Incline Barbell Press
Muscles worked
Instructions
- 1Lie back on an incline bench. Using a medium-width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- 2As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on you upper chest.
- 3After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: it should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
- 4Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- 5When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
About Incline Barbell Press
The incline barbell press is performed on a bench angled to 30-45 degrees. This incline shifts the work to the upper chest and front shoulders, the portion most often lagging in those who only do the flat press. Lower the bar to the upper chest, near the collarbones, elbows at about 45°, then push to straight arms. It is the key movement for building a high, full chest with the sought-after 'domed' look. Stay around 30-45°: beyond that, it becomes a shoulder press. Keep the shoulder blades squeezed and a stable bar path, with no bounce off the chest.
check_circleBenefits
- check_circleTargets the often-lagging upper chest
- check_circleStrengthens the front deltoids
- check_circlePerfectly complements the flat bench press
lightbulbExecution tips
- lightbulbSet the bench between 30 and 45 degrees maximum
- lightbulbLower the bar toward the upper chest
- lightbulbKeep the shoulder blades retracted and core braced
- lightbulbAvoid excessive arching to keep tension on the upper chest
warningCommon mistakes
- warningSetting the bench too high, recruiting mainly the shoulders
- warningLowering the bar too low toward the sternum
- warningArching hard to turn it into a flat press
- warningUsing too much load at the expense of range
helpFrequently asked questions
What angle targets the upper chest?expand_more
An angle of 30 to 45 degrees is ideal; steeper than that and the shoulders take over.
Incline before or after flat bench?expand_more
If your upper chest lags, do the incline first while you're freshest.
Should I do incline before or after the flat bench?expand_more
If your upper chest is a weak point, put the incline first, when you are fresh and strong. Otherwise, the flat press first (heavier, more global), then the incline. The order follows your priority.
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