BENCH PRESS HAND POSITION

The grip here is very similar to the overhead press, except that you’re lying down on the bench, which makes it a bit more awkward to set up. If you’re unfamiliar with the overhead press grip, practice that first.

Lie down on the bench with your head approximately 2 cm off the bench, your legs up on the bench, and your lower back flat against it. Measure your hand width by positioning your index fingers 3-4 cm wider than shoulder width. As a rule of thumb, a narrower grip works the triceps more, while a wider grip works the chest. Because the chest muscles are larger than the triceps, most people can lift more using a wider grip. However, this also puts your shoulders in a less stable position. You’ll need to experiment with the width to find what feels most comfortable.