Incline Bench Press (Barbell)

How to do it

1. Set the bench at about 30 degrees and lie back with your feet planted.
2. Pull your shoulder blades back and down and take a grip a bit wider than shoulder width.
3. Unrack the bar and hold it over your shoulders.
4. Lower the bar to your upper chest, just below your collarbones, with your elbows not flared.
5. Press back to straight arms over your shoulders.

Key cues

• Bench at about 30 degrees
• Shoulder blades back and down
• Forearms near vertical
• Bar to the upper chest

Common mistakes

• Setting the bench too steep
• Flaring the elbows wide
• Lowering the bar toward the neck instead of the upper chest

Muscles worked

Primary

Chest and front delts

Secondary

Triceps

Equipment

Barbell, adjustable bench and rack.

Variations

• Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell)

  Dumbbell · Chest · Push

• Incline Bench Press (Smith Machine)

  Smith machine · Chest, front delts · Push

Programs that use it

• PHUL

References

1. StrengthLog: Incline Bench Press
2. ATHLEAN-X: Incline Bench Press Mistakes
3. Trebs et al. 2010: Bench press muscle activity at different angles