Chest

Bench Press

The classic upper-body lift: it moves more weight than any other press and builds your chest, front delts and triceps at once.

Also known as: barbell bench press, flat bench press, bench

Level: Intermediate
Equipment: Barbell
Type: Compound

Movement

Muscles worked

Bench Press muscle map: chest, front delts and triceps highlighted on the front and back of the body

How to do it

Lie down with your eyes under the bar, feet planted, and pull your shoulder blades back and down.
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width, wrists stacked over your elbows.
Unrack the bar and hold it over your shoulders with straight arms.
Lower it under control to your lower chest, elbows roughly 45-70 degrees from your torso.
Press up and slightly back to the start without losing your upper-back arch.

Form cues

Keep your shoulder blades pinned to the bench for the whole set, even at the top.
Drive your feet into the floor: leg drive stabilises you and adds power.
Forearms vertical from the front and side at the bottom.

Common mistakes

Flaring your elbows to 90 degrees: it loads the shoulder joint and tends to hurt. Tuck them in a little.
Bouncing the bar off your chest: momentum does half the work. Touch and press without losing control.
Lifting your hips off the bench to move more weight: it changes the angle and the rep doesn't count. Keep them down.
Lowering the bar toward your neck: it stresses the shoulder. Touch your lower chest, around the sternum.

Sets and reps

For strength, 3-5 sets of 3-6 reps with 2-4 minutes of rest. For muscle growth, 3-4 sets of 6-12 reps leaving 1-3 in reserve. Train it 1-3 times a week.

Variations

Same movement, different equipment. Pick based on what you have and what you want from the bench press.

Paused bench press
A 1-2 second pause on the chest removes the bounce and builds strength off the bottom.
Barbell · Advanced
How to do it
1. Lie on a flat bench and grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width.
2. Unrack the bar and lower it to your chest.
3. Pause on your chest for 1-2 seconds.
4. Press the bar back up until your arms are fully extended.
5. Control the descent on every rep.
Primary
Chest
Secondary
Front Delts, Triceps
Wide-grip bench press
Shortens the range and shifts work to the chest, at the cost of more shoulder stress.
Barbell · Intermediate
How to do it
1. Lie on a flat bench. Grip the barbell wider than shoulder-width.
2. Lower the bar to mid-chest.
3. Press back up to full extension.
Primary
Chest
Secondary
Front Delts, Triceps
Smith machine bench press
The fixed path lets you train close to failure without a spotter.
Smith Machine · Beginner
How to do it
1. Lie on a flat bench set inside a Smith machine.
2. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width and unrack it.
3. Lower the bar under control to your mid-chest.
4. Pause briefly without bouncing.
5. Press the bar back up until your arms are fully extended.
Primary
Chest
Secondary
Front Delts, Triceps
Spoto press
You stop the bar an inch above your chest: total control at the bottom.
Barbell · Intermediate
How to do it
1. Lie on a flat bench and grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulders.
2. Unrack the bar and hold it over your chest with arms extended.
3. Lower the bar until it is one inch above your chest.
4. Pause there for a full second without touching the chest.
5. Press the bar back up until your arms are extended.
Primary
Chest
Secondary
Front Delts, Triceps
EZ-bar bench press
The semi-neutral grip is often easier on sensitive wrists and shoulders.
EZ Curl Bar · Intermediate
How to do it
1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet planted on the floor, gripping the EZ bar's angled bends over your chest.
2. Unrack the bar and hold it over your lower chest with your arms extended.
3. Lower the bar under control toward your lower chest.
4. Press the bar back up to full arm extension.
Primary
Chest
Secondary
Front Delts, Triceps