Barbell Reverse Grip Decline Bench Press

Setup

1. 01Set a decline bench and lock your legs under the pads.
2. 02Grip the bar underhand, slightly wider than shoulder width, with the bar deep in the palms.
3. 03Squeeze the shoulder blades together and set the wrists as straight as the grip allows.
4. 04Always use a spotter for the unrack; a reverse grip on a decline is unforgiving.

Execution

1. 01Unrack with the spotter and settle the bar over the lower chest.
2. 02Lower with the elbows tucked close to the torso.
3. 03Touch the lower chest lightly under full control.
4. 04Press up and slightly back to lockout without letting the wrists roll.

Checkpoints

• -The bar sits deep in the palms with a hard, full grip.
• -Elbows track close to the ribs on every rep.
• -The touch point is the lower chest, lower than a standard press.
• -The spotter tracks the bar for the whole set.

Common mistakes

• -Unracking alone; a slipped reverse grip drops the bar on you.
• -Letting the wrists bend back under load.
• -Loading it like a normal decline press before the grip is conditioned.
• -Flaring the elbows and losing the point of the grip.