Barbell Bench Press
Horizontal push, barbell, chest
The bench press lowers a barbell to the chest while you lie on a flat bench and presses it back up. It trains the chest, with the triceps and the front of the shoulders helping. It suits anyone who wants a stronger upper body push and can already do a few good push-ups.
Setting up
- Lie on the bench with your eyes under the bar and your feet flat on the floor.
- Grip the bar a little wider than the shoulders, wrists straight over the forearms.
- Squeeze the shoulder blades back and down so the upper back is tight against the bench.
- Lift the bar out of the rack to straight arms over the shoulders, and start with a load you can lower slowly; a spotter is wise once it gets heavy.
How to do a barbell bench press
- Lower the bar under control to the lower chest, elbows slightly tucked toward the body.
- Touch the chest lightly without bouncing.
- Press the bar up and a little back until it is over the shoulders again.
- Keep the shoulder blades pinned and the feet on the floor through every rep.
- Rack the bar with straight arms when the set is done.
Breathing. Breathe in as the bar comes down and breathe out as you press it up.
Muscles worked
- Mainly
- Chest
- Also
- Triceps and front delts
Common mistakes
- Bouncing the bar off the chest. It hides a weak bottom position and jars the chest, so touch lightly and press from a brief stop.
- Elbows flared straight out to the sides. That puts the strain on the front of the shoulders, so tuck the elbows to about halfway between the body and straight out.
- Hips lifting off the bench. It arches the back and changes the lift, so keep the glutes on the bench and push through the feet instead.
- Wrists bent far back under the bar. The bar then sits poorly supported, so hold it low in the palm with the wrists stacked over the elbows.
Easier and harder
- Easier
- Push-Up, Dumbbell Bench Press
- Harder
- Barbell Incline Bench Press
Guide
Guide
Guide