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Flat Barbell Bench Press
beginnerPush · Chest, shoulders, triceps · Barbell, bench
The classic upper-body pressing movement for chest and tricep strength.
How to do it
- Lie on the bench with eyes under the bar, feet flat on the floor.
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width and un-rack it over your chest.
- Lower the bar under control to your mid-chest, elbows at roughly a 45° angle.
- Press the bar back up to lockout in a slight arc back toward the rack.
Coaching tips
- Keep your shoulder blades pinched together and down throughout the set.
- Drive your feet into the floor for full-body tightness.
- Control the descent — don't bounce the bar off your chest.
Common mistakes
- Flaring the elbows out to 90°, which stresses the shoulders.
- Letting the hips rise off the bench.
- Half-repping instead of touching the chest each rep.