The Set-Up

• 5 points of contact at all times
  1. feet on the ground
  2. hips on the bench
  3. shoulder blades retracted at all times and flat on the bench
  4. head on the bench
  5. hands on the bar

Coaching Points

Position on the bench so that your eyes are under the bar. Hand position on the bar needs to be a position that allows forearms to be at 90 degrees to bar when barbell is on torso/chest.

You are creating tension through your whole body. The more tension you can create the more force you will be able to generate as you press. Create tension from your feet on the ground right up to your hands on the bar

Make sure your shoulder blades are pulled down and together through the whole movement. You don’t want to see the shoulders press forward.

As you press you are trying to bend the barbell like a horseshoe creating external rotation through the shoulders. This will keep them in a safe position.

Barbell path starts stacked over the shoulders, touches the lower half/bottom of the sternum and finishes stacked back over the shoulders (travels on an angle)

Quality Criteria

• Bar starts and finishes with elbows locked out
• Bar must clearly touch the body at the bottom of the rep
• Elbows between 30-45 degree angle to torso
• No shoulder Shrug