Upper body
Barbell Bench Press
Primary chest mass + pressing strength
Coaching cues
How to do it well
These are the cues the app shows on the exercise card, written for the moment you are standing in front of the bar.
- Retract scaps
- Touch mid-chest
- Tempo
- 2s down
This is general information, not medical advice. Train Smart gives training and nutrition guidance for healthy adults. It is not a substitute for a doctor, physiotherapist or accredited dietitian. If you have an injury, a medical condition, or you are unsure whether an exercise is right for you, get it checked first. Every recommendation on this site is sourced.
In the program
How Train Smart prescribes it
The sets and reps below are the authored starting point. The actual weight you see is calculated from your own last top set and the week you are in within your four-week block.
| Program | Session | Sets × reps | Load |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodybuilding | Push — Chest, Shoulders, Triceps | 4 × 8 | Heavy |
At a glance
What it trains, and who trains it
- Muscles worked
- Chest · Triceps
- Region
- Upper body
- Prescribed in
- bodybuilding
Alternatives
If you cannot do this one
Rack taken, kit missing, or it does not suit you. These are the swaps the app offers, matched by movement pattern and body region — each with the reason it is a fair substitute.
| Alternative | Why it works as a swap |
|---|---|
| DB Bench Press | Bigger range, even sides |
| Incline DB Press | Upper-chest + front-delt bias |
| Decline Bench Press | Lower-chest emphasis, shoulder-friendly |
| Floor Press | Shoulder-friendly, lockout strength |
| Spoto Press | Pause 1 inch above chest — tightness + control |
| Larsen Press | Feet up — pure upper-body pressing, no leg drive |
This exercise, in a program that knows why it is there
Train Smart puts this movement in the right session, at the right point in your block, at a weight calculated for you — and swaps it automatically if you do not have the kit.
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