Barbell Bench Press Exercise Instructions
With Video Guide

The barbell bench press is the best-known weight lifting exercise of all time.

Yet most people do it all wrong!...

...This bench press guide will make sure you don't become one of those people. Rather, this guide will help you maximize the benefits of the bench press exercise.

On this page, you'll find everything you need to learn proper technique -- Bench press tips, a video guide, written instructions and more.

Barbell Bench Press Video Guide

Although this page is all about the flat barbell bench press, the video below includes information on the incline barbell press and the flat dumbbell press. The relevant video segments (i.e. for flat barbell bench press) are from 0:00-0:43 and from 1:47-2:05.

Video credits: YouTube user "Sciunisonfitness"

Barbell Bench Press Basics

Primary Muscle(s):	Pectoralis Major Pectoralis Minor
Secondary Muscle(s):	Anterior (Front) Deltoids Triceps Brachii
Mechanics:	Compound
Main Equipment:	Barbell
Supplemental Equipment:	Flat bench in a power rack
Optional Equipment:	Flat bench with uprights or crutches

"How-To" Barbell Bench Press Instructions

Now that you've seen the bench press in action, it's important that you read step-by-step instructions below. In addition, I recommend that you also check out these tips on how to bench press.

1. Set Up. Your work begins by lying down on your back on a flat bench, with a barbell overhead in a safe, locked position.
   • Back Arched. As you're lying on the bench, you actually want your back to be slightly arched. This will ensure you're in the right position to maximize your results, and is a common misconception of bench press technique.
   • Chest Out. Puffing your chest out ensures that the chest muscles are in the proper position to exert maximum contractile force.
   • Feet on the Floor. Your feet should remain on the floor for the duration of the exercise to stabilize your body and provide support.
   • Shoulders Back. Your shoulders should be back for the bench press, which will help prevent injury and increase the weight you can lift.
   • Grip Placement. For proper bench press technique, your arms should be extended straight overhead, with a shoulder-width grip. Too narrow and you are targeting your triceps more than your chest, and too wide will bring your back into play more and decrease your pectoral strength.
     • You'll know you have the right grip width if your forearms and upper arms form a right angle (90°) once you bring the bar to your chest.
   • Body Position. Lying on the bench and looking straight up, the bar should be in front of your head and neck, so that lowering the bar straight down puts it in the middle of your chest. More specifically, your arms should be perpendicular to the bench; they should not be leaning forwards or backwards.
2. Unrack the Barbell. Now your body and all of your limbs are set up and good to go, so it's time to get started actually bringing the barbell bench press technique into play.
   • Push the Bar Up. Push the bar up, lifting it from its supports and keeping it overhead. Hold the position for a few seconds to maximize muscle involvement.
   • Ensure Straight Arms. This actually refers to two things: first, make sure that your arms are extended with elbows locked. Second, keep your arms in a straight line, as opposed to having them sway backwards or forwards, which invites injury and other potential problems.
3. Lower the Bar. The bar has been unracked and your arms are supporting the weight, now it's time to start completing the actual exercise and churn out some great reps.
   • Take a Deep Breath. Just before you begin the lowering phase, take a large, deep breath and hold in.
   • Pull the Bar Down. Instead of just lowering the bar, think about it like you're pulling the bar down with your pectorals, and supporting it with your upper back muscles and core. The elbows should be slightly pinned in, as opposed to flaring forward.
   • Keep Looking Up. Don't shift your focus away from the ceiling. Keep looking straight ahead to keep your back, neck, and head aligned to avoid injury and retain proper bench press technique.
   • Touch the Bar Down. Touch the bar down onto your chest and pause for a short second. Don't bounce the bar off your chest, bring it to a slow and easy stop.
4. At the Bottom... While you should not pause at the bottom of the rep, there are a couple things to check to ensure that your barbell bench press technique is on point.
   • Bar at "Nipple-Level." When you pull the bar, you do not want to bring it straight down; going straight down would put the bar at your middle to upper chest. Instead, you want to pull it down at slight angle: from arms-extended with the bar above your middle/upper chest, pull the bar down so that it touches your lower chest (i.e., nipple-level).
   • Forearms Perpendicular to Bar and Floor. Okay, so you've got the bar at the right location. Now, you must ensure that from the profile (side) view, your forearms are perpendicular to the floor. At the same time, from a straight-ahead (front) view, your forearms must be perpendicular with the barbell.
     • Getting this step right guarantees that all the force that you put out when pressing will be efficiently channeled, meaning that you utilize all the energy to push the barbell in intended direction (upwards).
   • Tuck Your Elbows In Somewhat. You don't want to "flare" your elbows out when you procede to lift the weight. That lessens the role of the chest muscles and puts undue stress on the shoulders ? a lose-lose situation. By slightly tucking your elbows in (i.e., bringing them a little closer to your torso), you can fully utilize the chest and minimize the risk of shoulder problems.
5. Push it Back Up. Now it's time to harness all of that stored energy and lift the weight.
   • Push With Your Pecs. Try to actively flex the pecs, and use their contraction to drive the pressing movement. Don't rely on the shoulders and triceps, as that would defeat the purpose of the exercise.
   • Squeeze Your Forearms. It might not seem intuitive, but flexing your forearms hard and squeezing the living hell out of the bar can really help you to power through reps. It may even add a few pounds to your current bench press numbers.
   • Go in a Straight (Yet Slightly Diagonal) Line. You're returning the bar to where it was before you began lowering it. This is not directly above where the bar is now (now, the bars at your lower chest); rather, it's above your middle/upper chest. So you want to press the bar back to that point in the fastest way possible. Therefore, you must push the weight in a straight, but slightly diagonal line backwards.
   • Breathe Out. The decision of when to exhale your breath is really up to personal preference. If you hold it in while pushing through the positive rep phase, it could add a few pounds to your bench press strength. But some people think it can be dangerous for different reasons. In the end, just listen to your body.

Is the Barbell Bench Press Right for You?

A Great Exercise for Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Lifters. There is not a single person out there lifting weights who should not be using the bench press, barring any kind of pre-existing injury.

The bench press is a fantastic strength and mass builder, and it's one of the staples of any effective training regimens.

It doesn't matter if you're just starting out, or if you're a seasoned vet. And of course, it doesn't matter if you're male or female. A heavy bench press will benefit members of either gender.

Since the barbell bench press is the king of all "ego lifts," please be patient when learning the technique.

It's far too common to see guys trying to show off by loading the barbell with way more weight than they can handle, only to use technique so poorly that it would make Arnold shed tears.

Jokes aside, just learn to do it right. Even if you don't injure yourself by using subpar form, your technique will become a habit that may haunt you down the road.

Once you learn proper barbell bench press technique, then you can look forward to building a bigger and stronger upper body while you laugh at all your gym buddies with constant shoulder pains!

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