Barbell Guillotine Bench Press

What it is

This challenging barbell press variation uses a unique bar path to intensely target your chest. You will lower the bar towards your neck, maximizing chest stretch and contraction. It primarily works your pectoralis major muscles, with secondary activation in your shoulders and triceps.

Technique tips

• Maintain a medium grip, ensuring your forearms are vertical at the bottom.
• Lower the bar slowly and controlled, aiming for about an inch from your neck.
• Breathe in as you lower the weight, then exhale powerfully on the press up.
• Focus on squeezing your chest muscles at the top of each repetition.
• Use a 2:1 tempo, taking twice as long to lower the bar than to lift it.
• Keep your arms locked at the top to fully contract the chest.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.