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The Affect of Grip Width on Bench Press Performance and Risk of Injury
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Paul Comfort
University of Salford
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40 million Americans in 1998 (18), with spacing <1.5 biacromial width main-
summary an increase in the number of athletes tains shoulder abduction below 45° (8).
and coaches using resistance training to However, the level of external rotation
Bodybuilders, athletes, and recre- supplement their sport-specific training is minimal during the flat bench press,
regime and regular gym users training but increases in proportion to the angle
ational lifters select a grip width for aesthetic purposes. The bench press of inclination during the incline bench
during the bench press that they be- is a very popular exercise, especially for press.
individuals seeking aesthetic improve-
lieve will produce a greater force ments. However, due to incorrect tech- Acute injuries (rupture of pectorialis
nique, individuals are at risk from acute major) and chronic over-use injuries
output. Research has demonstrated shoulder injuries involving a sudden (anterior instability and atraumatic os-
that a wide grip (>1.5 biacromial traumatic episode, such as a rupture of teolysis of the distal clavicle) are com-
the pectoralis major, during the bench mon. The risk of both acute and chronic
width) may increase the risk of press (4, 20). shoulder injury may be increased by
repetitive movements performed with
shoulder injury, including anterior The musculoskeletal system of the the shoulder close to the 90° of abduc-
shoulder instability, atraumatic os- glenohumeral joint has to provide a tion, as seen during the bench press
base of support for the motion of the when performed with a grip >1.5 times
teolysis of distal clavicle, and pec- barbell during the bench press. The bi-acromial width (10, 19, 20). This risk
performance of the bench press may may be increased with a greater level of
toralis major rupture. Reducing grip place the glenohumeral joint in a posi- external rotation, leading to the at-risk
width to ≤1.5 biacromial width ap- tion approaching 90° of abduction, and position.
the position may include some external
pears to reduce this risk and does rotation. Ninety degrees of abduction Mechanism of Injury
combined with end-range external ro- During the bench press extension of
not affect muscle recruitment pat- tation (Figure 1) has been defined as the shoulder on the descent phase caus-
terns, only resulting in a ±5% differ- the “at-risk position” that may increase es increased traction to the acromio-
the risk of shoulder injuries (10). It has clavicular. Technique performance er-
ence in one repetition maximum. been reported that a hand spacing of ≥2 rors (10, 16, 18) increase the risk of
biacromial width (shoulder width as anterior instability, atraumatic osteoly-
eight training, as an increas- defined by the distance between sis of distal clavicle, and pectoralis
Green
Comfort