Chest (pectoralis major)

Front shoulders (anterior deltoids)

Triceps

Biceps

The bench press is a compound push exercise that trains your chest, front shoulders and triceps together, which makes it one of the best ways to build upper-body strength. Your chest pulls your arms forward and across your body, your front shoulders help raise them, and your triceps straighten your elbows. Stronger pushing muscles support good posture, healthy shoulders and everyday tasks like pushing open doors or getting up off the floor.

• Lie with your eyes under the bar, feet flat on the floor.
• Grip a little wider than shoulder width.
• Squeeze shoulder blades back and down; head, upper back and hips stay on the bench.
• Lower the bar until it lightly touches your mid-chest, elbows about 45° from your body.
• Press up until your arms are straight, bar over your shoulders.

• Bouncing the bar off your chest
• Over-arching your back or lifting your hips off the bench.
• Wrists bent back