How to Do the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press

Intermediate · Barbell · Targets Chest, Shoulders, Triceps

How to perform it

1. Lie back on a decline bench with the feet securely locked at the front of the bench. Using a wide, pronated (palms forward) grip that is around 3 inches away from shoulder width (for each hand), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. The bar will be perpendicular to the torso and the floor. This will be your starting position.
2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your lower chest.
3. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Muscles worked

The Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press primarily targets your Chest, with support from your Shoulders, Triceps. You'll need barbell.

Make it count toward your goal

Random sets rarely move the needle. In NYUS, the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press slots into a plan built for your goal — sets, reps and progression auto-suggested, logged in two taps, and folded into a weekly review that adapts what comes next.

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