Chest · Mid chest · Barbell
Bench Press
The bench press is the main upper-body strength lift: you lie on a flat bench and press a barbell from your chest to straight arms. It builds the chest, the front of the shoulders and the triceps, and it is the easiest press to load in small steps for months.
How to
Barbell- 1 Lie flat, eyes under the bar, feet planted.
- 2 Unrack and lower to mid-chest with elbows at ~45°.
- 3 Press up and slightly back to lockout.
Tips
- Pull the shoulder blades back and down before you unrack, and keep them pinned for the whole set.
- Stack the wrists over the elbows so the bar sits in the heel of the palm.
- Push the feet into the floor as you press; it keeps the body tight while the hips stay on the bench.
Common mistakes
- Bouncing the bar off the chest instead of touching it under control.
- Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides, which loads the shoulders.
- Lifting the hips off the bench to finish a heavy rep.
Muscles worked
Main
- Chest (pectoralis major)
Also working
- Front delts
- Triceps
- Lats and upper back, which keep the bar path steady
Breathing and bracing
Breathe in and brace before lowering, hold the breath through the bottom and the hardest part of the press, and breathe out near the top. On long sets, take a quick breath at the top between reps.
Sets and reps
- Strength
- 3–5 sets of 3–6 reps, 3–5 min rest
- Muscle size
- 3–4 sets of 6–12 reps, 2–3 min rest
- Getting started
- Start with the empty bar (usually 20 kg) and add 2.5 kg a session while every rep stays clean
Setup
- 1 Lie down with your eyes directly under the bar.
- 2 Plant your feet flat, a little wider than the hips, heels under or slightly behind the knees.
- 3 Squeeze the shoulder blades together and down, and keep a small natural arch in the lower back.
- 4 Grip the bar so your forearms are vertical at the bottom; for most people the index fingers end up near the rings on the bar.
- 5 Take a big breath, brace, and lift the bar out of the rack to straight arms over the shoulders.
Technique in detail
- Lower the bar in a slight diagonal to the lower half of the chest, around the nipple line.
- Keep the elbows at about 45 to 70° from the body, not flared to 90°.
- Touch the chest lightly without losing tightness, then press.
- Press up and slightly back so the bar finishes over the shoulders.
- Keep the glutes on the bench and the feet on the floor for the whole set.
- Keep the wrists straight, with the bar over the forearm bones.
In these plans
- PPL · 3 DAY · Push
- PPL · 6 DAY · Push A
- UPPER / LOWER · 2 DAY · Upper
- UPPER / LOWER · 4 DAY · Upper A
- BRO SPLIT · 5 DAY · Chest
Variations and alternatives
Questions
How wide should my grip be?
Wide enough that your forearms are vertical when the bar touches your chest. A wider grip shortens the range and loads the chest and shoulders more; a narrower one moves work to the triceps.
Is arching the lower back cheating?
A small arch keeps the shoulder blades set and the shoulders in a safer position. It becomes a problem only when the hips leave the bench.
Do I need a spotter?
For heavy sets, yes, or set safety arms just below chest height. Never take a bench press to failure alone without them.
Log it in Volu(me)
Add Bench Press to any workout. Next time the app fills in the weight and reps from your last session and marks a new best set the moment you tick it.