Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
A beginner strength exercise for the chest, done with a barbell.
How to do the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
- 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.
- From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.
- 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.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Sets and reps
| Strength | 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes |
|---|---|
| Muscle | 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes |
| Endurance or fat loss | 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds |
Log every set in MyoStats and it works out your estimated one-rep max and suggests the next weight or rep target, so you keep progressing without guessing.
Alternatives to the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium GripBarbell · Beginner
Decline Barbell Bench PressBarbell · Beginner
Front Raise And PulloverBarbell · Beginner
Barbell Guillotine Bench PressBarbell · Intermediate
Neck PressBarbell · Intermediate
Wide-Grip Barbell Bench PressBarbell · Intermediate
Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench PressBarbell · Intermediate
Wide-Grip Decline Barbell PulloverBarbell · Intermediate
Questions
What muscles does the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip work?
Mainly the chest, with the shoulders and triceps helping.
Is the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip good for beginners?
Yes. It's rated a beginner exercise: start light and learn the movement before adding weight.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip?
Good alternatives that train the chest: Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip, Decline Barbell Bench Press, Front Raise And Pullover or Barbell Guillotine Bench Press.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip should I do?
Strength: 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes. Muscle: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes. Endurance or fat loss: 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds.
Exercise steps and photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).