Barbell Bench Press

Muscles Worked

How to Perform

1. 1

   Lie flat on the bench with your eyes directly under the bar. Plant your feet firmly on the floor and retract your shoulder blades, creating a slight arch in your upper back.

2. 2

   Grip the bar just outside shoulder-width. Unrack by straightening your arms and move the bar over your mid-chest.

3. 3

   Lower the bar in a controlled arc to your mid-chest, roughly at nipple level. Keep your elbows at about 45 degrees from your torso.

4. 4

   Press the bar back up and slightly toward the rack, driving through your palms and pushing your back into the bench.

5. 5

   Lock out at the top without flaring your elbows. Breathe in on the descent and exhale forcefully through the sticking point.

Common Mistakes

• Flaring the elbows to 90 degrees, which places excessive stress on the shoulder joint. Keep them at 45-75 degrees.

• Bouncing the bar off the chest instead of pausing briefly at the bottom. Touch-and-go is fine, but bouncing risks rib and sternum injuries.

• Lifting the hips off the bench to get extra drive. This reduces the range of motion and defeats the purpose of the exercise.

Pro Tips

• Cue: "Bend the bar" — try to bend the barbell into a U-shape with your hands. This automatically engages your lats and tucks your elbows into a safer position.

• Pause for a half-second at the chest before pressing. Eliminating the bounce forces your muscles to generate more force and builds strength off the chest.

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