Barbell Guillotine Bench Press

Setup

1. 01Set up on a flat bench with a spotter or safety arms at neck height; never do this alone.
2. 02Grip the bar wider than your standard bench grip.
3. 03Pin the shoulder blades and keep a minimal arch; this is a flat-back variation.
4. 04Choose a weight well below your normal bench press.

Execution

1. 01Unrack and position the bar above the upper chest.
2. 02Lower slowly toward the clavicles or base of the neck with elbows flared wide.
3. 03Stop just above the neck; do not rest the bar on it.
4. 04Press straight back up over the upper chest.

Checkpoints

• -Safeties or spotter hands stay within reach of the bar at all times.
• -Elbows are deliberately flared to load the clavicular pec fibers.
• -The bar path stays over the upper chest, not drifting toward the face.
• -Tempo is slow and controlled on every descent.

Common mistakes

• -Loading it like a regular bench press.
• -Touching or bouncing the bar on the throat.
• -Performing it without safeties or a spotter.
• -Ignoring shoulder pain; this position stresses the anterior shoulder.