decline bench press

Do not miss the Decline Bench Press, this is a remarkable addition to your Chest Workout Plan. This variation of the standard bench press is designed to target the lower portion of your pectoral muscles, which in turn can assist in pushing your breast tissue out and up.

Here we will delve into the muscles worked, how to perform the Decline Bench Press, benefits, common mistakes to avoid, reps and sets, how to progress this exercise, how and where to fit it into your workout plan and finally other exercises targeting the same muscle groups.

Muscles Worked When Performing the Decline Bench Press

Lower Pectoralis Major: The primary focus of the decline bench press is on the lower portion of the pecs, helping to sculpt and add mass to the lower chest.

Triceps: The triceps are naturally recruited during this exercise, helping you build strength and definition into the back of the arms.

You can use the muscle highlighted image at the top of this page for a visual guide of the muscles worked.

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How to Perform the Decline Bench Press

Start with a standard unloaded Olympic bar first; this weighs 45lbs/20kg’s.

If you don’t feel comfortable with that weight, bench press on a decline bench with a lighter fixed barbell, just until you build the strength to go heavier.

Let’s break the lift down into steps:

1. To begin the bench press; sit back onto the decline bench with the racked barbell at eye level.

2. Press your shoulders back into the bench to stabilise your upper body. Arch your back slightly if you wish, just make sure that your shoulders and bum are in constant contact with the bench.

3. Grip the bar at around shoulder width apart. Use the knurling ‘notches’ on the bar to balance your grip. Also be sure to grip your thumbs around the bar so that it doesn’t slip.

4. Un-rack the bar and bring it up in fully extended arms directly over your chest. This is your start position.

5. Next; lower the bar down towards your chest, keeping it level with your chest. At the bottom, the bar should lightly touch your chest, before you press back up to start position.

6. Pause for a second at the top, brace yourself, and go again for reps.

Benefits of the Decline Bench Press

Lower Chest Development: The Decline Bench Press is renowned for its ability to emphasise and develop the lower pectoral muscles, adding fullness to the lower chest.

Triceps Engagement: This exercise naturally recruits the triceps, contributing to their strength and shape.

Upper Body Power: Overall, like all Bench Press variations, the Decline Bench Press contributes to your overall upper body strength and power.

Check out our Boobs & Biceps workout category if you want to learn more about the benefits of stronger pecs.

Want to test your power? Try our one rep max calculator.

Decline Bench Press: Common Mistakes to Avoid

Form is Key: Correct form is paramount during the Decline Bench Press to prevent potential injuries. Always ensure you are performing your bench press correctly before adding any significant load. If you don’t feel comfortable, or you’re not feeling the exercise through the target muscle groups, strip all weight and go back to basics.

Mind-Muscle Connection: Keep your focus on the chest muscles, this is to make sure that the target muscles are effectively engaged during the exercise. Again, if you’re not feeling it in the right places, go back to basics.

Safety: The Decline Bench Press has the potential to be a dangerous piece of equipment if not used correctly. Use the safety bars and clips to secure the plates, particularly when lifting heavy weights. Ask someone in the gym to spot you if you’re not confident.

Reps and Sets

This is a powerful exercise, and the Olympic barbell can seem a little daunting at first, especially if you’re not sure if you’ll be able to lift it. Something to keep in mind is that the wider bar distribution of the weight does change things slightly, so always start with just the bar first so you can get a feel for it.

The number of reps and sets you perform depends on your current strength with this exercise.

Beginners: Start with simply mastering the move. Keep in mind that if you’re just starting out, 3 reps is a valid set.

To determine how many reps/sets of the Decline Bench Press you should start with, you first need to figure out how many reps you can comfortably perform. Then add 2, and perform that number of reps for 3 sets.

For example; let’s say you can perform 4 reps comfortably. Add 2 to make 6 reps. Perform those 6 reps 3 times over, allowing yourself sufficient rest inbetween.

Experienced lifters: You know your body and its abilities better than anyone, use your own judgment.

We recommend that you avoid performing more than 12 reps per set. If you’re comfortably performing 12 reps for up to 6 sets, it’s time to make the exercise more challenging.

How to Make the Decline Bench Press More Challenging

This is already a challenging exercise, and progression is almost always about adding more plates. There are some other Decline Bench Press variations that you can use to challenge yourself, these include; a Wide Grip Bench Press, Close Grip Bench Press, Incline Bench Press or regular Bench Press. You can switch up the grip and the incline/decline/flat as you wish. Each variation hits the muscle groups differently, so pay attention to that as you go.

How to Incorporate the Decline Bench Press into Your Workouts

The Decline Bench Press belongs in your Chest Workout or upper body workout plan. It is one of the top 3 key compound exercises and should always be performed first (after a warm up of course).

Always start with the exercise that expends the most energy and uses the most weight, work your way down through barbell exercises, dumbbell exercises, cable/machine exercises and finish up with bodyweight exercises. You can learn more about the importance of exercise order here.

Exercises That Work Similar Muscles to the Decline Bench Press

The variations mentioned above are the perfect compound moves to help further strengthen your ability to perform the Decline Bench Press with maximum power. Compound exercises are crucial for muscle growth since they allow you to move more overall weight than isolation exercises, helping you build the muscle faster.

You can also pair this exercise with other exercises, such as the Dumbbell Chest Press, Chest Flys or Press Ups. If you’re looking for more chest isolation exercises, you can try the Pec Deck, Seated Chest Press Machine, or Cable Chest Flys. A combination of compound and isolation exercises is recommended for well rounded results.

You can find more Chest Exercises at the bottom of this page. Or you can check out our entire exercise database broken down by muscle group here.

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