero. I don’t advocate for an “open” grip - I myself often use both grips (probably depending on my mood), but I always focus my attention on grip on the bar and compression strength - since not only safety, but and the effectiveness of the efforts made in the exercise.
Also on the topic of grip, the position of the wrists during the press - if possible, they should be kept straight or almost straight, avoiding hyperextension - when the bar “hangs” on the wrists extended “all the way”. 
To prevent the wrists from hyperextending, and to increase the efficiency of transferring force from the working muscles to the barbell, before squeezing the barbell, it is necessary to position it closer to the base of the palm, and not to the fingers. 
5)
As for how “deep” to lie under the bar when taking the starting position on the bench, there is a direct correlation with what version of the bench press is used. So, in the bodybuilding press, it is customary to lie down on a bench so that the bar on the racks is above the face, in the frame from the forehead to the chin, and more specifically, individually - who is more comfortable and who presses how - along a vertical or inclined trajectory towards the head. In the lifting press, it is customary to lie deeper, because. In the starting position, the bar is immediately placed on the bottom of the chest, so it will be convenient to take the barbell when it lies on the racks above the neck or even the top of the chest - the main thing is that the racks do not interfere.
The point here is that if you lie too far from the racks, it will take a lot of strength to remove the barbell from the racks and bring it to its original position above the chest, and this will not add psychological confidence and body stability on the bench, which are important if lie too close - the bar will catch on the racks during the press.
6)
Such a trick as the technique of lifting a barbell with an inconsistent angle of the humerus bones to the torso. It can accompany a lift with a displacement of the bar along the press towards the head (it was already mentioned above that in the press a slight shift of the bar towards the head is possible, and an absolutely vertical lifting trajectory is also possible). The “walking elbows” technique consists of taking the barbell from the racks, not bringing it straight to the chest, but leaving the bar approximately above the collarbones, then lowering the bar under the chest, pressing the elbows to the torso, and lifting it with an offset towards the head to the starting position, according to During the lift, turn your elbows outward (but you shouldn’t bring your elbows to the full extension to the sides as in a fitness press - still, the angle of the humerus bones to the torso should be less than 90 *, and in the starting position with straight arms, the elbows should “look” a little forward, i.e. remain slightly forward). 
This technique allows you to maximize the participation of the deltoid muscles in the bench press, not only the front, but partly even their middle parts, and despite the increased amplitude of the barbell movement due to horizontal displacement, which is inversely proportional to the weight lifted, in some cases (strong deltoids, long arms , some individual characteristics of the biomechanics of musculoskeletal levers and thrusts) this option may be the most effective.
In addition to this method of lifting the barbell, the “walking wrists” technique can also be used, the essence of which is that when lowering and raising the barbell, do not keep your wrists fixed straight, as is usually recommended, but when lowering the bar, slightly extend your wrists (extension is a movement towards the back of the hand), when lifting, straighten your wrists accordingly synchronously - this will reduce the amplitude of movement of the bar by a couple of centimeters compared to a straight and stationary position of the wrists. 
All these “walking elbows and hands” techniques are designed to improve control over the barbell and involve additional muscles in the lift, and have nothing to do with involuntary movements of the elbows and hands - for example, when, after lowering the barbell under the chest with elbows pressed, simultaneously with the start of the lift, the elbows involuntarily “move apart” to the sides and the press, supposed to be a strength one, turns into a fitness press (if you manage to lift the weight at all), or for example, when immediately after taking the barbell from the racks, under the weight of the barbell, weak wrists are unbent and the barbell “hangs” on the extended “all the way” wrists throughout the exercise. Here it is important to understand the difference between no technique and advanced strength techniques: moving the elbows and hands while lifting the barbell due to poor control and weakness of individual muscles, and consciously controlled movements of the elbows and hands while lifting the barbell to improve efficiency.
7)
The most important element of any bench press technique is the maximum contraction of the shoulder blades and fixed in this position. If during the bench press the shoulder blades move to the sides, then this is the same as “walking” knees in squats. Squeezing and holding your shoulder blades in this position is the basis for producing maximum strength and precise, controlled technique in the bench press. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to training the muscles that adduct the scapula to the spine (bringing them together), these are the deep rhomboids and the middle parts of the trapezius lying on top of them. In addition, training these muscles will allow you to avoid stooping, which can be caused by hypertonicity of hypertrophied pectoral muscles, which remove the shoulder blades from the spine and generally pull the entire shoulder girdle forward.
We have already mentioned special exercises to improve the reduction of the shoulder blades in the bench press, but it is also important to pay attention to strength training of the back muscles in general - no less than strength training of the chest muscles.
It is advisable to always do it together with the bench press, i.e. classic basic exercises for the lats, but they must be performed with strict technique and moderate weights - without “cheating”, focusing on moving the humerus back and bringing the shoulder blades together at the top point, for high-quality development of not only the lats, but also the rhomboid and trapezius muscles. 
Pull-ups on a bar are also useful (see article
). And so
It is also important not to forget to do the pectoral muscles - it is mandatory after exercise, and also useful between workouts.
Conclusion:
Serious development of the pectoral muscles, deltas and triceps is unthinkable without the bench press. Developed chest, deltoids and triceps muscles automatically imply a strong result in the bench press. There is a directly proportional relationship here and regardless of the goals, it makes sense to strive to increase the result in the bench press. But depending on the priority goal, you can use different variations of the classic bench press technique. If the priority is muscle development, the “bodybuilding” version of the bench press is advisable. If the priority is strength and specifically the result in the bench press, the “lifter” version is advisable (after some initial “preparation” with the bodybuilding version).
Switching to the bridge technique (“lifter” press), as described in this article, allowed me to overcome the “dead point”, giving a new impetus to the growth of the result - I added about 10 kg. in the bench press, with virtually no change in body weight, i.e. purely due to the transition to a more rational power press technique.
On the other hand, I haven’t completely abandoned the “bodybuilding” press, sometimes doing it during “light” workouts (with light weight for a large number of repetitions), since I think it’s useful specifically for the chest muscles.
“Fitness press”, according to my classification, I described for the sake of formality and consistency in presenting information, but in essence it is simply an incorrect and ineffective pressing technique that is better not to use.
The article is intended for a wide range of readers. It examines and analyzes different techniques for performing one exercise - the wide-grip bench press on a horizontal bench. The article was written on the basis of more than 15 years of experience of the author in regularly performing this exercise, superficial knowledge of physics-mechanics, functional anatomy and physiology. The article does not claim to be the ultimate truth or completeness of the information provided.
Additionally:
As usual, some illustrative examples from YouTube.N.B. I just took the video from YouTube, and have no relation to the sites or video channels on which it is posted and which it advertises, and if the exercises in the videos below are correct, this does not mean that all videos presented on these sites or video channels demonstrate the correct technique execution (this is a typical situation when in the same Internet source where there are many demonstration videos with exercises, some of the exercises are presented with good correct execution technique, while the other part of the exercises does not stand up to criticism). I warn you about this in order to avoid misunderstandings - I carefully selected each exercise in accordance with my understanding of the correct technique, and I am responsible only for the information contained in my blog!
"bodybuilding" press.Key points: the support is mainly on the flattened shoulder blades and pelvis (tense buttocks), and the legs are firmly on the floor and tense, but they perform not so much a supporting function as they serve to additionally stabilize the body on the bench. The degree of deflection of the spine and the angle of the humerus to the torso can vary individually within the framework indicated in the article.
“lifter” bench press with a bridge.Key points: the pelvis is completely deprived of its supporting function, and the athlete seems to stand on his feet and shoulders, maintaining unsupported contact of the buttocks with the bench, or not completely, but the distribution of the supporting function between the pelvis and legs is strongly shifted to the legs, and tense buttocks can rest on bench for additional body stabilization (just as tense legs are on the floor for additional body stabilization on a bench, in a bodybuilding press). The degree of deflection of the spine and the angle of the humerus bones to the torso, as well as in the bodybuilding press, can vary individually.
The reference stereotype for the lifting press technique of the movement of the humerus bones (the angle of the humerus bones to the torso in both the frontal and sagittal planes, the trajectory of movement and the place of contact with the bar):
“lifter” press with a maximum bridge(inaccessible to me and, I think, to most amateurs - requiring special training “for the bridge”, and not just just bench press).
Controlled rotation of the elbows during the lift. You can see the pressing of the elbows when lowering the bar, and a slight controlled turn of the elbows when lifting - what I wrote about in point No. 6 of some universal technical subtleties of the bench press. Although it is visible, frankly speaking, unclearly - few people use this feature, and finding a video with it, and even from an angle so that it can be clearly seen, is generally not easy.
All sorts of different things... As I wrote in the article, my division of bench press technique options according to clear criteria is conditional and subjective. The bench press, perhaps like no other exercise, is an individual thing - it is important to find for yourself exactly what will allow you to realize the advantages and neutralize the disadvantages of the structure, the ratio of the strength of the muscles of the synergists involved in the bench press, and other individual characteristics. Within the framework of an individual approach, there may be options that do not fit into the clear criteria of my classification - my experience may not be suitable.
Here are a few more videos of different bench press techniques, differing in the degree of deflection of the spine, pressing of the elbows (the angle of the humerus to the torso), distribution of the supporting function between the legs and pelvis, the trajectory of lifting the barbell, within the framework of an individual approach to the bench press:
A bridge with support on the toes and, probably, incomplete deprivation of the pelvis’ supporting function:
Maximum deflection of the spine (inaccessible to amateurs), and, apparently, again with incomplete deprivation of the pelvis’ supporting function:
Bench press along an inclined path - shifted towards the head, with elbows tucked in:
Press along a vertical path, with elbows tucked in:
Just an interesting video(press 380 lbs or 172.25 kg)
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