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Barbell bench press

intermediatebarbellbenchcompound exercise
Barbell bench press: start of the movement
1 · start
Barbell bench press: end of the movement
2 · end
Muscles worked
shoulderschestbicepsforearmsabsabsquadscalvesshoulderschestbicepsforearmsabsabsquadscalvesFRONTshouldersbackbacktricepsforearmsbackgluteshamstringscalvesshouldersbackbacktricepsforearmsbackgluteshamstringscalvesBACK
Primary: chest
Secondary: triceps, shoulders

Correct technique

  1. 1Lie down so your eyes are under the bar. Feet firmly on the floor, glutes on the bench.
  2. 2Pull your shoulder blades together and down and arch your upper back slightly. Grip slightly wider than your shoulders.
  3. 3Unrack the bar and lower it under control to your lower chest, elbows about 45° from your body.
  4. 4Press the bar up and slightly towards your face until your elbows lock out. Keep your shoulder blades retracted.
Breathing: Breathe in and brace before lowering, breathe out once you're past the hardest point on the way up.

Common mistakes

  • ✕Bouncing the bar off your chest.
  • ✕Elbows flared to 90°, it overloads the shoulders.
  • ✕Lifting the glutes off the bench.

Caution if you have pain

If you have pain in your shoulders, choose a gentler variation. In your custom plan we leave it out completely in that case.

Similar exercises

Flat dumbbell bench press
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Incline dumbbell press
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Incline bench press
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Machine chest press
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