How long should I pause on my chest?

A one-count pause of about one second is the most common training standard, and 2 to 3 second pauses with a lighter weight are used to build more strength off the chest. Whatever length you pick, the bar must be fully still, and keeping it the same from week to week lets you compare your numbers.

How much less weight will I use paused than touch-and-go?

Most lifters handle a little less weight paused, because the rebound no longer helps the bar off the chest. The gap varies from lifter to lifter and tends to shrink as the paused bench gets practiced.

What is the difference between a paused bench press and a pin press?

In a paused bench press you lower the bar to your chest and hold it there yourself before pressing, so you control the full load through the whole range. In a Barbell Pin Press the bar rests on safety pins, usually set above the chest, and each rep starts from a dead stop with the weight off your hands.

Do I need to pause my bench press if I don't compete?

No. Touch-and-go pressing works the same muscles, but pausing gives a stricter, repeatable rep standard and trains the bottom of the lift, so many lifters use both. Competitive powerlifters should pause most of their bench work because meets require it.

What do the "Start", "Press" and "Rack" commands mean in a meet?

Under International Powerlifting Federation rules, the chief referee says "Start" once you hold the bar motionless on locked arms, "Press" once the bar is motionless on your chest, and "Rack" once it is held motionless at lockout. Pressing before the "Press" command or racking before the "Rack" command costs the lift.

Is a paused bench press the same as rest-pause training?

No. A paused bench press holds the bar still on the chest inside each rep, while rest-pause is a set technique that adds short rests between reps or mini-sets to squeeze more work out of one set.

Paused Barbell Bench Press

What Is the Paused Barbell Bench Press?

Paused Barbell Bench Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the chest and also engages the front shoulders and triceps. It is an intermediate-level movement in which the bar is lowered to the chest, held there motionless for a brief count, and then pressed back to straight arms.

The pause takes away the bounce a touch-and-go rep gets from the stretch at the bottom, so every press has to start from a standstill at the hardest point of the lift. A study of experienced male lifters pressing 95% of their maximum found that the boost from that rebound faded the longer the bar paused, with half of it gone in under a second. That makes the paused bench a direct way to build strength off the chest, and it also rewards a consistent touch point and a controlled descent.

It is the competition standard in powerlifting. Under International Powerlifting Federation rules, the lifter lowers the bar to the chest or abdomen, holds it motionless, and may only press after the chief referee's audible "Press" command, and sinking the bar into the chest after it has stopped or lifting the head, shoulders or buttocks off the bench costs the lift. Powerlifters therefore pause most of their bench work, and many general lifters use the pause as a stricter, repeatable standard for testing and logging bench strength.

The pause sits on the chest at the bottom of a full range of motion, and the lifter holds the whole load throughout it. That separates it from the Barbell Pin Press, where each rep starts from a dead stop on safety pins set above the chest with the bar's weight resting on the pins, and from the Barbell Floor Press, where the floor stops the elbows short of chest depth. Muscle emphasis stays close to the regular bench press, with the chest and front shoulders working hard to drive the bar off the chest and the triceps taking a bigger share toward lockout.

It suits lifters who already bench with consistent technique, especially powerlifters, lifters who stall just off the chest, and anyone who wants an honest rep standard. Expect to use somewhat less weight than on a touch-and-go Barbell Bench Press. Newer lifters should first build a stable setup and a controlled lowering on the regular bench press or the Dumbbell Bench Press.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Pectoralis Major: Primary
Deltoid: High
Triceps Brachii (Lateral Head): Medium
Triceps Brachii (Long Head): Medium
Triceps Brachii (Medial Head): Medium
Latissimus Dorsi: Low
Serratus Anterior: Low
Rectus Abdominis: Minimal

Instructions

Lie on a flat bench with uprights, with your eyes directly under the bar and your feet flat on the floor. Without a spotter, set safety arms just below chest height.
Keep a natural arch in your lower back and pull your shoulder blades down and back into the bench.
Grip the bar overhand with your thumbs wrapped around it, slightly wider than shoulder width, with your wrists straight over your elbows.
Unrack the bar and hold it on straight arms directly over your shoulders.
Take a breath, brace your core, and lower the bar under control to your lower chest with your elbows slightly tucked.
Let the bar touch your chest and hold it motionless for about 1 to 2 seconds, keeping your shoulder blades pinned, your feet planted and the bar from sinking into your chest.
Press the bar up and slightly back without bouncing or lifting your hips, until your arms are straight and the bar is back over your shoulders.
Pause every rep the same way, and rack the bar once the set is finished.

Common Mistakes

Relaxing during the pause
Letting the shoulder blades, arch and leg drive go slack while the bar sits on the chest makes the press start from a loose, weaker position.
Sinking the bar into the chest
Pushing the bar down into the chest after it stops to create a small rebound defeats the purpose of the pause and is a failed lift in powerlifting.
No real pause
A brief touch where the bar never fully stops is still a touch-and-go rep, so the bar should be visibly motionless before you press.
Dropping into the pause
Letting the bar fall quickly to the chest makes it hard to stay tight and to land on the same spot every rep.
Lifting the hips to start the press
Driving the hips off the bench to break the bar off the chest arches the lower back and does not count in competition.
Elbows flaring at the bottom
Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides while the bar sits on the chest puts more stress on the front of the shoulder.

Injuries

Paused Barbell Bench Press is a medium risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The shoulders take most of the stress, particularly the front of the shoulder and the rotator cuff, and the pectoral tendon is most exposed at the bottom, where the chest muscle is stretched under load. Pectoral tears most often happen during heavy bench pressing, typically while the bar is being lowered.

Lower the bar under control rather than dropping it into the pause, and stay tight through the hold so the shoulders do not roll forward off the bench. Keep the grip no wider than about 1.5 times shoulder width, and use a spotter or safety arms set just below chest height for heavy sets. The pause keeps the bar at the bottom longer than a touch-and-go rep, so start lighter than your usual bench weight and save long pauses with heavy loads for experienced lifters.

If the bottom position irritates the shoulder, the Barbell Floor Press or a Barbell Pin Press with the pins set above the chest shortens the range, and the Dumbbell Bench Press lets each hand find a more comfortable path. To progress, add load in small steps or lengthen the pause to 2 to 3 seconds with a lighter weight.

Stop immediately if you feel a sudden sharp pain or a pop in the chest, armpit or front of the shoulder, and get it checked promptly. Bruising or a change in the shape of the chest or armpit after a set also needs medical attention.

Overview

Primary Focus: Chest
Equipment: Barbell and bench
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Intermediate

Alternative Exercises

Other Names for the Paused Barbell Bench Press

The Paused Barbell Bench Press is also known as:

Competition Bench Press

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How long should I pause on my chest?: A one-count pause of about one second is the most common training standard, and 2 to 3 second pauses with a lighter weight are used to build more strength off the chest. Whatever length you pick, the bar must be fully still, and keeping it the same from week to week lets you compare your numbers.
Q: How much less weight will I use paused than touch-and-go?: Most lifters handle a little less weight paused, because the rebound no longer helps the bar off the chest. The gap varies from lifter to lifter and tends to shrink as the paused bench gets practiced.
Q: What is the difference between a paused bench press and a pin press?: In a paused bench press you lower the bar to your chest and hold it there yourself before pressing, so you control the full load through the whole range. In a Barbell Pin Press the bar rests on safety pins, usually set above the chest, and each rep starts from a dead stop with the weight off your hands.
Q: Do I need to pause my bench press if I don't compete?: No. Touch-and-go pressing works the same muscles, but pausing gives a stricter, repeatable rep standard and trains the bottom of the lift, so many lifters use both. Competitive powerlifters should pause most of their bench work because meets require it.
Q: What do the "Start", "Press" and "Rack" commands mean in a meet?: Under International Powerlifting Federation rules, the chief referee says "Start" once you hold the bar motionless on locked arms, "Press" once the bar is motionless on your chest, and "Rack" once it is held motionless at lockout. Pressing before the "Press" command or racking before the "Rack" command costs the lift.
Q: Is a paused bench press the same as rest-pause training?: No. A paused bench press holds the bar still on the chest inside each rep, while rest-pause is a set technique that adds short rests between reps or mini-sets to squeeze more work out of one set.