The bench press is the most used exercise in our workout log app among both men and women.
Many lifters aiming to increase their bench press strength incorporate some variation without departing too far from the traditional bench press exercise.
In this article, we introduce a range of bench press variations. Our hope is that these variations will help you on your bench press journey and help you push your strength to new levels.
What if I’m Not Able to Bench Press at All?
If you’re in a position where the bench press isn’t an alternative, regardless of variation, we have an article that offers 7 bench press alternatives instead.
Bench Press Variations
- Close-Grip Bench Press
- Feet-Up Bench Press
- Close-Grip Feet-Up Bench Press
- Floor Press
- Pin Bench Press
- Incline Bench Press
- Decline Bench Press
- Board Press
- Bench Press Against Bands
- Band-Assisted Bench Press
1. Close-Grip Bench Press
The close-grip bench press is a variant of the bench press in which, because of the narrow grip, more of the work is transferred to the triceps and away from the chest and front deltoid. Usually, this means that you need to remove some weight compared to the regular wide-grip bench press.
Many use the close-grip bench press as an assistance lift for the bench press in order to strengthen their triceps. For certain shoulder issues, the close-grip bench press might also be a good substitute for regular bench presses.
Read more: Bench Press Grip Width: Close-Grip vs Wide Grip Bench Press
2. Feet-Up Bench Press
The feet-up bench press is a variant of the bench press where you have your feet in the air instead of on the floor. By raising your feet, you will get a more unstable position and will need to activate your core more to stabilize the movement.
It’s also a good variation if you want to work on maintaining good tension in your upper body since your legs don’t help you stay in your preferred position.
3. Close-Grip Feet-Up Bench Press
The close-grip feet-up bench press combines the first two variations in this article. The narrower grip emphasizes the triceps more, and raising your feet adds an element of balancing and stabilizing.
4. Floor Press
The biggest differences between the regular bench press and floor presses are the limited range of motion in the floor press and the fact that you won’t be able to use any leg drive. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, though.
Thanks to the shorter range of motion, you might be able to use a heavier load than in the traditional bench press. This might help you improve your lockout later on. The shorter range of motion could also reduce the stress on your chest muscles in the bottom position, which might make the floor press a great alternative for maintaining your strength and muscles while rehabilitating a chest injury or similar.
The regular barbell bench press is a better choice for developing all-around upper body strength and muscle mass, but the floor press can be an effective exercise when you need to target a specific need or work around an injury or other limitation.
Read more: Floor Press vs. Bench Press for Strength: Benefits & Differences
5. Pin Bench Press
The pin press is a bench press variation in which you set the safety racks at a height so that the bar touches them at the bottom position in order to get a dead start from there.
It can be effective for improving lockout strength and helping you keep tightness in your arching in the bench press. Remember to keep the tension in your body throughout the entire movement, even at the bottom position.
6. Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press is a combination of the regular bench press and the overhead press. It trains both the front deltoids and the upper portions of the chest muscles. Thanks to the bench’s inclination, many find this exercise easy on their shoulders, and it allows them to achieve a nice, long range of motion.
Read more: 5 Differences Between Incline Bench Press vs. Flat Bench Press
7. Decline Bench Press
The decline bench press is a bench press variation that shifts more of the load to your lower chest muscle fibers. Remember to set up safety racks on your sides while decline benching, as you cannot roll the bar down your belly if you fail.
8. Board Press
The board bench press is a variation in which you place a board on your chest to limit the range of motion. Similar to the floor press, this makes it easier to move heavy weights since the range of motion is shortened. It’s typically used to improve lockout strength.
9. Bench Press Against Band
Another variation for improving lockout strength is the bench press against band. Attaching a resistance band under the bench, around the barbell, and back under the bench increases the tension further up in the press you get.
Once again, it is imperative that you use safety racks or a spotter, as the band can trap you under the barbell.
10. Band-Assisted Bench Press
By using a resistance band like a slingshot during the bench press, you will get elastic assistance at the bottom of the lift, where the movement is the most challenging.
Looping the band around your upper arms helps push the barbell upward and will allow you to handle heavier loads while reinforcing proper form and building confidence. This variation could be beneficial for lifters looking to improve their bench press strength and technique without sacrificing safety.
How to Implement Bench Press Variations in Your Workout Routine
Implementing one (or several) variations of the traditional bench press can be a good way to work on your technique without increasing the bench volume too much.
It can also be a good way to shift focus in your training or boost your motivation if your bench press hasn’t been improving for some time.
However, make sure to have a plan, and let your body adapt to the variation you pick. If you go to the gym without a plan and try a new variation each session, you probably won’t see any results.
If you want to grow bigger and stronger, the key to fast and consistent gains in strength and muscle is to increase the weight you use in your training or to do more reps, regardless of which exercises you’re doing.
To help with this, you might want to track your workout progress, preferably in our workout log app.
It’s almost impossible to keep track of your progress without a workout log. Our app StrengthLog is 100% free to download and use as a workout tracker and general strength training app. All the basic functionality is free – forever.
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Training Programs That Include Benching
If you feel that building a workout routine on your own is a bit overwhelming, we’ve got you covered! In the linked article below, we’ve gathered all our programs focusing on the bench press so that you can easily find one that suits your needs. Of course, they are all available in our workout log app StrengthLog.