Written by Travis Halena | ACSM CPT
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKED
For many lifters, the bench press is the star of their chest day workout.
But, before you opt for the traditional version, I'd like to point your attention to a less well-known but equally beneficial variation: the reverse grip bench press. While the standard bench press enables you to lift heavy, the reverse bench press is more shoulder-friendly and enables you to feel your pecs working even more.
It may look slightly intimidating and isn’t a common exercise you'll often see in the gym, but that is all the more reason to understand how to do it and the gains you are missing out on.
So, if you're ready to revamp chest day to make it even more effective, step one is to learn how to perform the reverse grip bench press, and step two is to start doing it!
Table of Contents:
- What Is The Reverse Grip Bench Press?
- Reverse Grip Bench Press Muscles Worked
- Reverse Grip Bench Press vs Regular Bench Press: What’s The Difference?
- How To Do The Barbell Reverse Grip Chest Press
- Common Reverse Grip Bench Press Mistakes
- Reverse Grip Bench Press Benefits
- 4 Reverse Grip Bench Press Variations
- Reverse Grip Chest Press Alternatives
- How To Modify The Reverse Grip Chest Press
- How Do You Program The Reverse Grip Chest Press?
- FAQs
What Is The Reverse Grip Bench Press?
In a nutshell, the reverse grip bench press is similar to a traditional bench press with one big difference: Your knuckles face toward your feet instead of your face.
Using a supinated grip, which results in your palms facing you, creates biomechanical changes to your body during the movement, shifting the part of your chest that the exercise primarily targets. In fact, the underhand bench press will target the upper chest much more than any other pressing variation, especially the traditional bench press.
The reverse grip causes your elbows to tuck into the sides more and increases the distance the bar will travel horizontally. Doing this allows you to touch the bar closer to your lower chest.
The reverse grip also emphasizes your biceps more than the regular bench press.
The reverse grip bench press does not come without its faults, and it can be challenging for the wrists and forearms, especially if you are an inexperienced lifter. As with any new lift, it will require a slight learning curve and mastering the form before adding heavier weights into the mix.
Reverse Grip Bench Press Muscles Worked
Your chest muscles are the stars of the show when performing the reverse grip bench press. But they're not the only ones hard at work. Let's take a closer look at the muscles worked during the reverse grip bench press.
- Pectoralis Major: The pec major is a fan-shaped slab on your upper chest that has two heads named after where they originate. The clavicular head makes up the upper chest muscles and attaches to the collarbone, while the sternocostal head makes up the lower chest and attaches to the sternum, costal cartilage, and collarbone. In the reverse grip bench press, the upper chest fibers help with shoulder flexion, bringing the bar up and back during the press1. The other chest portions are still active, but the upper chest gets the most activation.
- Pectoralis Minor: This smaller triangular-shaped muscle is beneath the pec major but still plays an important role. It attaches to ribs three through five and then inserts into the shoulder blade. It provides stability to the shoulder joint, especially when the shoulder blades are protracted.
- Forearms: The extensors and flexors of your wrist are hard at work during this exercise as they stabilize and keep your wrist in a neutral position. The supinated and slightly cocked back position will also be challenging for your grip.
- Biceps: The biceps is a two-headed muscle that sits on top of your upper arm in the front of your body. The bis work to flex your elbow, and during this movement, they receive twice the stimulus that a regular bench press would provide during the slow eccentric portion of the lift. It is one of the few pressing movements that offers this kind of biceps work.
- Triceps: This three-headed muscle that sits on the back of your upper arm extends and stabilizes your elbow and the shoulder joint. They will be active during the pressing portion of the reverse grip bench press.
- Anterior Deltoid: The deltoid has three heads, but only the anterior deltoid receives a stimulus during this movement. This shoulder muscle is active during the shoulder flexion portion of the lift, allowing you to feel the upper chest contract. Where the regular bench press can be hard on the shoulders due to impingement, the reverse grip is better for shoulder health.
Reverse Grip Bench Press vs Regular Bench Press: What's The Difference?
Aside from the fact that your hands face different directions, several other things make these presses different. For one, the bench press targets more of the sternocostal head, whereas the reverse grip bench press targets more of the clavicular head.
It’s important to note that just because the reverse grip is more of an upper chest exercise, doesn’t mean it isn't also a lower chest exercise. The lower chest muscles will still be worked in both lifts, just slightly more in a traditional bench press.
The positioning of the hands and grip in the reverse grip bench also allows for a more extensive horizontal bar path as you lower down toward your lower chest. This, as well as the external rotation of the shoulder, can make this more shoulder-friendly than a regular bench press.
The underhand bench press also allows you to feel the pecs working much more during the press. Even though they are hard at work, it is hard for most people to feel their pecs contracting in a regular bench press because there are so many muscle groups at work while pushing a heavy weight.
The regular bench press can be more demanding on your shoulders, but the reverse grip can be challenging due to its increased need for wrist and forearm mobility. This means it requires slightly more coordination and body awareness to control this lift, especially if you are a beginner.
The last difference is how the arm muscles work during the two exercises. During the bench press, the biceps work to assist on the way up while the triceps work on the way down. The reverse grip provides a huge stimulus and uses the biceps to help on the way down, while the triceps get more activation during the pressing portion of the lift.
When it comes to choosing which one suits you, it will depend on your personal preference, weak points, and anatomy. If someone has shoulder pain during bench pressing, a reverse grip bench press may be best for you.
Also, the reverse chest press is an important exercise to include if you are lacking in the upper chest department. But if you are a competitive lifter looking to gain as much strength as possible, then bench press is your answer.
Correct Form For The Barbell Reverse Grip Chest Press
An important thing to note before starting the reverse grip chest press: It can be dangerous to hold the bar this way, and it does increase the chance of the bar slipping in your hands and falling if you aren't careful.
It may seem simple to flip your hands the other way, but there are some essential guidelines you need to understand before you do this exercise. Make sure to follow these critical setup cues, and always use a spotter until you are comfortable with the movement.
How to do the Barbell Reverse Grip Chest Press:
- Lie down on the bench and reach up to grab the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Palms should be facing up, and your thumbs should be facing the weight plates. Your knuckles will face your feet.
- Bend your wrists ever so slightly to position the bar in your palms.
- Ensure your feet are firmly planted and inhale, bracing your core and lower body. You should have a slight arch in your back but nothing excessive. Make sure your shoulder blades are tucked down and touching the bench along with your glutes.
- Un-rack the barbell and position it above your mouth. Slowly lower the weight until the bar gently touches your lower chest as if you were just trying to touch your shirt. Your elbow position should be tucked into your sides.
- Push the barbell back up to the starting position. Keep your elbows tucked in.
- Repeat for indicated reps.
Common Reverse Grip Press Mistakes
Master reverse grip bench presses by avoiding these common mistakes.
- Elbows flaring out: As you begin to lower the bar, your elbows should be tucked in toward your sides. Don't let them flare out.
- Grip too close: It’s crucial to set up with your grip just wider than shoulder-width apart. This takes the emphasis off the upper chest and places more on the triceps. This will vary a bit from person to person as far as how much wider, but it’s key not to be too close.
- Incorrect bar path: This movement is different than the traditional bench press. In the reverse grip bench press, you need to lower more toward your lower chest instead of your nipple line. This allows you to get the up-and-back pressing form that hits the upper chest on the way up.
- Not lowering down: Make sure you are lowering to your chest, or you will miss out on the increased range of motion for this horizontal press. If the weight is too heavy, lighten it up so you can get down all the way.
- Improper wrist position: First, ensure you do not drop the bar on yourself. You want a slight bend in your wrist to place the bar in your palm, but you should still feel like you are making a fist and punching your hand up to the ceiling. Over-extending your wrists can put you at risk for injury as well.
Reverse Grip Bench Press Benefits
Why perform the reverse grip bench press? I'll give you five awesome reasons to start including it in your chest day workout.
1) Bigger chest:
The biggest benefit is this movement's ability to build your upper chest. Everyone has weak spots based on their genetics and training history, so if you see a hollow spot under your collarbone, it’s time to add the barbell reverse grip bench press.
Remember that even though it focuses on your upper chest, it still activates all of your chest muscles, so it has a lot of bang for its buck.
2) Build strength:
You may not break your bench press record with this movement, but its unique positioning allows you to build a stronger upper body.
It is going to strengthen your biceps, anterior delts, and chest, which will translate to improving other compound lifts and building muscle.
3) Break up a boring program:
Most lifters realize that compound lifts should be the focus of their workout split, but let's face it, sometimes the same moves every week can get boring.
Adding the reverse grip bench press to your program can be a fun way to learn a new skill and movement and break up the monotony of knowing that every Monday you are heading to the gym to do a regular bench press.
4) Safe for shoulders:
As we mentioned, the change to the grip allows your shoulder to be externally rotated more, creating a safer bar path for your shoulders as opposed to the standard bench press.
Whether you are recovering from an injury and are working back to heavy bench pressing, have pain during bench pressing, or are just looking for movements that fit your body type better, the reverse grip bench press is a really safe option once you master the form.
5) Stronger wrists and forearms:
If you have the patience to start light and progress slowly, this movement will do wonders for your grip and forearms.
In a world where most of our time is spent holding a phone or using a computer, it’s essential to train the grip in different positions.
4 Reverse Grip Bench Press Variations
Whether you're looking for more variety or don't have access to a barbell, I've got four great variations here so you can find the best fit for you.
1. Reverse grip dumbbell bench press:
Reverse grip dumbbell presses are an excellent alternative if the barbell version is too hard on your wrists. The dumbbells give your hands and wrists more freedom to move while still enabling you to benefit from the reverse grip.
How to do the Reverse Grip Dumbbell Bench Press:
- Lie down on a bench holding your set of dumbbells and press them overhead to the starting position
- Turn your palms so your knuckles are facing your feet and slowly lower the weights down, keeping your elbows tucked in toward your body
- Exhale and press the weights back to the starting position.
2. Incline reverse grip bench press:
Just as the incline press enables you to hit your chest differently than in the traditional bench press, the incline reverse grip bench press also enables you to target different chest muscles. For this barbell bench press variation, you will perform the same reverse grip movement but use an incline bench.
Doing this will increase upper chest activation even further2. This may not be your ultimate strength pressing movement, but it has serious potential for chest hypertrophy.
How to do the Incline Reverse Grip Bench Press:
- Set up your incline bench at a 45-60 degree angle and reach up and grab the bar with knuckles facing your feet.
- Unrack the bar and center it over your mouth, and lower it down to your lower chest while keeping your elbows tucked in.
- Press the bar up and back to the starting position.
3. Reverse grip decline bench press:
Similar to the decline bench press, this variation will emphasize the lower chest more than the upper. It is a unique movement to target that area, but the position can be dangerous, so I recommend always using a spotter for this exercise.
How to do the Reverse Grip Decline Bench Press:
- Set your decline bench up underneath your rack and reach up and grab the bar with a reverse grip.
- Unrack the bar and bring it above your mouth before lowering it to your upper chest.
- Press back up in the same vertical line while keeping your elbows tucked.
4. Reverse grip smith machine:
This is an excellent variation if you are slightly nervous about performing the reverse grip bench press without a spotter. When comparing the Smith machine vs free weights, the Smith machine provides the built-in spotter effect and allows you to control the movement to focus on your mind-muscle connection.
You may need to adjust your body position slightly since the Smith machine doesn’t have the freedom to move that a barbell would.
How to do the Reverse Grip Smith Machine:
- Set the Smith machine up at the same position that you would perform a barbell bench press on a rack.
- Lay flat on the bench with your feet planted on the floor and grab the bar with a reverse grip just outside shoulder width.
- Unrack the bar and lower it to the bottom of your chest while keeping your elbows tucked.
- Press back to the starting position and repeat.
Reverse Grip Chest Press Alternatives
Any exercise emphasizing the upper chest makes for an excellent alternative to the reverse grip bench press. Whether the benches are all full, your wrists are hurting during the movement, or you just want a different upper body pump, these variations are great options to build those pecs.
- Close Grip Bench Press
- Incline Bench Press
- Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
- Chest Dips
- Incline Banded Push Up
How to Modify The Reverse Grip Chest Press
The reverse grip chest press is slightly challenging to modify, but some options exist. You can use an EZ curl bar instead of a straight one if you have problems with your wrist.
Another option would be to use dumbbells, which allows your hands to rotate more. If this move still feels uncomfortable, try some of the alternatives I suggested above, like the close grip bench press or chest dips.
How Do You Program The Reverse Grip Bench Press?
The reverse grip bench press can serve as a warm up for your traditional bench press. Try using it as you pyramid up in weight and once you get into the heavier loads, switch to a traditional bench press.
It can also be used on the way down for back offsets after heavy bench pressing. After finishing your top sets, try doing 2 sets of 10-15 reps with a slow controlled tempo, focusing on a strong upper chest connection.
For muscular strength, try 3 sets of 8-12 reps. For muscle hypertrophy, try 3 sets of 12-15 reps and focus on a slow eccentric tempo. For muscular endurance or if you are recovering from an injury, try 3 sets of 15-20 reps with a lighter weight and moving slowly through the movement.
Reverse Grip Bench Press FAQs
Lingering questions regarding the reverse grip bench press. Let's answer them!
Is the reverse grip bench press better than the incline?
When it comes to reverse grip bench press vs incline, the reverse grip is better for the upper chest. However, both exercises will improve your upper body strength.
Is the reverse grip bench press safe?
It is perfectly safe if you follow the safety guidelines. Start with a light load you can handle, and use a spotter or safety pins.
What is the reverse grip bench press good for?
It is a fantastic option for building your upper pecs and serving as a shoulder-friendly pressing movement.
Does the reverse grip bench press work the upper or lower chest?
It works both but does a much better job targeting the upper chest.
Can you lift more with The reverse grip bench press?
Most lifters will not be able to lift as much as they do with the traditional bench press.
Looking for more great chest exercises? Check out our 15 Best Dumbbell Chest Exercises and the 15 Best Cable Chest Exercises!
References:
- Lehman GJ. The Influence of Grip Width and Forearm Pronation/Supination on Upper-Body Myoelectric Activity During the Flat Bench Press. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. doi:10.1519/r-15024.1
- Lauver JD, Cayot TE, Scheuermann BW. Influence of bench angle on upper extremity muscular activation during bench press exercise. European Journal of Sport Science. 2015. doi:10.1080/17461391.2015.1022605
Travis Halena
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