Reverse-Grip Bench Press

What is the Reverse-Grip Bench Press?

The reverse-grip bench press flips the hands to an underhand (supinated) grip on a flat bench, which rotates the shoulders and tips the pressing emphasis up onto the upper chest, much like an incline press does, but on a flat bench. It’s an underrated upper-chest builder for lifters who want that stimulus without setting an incline, and it tends to keep the elbows tucked.

Muscles worked

Primary: Chest

The pectoralis major presses the bar up, and the supinated grip shifts the load toward its upper, clavicular fibres even though the bench is flat.

Secondary: Triceps, Shoulders

The triceps extend the elbows to lock out, the tucked-elbow underhand path giving them plenty of work, and the front deltoids assist.

Stabilizers

The rotator cuff and retracted upper back hold the shoulders stable, and the underhand grip demands extra wrist and forearm control to keep the bar secure.

How to perform the Reverse-Grip Bench Press

1. Lie on a flat bench and grip the bar with a supinated (underhand) grip slightly wider than shoulder width.
2. The underhand grip tucks the elbows tightly and shifts emphasis toward the upper chest, similar to a low incline.
3. Unrack carefully with a spotter, since the reverse grip is less stable than a standard bench press.
4. Lower the bar under control to the lower chest with the elbows kept close to the torso.
5. Press the bar up and slightly back over the shoulders, keeping the wrists from bending back under the load.
6. Lock out over the shoulders, then reset before the next rep; keep the thumbs wrapped for grip security.

Suggested working range: 6–10 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Mechanics

A bilateral press on a flat bench with a supinated grip: the bar arcs from lockout down to the mid-to-upper chest with the elbows naturally tucked. Both the shoulder and elbow move under load (a compound), and reversing the grip rotates the humerus so the upper-chest fibres take more of the work, the flat-bench route to an incline-style stimulus.

Form cues

• •Take a secure underhand grip and consider a spotter for the hand-off: the supinated grip is harder to control on the unrack.
• •Keep the elbows tucked and let the bar track to the lower sternum, following the natural underhand path.
• •Pin the shoulder blades down and back so the upper-chest bias lands on the pecs, not the front delts.
• •Keep the wrists firm and straight so the bar sits securely in the underhand grip.

Common mistakes

• •Unracking without a spotter, since the supinated grip is far less secure than a standard bench.
• •Letting the wrists bend backward under the load so the bar rolls out of the palms.
• •Flaring the elbows out instead of keeping them tucked, which loses the upper-chest bias.
• •Gripping without wrapping the thumbs, leaving the bar able to slip from an underhand grip.

Variations & alternatives

• •Bench press, the standard overhand version that biases the mid and lower chest.
• •Incline bench press: the more conventional way to bias the upper chest, using bench angle instead of grip.
• •Reverse-grip dumbbell press, the same supinated idea with independent arms and a deeper stretch.
• •Close-grip bench press: another elbow-tucked press that emphasises the triceps.

Barbell Bench Press

Chest · Barbell

Incline Barbell Bench Press

Chest · Barbell

Dumbbell Bench Press

Chest · Dumbbell

Incline Dumbbell Press

Chest · Dumbbell

Cable Fly

Chest · Cable

Programming: sets, reps & when to use it

Program the reverse-grip bench in the library’s 6–10 rep range as a secondary press when you want upper-chest work without setting an incline. Start light to get comfortable with the grip and the unrack, and use a spotter for the hand-off. It complements a flat and incline press nicely. Two to four working sets fits a chest or push day.

Frequently asked questions