4 Ways You Screw Up Your Bench Press

Talk to a lifter with shoulder discomfort and he’ll likely blame the barbell bench press.

But the staple move doesn’t have to cause pain, says Eric

Cressey, C.S.C.S., of Cressey Sports Performance. With four simple changes to your form, you’ll spare your shoulders and push your lifts into personal record territory.

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1. Engage Your Legs to Protect Your Shoulders

The bench press is a total-body exercise, Cressey says. The more work you do with your lower body, the less strain your shoulders will endure.

Spread your feet wide when you set up, and drive your feet down into the floor. Start each rep by pushing through your feet to help move the bar off your chest.

2. Hug the Bench to Protect Your Shoulders

Before you even touch the bar, pull your shoulder blades together and down, as if you’re “hugging” the bench with your shoulders.

Keep your shoulders in this position throughout the exercise in order to provide yourself with a stable base and a powerful platform to press from.

3. Narrow Your Grip to Protect Your Shoulders

A wider grip limits your range of motion but also leaves your shoulders in a more vulnerable position.

Narrow your grip so it’s exactly at shoulder width, Cressey says. As you remove the bar, don’t lose your shoulder positioning.

4. Pull Before You Push to Protect Your Shoulders

Letting the bar drop to your chest and bounce off your sternum is a surefire way to get hurt.

Instead, pull the bar to your chest by flexing your upper-back muscles. That raises your chest higher and limits your range of motion, says Cressey.

Then push yourself away from the bar, driving your upper back into the bench.