Chest · Barbell
Chains Bench Press
How to do the chains bench press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Horizontal Press
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set chains on each side of the bar so they deload on the floor at the bottom and lift as you press. Lie on a bench, unrack the bar over your mid-chest, lower under control to your chest, then press back up. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and down and maintain a steady bar path as the resistance increases toward the top.
- 1Feel your chest, shoulders, and triceps work through varying resistance as the chains lift off the ground
- 2Keep your shoulder blades pinned and press the bar evenly
- 3Focus on controlling the bar path and locking out at the top
Common mistakes
- Avoid letting the chains sway or throwing off your balance
- Don't bounce the bar off your chest
- Avoid flaring your elbows excessively; keep them at a 45-degree angle
Muscles worked
The chains bench press mainly works the mid chest, with the triceps, upper chest, lower chest, and front delts assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Chains Bench Press strength standards
See how your chains bench press ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.
Bronzee1RM115 lb
Silvere1RM167.5 lb
Golde1RM232.5 lb
Platinume1RM300 lb
Diamonde1RM340 lb
Champione1RM372.5 lb
Find your rank
Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.
Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.
Kovo programs the chains bench press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed April 2026.