Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
How to do the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.
Chest
Shoulders, Triceps
Barbell
How to do the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
- 1
Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- 2
From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.
- 3
After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out. Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
- 4
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- 5
When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Log it, see it on your body.
Every Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your chest volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.
Where the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip fits
The Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip shows up in training built around a specific goal. See how it fits:
More chest exercises
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip: common questions
What muscles does the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip work?
The Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip primarily works the Chest. It also recruits the Shoulders and Triceps as supporting muscles.
Is the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip suitable for beginners?
Yes. The Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip is a beginner-level exercise, so it's a solid choice if you're new to training. Start light and focus on the movement pattern before adding load.
What equipment do I need for the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip?
To do the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip you'll need a barbell.
Is the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip a compound or isolation exercise?
The Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip is a compound exercise, it moves multiple joints and works several muscle groups at once, which makes it efficient for building overall strength.
How do I do the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip with correct form?
Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.
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