Exercise Comparison
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip vs Hammer Grip Incline DB Bench Press
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Muscle Analysis
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Instructions
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.
After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out. Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Hammer Grip Incline DB Bench Press
Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
By using your thighs to help you get the dumbbells up, clean the dumbbells one arm at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
Once at shoulder width, keep the palms of your hands with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Keep your elbows flared out with the upper arms in line with the shoulders (perpendicular to the torso) and the elbows bent creating a 90-degree angle between the upper arm and the forearm. This will be your starting position.
Now bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe in. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times.
As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
When you are done, place the dumbbells back in your thighs and then on the floor. This is the safest manner to dispose of the dumbbells.
Verdict
Both exercises target the chest. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip is a beginner exercise using barbell, while Hammer Grip Incline DB Bench Press is beginner and uses dumbbell. Choose Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip if you have access to barbell, or Hammer Grip Incline DB Bench Press if you prefer dumbbell.