Barbell Bench Press
- Reps
- 6–10
- Kit
- Barbell and rack
How to do it
- 1
Lie on your back on a bench with your eyes under the bar, feet flat on the floor, and hands gripping the bar wider than your shoulders.
- 2
Breathe in as you unlock the bar and lower it with control toward the middle of your chest.
- 3
Breathe out as you press the bar back up until your arms are straight.
- 4
Rack the bar with straight arms when the set is done.
Where you should feel it: Your chest and the back of your arms.
What your coach says mid-set
- “Squeeze your shoulder blades down”
- “Elbows tucked, not flared”
- “Control the bar down”
Common mistakes
Bouncing the bar off your chest
Touch your chest lightly, pause, then press.
Flaring your elbows straight out
Tuck your elbows in closer to your body as you lower.
Felt it somewhere else?
Where did you feel it?
Pull your shoulder blades down and together into the bench before every rep, and bring the bar lower on your chest.
Stack the bar over your forearms instead of letting it sit back in your fingers.
Other versions
- Dumbbell Bench Press
- Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press
- Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press
- Incline Barbell Bench Press
- Close-Grip Incline Barbell Bench Press
- Pause Barbell Bench Press
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