Lying Barbell Press to Chin

Setup

1. 01Lie on a flat bench holding a barbell with a grip just inside shoulder width.
2. 02Press the bar to arm's length over the upper chest.
3. 03Plant the feet and keep the shoulder blades pinned to the bench.

Execution

1. 01Bend the elbows and let them drop down and slightly toward the ribs.
2. 02Lower the bar under control until it hovers just above the chin.
3. 03Keep the wrists stacked over the elbows at the bottom.
4. 04Press and extend the elbows to drive the bar back over the upper chest.

Checkpoints

• -The bar tracks to the chin, not down to the chest.
• -Elbows stay tucked at roughly 45 degrees, never flared wide.
• -The bar never touches the face; control is constant.
• -Lockout comes from the triceps squeezing, not a bounce.

Common mistakes

• -Letting the bar drift to the chest and turning it into a bench press.
• -Flaring the elbows and stressing the shoulders.
• -Descending faster than you can control near the face.
• -Overloading the bar and cutting range at the bottom.