The Guillotine Press (Upper-Chest Isolation Press)

The Guillotine Press (Upper-Chest Isolation Press)

A High-Tension Upper Chest Builder with Old-School Bodybuilding Roots.
A powerful old-school bodybuilding movement that isolates the upper pecs better than almost any other press when performed carefully.

If the incline press is the modern bodybuilding standard for upper-chest mass, the guillotine press—popularized by legends like Vince Gironda—remains the underrated king of clavicular-pec isolation.

Performed correctly, it shifts tension away from the triceps, reduces front-delt dominance, and loads the upper pecs through a unique horizontal pressing path that no other barbell press duplicates.

It’s not for beginners.
It’s not for ego lifting.
And it’s certainly not a max-strength exercise.

But for serious bodybuilders looking to etch the upper shelf, crisp up the collarbone line, and improve overall chest fullness, the guillotine press can be a game-changing addition when programmed intelligently.

This guide breaks down everything you need to know—technique, setup, variations, mistakes, programming, and whether this exercise deserves a regular spot in your chest routine.

Muscles Worked

Primary:

• Upper chest (clavicular head of the pectoralis major)

Secondary:

• Sternal pec fibers
• Front deltoids (significantly less than a standard bench)
• Triceps (minimally involved due to elbow position)
• Serratus anterior and upper back stabilizers

Why It’s Different:
The guillotine press requires the elbows to flare directly out to the sides at nearly 90°, which shortens the distance between the bar path and the upper pec fibers. The bar lowers toward the neck, not the chest, shifting the loading curve dramatically upward.

No other barbell pressing movement replicates this line of pull.

How to Perform the Guillotine Press (Step-by-Step)

Setup

1. Set a flat bench under a barbell rack with the bar at mid-chest height.
2. Lie flat with your eyes about one fist length behind the bar (slightly farther away than a normal bench).
3. Grab the bar with a wide grip—1.5–2x shoulder width.
4. Position your feet flat and lightly tuck your shoulder blades; do not excessively arch your lower back.
5. Before unracking, flare your elbows outward to approximately 90 degrees relative to your torso.

This extreme flare is what loads the clavicular fibers.

Execution

1. Unrack the bar and hold it above your upper chest with straight arms.
2. Lower the bar toward the base of your neck or clavicles, not your mid chest.
3. Keep elbows flared — this is the essential technique cue.
4. Briefly pause 1–2 inches above the collarbones (do not touch your neck).
5. Press up while focusing on driving your biceps inward toward each other (chest squeeze cue).
6. Stop short of locking out to maintain chest tension.

Tempo is slow and controlled.
There is no explosive phase in this movement.

Breathing

• Inhale while lowering the bar.
• Exhale as you press, keeping tension through the chest.

Minimal ribcage expansion prevents shoulder strain.

Technique Cues That Matter

1. “Bring the bar to the collarbone, not the sternum.”

This is the defining feature. Changing the bar path turns it back into a regular bench press.

2. “Elbows stay wide and fixed.”

If the elbows drift inward, triceps take over.

3. “Press with the pecs, not the shoulders.”

This is an isolation press. Heavy anterior deltoid involvement means the angle is off.

4. “Think of pulling the bar apart.”

This improves shoulder stability and activates the pecs harder.

5. “Use a weight you can control for every second of the rep.”

Ego destroys this lift. Controlled tension builds the upper chest better than load ever will.

Common Mistakes & How to Fix Them

❌ Lowering too low (toward mid chest)

Fix: Aim for the top of the collarbone, not the sternum.

❌ Using too much weight

This is not a strength lift.
Drop your working load to 25–40% of your bench press 1RM.

❌ Lack of shoulder retraction

You’re not arching like a powerlifter, but you must create stability.
Fix: Lightly pinch your shoulder blades and keep them pinned.

❌ Failing to maintain elbow flare

When elbows drift inward, you lose the upper-chest emphasis.
Fix: Think “wide elbows” throughout the lift.

❌ Touching the neck

Dangerous and unnecessary.
Fix: Stop 1–2 inches above the skin.

❌ Pressing with a powerlifting bar path

This turns the exercise into a regular chest press.
Fix: Use a vertical press path straight above the clavicle.

Variations & Alternatives

1. Guillotine Press on a Smith Machine

• Greater stability
• Safe for controlled hypertrophy
• Allows “below-neck line” without risk
• Excellent for high-rep upper chest work

2. Incline Guillotine Press

• Combines incline angle + guillotine bar path
• Extreme clavicular activation
• Use very light weight

3. Dumbbell Guillotine Fly-Press Hybrid

• Same elbow flare and bar path
• Dumbbells allow shoulder-friendly alignment

4. Guillotine Press with Safety Pins (in a power rack)

• Best option for cautious lifters
• Prevents bar from descending too low
• Maintains perfect range-of-motion

Programming the Guillotine Press

Hypertrophy Programming (Best Use Case)

• 3–4 sets
• 10–15 reps
• 1–2 reps shy of failure
• Slow 3–4 second negatives
• Constant tension, no lockout

This is the gold standard.

Strength Programming

Not recommended.
This is not a loadable movement and not a max-effort press.

For Upper-Chest Specialization Blocks

Include the guillotine press as the second pressing movement (after incline heavy work).

Example:

1. Heavy incline barbell or Smith press
2. Guillotine press
3. Low-to-high cable fly
4. Upper-chest finisher (machine or cable)

Frequency

Use once per week or once every 10 days to avoid shoulder fatigue.

Who Should Use the Guillotine Press?

Great For:

✔ Bodybuilders
✔ Lifters with stubborn upper chest
✔ Those needing more inner/chest-line thickness
✔ Intermediate/advanced athletes with good shoulder mobility

Not Ideal For:

❌ Beginners
❌ Anyone with shoulder pain
❌ Powerlifters prioritizing pressing strength
❌ Lifters with poor shoulder external rotation

Safety Tips

• Always warm up rotator cuff muscles.
• Start with the empty bar to practice the path.
• Avoid touching the bar to your neck.
• Keep reps slow and controlled.
• Stop if you feel shoulder pinching.

Bodybuilder’s Experience Tips

These cues dramatically improve activation:

1. Think “elbows wide, bar high.”

Your torso becomes the machine bench. The elbows determine the pec line.

2. Use a thumbless (suicide) grip only if experienced.

It aligns the wrists better for some lifters.
Use with extreme caution.

3. Add a 1-second pause at the bottom.

You’ll feel the upper chest light up instantly.

4. Don’t count the weight — count the tension.

This exercise is about feeling, stretching, and contracting.

Practical Takeaways

• Exceptional for isolating the upper chest
• Must be performed with light to moderate weight
• Should be included only in shoulder-healthy lifters
• Works best as a secondary press in a chest workout
• Produces an intense clavicular chest pump and stretch
• One of the best exercises for building the “upper shelf” look