Machine · Chest
Olympic decline bench: how to set up and press
The Olympic decline bench is made for barbell decline presses. The downward angle shifts the focus to your chest and triceps. It’s a good option if you’re comfortable with a barbell and want something different from flat bench press.
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The essentials
- Legs locked under the pads.
- Lower the bar to your lower chest.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Chest · Triceps
Setup
- Set the bar on the hooks at a height where you can unrack it without shrugging your shoulders off the bench.
- Load the bar with the plates you want and remember the empty bar is about 20 kg.
- Sit down, slide your legs under the leg rollers, and lie back on the bench, staying locked in place.
- Position your eyes roughly under the bar so you can unrack it without hitting the hooks.
- Grab the bar with a grip slightly wider than shoulder width, wrists straight, palms facing forward.
How to do it
- Unrack the bar by straightening your arms, then bring it over the lower part of your chest with your arms almost locked.
- Inhale, squeeze your shoulder blades into the bench and keep your feet firmly hooked under the rollers.
- Lower the bar toward the lower chest under control, taking about 2 to 3 seconds.
- Lightly touch or come close to your chest without bouncing the bar.
- Press the bar back up as you exhale, keeping your elbows under the bar and your hips glued to the bench.
- Bring the bar back over the hooks, slide it gently into them, and rack it with control.
Common mistakes
Bouncing the bar off your chest
Instead : Slow down the descent, control the last few centimetres, and aim for a light touch or almost-touch on the chest with no rebound.
Lifting your hips or sliding on the bench
Instead : Lock your legs under the rollers, keep your hips and upper back on the bench, and stabilize yourself before each rep.
Flaring the elbows too wide
Instead : Keep your elbows in a middle position, not glued to your sides but not at 90 degrees from your torso, to better use chest and triceps.
Bent or collapsed wrists
Instead : Keep your wrists straight with the bar in line with your palm so the load sits in your hand, not on the joint.
Coach tips
- Use a controlled tempo: 2 to 3 seconds down, a brief pause at the bottom, then a smoother, faster press without throwing the weight.
- Inhale as you lower the bar in control, exhale as you press it back up.
- If you’re lifting heavy, ask someone to help you with the lift-off and to watch the bar when you rack it.
- You can rotate the decline bench with a flat bench or chest press machine to change the angle of work for your chest and triceps.
Variations
- Slightly adjust your grip width to put a bit more emphasis on chest (slightly wider grip) or on triceps (slightly narrower grip).
Sets and reps
Barbell decline presses are often done for 3 to 4 sets of about 6 to 12 reps, depending on the load and your barbell experience. It’s often used as a variation to flat bench in chest and triceps workouts.
Exercises on this machine
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Common questions
Which muscles does the Olympic decline bench work?
On this bench, the decline barbell press mainly works your chest and triceps. The decline angle changes the feel compared with flat bench, but chest and triceps stay the main muscles involved.
How heavy is the bar on the Olympic decline bench?
On this type of Olympic bench, the bar is usually around 20 kg with no plates. When you count your load, just add the plates to the 20 kg of the bar.
What if I don’t feel comfortable on the decline bench?
If the position feels awkward or unstable, you can use a chest press machine, an Olympic flat bench, an Olympic incline bench, or a multi-station cable machine to work your chest and triceps.
Do I need to do decline bench for chest?
No. The Olympic decline bench is just one option. Many workouts focus on the flat bench and then add decline, incline, or machines like the chest press depending on what you have in your gym.