Bench Press
Pressing a barbell or dumbbells from the chest lying on a bench — the standard heavy upper-body push.
Also called: barbell bench press, dumbbell bench press, db bench, dumbbell bench
Illustrations: Exercise data by RepDB (repdb.co)
Setup
Lie on the bench, eyes under the bar, feet planted. Grip just outside the shoulders; shoulder blades squeezed back and down.
How to do the Bench Press
- Lower the bar under control to the mid-chest, elbows about 45 degrees.
- Keep the shoulder blades pinned — the chest stays proud.
- Press up and slightly back toward the rack.
- Feet stay planted; drive through them gently for stability.
Bench Press muscles worked
The Bench Press works the chest, triceps and shoulders.
Common Bench Press mistakes
- Bouncing the bar off the chest.
- Shoulders shrugging off the bench at lockout.
- Flaring the elbows to 90 degrees.
Scale it
Easier: Dumbbells lighter than the bar, or push-ups.
Harder: Add load gradually with a spotter, or slow the lowering to 3 seconds.
Pairs well with
Cable Chest Press
Pressing against constant cable tension — keeps the chest loaded through the full range, easy on the shoulder since the angle is adjustable.
Floor Press
A bench press from the floor — the same pressing pattern with a built-in range limit that spares the shoulders.
Incline Neutral-Grip Dumbbell Press
Incline pressing with palms facing each other — a shoulder-friendly grip that still builds upper chest and front shoulder strength.
Low-Incline Dumbbell Press
Pressing on a shallow incline — trains the upper chest with less shoulder strain than a steep incline or flat bench.