Intermediate

Incline Barbell Bench Press

Setting the bench to roughly 30 to 45 degrees shifts the emphasis toward the clavicular head of the pec, the upper portion that builds a fuller, shelf-like chest. The front delt works harder here than on the flat press, so expect the load to drop. Use it as a primary or second pressing movement when upper-chest development is the goal.

Equipment
Barbell, Bench
Body part
Chest
Type
Strength
Browse by movement
Horizontal Press
Muscles worked
Target
Pectoralis Major Clavicular
Secondary
Pectoralis Major Sternocostal, Deltoid Anterior, Triceps Brachii Long Head, Triceps Brachii Lateral Head, Triceps Brachii Medial Head

How to do it

  1. 1

    Set an adjustable bench to about 30 to 45 degrees and lie back with feet flat and shoulder blades retracted.

  2. 2

    Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width and unrack to a locked-out position over your upper chest.

  3. 3

    Lower the bar under control to just below your collarbone, keeping elbows moderately tucked.

  4. 4

    Press the bar up and slightly back until your arms lock out over your shoulders.

  5. 5

    Keep your glutes and shoulder blades in contact with the bench throughout.

Tips

  • Avoid inclines steeper than 45 degrees or the front delt takes over and it becomes a shoulder press.
  • Touch the bar high, near the collarbone, not down at the sternum like a flat press.
  • Keep your rib cage lifted so the load tracks over the upper chest, not the belly.

Variations

Common mistakes

  • Pressing the bar straight up the way you would on a flat bench, so it finishes out in front of your shoulders and the front delts end up holding the lockout instead of the upper chest.
  • Do not push your hips off the bench to flatten the angle out. That turns the set into a poor flat press and dumps the load into your lower back.
  • A flat-bench grip width is usually too wide for an incline, where it jams the shoulder into the pad. Bring your hands in slightly so the elbows can travel under the bar.
  • Loading it like your flat bench is the common error. Most lifters press meaningfully less on an incline, and a missed rep stalls over your collarbone, so set the safeties or use a spotter.
  • Lifting your head off the bench to watch the bar breaks the upper-back position you unracked with, and your shoulders round forward as soon as it does.

Frequently asked

How many sets and reps of the incline barbell bench press should you do when you are new to the exercise?
Build to three or four sets of 6 to 8 reps, stopping two reps short of failure on the early sets. Take two or three lighter sets on the way up so your shoulders are ready for the angle. Add the smallest plate jump you have, usually 5 lb or 2.5 kg total, once you get 8 reps on every set. If it is your second press of the day after a flat bench, two sets of 8 to 10 is enough.
What can I do instead of the incline barbell bench press without a barbell?
The incline dumbbell press is the closest swap and needs only a bench and a pair of bells. A Smith machine incline gives you the same fixed feel without a spotter. With nothing at all, do push-ups with your feet raised on a bed or bench, lowering over three seconds, and add a loaded backpack when that gets easy. None of these carry over to a heavy bar the way the bar itself does, so come back to it when you can.
What is the incline barbell bench press for, and who should skip it?
It builds size and pressing strength in the upper chest and carries over to overhead work more than a flat bench does. It suits intermediate lifters who already have a settled flat bench. Skip it if your front shoulder is irritated, since the angle puts more of the load there, and skip it as your first pressing lift: the bar path is less forgiving than dumbbells and a failed rep sits over your collarbone. If you only have room for one press in your week, a flat bench or a dumbbell press reaches more of the chest.

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