How to do the Barbell Bench Press
- Lie on the bench, placing your feet flat on the floor for stability.
- Grip the bar a little wider than your shoulders, wrists over elbows.
- Lower the bar to your mid-chest, keeping your elbows angled in toward your sides.
- Press the bar upward and slightly back toward your shoulders, straightening your arms fully.
Full technique — 8 steps
- Lie on the bench with eyes directly under the bar and feet planted flat.
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width with wrists directly over your elbows.
- Unrack the bar and hold it directly over your shoulders with arms fully extended.
- Inhale deeply, tighten your stomach, and keep your shoulder blades pulled back into the bench.
- Lower the bar to mid-chest with elbows angled 45-75 degrees from your torso.
- Pause briefly when the bar lightly touches your chest without sinking or bouncing.
- Press the bar upward and slightly back toward your shoulders while exhaling.
- Finish with elbows extended over shoulders without letting the shoulders roll forward.
Common mistakes
- Bouncing the bar off chest
- Flaring elbows past 90 degrees
- Lifting hips off the bench
- Bar touching too high on neck
- Shoulders rolling forward at the top
Form cues
- Keep shoulders down and back
- Drive feet through floor
- Keep wrists over elbows
- Touch mid-chest every rep
- Press back toward shoulders
