Chest
Guillotine Press
The Guillotine Press is a strength exercise with a barbell for your chest. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: mid chest 34%, front delts 14% and lower chest 12%.
Also known as: neck press
How to do it
- Lie on a flat bench and grip the bar clearly wider than shoulder-width.
- Unrack the bar and hold it over your upper chest with straight arms.
- Lower the bar slowly toward the top of your chest, just below the collarbones, with elbows flared.
- Stop a few centimetres above the chest.
- Press back up along the same line to straight arms.
Tips
- Use a light weight and safety pins set just above the neck.
- Always train it with a spotter or in a rack with safeties.
Common mistakes
- Loading it like a regular bench press.
- Touching the bar to the neck.
- Letting the shoulders roll forward off the bench at the bottom.
Muscles worked by the Guillotine Press
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Pressing away from the chest is shoulder horizontal adduction plus elbow extension: the sternal pec drives it, front delt and triceps assist, and the clavicular pec joins as a strong secondary on a flat bench.
Guillotine Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
Easier
No equipment
Make it harder
Make it easier
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Guillotine Press work?
Mainly the mid chest and lower chest. The front delts, upper chest, triceps (lateral head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Guillotine Press good for beginners?
The Guillotine Press is rated intermediate. If you are new, learn the Band Chest Press first and build up from there.
What is a good alternative to the Guillotine Press?
For example the Band Chest Press, Cable Chest Press and Bench Press. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Guillotine Press harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Cambered Bar Bench Press and Spoto Press.
Sources
- Rodriguez-Ridao et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(19):7339 (five bench inclinations)
- Lehman 2005, JSCR 19(3):587-591 (grip width and forearm position)
- Saeterbakken et al. 2011, J Sports Sci 29(5):533-538 (barbell, dumbbell, Smith)
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