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Setup

1. 01Lie on a flat bench and grip the bench edges or uprights behind your head.
2. 02Pull the shoulder blades down and lock the arms into the bench.
3. 03Press the upper back firmly into the pad; it is your only pivot point.
4. 04Squeeze the glutes and brace the whole trunk before lifting.

Execution

1. 01Drive the legs and hips up until the body is nearly vertical over the shoulders.
2. 02Keep the body rigid in one straight line from shoulders to toes.
3. 03Lower the entire body slowly, pivoting only on the upper back.
4. 04Stop just above the bench without the hips or back sagging, then raise again.

Checkpoints

• -Only the upper back and shoulders contact the bench during the rep.
• -Hips stay locked in line; no pike or arch as the body lowers.
• -The descent is slow and continuous, never a drop.
• -Grip and lats stay tight to anchor the torso.

Common mistakes

• -Piking at the hips to make the lowering easier.
• -Arching the lower back near the bottom of the descent.
• -Dropping fast and using momentum to swing back up.
• -Attempting full reps before owning slow eccentric-only lowers.