Illustrations: Everkinetic (Greg Priday), CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped, resized & combined
Chest
Set the bench to a 15-30 degree decline and hook both legs under the pads until your body is locked in.
Lie back, squeeze the shoulder blades together, and keep your hips glued to the bench.
Have a spotter hand you the bar or unrack it carefully to straight arms over your lower chest.
Lower the bar under control to the lower chest, at or just below nipple line.
Press the bar straight up until the elbows are nearly locked, with no bounce off the chest.
When the set is done, rack the bar first and only then unhook your legs.
Sitting up too fast after the set and getting dizzy because your head was below your hips.
Not locking the legs into the pads, so the body slides up the bench as you press.
Cutting the range of motion and stopping the bar 10 cm above the chest just to add plates.
Unracking heavy weight alone on a decline with no spotter.
The decline usually feels strongest, but add weight gradually because the bar path is short and forgiving.
No decline bench? A forward-leaning dip hits the lower chest in much the same way.
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