Bench Press

Muscles Bench Press Works

Muscles used

• Pecslarge chest muscles covering the front of the chest
• Tricepsback of the upper arms
• Front deltsfront of the shoulders
• Serratus anteriorsaw-shaped muscle along the side of the ribs under the armpit
• Rectus abdoministhe front abs, commonly called the six-pack

Main muscleLie on the bench and press the bar up from your chest as your elbows extend. The main muscle driving this movement is your pecs. Your pecs bring your upper arms toward the front of your body and help press the bar upward.

Supporting musclesYour triceps help straighten your elbows, your front delts assist the press, and your serratus helps keep your shoulder blades stable so force can transfer through your chest.

How it should feelAs you lower the bar, your chest should open and stretch. As you press up, your chest should squeeze inward and feel firm. Your triceps should finish the lockout as a helper, not as the main driver.

Signs you're offIf only the front of your shoulders ache or your elbows flare too wide, you are probably pressing more with your shoulders than your chest. If your shoulder blades lift off the bench, chest tension drops and shoulder stress increases.

Remember thisPin your shoulder blades to the bench and press the bar up with your chest.

Setting Up for Bench Press

Setup orderPosition the bench under the bar → Set rack height and safety bars → Add matching plates → Lock the clips

• Bench position

  Set it like thisPlace the bench under the bar so the bar is directly above your eyes when you lie down.

  How to checkWhen you look up, the bar should appear just above your eyes, not behind your head or over your chest.

• Rack height and safety bars

  Set it like thisSet the rack so you can unrack the bar with your arms almost straight. Set the safety bars so the bar will not press into your chest.

  How to checkYour shoulders should stay on the bench when you unrack, and the bar should rest slightly below chest level if placed on the safety bars.

• Plates and clips

  Set it like thisSlide matching plates all the way onto both sides, then lock the clips right next to the plates.

  How to checkBoth sides should have the same weight, with no visible gap between each clip and plate.

Watch out forAvoid placing the bar too far behind your eyes or over your chest, skipping the safety bars, or leaving plates partially loaded.

Stance for Bench Press

Foot widthLie on the bench and place both feet comfortably on the floor.

Where your weight goesKeep your hips and upper back on the bench, and keep both feet firmly on the floor.

Upper body positionPosition your body so the bar is above your eye line when you lie down.

Why it mattersIf your body shifts, it becomes harder to lower and press the bar steadily, and your shoulders or lower back may feel more stress.

How to Grip for Bench Press

Grip typePlace the barbell on the thick lower part of your palm near your wrist, and wrap your thumbs around it.

Grip widthPlace your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, about half a palm wider on each side, holding the same position on both sides of the bar.

How hard to gripKeep the bar on the thick lower part of your palm near your wrist, and keep the backs of your hands in line with your forearms.

The Key Point for Bench Press

When lowering the bar, make sure your shoulders don't roll forward, and lower your elbows diagonally to the sides of your torso.

Think of it like thisThe feeling of lowering your elbows slightly below your shoulders.

Before the fixWhen lowering the bar, my shoulders roll forward, and the front of my shoulders feels uncomfortable first.

After the fixMy shoulders feel stable, and the bar comes down comfortably toward my chest.