A bench press variant where the bar is lowered to the neck/upper chest with elbows flared wide, maximizing pec stretch. High shoulder-injury risk and rarely recommended by evidence-based coaches — included for completeness with strong caution.
Demo: Exercise technique demo
Sets
2
Reps
8-12
Rest
1:30
Contraindications
High risk for shoulder impingement and pec strain. Not recommended for most lifters — evidence-based coaches (Barbell Medicine, Stronger by Science) generally advise against this variation in favor of incline pressing.Setup
Standard bench setup but with a wider grip than usual and the bar lowered toward the collarbone/neck instead of mid-chest.
Execution
- 1Lower the bar slowly toward the neck/upper chest
- 2Elbows flare out to roughly 90 degrees or more
- 3Press back up along the same high path
- 4Use lighter loads than a standard bench press
Key cues
- Go light — this is not a strength builder
- Control every inch of the descent
- Stop short if you feel any shoulder pinching
- Keep the wrists neutral
Common faults
- Using too much weight, risking pec or shoulder injury
- Flaring elbows to full 90+ degrees under heavy load
- Bouncing the bar off the neck/chest
- Ignoring shoulder impingement warning signs
Tweaks
- Use dumbbells instead of a barbell to reduce fixed bar-path risk
- Keep loads very light and reps higher
Regressions
Muscles
Primary: Pectoralis Major (Clavicular Head)
Secondary: Anterior Deltoid
Notes
Included per catalog spec's explicit request; flagged difficulty 4 and high risk. No curated video found — deliberately not sourcing one given the injury risk profile.
Sources
- Guillotine Press risk discussion - Stronger by Science bench technique
- Shoulder impingement mechanics - Squat University
Attribution: Bodybuilding canon (high risk, largely discouraged by evidence-based coaches)