Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press

How to do the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press

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

Role	Muscles
Primary	chest
Secondary	shoulders, triceps
Equipment	barbell
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No barbell? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Clock Push-Up Bodyweight Decline Push-Up Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Medium Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Reverse Grip Bodyweight Incline Push-Up Wide Bodyweight

Easier than the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Alternating Floor Press beginner · Kettlebell Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip beginner · Barbell Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip beginner · Barbell

Harder than the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press

Plyo Kettlebell Pushups expert · Kettlebell

Superset the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press with

Opposing lats and middle back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover lats Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row middle back Reverse Grip Bent-Over Rows middle back Bent Over Barbell Row middle back

Common questions

What muscles does the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press work?

The Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press primarily works the chest, with the shoulders and triceps as secondary movers. Alternating Floor Press, Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip, and Barbell Guillotine Bench Press train the same muscle, across 11 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press?

A Barbell. Without a barbell, Clock Push-Up, Decline Push-Up, and Incline Push-Up train the same muscle, and 17 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Alternating Floor Press, Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip, and Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip and work up.

Where should the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press go in a workout?

Early — the Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press is compound, working 3 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Bent-Arm Barbell Pullover and Bent Over Two-Arm Long Bar Row later.

Similar exercises

Alternating Floor Press Kettlebell Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip Barbell Barbell Guillotine Bench Press Barbell Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip Barbell Bench Press - With Bands Resistance Bands Bent-Arm Dumbbell Pullover Dumbbell