How to do a Pause Bench Press
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Pause Bench Press
Instructions for Proper Form
A variation of the traditional bench press that emphasizes the bottom portion of the lift. This compound exercise targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders. By pausing for a brief moment with the barbell at chest level before pressing it back up to full extension, lifters increase time under tension and improve explosive power. This technique not only enhances strength gains by eliminating momentum but also develops control and stability throughout the lift. Ideal for powerlifters, athletes, and anyone looking to improve their bench press technique and overall upper body strength.
- Lie your back flat on a bench with your feet planted underneath your knees holding a barbell just outside shoulder with apart with extended arms. Bend your elbows to your sides at a 45 degree angle to your torso until the barbell touches the middle of your chest. Hold the position for 1 to 2 seconds before returning to the starting position. Repeat for the allotted repetitions.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Pause Bench Press standards by male, female, weight, age and height
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- beginner8reps55lbs1 Rep Max70lbs
- intermediate8reps75lbs95lbs
- advanced8reps95lbs120lbs
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Alternative Exercises to Pause Bench Press
1. Barbell Bench Press
99.2 mSCORESWAPPED 1,792 TIMESBench Press is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common upper body exercises. It’s a fantastic compound exercise that can help you build strength in your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking upper body strength in general.
2. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 779 TIMESDumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the standard Bench Press. Like Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, while also training the triceps and shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for greater instability which can help you become more stable on pushing movements in general, while also isolating each side of the body to prevent you from compensating for any weaknesses between sides.
3. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 350 TIMESDumbbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Incline Bench Press. This compound exercise primarily targets the chest, but the incline also places more emphasis on the shoulders. The use of dumbbells makes this exercise more unstable than its barbell counterpart, while also forcing you to address any strength discrepancies between sides.
4. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 306 TIMESDumbbell Fly’s are one of the most common isolation chest exercises, and for good. It primarily targets the muscles in the chest, but also recruits the shoulders for stability. The use of dumbbells ensures that you’re targeting each side of the body independently, and prevents compensating for any weaknesses between sides. In addition the isolated nature of this exercise is a great way to fatigue your chest, and focus on building both muscle mass and increasing strength in your chest.
5. Machine Bench Press
93.5 mSCORESWAPPED 229 TIMESMachine Bench Press is a compound exercise the primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The use of a machine forces you to use a fixed range of motion which can be a great way to learn the movement, or to focus your effort on exertion rather than stability.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Bench Press Machine
6. Barbell Incline Bench Press
98.9 mSCORESWAPPED 220 TIMESBarbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on a standard Bench Press. Similar to Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, but this variation places much more emphasis on your shoulders and upper chest.
7. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 202 TIMESMachine Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation chest exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the shoulders. The use of a machine makes the exercise more stable allowing you to focus on exertion or learn the movement with minimal risk of injury. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to learn the movement, or advanced lifters looking to push this movement to it’s limit.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Fly Machine
8. Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
82 mSCORESWAPPED 201 TIMESAlternating Dumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Bench Press. Like other Bench Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. By alternating arms, you add instability and a greater need for core stabilization, helping to address any strength discrepancies between sides. This variation can also increase time under tension, making it an excellent exercise for muscle endurance.
9. Smith Machine Bench Press
89.5 mSCORESWAPPED 197 TIMESSmith Machine Bench Press is a compound chest exercise that also recruits the triceps and shoulders. The use of the Smith Machine adds stability to the movement allowing you to focus more on exertion, or learning the movement.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Flat Bench
- Smith Machine
10. Dumbbell Squeeze Press
91.1 mSCORESWAPPED 191 TIMESSimilar to other Bench Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Unlike many other variations, some of the tension from this exercise is caused by pressing two dumbbells together rather than simply relying on the weight of those dumbbells. This helps maintain more tension in your chest throughout the movement without relying on other pieces of equipment. The positioning of the dumbbells can also take some tension out of your shoulders, and helps to further isolate your chest.