1. Change Direction
A regular bench press works some of your chest muscles, but can't reach the entire muscle group. With a decline bench press, you change the direction of your body, which then changes the muscles needed to lift the weight. Decline bench press exercises work your middle and lower pectoral muscles and balance your upper body appearance. The angle reduces the amount of weight you can lift safely, so use a lower weight than you do for bench press exercises.
2. Position Your Body for Power
Secure your legs under the padded area at the top of the machine. Your bottom, back, shoulders and head should all fit comfortably on the bench and remain in contact with the bench through your weight lifting exercises. You may want to pinch your shoulder blades together to stabilize yourself, but don't contract them too tightly, or you may injure your neck and shoulders. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart on barbells and you may need chalk or a lifting strap to secure your grip.
3. Raise the Bar
A common decline bench press exercises is the barbell lift. Position yourself on the bench and lift the barbell from the rack. If you don't have a rack, have a spotter hand the weight to you. Lift the weight the same way you do in a regular bench press exercise. Your arms should fully extend straight above your chest. Bring the weight down over your chest so that your forearms move perpendicular to the floor. Inhale as you lower the weight and keep the motions slow and smooth. On the upward push, use a more explosive motion and exhale. Repeat to the point of exhaustion.
4. Add Variety to Boost Your Workout
Repeating the same exercises continually allows your body to become accustomed to the motion until you hit a plateau. To avoid this, vary your workouts. One variation to a barbell bench press moves your hands closer together. With your hands about 1-inch apart, lift the barbell over your head. As you lower the bar, keep your elbows as close to your sides as possible. Use dumbbells, sometimes called a dumbbell bench press, instead of a barbell for another variation.
5. Make Weight Lifting a Social Occasion
A spotter keeps you safe from injuries as you lift. Aside from handing you the weight, his extra support often allows you to complete the last few reps of your final set. Spotters may provide you with a competitive drive to do better each time. Just make sure you don't add more weight than you can safely lift even with a spotter.
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