Barbell Decline Wide-Grip Press

Setup

1. 01Set a decline bench of 15 to 30 degrees and secure your legs under the pads.
2. 02Lie back with eyes under the bar and squeeze the shoulder blades together.
3. 03Grip the bar well outside shoulder width, near or at the rings.
4. 04Have a spotter assist the unrack; decline unracks are awkward alone.

Execution

1. 01Unrack and let the bar settle over the lower chest.
2. 02Lower under control to the lower chest with elbows around 70 degrees from the torso.
3. 03Touch lightly without bouncing.
4. 04Press up and slightly back to lockout over the shoulders.

Checkpoints

• -Wrists stay stacked over the elbows despite the wide grip.
• -The bar touches the lower chest, not the neck or belly.
• -Shoulder blades stay pinned through the touch.
• -Legs stay hooked so you do not slide down the bench.

Common mistakes

• -Flaring the elbows fully out at the bottom of a wide grip.
• -Bouncing the shortened range to move more weight.
• -Gripping so wide the wrists cannot stay neutral.
• -Unracking without a spotter on a decline.