Common Bench Press Errors (And Why They Keep Showing Up)

If the bench press were as simple as “lay down and push the bar,” nobody would have cranky shoulders, stalled numbers, or elbows that feel like they’ve been through a meat grinder.

But they do.

At Southeast Physical Therapy in Roswell, GA, we see lifters every week who train chest regularly yet keep running into the same issues. The problem usually isn’t effort. It’s poor setup, missing positions, and misunderstood mechanics.

Let’s break down the most common bench press errors — and why they happen.

Bench Press Error 1. No Upper Back Tension (a.k.a. Benching on a Pillow)

What it looks like:

• Shoulder blades floating instead of pinned down

• Bar wobbles on the way down

• Chest collapses & shoulders round at the bottom

• Inconsistent bar path rep to rep

Why it happens:

Most lifters think bench = chest, shoulders, triceps. That’s incomplete.

Your upper back and lats create the platform you press from. Without them, you’re basically trying to fire a cannon from a canoe.

If you don’t actively:

• Retract and depress the scapulae

• Use the lats to “pull” the bar down as if trying to bend the collars towards your knees

• Maintain tension from unrack to lockout

…you lose stability, power, and shoulder integrity.

Strong bench = strong upper back. No exceptions.

Any sort of HEAVY rowing will help build the thickness that will support a stronger bench.

Bench Press Error 2. Elbows Flaring Early

What it looks like:

• Elbows shooting out at the bottom

• Bar drifting toward the face

• Shoulder pain that “just showed up one day”

  
  

Why it happens:

Early elbow flare is often a lat engagement problem, not a cueing problem.

When the lats aren’t controlling the descent:

• The shoulders dump forward

• The elbows flare to find leverage

• The anterior shoulder takes the hit

This is your body’s way of saying:“I don’t trust the position you’re putting me in.”

Control the eccentric. Use your lats. Own the bottom.

Try this drill to improve your upper back tension, shoulder stability and decrease that elbow flare.

Bench Press Error 3. Inconsistent or Inefficient Bar Path

What it looks like:

• Touching too low one rep, too high the next

• Pressing straight up instead of back

• Misses that feel random

  
  

Why it happens:

A good bench press bar path is not vertical. It’s a subtle diagonal:

• Down toward the lower chest

• Up and back toward the shoulders

  
  

  

  

  
  

Inconsistent bar paths usually come from:

• Poor setup at the unrack

• Losing tension during the descent

• Weak upper back or poor positional awareness

  
  

If your bar path changes every rep, your nervous system never learns to produce force efficiently. Strength loves consistency.

Bench Press Error 4. Soft or Unstable Lower Body

What it looks like:

• Feet shifting - Happy Feet

• Heels popping up

• No leg drive at lockout

  
  
  

  

  

  
  
  

Why it happens:

Bench is still a full-body lift.

Your legs don’t move the bar directly, but they:

• Create tension through the torso

• Stabilize the pelvis

• Transfer force into the bar

No leg drive = energy leaks.

Energy leaks = missed lifts and cranky backs.

If your feet aren’t set, nothing above them matters.

The Big Picture

Most bench press problems aren’t random. They’re predictable.

They come from:

• Missing upper back and lat strength

• Poor positional awareness

• Incomplete understanding of how force is transferred through the body

  
  

At Southeast Physical Therapy in Roswell, we don’t just “fix pain.”We clean up movement, restore positions, and make sure your strength is built on something that lasts.

Bench more.Bench better.Bench without sacrificing your shoulders in the process.

If your bench has stalled, hurts, or just feels off — it’s usually not a mystery. It’s a setup, tension, or control issue.

And ALL of those are fixable.

Strength • Freedom • Movement