Chest
The main muscle group listed for this exercise.
Exercise guide
Decline Barbell Bench Press
Decline Barbell Bench Press is a beginner-friendly chest exercise performed with a barbell. It also involves the shoulders and arms.
Barbell
The equipment listed for this variation.
Beginner
The recorded setup and movement complexity.
Chest
Decline Barbell Bench Press also involves shoulders, arms.
Strength
Movement pattern: horizontal push. This is a compound exercise.
Beginner
This level reflects the setup and movement complexity recorded for this exercise.
Instructions
How to do Decline Barbell Bench Press
- Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and slowly lay down on the bench.
- Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position. Tip: In order to protect your rotator cuff, it is best if you have a spotter help you lift the barbell off the rack.
- As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your lower chest.
- After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up).
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Related workouts
Workout templates that use this exercise.
If you want to see this movement inside a more complete training session, start here.
3-Day Full Body Split
A three-day split that spreads total weekly work across three full-body sessions.
View workout4-Day Upper Lower Split
A simple four-day split that gives each half of the body two quality sessions each week.
View workout5-Day Bodybuilding Split
A traditional five-day bodybuilding split for lifters who enjoy focusing on one or two regions per session.
View workoutRelated exercises
More exercises in the same lane.
Use these when you want a similar movement pattern, a different setup, or more exercise options for the same target area.
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip is a beginner-friendly chest exercise performed with a barbell. It also involves the shoulders and arms.
View exerciseBarbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip
Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip is a beginner-friendly chest exercise performed with a barbell. It also involves the shoulders and arms.
View exerciseBarbell Guillotine Bench Press
Barbell Guillotine Bench Press is an intermediate-level chest exercise performed with a barbell. It also involves the shoulders and arms.
View exerciseBench Press - Powerlifting
Bench Press - Powerlifting is an intermediate-level chest exercise performed with a barbell. It also involves the shoulders and arms.
View exerciseRelated tools
Related calculators for this exercise.
Use these calculators when you want to connect the exercise itself to calories, protein, strength targets, or training volume.
FAQ
Common questions about Decline Barbell Bench Press.
What muscles does Decline Barbell Bench Press work?
Decline Barbell Bench Press primarily trains the chest and also involves the shoulders and arms.
Is Decline Barbell Bench Press beginner-friendly?
Yes. It is listed as beginner-friendly.
What equipment do I need for Decline Barbell Bench Press?
This variation uses a barbell.
Track this exercise for free in Logbook.
Once the movement is in your plan, use Logbook to record sets, reps, load, and progress without guessing what happened last week.