Barbell Bench Press / Chest Press
- Position yourself with your back down on a flat bench placing the hands up on the bar using an underhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
- After taking a deep breath in, extend the elbows and lift the bar up off the rack until elbows are extended but not locked. Pause for a brief movement as you fully extend your breath.
- Lower the weight directly down to the chest as you breath inwards, keeping the movement pattern slow and steady.
- Once just above the chest, pause, and then press directly up again, exhaling your breath.
- Continue until all reps are completed and then re-rack the barbell.
Related exercises to discover
Barbell bench press / chest press is a gym work out exercise that targets chest and also involves shoulders and triceps. Refer to the illustration diagram and instructions above for how to perform this exercise correctly. Reverse shoulder stretch, foam roller chest opener stretch and bosu ball chest dumbbell flyes / flies are related exercise that target the same muscle groups as barbell bench press / chest press. Visit our free illustrated exercise directory for more exercises to try in your workouts.
Exercise illustration licensing: Our exercise and yoga pose illustrations (static and animated) are selectively available for licensing for commercial and non-commercial projects. Visit our exercise illustrations licensing page for detailed information and to submit in inquiry.
©
Our exercise illustrations represent original artwork registered with and protected by the U.S. Copyright Office. Unauthorized use violators will be prosecuted. More details.