The Best Bench Exercises
Exercise Guides and Videos
Top Exercises
Smith Machine Seated Calf Raises
Beginner
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•
Bench
1. Sit on a bench with your knees bent under the Smith machine bar.
2. Position the bar across your thighs, just above your knees.
3. Place the balls of your feet on a weight plate, with your heels hanging off the edge.
4. Press through the balls of your feet to lift your heels as high as possible.
5. Slowly lower your heels back down below the level of the plate.
Smith Machine Bench Press
Beginner
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Chest
•
Bench
1. Position a flat bench under the Smith machine bar.
2. Lie back on the bench with your feet flat on the ground, positioning the bar over your chest.
3. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Lower the bar slowly to your mid-chest, keeping your elbows at 45° to your body.
5. Press the bar back up to the starting position.
Smith Machine Wider Bench Press
Beginner
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Chest
•
Bench
1. Position a flat bench under the Smith machine bar.
2. Lie back on the bench with your feet flat on the ground, the bar over your chest.
3. Grip the bar with your hands placed wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Lower the bar slowly to your mid-chest, keeping your elbows at 45° to your body.
5. Press the bar back up, fully extending your arms without locking your elbows.
Smith Machine Hip Thrusts
Beginner
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Glute
•
Bench
1. Sit on the floor with your upper back against a bench, positioning the bar across your hips.
2. Grip the bar with an overhand grip to stabilize it and engage your core.
3. Push through your heels to lift your hips, extending until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees.
4. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement, holding for a brief moment.
5. Slowly lower your hips back down to the starting position.
Smith Machine Narrow Bench Press
Intermediate
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Chest
•
Bench
1. Position a flat bench under the Smith machine bar.
2. Lie back on the bench with your feet flat on the ground, positioning the bar over your chest.
3. Grip the bar with your hands placed closer than shoulder-width apart.
4. Lower the bar slowly to your lower chest, keeping your elbows tucked close to your sides.
5. Press the bar back up, fully extending your arms without locking your elbows.
Dumbbell Step-Ups
Beginner
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Glute
•
Bench
1. Stand in front of a bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
2. Alternate stepping up with each leg.
3. Place the entire foot on the bench and push through the heel.
4. Switch legs at the top of the movement.
Dumbbell Seated Calf Raises
Beginner
•
•
Bench
1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the floor, holding a dumbbell on each knee.
2. Raise your heels as high as possible, lifting the dumbbells with your legs.
3. Squeeze your calves at the top, then slowly lower your heels.
Smith Machine Shoulder Press
Beginner
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Shoulder
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Bench
1. Position a bench under the Smith machine bar.
2. Sit on the bench with your feet flat, and position the bar at shoulder height.
3. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, keeping your wrists straight.
4. Press the bar until your arms are fully extended but not locked at the elbows.
5. Slowly lower the bar back to shoulder height with control.
Smith Machine Bulgarian Split Squats
Beginner
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Quadriceps
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Bench
1. Stand under the Smith machine, bar across your upper back, one foot forward and the other on a bench behind you.
2. Engage your core, keep your chest up, and unlock the bar from the safety catches.
3. Lower your body by bending your knee until your thigh is parallel to the ground or slightly lower.
4. Push through your heel to return to the starting position.
5. Complete the set and alternate sides.
Dumbbell Tricep Kickbacks
Beginner
•
Triceps
•
Bench
1. Place one knee and one hand on a bench for support, keeping your back flat.
2. Hold a dumbbell in your other hand, with your arm bent at 90° and your upper arm close to your body.
3. Engage your triceps and extend your arm straight back until fully extended.
4. Pause briefly at the top, squeezing your tricep, then slowly return your arm to the starting position and repeat.
5. Complete the set and alternate sides.
Smith Machine Triceps Extension
Beginner
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Triceps
•
Bench
1. Position an incline bench under the Smith machine bar at about 30-45°.
2. Sit on the bench with your feet flat, leaning back with the bar above your head.
3. Grip the bar with an overhand grip, hands slightly closer than shoulder-width apart.
4. Bend your elbows to lower the bar to your head, keeping them close to your ears.
5. Extend your arms fully to press the bar back up, returning it to the starting position.
Single Arm Dumbbell Bench Rows
Intermediate
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Back
•
Bench
1. Kneel on a bench, holding a dumbbell in your other hand, your leg wider than your hip.
2. Let the arm holding the dumbbell hang straight down from your shoulder, palm facing in.
3. Pull the dumbbell up towards your hip, bending your elbow and keeping it close to your body.
4. Hold the top position briefly.
5. Slowly lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Pullovers
Beginner
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Back
•
Bench
1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground, holding a dumbbell with both hands.
2. Extend your arms above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
3. Lower the dumbbell in an arc behind your head.
4. Stretch your arms back as far as comfortable.
5. Bring the dumbbell back to the starting position.
Seated Dumbbell Bicep Curls
Beginner
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Biceps
•
Bench
1. Sit on a bench with back support, back flat against the pad, feet planted on the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, arms hanging down at your sides, palms facing forward.
3. Curl the dumbbells upward toward your shoulders by bending at the elbow.
4. Squeeze your biceps at the top of the movement.
5. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Seated Dumbbell Arnold Press
Beginner
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Shoulder
•
Bench
1. Sit on a bench with back support, back flat against the pad, feet planted on the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, hands in front of your face, palms facing you, elbows tucked.
3. Open your elbows out to the sides, keeping forearms perpendicular to the floor.
4. Press the dumbbells up, rotating your wrists so that your palm face forward.
5. Slowly reverse the movement to lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Seated Dumbbell Lateral Raises
Beginner
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Shoulder
•
Bench
1. Sit on a bench with a back support, back flat against the pad, feet planted on the floor.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, palms facing inward.
3. Lift the dumbbells to the sides until your arms are parallel to the floor, elbows slightly bent.
4. Lower the weights slowly and controlled.
Dumbbell Chest Flyes
Beginner
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Chest
•
Bench
1. Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended above your chest.
2. With a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weights out to the sides.
3. Bring the dumbbells back together above your chest.
Barbell Hip Thrusts
Intermediate
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Glute
•
Barbell
1. Sit on the ground with a padded bench behind you, barbell directly over your hips.
2. Lean back so shoulders are on the bench, plant your feet, and hold the barbell securely.
3. Driving through your heels to extend your hips and thrust your hips and the barbell up.
4. Form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees, and pause, squeezing your glutes.
5. Lower your hips back with control to return to the starting position.
EZ-Bar Skull Crushers
Beginner
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Triceps
•
Bench
1. Lie on a bench, EZ-bar held overhead, arms extended.
2. Keeping your elbows stable and close to your head, lower the bar towards your forehead.
3. Pause when the bar is just above your forehead, then extend arms back up.
4. Keep the movement controlled, focus on the triceps.
Isometric Dumbbell Bench Rows
Intermediate
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Back
•
Bench
1. Lean your torso on the top of a bench, weight in each hand, arms extended.
2. Row the weights to your sides, keeping your back straight.
3. Hold at the top for a few seconds, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
4. Lower the dumbbell slowly back to the starting position.
Dumbbell Bench Rows
Beginner
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Back
•
Bench
1. Lie facedown on incline bench, hold a weight in each hand with your arms extended.
2. Pull the weights upwards towards your hips, keeping your elbows close to your body.
3. Squeeze your shoulder blades at the top of the movement.
4. Lower the weights slowly back to the starting position.
Barbell Bench Narrow Press
Intermediate
•
Triceps
•
Barbell
1. Lie on a bench, grip the barbell narrower than shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower the bar to your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
3. Press the bar up until your arms are fully extended.
4. Lower the bar slowly and with control to return to your starting position.
Barbell Bench Press
Beginner
•
Chest
•
Barbell
1. Lie on a fully-lowered bench, barbell held just above the chest at shoulder-width apart.
2. Press the bar up until your arms are fully extended.
3. Lower the bar with control bending your elbows at about 45° to your body.
4. Keep your feet flat, head on the bench, and a slight arch in your back throughout.
Dumbbell Neutral Bench Press
Intermediate
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Chest
•
Bench
1. Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended and palms facing each other.
2. Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest.
3. Press the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
4. Keep your movements controlled.
Dumbbell Iso-Dynamic Bench Press
Advanced
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Chest
•
Bench
1. Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, arms extended above your chest.
2. Lower one dumbbell to the side of your chest, keeping the other arm extended.
3. Press the dumbbell back up, isolating your pec.
4. Alternate the pressing arm with each repetition.
Dumbbell Bench Press
Beginner
•
Chest
•
Bench
1. Lie on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, held just above your chest.
2. Press the dumbbells upward until arms are fully extended.
3. Lower the dumbbells, bringing your elbows down at about 45° to your body.
4. Ensure your feet remain firmly planted on the floor.
Side Plank on Chair
Advanced
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Core
•
Bench
1. Set up in a side plank with your right forearm on the floor.
2. Place your left foot on a chair or bench.
3. Lift your left leg off the ground to align your hips with your body.
4. Hold the position, keeping your body straight.
Dumbbell Bulgarian Squats
Intermediate
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Quadriceps
•
Bench
1. Place the top of your right foot on the bench behind you, holding a dumbbell in each hand by your side.
2. Lower into a squat, front thigh parallel to the ground.
3. Press through your front heel to stand up.
Bulgarian Split Squats
Beginner
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Quadriceps
•
Bench
1. Stand in front of a bench, your right foot resting on the bench behind you, hips forward.
2. Inhale and slowly lower your body by bending your left knee, torso staying upright.
3. Lower to full depth keeping the left heel on the floor.
4. Exhale and push through your right heel to return to the starting position.
Step-Ups
Beginner
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Quadriceps
•
Bench
1. Stand in front of a bench and alternate stepping up with each leg.
2. Place the entire foot on the bench and push through the heel.
3. Switch legs at the top of the movement.
4. Use your arms to propel yourself upwards.
Feet Elevated Tricep Dips
Beginner
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Triceps
•
Bench
1. Position yourself between two elevated surfaces, feet on one and hands on the other.
2. Lower your body by bending your elbows until they form a 90°.
3. Press back up until your arms are fully extended.
Tricep Dips
Beginner
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Triceps
•
Bench
1. Place your hands on a bench or chair behind you with your fingers pointing forward.
2. Extend your legs in front of you, keeping your heels on the floor.
3. Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping your back close to the chair.
4. Dip down until your elbows reach about 90°.
5. Press up through your palms to lift your body back up.
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