Flat Barbell Bench Press

How to perform it

1. Lie back with eyes under the bar. Plant feet flat and pull your shoulder blades down and back.
2. Grip slightly wider than shoulder-width and unrack to a position over your shoulders.
3. Lower the bar to the lower chest with elbows at roughly 45 degrees to the torso.
4. Press the bar up and slightly back toward the rack, keeping shoulder blades pinned.

Common mistakes

• Flaring elbows straight out to 90 degrees, stressing the shoulder.
• Bouncing the bar off the chest instead of controlling the descent.
• Letting the hips rise off the bench to cheat the rep.

Sets & reps

3–5 sets of 3–6 reps for strength; 3–4 sets of 8–12 for hypertrophy.

Variations

• Incline Bench Press
• Close-Grip Bench Press
• Dumbbell Bench Press
• Paused Bench Press