How to do it
Keep your shoulder blades pinched together throughout the entire press.
- 1
Lie on a flat bench with your feet planted on the ground.
- 2
Grip the Smith machine bar with your hands in a hex press position (palms facing each other).
- 3
Unrack the bar and lower it towards the center of your chest.
- 4
Press the bar back up, squeezing your chest muscles at the top.
- 5
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Expert tip
Focus on squeezing the chest at the top of the press and control the weight on the way down to maximize muscle engagement.
Common mistakes
- ✕Flaring the elbows outward
- ✕Bouncing the bar off the chest
- ✕Wrists bending backward under the bar