- Set up an incline bench in front of a weight rack, making sure you adjust the incline to a comfortable position. The back of the bench should be facing the weight stack.
- Sit on the bench placing your back firmly against the backrest.
- Using an overhand grip, grasp the bar with your hands spaced about twice your shoulder width apart.
- Lift the bar from the rack by pushing up with your chest muscles and hold it straight over your chest with your arms fully extended. This is the start position.
- As you inhale, lower the barbell slowly until it touches your upper chest.
- Hold for a count of one while squeezing your chest muscles.
- Return to the start position as you exhale, pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Hold for a count of one.
- Repeat.
If you are new at this exercise, you should use a spotter. If there is no-one available to spot for you, be conservative with the amount of weight you use. Do not let the bar drift too far forward. The bar to should touch down on your chest only. When performing this exercise, you should use a 2:1:1 count. That is a count of two on the downward movement. A count of one to hold and squeeze.a count of one for the upward movement.