Description
Lying on a bench, hold the barbell over your body with your arms fully extended. Lower the barbell to your chest, then push it back to the starting position.
How to Do Barbell Bench Press
- 1Setup
Lie supine on a flat bench with your eyes directly under the racked barbell, feet flat on the floor, and a slight arch in your lower back.
- 2Setup
Grip the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width, ensuring your wrists are straight and elbows are directly under the bar.
- 3Setup
Retract and depress your shoulder blades, then unrack the barbell by extending your arms, holding it directly over your chest with elbows fully locked.
- 4
Inhale deeply, then slowly lower the barbell towards the middle of your chest, allowing your elbows to tuck slightly (about 45 degrees) until the bar lightly touches your sternum.
- 5
Exhale forcefully as you press the barbell back up, driving through your chest and extending your arms fully until your elbows are locked out directly over your shoulders.
- 6
Once the set is complete, carefully re-rack the barbell by moving it back into the hooks with controlled arm extension.
Tips
- Utilize leg drive by pushing your feet into the floor throughout the lift; this creates full-body tension and helps generate more power from your chest.
- Maintain a tight upper back by keeping your shoulder blades retracted and depressed; this provides a stable base for your shoulders and protects them from injury.
- Focus on a slight diagonal bar path, lowering the bar towards your mid-chest and pressing it up and slightly back towards your eye level to optimize leverage and muscle activation.
- Control the eccentric (lowering) phase, taking 1-2 seconds to bring the bar down; this increases time under tension and promotes greater muscle growth.
Common Mistakes
- ×Flaring elbows out to the sides excessively puts undue stress on the shoulder joint; instead, tuck your elbows to approximately a 45-degree angle relative to your torso.
- ×Bouncing the barbell off your chest reduces muscle tension and can lead to injury; instead, control the descent to a light touch on the chest before initiating the press.
- ×Lifting your hips off the bench reduces stability and can strain your lower back; ensure your glutes remain in contact with the bench throughout the entire movement.
Variations
Barbell Reverse Grip Bench Press
Strengthen your upper chest and triceps with the barbell reverse grip bench press.
Barbell Pause Bench Press
Improve strength and control with the Barbell Pause Bench Press. This variation builds muscle and power by eliminating momentum, enhancing stability.
Barbell Wide Bench Press
Perform the Barbell Wide Bench Press to build a powerful chest. This compound exercise targets your pectoralis major with a wider grip for increased chest
Barbell Weighted Bench Press
Build a powerful chest and sculpt your upper body with the Barbell Bench Press. This foundational exercise targets pectorals, triceps, and shoulders for
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