Barbell Guillotine Bench Press
A intermediate strength exercise for the chest, done with a barbell.
How to do the Barbell Guillotine Bench Press
- Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over your neck with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- As you breathe in, bring the bar down slowly until it is about 1 inch from your neck.
- After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Sets and reps
| Strength | 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes |
|---|---|
| Muscle | 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes |
| Endurance or fat loss | 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds |
Log every set in MyoStats and it works out your estimated one-rep max and suggests the next weight or rep target, so you keep progressing without guessing.
Alternatives to the Barbell Guillotine Bench Press
Neck PressBarbell · Intermediate
Wide-Grip Barbell Bench PressBarbell · Intermediate
Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench PressBarbell · Intermediate
Wide-Grip Decline Barbell PulloverBarbell · Intermediate
Barbell Bench Press - Medium GripBarbell · Beginner
Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium GripBarbell · Beginner
Decline Barbell Bench PressBarbell · Beginner
Front Raise And PulloverBarbell · Beginner
Questions
What muscles does the Barbell Guillotine Bench Press work?
Mainly the chest, with the shoulders and triceps helping.
Is the Barbell Guillotine Bench Press good for beginners?
It's rated intermediate. Beginners can build up to it with Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip first.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Guillotine Bench Press?
Good alternatives that train the chest: Neck Press, Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press, Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Bench Press or Wide-Grip Decline Barbell Pullover.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Guillotine Bench Press should I do?
Strength: 3–5 sets of 3–5 reps, rest 2–3 minutes. Muscle: 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps, rest about 2 minutes. Endurance or fat loss: 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps, rest 60–90 seconds.
Exercise steps and photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).