Australian Strength Coach

Most people are setting up too far down the bench when they bench press.

A very common cue is to line your eyes up directly under the barbell.

For me, that’s often too far back.

Why?

Because now you have to reach too far behind you to unrack the weight. The further you reach, the more likely you are to lose shoulder position by protracting the scapula (rounding the shoulders forward).

The problem is, once your shoulders come out of position, it’s hard to get them back where they belong.

When we bench press, we generally want the shoulders in a strong, stable retracted position. But because you’re laying on a bench, shoulder movement is restricted. Once you lose that position, it’s not so easy to reset under a heavy barbell.

Instead, I recommend sliding slightly further up the bench.

Rather than lining the bar up with your eyes, try lining it up closer to your mouth.

This shortens the unrack distance, keeps the shoulders in a better position, and reduces the amount of reaching required.

Now, there is an exception.

If you’re a beginner and your bar path is inconsistent or erratic, lining the bar up with your eyes can make sense. It gives you a little more room and reduces the chance of bumping the rack.

But as your technique improves and your bar path becomes more consistent, you usually don’t need that extra distance.

So next time you bench press, try this:

Line the bar up with your mouth instead of your eyes.

You may find it gives you a stronger, safer, and more efficient setup.