Barbell Bench Press

Starting position

1. Lie on a flat bench with your eyes roughly under the bar.
2. Plant your feet on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders and press into it.
3. Pull your shoulder blades together and press them into the bench — this creates a small natural arch in your lower back. Hips, shoulder blades and head stay on the bench for the whole set.
4. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width: at the bottom your forearms should be vertical.

Execution

1. Unrack the bar and bring it over your shoulders with straight arms.
2. Inhale and slowly lower the bar to your lower chest, around nipple line. Elbows travel down and slightly in — at 45–70° to your torso, not flared out.
3. Touch your chest without bouncing.
4. Exhale and press the bar up and slightly back over your shoulders. Don't snap your elbows into lockout at the top.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing the bar off the chest — momentum does the work instead of the muscles, and the sternum takes the hit.
• Elbows flared to 90° — stress shifts to the shoulder joint and the injury risk goes up.
• Hips coming off the bench — the load moves to the lower back.
• Shoulder blades not retracted — the shoulders roll forward, the chest works less and the front delts more.

Beginner tips

• For the first 2–3 weeks use the empty bar (20 kg) or a light weight until every rep looks the same.
• Press heavy weights only with a spotter or in a power rack with safety pins set.
• Add 2.5 kg once you finish all sets with 1–2 reps to spare.

Alternatives

• Flat Dumbbell Bench Press — longer range of motion, each arm works on its own
• Push-Ups — the same movement with no equipment
• Flat Bench Smith Machine Press — easier to stay balanced