Chest · Compound

Barbell Bench Press

The classic horizontal press for building chest size and upper-body strength.

MAIN MUSCLE
Chest
ALSO WORKS
Front delts, Triceps
EQUIPMENT
Barbell, Bench
LEVEL
Intermediate
REPS
5-8
TEMPO
3-1-1
THE FIGURE FROM THE APPWORKING MUSCLE

HOW TO DO IT

  1. Lie on the bench with eyes under the bar, feet planted and shoulder blades squeezed together.

  2. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width and unrack it over your shoulders.

  3. Lower the bar under control to the mid-chest with elbows at about 45-70 degrees.

  4. Press the bar up and slightly back until the arms are straight.

COMMON MISTAKES

  • Flaring elbows to 90 degrees; tuck them to roughly 45-70 degrees from the torso.
  • Losing shoulder-blade retraction; pin the blades back and down before the first rep.
  • Bouncing the weight; control the descent and pause lightly at the bottom.

TIPS

  • Drive your feet into the floor and push yourself away from the weight.

QUESTIONS

Which muscles does Barbell Bench Press work?

The main muscle is Chest. It also works Front delts, Triceps.

How many reps should I do?

FORGE suggests 5-8 reps for Barbell Bench Press. The app adjusts sets and reps to your goal and level.

What can I do instead of Barbell Bench Press?

These train the same muscles: Dumbbell Bench Press, Smith Machine Bench Press, Machine Chest Press.