Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip vs Decline Dumbbell Bench Press

Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.

From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.

After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out. Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.

Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.

Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lie down with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.

Once you are laying down, move the dumbbells in front of you at shoulder width.

Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This will be your starting position.

Bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe out. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times. Tip: Throughout the motion, the forearms should always be perpendicular to the floor.

As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up..

Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions of your training program.