Strength Training · Powerlifting
Touch-and-Go Bench Press
The touch-and-go bench press is a barbell chest press with no pause at chest contact. It trains chest, shoulder, and triceps strength through a continuous lowering and pressing motion.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 2 min
How to do it
- Lie on the bench with your eyes beneath the bar and your feet flat on the floor.
- Pull your shoulder blades together against the bench.
- Grip the bar evenly, slightly wider than shoulder width, with your thumbs wrapped around it.
- Unrack the bar to straight arms above your shoulders.
- Lower the bar under control until it lightly touches your mid-to-lower chest.
- Press immediately upward and slightly back to straight arms above your shoulders.
- After the final repetition, guide the bar into both rack hooks from the locked-out position.
Form cues
- Keep your wrists stacked over your forearms.
- Keep your butt on the bench.
- Brace your torso before each descent.
Common mistakes
- Bouncing off the chestSlow the final part of the descent so chest contact does not provide the force for your press.
- Flaring the elbows straight outKeep your elbows roughly 45–75 degrees from your torso rather than directly in line with your shoulders.
- Using an unsuitable grip widthAdjust your hand spacing so your forearms are approximately vertical at chest contact when viewed from the foot of the bench.
Safety
A failed repetition can trap the bar on your chest or neck. Excessive load or a forceful rebound can strain your shoulders or injure your chest.
- Use a capable spotter or safety arms set to catch the bar above your chest when you flatten your arch; test their height with an empty bar.
- Secure the plates with collars before lifting.
- Warm up with lighter sets before adding working weight.
- End the set before fatigue prevents you from controlling the descent.
If chest contact causes shoulder or chest pain, choose a pain-free reduced-range version and seek advice from a physiotherapist before loading it heavily.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Barbell Collar
- Lifting Belt (optional)
- Olympic Flat Bench
- Powerlifting Barbell
- Weight Plate
- Wrist Wraps (optional)
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–4
- Target
- 6–10 reps
- Rest
- 2 min
Choose a load that leaves about two controlled repetitions in reserve.