Top 23 Bench Press Variations for Maximum Gains

The bench press is one of the most effective exercises for building upper body strength. While the traditional flat bench press targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps, there are many variations you can incorporate into your routine to engage different muscles, prevent plateaus, and optimize your results.

By using the Pro Workouts feature in the Hint app, you can log and track various bench press exercises, monitor calorie burn, and adjust your training for maximum progress.

With the Hint Pro and Hint Premium subscriptions, you also get personalized diet plans and expert guidance from dietitians to support your fitness journey.

Core Bench Press Variations

These are some of the most commonly used and effective variations that target different areas of the chest and upper body.

1. Flat Barbell Bench Press

The classic version of the bench press targets the pectoralis major, anterior deltoids, and triceps. The flat barbell bench press is ideal for overall chest development and upper body strength.

2. Flat Dumbbell Bench Press

The flat dumbbell bench press offers a greater range of motion compared to the barbell press. It also activates stabilizer muscles to prevent imbalances and works each side of the body independently.

3. Smith Machine Bench Press

The Smith machine bench press is a guided version of the traditional bench press, where the barbell moves along a fixed vertical path. This setup provides increased stability and control, making it an excellent option for beginners or those focused on safely increasing strength.

4. Incline Bench Press

By adjusting the bench to a 30-45 degree incline, you can target the upper chest more effectively. This is a great variation to include for balanced chest development.

5. Decline Bench Press

The decline bench press places the bench at a downward angle, emphasizing the lower chest. This variation is ideal for developing a well-rounded chest.

Grip Variations

Different grip styles on the bench press can change muscle activation, allowing you to target specific areas more effectively.

6. Close Grip Bench Press

The close grip bench press narrows the hand placement on the barbell, which shifts the focus to the triceps while still engaging the chest and shoulders. It's an excellent variation for building arm strength.

Close Grip Bench Press Muscles Worked

The close grip bench press primarily targets the triceps, making it one of the most effective exercises for building tricep strength and size.

By narrowing the grip on the barbell, the emphasis shifts from the chest to the triceps, although it still engages the pectorals (chest muscles) and anterior deltoids (front shoulder muscles) to a lesser degree.

This movement is excellent for increasing upper body strength, particularly in the arms, and can be a valuable addition to any strength training routine for improving pressing power and muscle balance.

7. Wide Grip Bench Press

The wide-grip bench press places more emphasis on the outer portion of the chest. This variation is beneficial for bodybuilders looking to increase chest width.

8. Narrow Grip Bench Press

Using a narrow grip during the bench press shifts the load to the triceps. This variation is often used to improve arm strength and pressing power.

9. Reverse Grip Bench Press

The reverse grip bench press involves holding the bar with an underhand grip. This variation targets the upper chest and triceps and can help relieve shoulder stress for some lifters.

10. Suicide Grip Bench Press

The suicide grip (thumbless grip) places more emphasis on chest activation. However, this grip can be risky as the barbell is less secure, so it should be used with caution.

11. Neutral Grip Bench Press

The neutral grip bench press, performed with dumbbells or a special barbell, reduces strain on the shoulders while still targeting the chest and triceps.

Specialized Bench Press Variations

These variations can help you work on specific muscle imbalances, target weak areas, or improve strength in different planes of motion.

12. Spoto Bench Press

The Spoto bench press involves pausing just above the chest during the descent, increasing time under tension, and improving overall pressing strength.

13. Gorilla Bench Press

The gorilla bench press alternates arms during the pressing motion, engaging core stability and improving balance while still focusing on the chest and triceps.

14. Iso Lateral Bench Press

The iso lateral bench press focuses on unilateral movement, meaning each arm works independently. This variation is great for correcting imbalances and improving coordination.

Machine-Based Bench Press Variations

Machines provide a controlled range of motion and are great for isolating the chest muscles without the need for stabilizing muscles.

15. Smith Machine Bench Press

The Smith machine bench press allows for a fixed path of motion, which reduces the need for balance and helps you focus on muscle activation, particularly in the chest and triceps.

16. Hammer Strength Bench Press

The hammer-strength bench press is performed on a plate-loaded machine that mimics the natural movement of the bench press but with guided assistance, providing a safer alternative for heavy lifting.

17. Cable Bench Press

The cable bench press offers continuous tension throughout the movement, which is excellent for hypertrophy and building muscle definition.

18. Chest Press Machine vs. Bench Press

The chest press machine provides more stability and control than the traditional bench press, making it a great option for beginners or those recovering from injuries. However, the free-weight bench press engages more stabilizer muscles and allows for heavier loads.

Floor-Based Bench Press Variations

If you don’t have access to a bench, these alternatives can provide similar benefits.

19. Floor Press

The floor press restricts the range of motion, focusing more on the triceps and upper chest. It's an excellent option for those with shoulder pain or limited mobility.

20. Bench Press Without Bench (Push-Ups)

When you don't have access to a bench, push-ups are an effective bodyweight alternative. They target the chest, shoulders, and triceps, and can be easily modified to increase difficulty.

Floor Press vs Bench Press

The floor press limits the range of motion, protecting the shoulders and emphasizing triceps strength, while the bench press offers a full range of motion for chest and shoulder development.

Other Bench Press Variations

These unique variations add variety to your routine, challenging different muscles and movement patterns.

21. Kettlebell Bench Press

The kettlebell bench press adds an element of instability, forcing you to engage more stabilizer muscles while performing the press.

22. Standing Bench Press

Performed with cables or resistance bands, the standing bench press engages the core more than traditional versions and targets the chest and triceps.

23. Military Bench Press

The military bench press involves a strict upright posture, shifting the focus to the shoulders and upper chest.

Pro Workouts and the Hint App

With the Hint app’s Pro Workouts feature, available through Hint Pro and Hint Premium, you can track your progress across all these bench press variations.

Whether you're doing a Smith machine bench press, floor press, or dumbbell bench press, the app allows you to log your sets, reps, and monitor your calorie burn for each exercise.

In addition to workout tracking, Hint Premium offers personalized diet plans and unlimited consultations with expert dietitians to ensure your nutrition is optimized for muscle gain or fat loss.

Conclusion

Incorporating a variety of bench press variations into your workout routine helps target different muscle groups, prevent plateaus, and improve overall strength.

Whether you’re performing the traditional barbell bench press or trying specialized variations like the Spoto press or kettlebell bench press, there’s a variation for every goal.

Using the Hint app, you can log each variation, track your progress, and ensure your diet supports your strength goals. With Hint Pro and Hint Premium, you have everything you need to maximize your fitness potential.