Incline Bench Press (Smith Machine)

How to do it

1. Set an incline bench under the bar and lie back with your head, shoulders and glutes on the pad.
2. Pull your shoulder blades together and down, lift your chest and grip the bar about shoulder width or a little wider.
3. Unrack the bar and turn it to release the hooks, with your arms straight over your upper chest.
4. Lower the bar under control to the top of your chest, with your elbows about 45 degrees from your torso.
5. Press the bar back up along the guides until your arms are straight, then re-hook it.

Key cues

• Shoulder blades back and down
• Chest up
• Bar touches the top of the chest
• Elbows tucked at a slight angle
• Forearms stacked under the bar

Common mistakes

• Flaring the elbows out to the sides
• Bouncing the bar off your chest
• Lowering the bar to your lower chest
• Letting your shoulder blades slide apart on the bench

Muscles worked

Primary

Chest and front delts

Secondary

Triceps

Equipment

Smith machine and adjustable bench.

Variations

• Incline Bench Press (Barbell)

  Barbell · Chest, front delts · Push

• Incline Bench Press (Dumbbell)

  Dumbbell · Chest · Push

References

1. StrengthLog: Smith Machine Incline Bench Press
2. Fitbod: Smith Machine Incline Bench Press