Barbell Bench Press
The classic upper-body strength builder. Lets you press more weight than any other chest exercise.
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Muscles worked
Target
Also works
- Equipment
- Barbell, Flat bench, Rack
- Level
- Intermediate
- Tempo
- Lower 2 s · Lift 1 s
How to do the barbell bench press
- 1Lie on the bench with your eyes under the bar and your feet flat on the floor.
- 2Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width, squeeze your shoulder blades together and down.
- 3Unrack and hold the bar over your shoulders with straight arms.
- 4Lower it under control to your lower chest, elbows about 45–70° from your body.
- 5Press back up and slightly back toward your face until your arms are straight.
When to pick it: Pick it when the goal is pressing strength and you have a spotter or safety arms.
Form cues
- Bend the bar to keep your shoulder blades pinned
- Feet drive into the floor
- Touch the same spot every rep
Common mistakes
- Flaring the elbows straight out to 90°
- Bouncing the bar off the chest
- Lifting the hips off the bench
Sets and reps
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3–5 | 3–6 | 2–3 min |
| Muscle size | 3–4 | 6–15 | 1–2 min |
| Endurance | 2–3 | 15–25 | 30–60 s |
Finish each set with one or two good reps left in the tank. When you hit the top of the rep range on every set, add weight next time.
Equipment taken? Swap it for
These train the same muscles with different equipment.
More chest exercises
All chest exercises →
General fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain, and check with a clinician before starting if you have an injury or a health condition.