Barbell Bench Press

Setup

Lie flat on a bench with your eyes directly under the bar. Plant your feet firmly on the floor, arch your lower back slightly, and grip the bar just wider than shoulder-width with wrists stacked over forearms.

How to do it

1. Unrack the bar and position it directly over your chest with arms locked out
2. Lower the bar in a controlled arc to touch your mid-chest while keeping your elbows at roughly 45 degrees from your body
3. Drive your feet into the floor and press the bar back up in a slight arc toward your shoulders
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together throughout the entire movement
5. Maintain contact between your upper back, glutes, and the bench at all times

Watch out for

• ✗Flaring elbows out to 90 degrees, which places excessive stress on the shoulder joints
• ✗Bouncing the bar off the chest instead of maintaining control through the full range of motion
• ✗Lifting the glutes off the bench during the press, which reduces stability and power transfer