Bench Press: Perfect Technique and Mistakes to Avoid

The bench press: more technical than it looks

It's probably the most popular exercise in every gym. Yet it's also one of the most poorly executed. Many turn it into a shoulder and triceps exercise, without truly developing the chest they're trying to build — and strain their shoulders in the process.

The good news is that once the right points are understood, the bench press becomes a formidable chest builder and perfectly safe.

Setup before the first rep

The starting position determines the quality of the whole set:

• Lying on the bench, eyes under the bar
• Shoulder blades retracted together and depressed toward the glutes — this is the most important point
• Feet firmly planted on the floor to stabilize the body
• Slight natural arch in the lower back, glutes in contact with the bench
• Grip slightly wider than shoulder-width

This shoulder-blade retraction creates a stable platform for your shoulders and engages the chest more. Without it, the load shifts to the shoulders.

The execution

The descent

Lower the bar in a controlled manner to the lower chest (roughly nipple height). The elbows stay at about 45-75° relative to the torso — neither fully tucked nor flared to 90° (a dangerous position for the shoulder). At the bottom, your forearms should be vertical.

The push

Push the bar up along a slight diagonal toward your shoulders, until the arms are fully extended. Think of "pushing the bench away from you" rather than pushing the bar. Keep the shoulder blades retracted throughout the movement.

The mistakes that sabotage your chest

• Unretracted shoulder blades: the number-one cause of the shift to the shoulders. Squeeze them before each set.
• Bar descending too high (toward the collarbones): puts the shoulder in a vulnerable position and reduces chest work.
• Elbows too flared (90° from the body): maximal strain on the shoulder joint.
• Bouncing off the chest: using momentum cheats the movement and risks injury. Control the descent and pause briefly.
• Glutes lifting off: a sign of too heavy a load, reduce the weight.

Safety first

The bench press is one of the few exercises where you can get stuck under the bar. Two rules:

1. Never use the "suicide" grip (thumbs on the same side as the fingers): the bar can slip.
2. Train with a spotter on heavy sets, or use a rack with safeties set at the right height.

Barbell or dumbbells?

Both have their benefit:

• The barbell lets you load heavy and easily measure progression. It's the best tool for strength.
• Dumbbells offer a greater range of motion (better chest stretch), correct imbalances between sides and recruit more stabilizers.

Alternating both in the long run is an excellent strategy.

Progressing on the bench press

• Work in 5 to 8 reps for strength, 8 to 12 for hypertrophy
• Increase the load by 1 to 2.5 kg only when all your sets are clean
• Keep 1 to 2 reps in reserve to preserve technique
• The bench press responds well to a frequency of twice a week

Summary

• Retract the shoulder blades: this is what shifts the work to the chest
• Lower the bar to the lower chest, forearms vertical
• Keep the elbows at 45-75°, never fully flared
• Control the descent, no bounce
• Secure your heavy sets (spotter or safeties)
• Alternate barbell and dumbbells for complete development

A good bench press isn't measured only by the weight on the bar, but by the quality of contact with your chest. Refine your position, and the progression will follow.