How to Do the Barbell Bench Press: Form, Starting Weight, Sets
The Barbell Bench Press is a barbell exercise that mainly works your chest. Beginners start with 3 sets of 8–12 reps and add 2.5 kg once every set hits the target.
Form in 3 steps
- Lie on the bench with your eyes right under the bar. Pull your shoulder blades back and together so your chest lifts slightly.
- Grip the bar a little wider than shoulder width. Keep your wrists straight so the bar sits low in your palms.
- Breathe in and slowly lower the bar to the middle of your chest, just above the bottom of your breastbone. Breathe out and press it back up to the start.
Common mistakes
- Hips lifting off the bench: that's a sign the weight is too heavy. Keep your hips and shoulders on the bench the whole time.
- Flaring your elbows out to 90 degrees: this puts a lot of stress on your shoulders. Tuck them to about 45–70 degrees from your torso.
- Bouncing the bar off your chest: momentum takes the work away from your chest. Lower it until it nearly touches, pause, then press.
Starting weight for beginners
DailyFit sets your first weight from your body weight, sex and training experience. For beginners it looks like this:
| Example | Starting weight |
|---|---|
| 70 kg man, beginner | 35kg |
| 60 kg woman, beginner | 20kg |
If you can't hit the target reps with good form on the first set, go one step lighter. Machines can be labeled differently.
Sets, reps and rest by goal
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 sets | 4–6 reps | 3 min |
| Build muscle | 4 sets | 6–10 reps | 2 min |
| Lose fat | 3 sets | 10–12 reps | 1 min |
| General health | 3 sets | 8–12 reps | 1 min 30 sec |
When should you add weight?
When every set reaches the top of the rep range, add 2.5 kg next time. If a set falls short, keep the weight. Fall short twice in a row and drop 10% to build back up. DailyFit does this math for you from your log.
When to pick another exercise
If your shoulder or wrist bothers you, skip this one for now. Mark it as sore in DailyFit and the app swaps this exercise out of your routine.
Alternatives
Add the Barbell Bench Press to today's workout?
Tell DailyFit your goal, time, equipment and any sore spots, and it builds today's workout. Ducky counts your reps out loud and the rest timer runs itself.
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FAQ
How much weight should a beginner bench press?
DailyFit starts beginners at about 50% of body weight (65% of that for women). For a 70kg man, that's 35kg; for a 60kg woman, about 20kg. If the empty bar (usually 20kg) still feels too heavy, start with the Dumbbell Bench Press or a machine chest press instead.
My shoulder hurts when I bench press.
If your shoulder feels off, drop the weight and tuck your elbows closer to your body. If it still bothers you, stop and see a professional. When you pick shoulders as a problem area, DailyFit takes this exercise out of your routine.
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