Negative Decline Bench Press

How to: Negative Decline Bench Press

Primary Muscles Used:Chest, Pecs, Triceps

Exercise Families:Horizontal Push

Trainer:Kelsey Wells

1. Place a barbell on the rack and add any additional weight in the form of weight plates, ensuring that the amount of weight is even on both ends of the bar. Lie down on the decline bench so that your head is beneath the barbell. Place your legs under the circular leg pad so that it rests on the front of your ankle when your knees are bent to 90 degrees. Place both hands on the barbell in an overhand grip (palms facing away from you), slightly wider than your shoulders. Push the bar away from you to unrack the barbell and extend your elbows to hold the barbell directly above your chest. This is your starting position.
2. Inhale and brace your core. Taking a full three to five seconds, bend your elbows to lower the barbell towards you until the bar touches (or almost touches) your chest, ensure that your elbows remain below the line of your shoulders. You should feel tension in your chest, shoulders and triceps during this movement.
3. Taking one second, exhale and extend your elbows to push the barbell away from your chest and return to the starting position. Repeat for the specified number of repetitions before returning the barbell to a secure position on the rack.