Chest · Upper chest · Barbell
Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press is a barbell press on a bench set to about 30–45°. It shifts more of the work to the upper chest and the front delts than the flat bench press, and it is the usual second press on a chest or push day.
How to
Barbell- 1 Set bench to 30–45° and lie back.
- 2 Lower the bar to the upper chest under control.
- 3 Press to lockout without flaring elbows.
Tips
- A 30° incline works the upper chest with less shoulder than 45°; start low.
- Touch the bar a little below the collarbone, higher than on a flat bench.
- Keep the shoulder blades set; the incline makes them want to roll forward.
Common mistakes
- Setting the bench so steep that the press turns into a shoulder press.
- Lowering the bar to mid-chest, which puts the forearms at an angle.
- Arching so hard that the incline becomes a flat bench.
Muscles worked
Main
- Upper chest (clavicular head of the pectoralis major)
Also working
- Front delts
- Triceps
Breathing and bracing
Take a breath and brace before each rep, hold it through the press, and breathe out at the top.
Sets and reps
- Strength
- 3–5 sets of 4–6 reps, 3 min rest
- Muscle size
- 3–4 sets of 6–12 reps, 2 min rest
- Where it fits
- First or second press of the session, after or instead of the flat bench
Setup
- 1 Set the bench to 30° for more chest, up to 45° for more shoulder.
- 2 Sit back so your eyes are under the bar and the unracked bar sits over the upper chest.
- 3 Plant the feet and set the shoulder blades back and down.
- 4 Grip slightly wider than shoulder-width, forearms vertical at the bottom.
- 5 Brace and unrack to straight arms over the collarbones.
Technique in detail
- Lower the bar to the upper chest, just below the collarbones.
- Keep the elbows under the bar, at about 45–60° from the body.
- Touch lightly and press straight up, finishing over the shoulders.
- Keep the chest high so the shoulders do not roll forward at the bottom.
- Keep the hips on the seat; lifting them turns it into a flat press.
In these plans
Not part of a built-in plan. Add it to any workout from the exercise picker.
Variations and alternatives
Questions
What angle is best?
About 30° works the upper chest well for most people. At 45° and above the front delts take more of the work.
How much less than the flat bench should I expect?
Most people lift about 10–20% less on the incline than on the flat bench press.
Barbell or dumbbells?
The barbell lets you add weight in small steps; dumbbells allow a deeper stretch and let each arm work on its own. Many programs use both.
Log it in Volu(me)
Add Incline Bench Press to any workout. Next time the app fills in the weight and reps from your last session and marks a new best set the moment you tick it.