Man bench pressing a barbell with a spotter behind him

Chest exercise

Bench Press

The bench press is the classic upper body strength lift. Lying on a bench lets you press heavy loads safely, making it one of the best tools for building the chest, front shoulders and triceps.

Photo of Khushi Gupta By Khushi Gupta Reviewed October 2026

Primary
Chest
Also works
Front delts, Triceps, Lats
Equipment
Barbell, flat bench, rack
Level
Beginner

How to do it

  1. Lie on the bench with your eyes directly under the bar. Plant your feet flat on the floor, slightly behind your knees.
  2. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width so your forearms are vertical when the bar touches your chest.
  3. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and down, and create a small natural arch in your upper back. Your glutes stay on the bench.
  4. Unrack the bar with straight arms and bring it over your shoulders.
  5. Take a breath and lower the bar under control to your lower chest, around the nipple line, with elbows tucked about 45 to 70 degrees from your torso.
  6. Touch the chest lightly without bouncing.
  7. Press up and slightly back toward your face, driving your feet into the floor, until your arms are straight over your shoulders.

Coaching cues

  • Shoulder blades back and down
  • Bend the bar
  • Leg drive into the floor
  • Wrists stacked over elbows

Common mistakes and fixes

Flared elbows at 90 degrees

Tuck the elbows to roughly 45 to 70 degrees. This is stronger and easier on the shoulder joint.

Bouncing the bar off the chest

Lower under control and touch. If you need a bounce, the weight is too heavy.

Glutes lifting off the bench

Push the floor away toward your head rather than straight down, and keep your hips in contact.

Loose upper back

Set your shoulder blades before unracking and keep them pinned for the whole set.

Benching heavy with no spotter or safeties

Use safety arms set at chest level or ask for a spot. Never use collars when benching alone without safeties.

Sets and reps

GoalPrescription
Strength3-5 sets of 3-6 reps, 3-4 minutes rest
Hypertrophy3-4 sets of 6-12 reps, 2 minutes rest
Beginner3 sets of 5 reps, adding 2.5 kg (5 lb) per session

Pick a starting weight with the one rep max calculator, and load the bar with the plate calculator.

Variations

  • Close grip bench press Hands at shoulder width to shift more work to the triceps.
  • Incline bench press A 30 degree bench emphasises the upper chest and front delts.
  • Dumbbell bench press Each arm works independently and you get a deeper stretch.
  • Paused bench press A one-second pause on the chest removes bounce and builds strength from the bottom.

Muscles worked

The pectoralis major is the main mover. It brings your upper arm across and toward your body, which is exactly what pressing the bar up does.

Your front deltoids assist through the whole range and your triceps take over near lockout. Your lats and upper back stabilise the bar and help control the descent.

Benefits

The bench press lets you overload the chest more than push-ups or flyes, which makes it reliable for building size and strength. It is also easy to progress in small steps, and you can track your strength with the 1RM calculator.

Pair it with a pulling movement such as the barbell row to keep shoulder health and posture balanced.

Safety and who should modify it

Most bench press injuries come from failing a rep with no safeties. Set the rack safety arms just below chest height, or have a spotter for heavy sets.

If you have shoulder pain, try a slightly narrower grip, a neutral grip with dumbbells, or a floor press to limit the range. Persistent pain is worth checking with a physiotherapist.

Frequently asked questions

Where should the bar touch my chest?

Usually on the lower half of the chest, around the nipple line or slightly below. Your forearms should be close to vertical at the bottom.

Is arching in the bench press cheating?

A moderate arch with your glutes on the bench is legal in powerlifting and helps keep the shoulders in a safer position. An extreme arch is optional and not needed for general training.

How much should I be able to bench?

It depends on bodyweight, training age and genetics. Compare your lifts to people of the same bodyweight with the Wilks calculator rather than to general internet numbers.

Bench press or dumbbell press for chest growth?

Both work well. Barbells allow heavier loads; dumbbells allow more range and fix side-to-side imbalances. Many programmes use both.

Plans that use the bench press

Rows of dumbbells on a rack in a gym Intermediate · Muscle gain Push Pull Legs Split A 6-day push pull legs routine for building muscle. Full schedule with sets, reps and rest times, plus how to progress, deload and adjust it. 6 days/week60-75 min
Woman performing a barbell back squat in a rack Beginner · Strength 5x5 Strength Program A 3-day 5x5 barbell program built on squats, presses, rows and deadlifts. A and B workouts, linear progression rules, and how to handle stalls. 3 days/week45-60 min

Related exercises

Rows of dumbbells on a rack in a gym Chest · Beginner Incline Dumbbell Press Dumbbells, adjustable bench
Man doing a push-up on a gym floor Chest · Beginner Push-Up None (bodyweight)
Muscular man in a sleeveless top in a gym Arms · Intermediate Tricep Dip Parallel bars or dip station

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