Decline Barbell Bench Press

Muscles Worked

How to Perform

1. 1

   Secure your legs in the decline bench pads and lie back. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width and unrack.

2. 2

   Lower the bar to your lower chest / upper abdomen area with control, keeping your elbows at about 45 degrees.

3. 3

   Press the bar up and slightly back toward your face until your arms are fully extended. Focus on squeezing through the chest.

4. 4

   Keep your shoulder blades pinched together throughout the entire set to protect the shoulder joint.

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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