Bench press
ChestBarbellIntermediate
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About
The bench press is a horizontal pushing movement: lying on a flat bench, you lower a barbell to your chest and press it upward until your arms are fully extended. This exercise engages the pectoralis major, the anterior deltoids, and the triceps. When using a flat bench, the level of muscle activation across different areas of the chest and the anterior deltoids is relatively similar. Within a standard range, your grip width and the angle at which you position your elbows are a matter of personal preference—choose a setup that feels comfortable for you, and gradually increase the weight.
How to do it
- 1Lower the barbell to your chest in a controlled manner, keeping your forearms nearly vertical.
- 2Touch your chest without bouncing the bar.
- 3Press the barbell back up over your shoulders until your arms are fully extended, while maintaining contact with the bench using your feet, glutes, and shoulder blades.
- 4Ensure that each repetition follows the same path and touches the same point on your chest.
- 5After the final repetition, hold the barbell with your arms extended, move it toward the uprights, and lower it securely into both hooks before letting go.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Level
- Intermediate