20 Best Stretches Before Bench Press for Maximum Strength
.webp)
The bench press should feel powerful and controlled, yet tight shoulders, a stiff chest, and unstable elbows can turn every rep into a grind. Poor mobility not only limits pressing strength but also heightens the risk of nagging injuries that stall progress and shake confidence under the bar. The right stretches before bench press improve shoulder rotation, thoracic extension, and scapular control, so setup feels stable, bar path stays consistent, and strength translates safely into every rep. This guide breaks down 20 of the best stretching exercises and activation drills to prime your body for maximum pressing strength, practical, proven movements that make your bench safer, smoother, and firmer.
Pliability's mobility app transforms those drills into concise, guided routines that you can use before each session, featuring step-by-step stretches, foam rolling cues, and band work to enhance range of motion and rotator cuff stability.
What is the Key to an Optimal Bench Press?
Technique drives what your body adapts to. Good mechanics let you lift more efficiently, reduce stress on the joints, and stack strength gains session after session. Poor form shifts the load to passive tissues and small stabilizers, which increases the risk of shoulder pain and hinders progress. Train the movement with precision and control.
The Cost of Skipping a Real Warm-Up
Walking from the locker room to a heavy bench set with only arm swings puts your shoulders and pecs at risk. That casual approach leaves your thoracic spine tight, your scapula thinly primed, and your rotator cuff cold. Barbell pressing then loads tissues that are not ready to accept force. Spend five to ten minutes to prevent that outcome.
A Simple 3D Warm-Up Model That Actually Works
Don’t rely on one single drill. The best pre-bench routine addresses three dimensions of movement:
- Thoracic mobility
- Scapular control
- Balanced shoulder rotation
Add lunging or dynamic breathing only if you need a more general warm-up. This three-part focus targets the exact mobility and activation the bench press demands, fitting under the term 'stretches before bench press' for easy recall.
1. Improve Thoracic Mobility the Right Way
Test overhead reach by lifting your arms straight overhead and watching for rib flare or shoulder hike. Test rotation by entering child pose, sliding one hand behind your back, and rotating your chest up toward that hand; aim for approximately fifty degrees.
If extension is limited, use a foam roller across the upper back and actively move into extension and flexion while breathing into the ribs. If rotation is tight, perform the thread the needle from a quadrupod position, threading one arm under the body and reaching through with control. Repeat both sides for a few slow reps; breathe and focus on segmental motion rather than forcing the spine.
2. Activate Your Scapula With Targeted Drills
Scapula retractors and depressors, plus the serratus anterior. Start with band pull-aparts and face pulls for horizontal and vertical pulling patterns. Add scapular push-ups to train protraction control and YTW drills to bias lower and mid traps.
Keep reps controlled and cue scapular set rather than significant arm movement. Two to three sets of eight to fifteen reps create a strong upper back pump that helps keep the shoulder joint stable under the bar.
3. Inhibit Internal Rotation With Effective Stretches
Bench pressing pulls the shoulders into internal rotation. Stretching the chest alone overlooks the lats, which also contribute to internal rotation. Include a doorway pec stretch and a kneeling lat wall stretch or a seated lat reach over a bench, and hold each for three to four deep breaths.
Work into the stretch slowly and breathe into the lateral ribs while you feel the tissue lengthen. This reduces passive resistance, allowing the shoulder to stack correctly when you press.
4. Activate External Rotation With Rotator Cuff Work
The infraspinatus, teres minor, and supraspinatus hold the humeral head centered. Use band external rotation with the elbow tucked to the side, side lying dumbbell external rotation, and light cable external rotation at zero degrees to target these fibers. Choose light loads, eight to twelve slow reps, and emphasize control through the full range. Activation prepares the small stabilizers to accept the load rather than crumpling under it.
How to Structure a Pre-Bench Routine You Can Use Today
Start with two to three minutes of general movement or light cardio only if you feel cold. Then run the four-station circuit:
- Thoracic mobility
- Scapular activation
- Lat and pec stretching
- Rotator cuff activation
Perform two to three sets of each station. After that, take one empty bar and set it on the bench to set up the groove, bar path, and tightness. Return to the warm-up circuit if you still need it, then progress your bench warm-up sets by adding weight in small increments.
Quick Examples of Stretches Before Bench Press and Drills to Try
- Thoracic extension: Foam roller rolls and reach overs, three to five reps with active breathing.
- Thoracic rotation: Thread the needle, six to eight reps per side.
- Scapula activation: band pull-aparts and face pulls, two sets of ten to fifteen.
- Pec and lat stretch: Doorway pec hold and kneeling lat reach, hold three to four breaths.
- Rotator cuff activation: Band external rotations and side lying external rotation, two sets of eight to twelve per side.
Programming Tips and When to Change the Routine
Write your warm-up in pencil and adjust it as needed during your session or if your symptoms change. If shoulders feel sticky, spend extra time on thoracic rotation and rotator cuff activation.
If your upper back feels loose but your lats are tight, prioritize exercises that lengthen your lats and work on scapular stability. Periodic assessment by a coach or physical therapist can reveal which stretches before bench press or which mobility drills you should swap in.
Small Coaching Cues That Improve Bench Press Safety and Power
Set your feet and drive through the heels. Pack the shoulders by retracting and slightly depressing the scapula. Keep the ribs down so the chest does not overarch. Control the descent and accelerate through the mid-range.
Use your breath to create intra-abdominal pressure and avoid excessively flaring your elbows. These cues each direct force through big muscle groups instead of small passive tissues.
How Many Sets and Reps for the Warm-Up Drills
Keep warm-up sets brief and purposeful. Two to three sets per drill with the rep ranges suggested earlier fit most lifters. Use breathing and focus rather than load to measure progress. Once you can move freely through the motions with controlled muscle firing, step up to your working sets.
Related Reading
- Best Stretching Exercises
- Why Does Stretching Feel Good
- Does Stretching Burn Calories
- Does Stretching Help Sore Muscles
- Most Important Muscles for Golf
- Why Do Athletes Stretch Before a Game
- Does Stretching Build Muscle
- Stretches to Do Before Working Out
- Leg Stretches Before Workout
- Full Body Stretching Routine
- Golf Stretching Routine
- Chest Stretches After Workout
20 Best Stretches Before Bench Press
.jpeg)
1. Roll Out the Chest and Upper Back: Foam Rolling
Foam rolling increases blood flow to the pectorals and upper back, helping the tissue feel softer before you move. That raises local temperature and reduces stiffness, so your shoulders and spine move more freely during pressing.
How To Do It
Spend about 30 seconds rolling the central chest and back areas. Move the roller 1 to 2 inches at a time across pecs, lats, and thoracic paraspinals. Pause briefly on tight spots, breathe, and avoid rolling directly on bone or the front of the shoulder joint.
2. Open the Thoracic Spine: Foam Roller T Spine Extension
Most people sit rounded and lose extension through the thoracic spine. Taking the mid-back into controlled extension restores thoracic mobility and helps the shoulder blades track more effectively on the rib cage.
How To Do It
Place the foam roller horizontally under your shoulder blades. Interlace your fingers or cradle your head with your elbows wide. Gently lower your head toward the floor, then lift your chest back up using thoracic extension. Move slowly for several reps.
3. Rotate to Free the Shoulders: 90 90 Arm Sweep
This side-lying sweep gives thoracic rotation and opens the chest and shoulder complex. That rotation improves the horizontal plane control you use during the bench press.
How To Do It
Lie on one side with the top hip and knee bent at 90 degrees, that knee resting on the roller. Extend the bottom arm on the floor. Sweep the top arm over the body and across the floor, rotating the torso as you move. Return and repeat. Switch sides.
4. Chest Length and Spine Mobility: Foam Roller Pec Stretch
Lying on the roller with your body vertically opens the pectorals, while the moving arms gently load the anterior shoulder. That increases pec length and improves shoulder extension, providing a better press position.
How To Do It
Lie on your back with the foam roller under your shoulder blades. Hold a light bar or dowel straight over your chest. With arms straight, lower them slowly overhead toward the floor until you feel a controlled stretch in your pectorals. Return with control.
5. Lengthen the Lats for Shoulder Freedom: Bench Lat Stretch
Tight lats limit shoulder flexion and can pull the humerus out of ideal bench press paths. Stretching the lats reduces restriction and lowers strain on the front delts.
How To Do It
Kneel facing a bench with an underhand grip on the bar. Place your elbows on the bench and sit your hips back toward your heels, lowering your head between your arms. Hold briefly and repeat to maintain steady lengthening.
6. Add Horizontal Rotation: Reach and Rotate Opener
Bench pressing works across the chest in the horizontal plane. Practicing rotation and horizontal abduction activates the same stabilizers, reducing the risk of torque injuries.
How To Do It
From a tall kneeling position, sit back on your heels. Place one hand on the floor, the other behind your ear. Rotate the torso toward the raised arm, as if wringing a towel, then return to the face-down position. Repeat on the same side for several reps.
7. Scapular Control and Thoracic Opening: Floor Slide
Floor slides promote upward rotation and posterior tilt of the scapula while forcing thoracic extension. That builds the shoulder range of motion and scapular mobility needed for a clean bench press.
How To Do It
Lie on your back, feet planted and knees up. Start with arms in a goalpost position, palms up. Extend your elbows to reach overhead until your arms are straight, then return to the goalpost. Keep the low back neutral and move with control.
8. Strengthen the Upper Back in Extension: Prone Floor Angel
The prone position activates the posterior shoulder and upper back while countering forward shoulder posture. That balances anterior pressing demands and improves scapular control.
How To Do It
Lie on your stomach with your hands by your head. Lift head, shoulders, and hands off the ground. With palms down, extend arms overhead until biceps sit beside your ears. Lift slightly, hold briefly, lower, and reset.
9. Scapula Isolation Drill: Scapular Pushup
This variation isolates scapular motion without elbow bend, so the serratus and scapular stabilizers engage. Strong scapular control supports stable pressing mechanics.
How To Do It
From a high plank with arms straight, drop your chest by allowing the shoulder blades to come together. Then push the floor away to retract the blades. Keep elbows locked and core braced for controlled reps.
10. Add Light Power Before Heavy Sets: Plyo Pushup
Short explosive reps prime fast-twitch fibers and build force transfer without heavy fatigue. That transient power boost translates to quicker bar speed on bench work.
How To Do It
Lower your body with your elbows at about a 45-degree angle, touch your chest near your fingertips, and then push hard enough to lift your hands off the floor. Land softly, reset, and repeat for 3 to 5 controlled reps. If you are new, substitute regular or incline pushups.
11. Single Arm Press Activation: Tall Kneeling Single Arm Chest Press
Unilateral pressing warms each pectoral muscle and stabilizer separately, highlighting side-to-side imbalances. That ensures each shoulder is prepared for load sharing during the bench press.
How To Do It
Kneel tall with toes tucked, facing slightly away from the resistance. Hold the handle with your inside hand, and start with the arm in front of your chest. Then, press forward until the arm is straight. Control the return and repeat.
12. Band Pull Apart for Scapular Retraction
Band pull-aparts strengthen posterior deltoids and scapular retractors while rehearsing the shoulder blades moving together. That sequence improves posture and bench stability.
How To Do It
Hold a resistance band at shoulder height with your palms facing up and your arms extended. Keep a slight bend in the elbows and stand tall. Pull the band apart by rotating your shoulders outward and squeezing your upper back until your upper arms align with your torso. Hold briefly, then let the band return under control.
13. High Row Y Raise: Prone Trap Three Raise
The trap 3 pattern recruits the lower and middle traps, as well as the posterior shoulder, in a Y position. That strengthens scapular upward rotation and supports stable overhead and horizontal pressing.
How To Do It
Lie chest down on an incline bench with light dumbbells. Let your arms hang with a slight bend at the elbow. Raise the weights up and out into a Y shape, focusing on upward rotation of the shoulder blades. Pause at the top and lower with control.
14. Scapular Push Up Cue Drill
This repetition reinforces scapular protraction and retraction without elbow movement, allowing the serratus and mid-back muscles to learn precise timing. That timing helps keep the shoulder healthy under pressure load.
How To Do It
Set into a high plank with hands under shoulders and body straight. Push your chest out by pinching your shoulder blades together, keeping your elbows straight and your hips level. Relax back to start and repeat while keeping the core tight.
15. Upper Body Wall Mobility: Wall Slides
Wall slides force a whole overhead excursion while keeping the spine and scapula aligned against the wall. That builds shoulder flexion range and reduces compensation during the bench press setup.
How To Do It
Stand with your back and hands against the wall, feet shoulder-width apart. Slide down into a shallow squat to about a 45-degree knee bend while pressing the back of the hands up overhead on the wall. Hold five seconds, slide up, and repeat for five reps.
16. Upper Back Control Flow: Upper Back Cat Cow
This upper back-focused cat cow targets scapular movement and thoracic mobility while keeping the hands stacked under the shoulders. It restores fluid motion between the scapula and the spine.
How To Do It
Start on all fours with hands under shoulders. Drive the upper back high as if a string pulls between the shoulder blades toward the ceiling. Drop the chest between the shoulders and feel the movement come from the scapula. Perform ten reps moving smoothly in both directions.
17. Dynamic Stability Drill: Bear Crawl Shoulder Touches
Bear crawl shoulder touches force anti-rotation and scapular stability while the hips remain level. That trains the core and shoulder girdle together for better press control.
How To Do It
Set your hands under your shoulders and lift your knees about one inch off the ground. Move with control, keep your hips level as if balancing a glass on your lower back. Reach each hand to touch the opposite shoulder for five to ten touches per side.
18. Control Under Load: Iso Hold Pushups
Isometric pauses at different points of the push-up build strength where sticking points occur in the bench press. They teach tension and spinal alignment under load.
How To Do It
Assume a straight line from head to heels. Pause halfway down for a two to three count, pause at the bottom for two to three count, pause halfway up for two to three count. Do three to five reps with a tight core and controlled breathing.
19. Deep Hip Flexor Release: Couch Stretch
Tight hip flexors and quadriceps can alter pelvic position and limit chest and scapular mechanics. The couch stretch opens the anterior chain and helps the torso sit upright for stable pressing.
How To Do It
Place your back foot elevated on a box or bench with the knee against the surface. Sit deeply into a split squat, keeping your torso upright and your weight evenly distributed. Drive the hips toward the foot to intensify the stretch and hold 30 to 60 seconds on each side.
20. Rotator Cuff to Press Sequence: Cuban Press
The Cuban press combines external rotation and overhead pressing to strengthen the rotator cuff and promote shoulder integrity through the full range of motion. That reduces injury risk and improves bar path control.
How To Do It
Stand tall with ribs stacked over hips. Raise elbows in line with shoulders without shrugging. Externally rotate the arms with control, then press overhead while maintaining a neutral spine. Internally rotate back down and perform 10 to 15 controlled repetitions.
Related Reading
- Pre Golf Stretches
- Stretching for Runners
- Dynamic Stretches Before Workout
- Stretches for Gymnastics
- Stretching for Bodybuilders
- Golf Shoulder Stretches
- Static Stretches for Football
- Stretches for Gymnastics
- Stretches for Weightlifting
- Stretching for Bodybuilders
- Golf Stretches for Back
- Golf Stretches for Rotation
Improve Your Flexibility with Our Mobility App Today | Get 7 Days for Free on Any Platform
Pliability targets athletes and performance-minded people with a practical approach to mobility and recovery. The app offers an extensive library of instruction videos focused on improving flexibility, reducing pain, and expanding the range of motion.
You receive daily adjusted mobility programs that respond to your individual movement patterns, plus a body scanning tool that highlights asymmetries and restricted joint motion, ensuring the work targets the right areas.
High Quality Video Library: Practice Makes Perfect
The video library features active mobility drills, static holds, dynamic stretches, and tissue work, accompanied by clear coaching on breathing, tempo, and joint position. Expect guided sessions for shoulder mobility, thoracic spine extension, lat flexibility, rotator cuff activation, and pec release, movements that matter when preparing for the bench press.
Each clip shows progressions and regressions, allowing you to scale band pull-aparts, doorway stretches, foam rolling, and active isolated stretching to your current capacity.
Daily Updated Programs: Consistency Without Guesswork
Pliability builds daily routines that adapt to your training load and pain signals. The app takes into account recent sessions, soreness, and movement scores to prioritize recovery or activation work on any given day.
That means one day could be soft tissue and foam rolling for lat and pec tightness, and another day could be short dynamic warm-up drills focused on scapular stability and neural activation before heavy bench work.
Body Scan: Pinpoint Mobility Limits Efficiently
The body scanning feature maps the range of motion and records side-to-side differences. It identifies restricted shoulder external rotation, limited thoracic extension, or uneven scapular control, allowing the program to assign targeted drills. Instead of guessing which stretch to do, you get directions toward the exact weak link that alters your bar path or causes shoulder pain.
Integration with Strength Training: Keep the Gains and Move Better
Pliability is designed to slot into a strength program without adding excess time. Use short mobility sessions on heavy days to prime joints and longer recovery sessions on off days to address tightness. The app’s progress tracking ensures mobility work follows the same logic as your strength work:
- Measure
- Assign the proper drills
- Track improvement in range of motion and pain reduction
Where to Try It: Platforms and Free Trial
Pliability is compatible with iPhone, iPad, Android, and the web. New users can sign up for seven days absolutely free to test the video library, daily programs, and body scanning features that help improve flexibility, aid recovery, reduce pain, and increase range of motion.
Related Reading
- Soccer Warm-Up Stretches
- Groin Stretches Football
- Hip Stretches for Golf
- Best Golf Stretches
- Best Stretches for Soccer Players
- Gymnastics Stretches for Beginners
- Dynamic Stretching for Soccer
- Stretching Exercises for Golfers Over 60
- Best Stretches for Tennis Elbow
