index on the ring? ring on the ring? or pinky on the ring?

[stullsy]

most of the guys i lift with like to go with a wide grip using index on the ring b.c they say you can bench more that way due to decreasing the range of motion. I myself like to put my ring finger on the ring when benching for maximum lifts. Does it really matter??????

[cynic]

Well that all depends. I also bench with my ring finger on the ring when doing ME work. The wider you go the more you are using chest and less tri's - the closer you go, vice versa. I have found that if I go wider than the ring on the ring, its harder to tuck my elbows to minimize shoulder rotation. I am of the opinion that the less shoulder rotation you have, the better for your shoulder it is (esp. w/ max effort pressing), thus the longer you can bench heavy without injury. That doesn't mean that you can't go wider, but I believe that you should generally be more careful with the weight and the movement if you go as wide as say the index on the ring. Also, I believe that the more you can incorporate your tri's in the press, the better.

[SRS2000]

I also like ring finger on the ring for raw bench work. I feel it (not necessarily in a good way) in the shoulders and pec tendons if I go max width.
When I put on a bench shirt, I do go max legal grip then.

[2k2ser]

Ring Finger on the ring here too! It took me awhile to get used to it. At first it would hit my shoulders too much. I started benching with a shoulder-width grip again for a couple months. Good arch and wide grip when going heavier than normal.

[Chubbinmuffin]

I guess it depends on how wide you are or how long your arms are. I place my hands on the bar where my elbows will be 90° when my tri's are parallel with the floor, in which I'm using either my pinky or ring.

[jcp2]

I was going max width for a while, but i am pretty tall and long armed. I moved my grip in one finger and may go in two, i am trying to gauge strength. My close grip was creeping up to my flat so i thought i may be stronger trying to incorporate more tris. We will see. It is hard when you are losing weight to try and gauge alot of this stuff.

[stullsy]

I tried some heavy pressing with index on the ring tonight, i do seem to get more drive through lats doing it this way, but if your techniques even off just a little and you get sloppy i can also feel shoulder rotator cuff injurys happening a little more easily

[hvylifter]

I use my index on the ring. Just my strongest area. Wider or narrower than that and I lose poundage. It doesn't really feel all too wide either. Thats just me thou.