Are my elbows flaring on bench press?
Some flare is normal. Most lifters press best with their elbows roughly 45 to 75 degrees from the torso. Elbows out near 90 degrees load the front of the shoulder, and usually come with the bar touching too high on the chest. Tucking a little and touching the lower chest fixes both for most people.
Upload one set of bench press and see your elbow angle and bar path, then the one thing to change on your next set.
Check my bench press freeNo signup. Your video stays on your phone; only a few frames are analyzed.
Common bench press faults it can point out
- 1Elbow angleWhether your elbows sit roughly 45 to 75 degrees from your torso, not flared or pinned.
- 2Bar pathWhether the bar touches your lower chest and presses back toward your shoulders.
The check picks what matters in your set, which may be none of these. Each thing it reports comes back as looks right, adjust, or can't judge. Never a score, and never a number nothing measured. You get the one thing to change on your next set.
How to film it
- 1Put the phone high, behind your head, looking down along the bench.
- 2Shoulders, elbows, hands and the bar all in frame.
- 3Film the whole set, unrack to rerack.
Form checks help you move more safely. They are not a medical assessment. If something hurts, see a doctor.