Decline bench press
- Lie on the decline bench and grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Unrack the bar and lower it with control toward your lower chest while keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
- Press the bar back up to the starting position until your arms are fully extended.
Tips
- Before unracking the bar, position your body so that your lower chest sits directly below the bar, giving you a clear and stable path for the press.
- Keep your feet secured under the ankle pads and your hips pressed firmly into the bench throughout each repetition to maintain a stable base on the declined surface.
- Lower the bar with control until it reaches the vicinity of your lower chest, then press it back up in a smooth, continuous motion.
Common mistakes
- Letting the elbows flare out to the sides rather than staying at roughly a 45-degree angle to the torso causes the bar path to drift away from the lower chest.
- Bouncing the bar off the chest at the bottom of the movement rather than reversing direction under control shortens the controlled range of the repetition.
- Lifting the hips off the bench during the press changes the angle of the movement away from the decline the bench is designed to provide.
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