What Muscles Does a Bench Press Work

What muscles does a bench press work

When it comes to strength training, the bench press is a classic exercise that many people incorporate into their workout routines. We get regularly asked, how to perform a bench press & also have you ever wondered what muscles does a bench press work?

The bench press primarily targets three main muscle groups, with several secondary muscles also involved:

Primary Muscles Worked doing a Bench Press

1. Pectoralis Major: This is the main chest muscle and the primary target of the bench press It consists of two heads:

   • Sternocostal head (lower and middle chest)

   • Clavicular head (upper chest)

2. Anterior Deltoid: The front portion of the shoulder muscle.

3. Triceps Brachii: The muscle on the back of the upper arm, responsible for elbow extension.

Secondary Muscles Worked whilst performing a Bench Press

1. Serratus Anterior: Often called the "boxer's muscle," it helps stabilize the scapula.

2. Biceps Brachii: While not a primary mover, it assists in stabilizing the humerus within the shoulder joint.

3. Pectoralis Minor: A smaller chest muscle that works in conjunction with the pectoralis major.

4. Coracobrachialis: A deep muscle in the upper arm that aids in shoulder flexion and adduction.

5. Rotator Cuff Muscles: These muscles (supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor, and subscapularis) help stabilize the shoulder joint during the movement.

Stabilizing Muscles worked doing a Bench Press

1. Core Muscles: Including the rectus abdominis, transverse abdominis, and obliques, which help maintain stability during the lift.

2. Latissimus Dorsi: While not directly targeted, it assists in stabilizing the upper body.

3. Scapular Stabilizers: Muscles like the rhomboids and trapezius help control shoulder blade movement.

So what muscles does a bench press work also can also vary depending on factors such as grip width, bench angle, and individual biomechanics. For example, an incline bench press tends to emphasize the upper chest and anterior deltoids more, while a decline bench press targets the lower chest to a greater extent.

What Muscles Does the incline Bench Press Work

The incline of the bench significantly affects muscle activation during the bench press exercise, with different angles targeting various portions of the chest and shoulder muscles to varying degrees. Here's a detailed breakdown of how bench incline impacts muscle activation:

Flat Bench (0°)

• Produces relatively balanced activation across all portions of the pectoralis major (upper, middle, and lower).
• Engages the anterior deltoid and triceps brachii as secondary muscles.

Slight Incline (15-30°)

• A 30° incline produces greater activation of the upper portion (clavicular head) of the pectoralis major compared to flat or higher inclines.

• Still engages the middle and lower portions of the pectoralis major, but to a lesser extent than the flat bench.

Moderate Incline (45°)

• Significantly increases activation of the anterior deltoid.

• Decreases activation in all three portions of the pectoralis major compared to lower inclines.

• Leads to decreased triceps brachii activation and increased biceps brachii activation compared to flat bench.

Steep Incline (60° and above)

• Further increases anterior deltoid activation.

• Significantly decreases activation of all portions of the pectoralis major.

• Shifts the exercise from primarily a chest movement to more of a shoulder press.

Bench Press Workout Suggestions for your Muscles

1. For overall chest development, a combination of flat and incline bench press is recommended.
2. To target the upper chest specifically, use a 30° incline.
3. For anterior deltoid emphasis, use inclines greater than 45°.
4. To maximize triceps involvement, stick to flat or slight incline angles.

By understanding these activation patterns, you can tailor your bench press variations to target specific muscle groups more effectively, allowing for more precise and goal-oriented training programs.

 Changing Grip width & what Muscles does the Bench Press Work

There are some notable differences in muscle activation between wide, medium, and narrow grip widths during the bench press:

Biceps Brachii

• Activation increased with increasing grip width.

• Narrow grip showed 25.9-30.5% less biceps activation compared to medium and wide grips.

• Resistance-trained individuals showed greater biceps activity with increasing grip width, while novice-trained individuals only showed greater activity between narrow and wide grips.

Triceps Brachii

• Narrow and medium grips generally produced greater triceps activation compared to wide grip.

• One study found triceps activation was greatest with a narrow/pronated grip.

• Resistance-trained group showed lower triceps activation using a wide grip compared to medium grip.

Anterior Deltoid

• Medium grip width showed greater activation compared to narrow grip in some cases

• Novice-trained group showed lower anterior deltoid activation using a narrow grip compared to medium grip.

Pectoralis Major

• Sternal head showed increased activation with wide grip compared to narrow grip in one study.

• Clavicular head demonstrated increased activation during a supinated (reverse) grip compared to pronated grip.

• However, other research found no significant differences in pectoralis major activation between grip widths.

Other Muscles

• Similar muscle activity was observed in latissimus dorsi, medial deltoid, and posterior deltoid between the three grip widths.

It's important to note that while these differences in muscle activation exist, they are generally smaller than traditionally believed. Additionally, the effects of grip width on muscle activation appear to be most pronounced when comparing wide and narrow grips, with medium grip often falling in between