Barbell Guillotine Bench Press

Also known as: Guillotine Press, Neck Press

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Body Part: Chest

Description

A flat barbell bench press in which the bar comes down to the base of your neck instead of your mid-chest, with the elbows flared out to the sides. The high bar path shifts the work toward the upper chest and front delts, so it is done with a light load and strict control.

How to Perform

Lie on a flat bench with your eyes under the racked bar and your feet planted on the floor.
Take an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder width and pull your shoulder blades back and down.
Unrack the bar and hold it on straight arms above your neck and upper chest.
Lower the bar slowly toward the base of your neck, letting your elbows flare out to the sides.
Stop with the bar just above your collarbones without letting it rest on your throat.
Press the bar straight up to full arm extension, keeping it above your neck.
Complete the planned repetitions, then return the bar to the uprights.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Secondary Muscles:

Tips

Use a clearly lighter load than in your regular bench press and train with a spotter.
Squeeze the bar hard and wrap your thumbs around it.
At the bottom, keep your forearms vertical with your elbows directly under the bar.
Lower the bar more slowly than in a regular bench press so you can stop it exactly above your collarbones.
If the bottom position pinches the front of your shoulders, shorten the range of motion.

Common Mistakes

Letting the bar drift down to the mid-chest, which turns it into a regular bench press
Bouncing the bar off the collarbones or resting it on the throat
Letting the shoulders roll forward off the bench at the bottom
Bending the wrists back under the bar
Lifting the hips off the bench to push the bar up
Letting the bar drift toward the face during the press