Exercise · Chest
Barbell incline bench press on the incline bench
The barbell incline bench press is an angled version of the bench press that targets the chest, with help from the shoulders and triceps. You lie on an Olympic incline bench with the bar over you. It’s a solid option if you want a bit more focus on the upper chest area.
Doable at all 76 gyms GoSet follows
The essentials
- Shoulder blades pinned to the bench.
- Lower the bar to your upper chest.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- Chest
- Secondary
- Shoulders · Triceps
How to do it
- Set up on the Olympic incline bench and lie down so your eyes are roughly under the bar, feet flat and stable on the floor.
- Grab the bar a bit wider than shoulder-width, then squeeze your shoulder blades together and pin them to the bench.
- Unrack the bar with your arms straight over your chest, keeping tension between your shoulder blades.
- Take a breath in, then lower the bar to your upper chest, keeping your elbows under control at about a 45° angle from your body.
- Control the way down for 2 to 3 seconds, lightly touching or just brushing your upper chest without bouncing off your torso.
- Press the bar back up as you breathe out, until your arms are almost straight, then go into the next rep while keeping your shoulder blades tight to the bench.
Common mistakes
Lowering the bar too high toward the neck
Instead : Aim for your upper chest, not your neck. Picture a point just below your collarbones and bring the bar to that same spot every rep.
Letting the shoulder blades loosen on the bench
Instead : Before every set, pull your shoulders down and back, then pin your shoulder blades to the bench and hold that position for the whole set.
Bouncing the bar off the chest
Instead : Slow down the descent and keep control at the bottom. If you can’t stop the bounce, reduce the weight until you can touch your chest softly.
Elbows flared too wide
Instead : Instead of having your elbows straight out at 90° from your body, tuck them a bit toward your sides. That usually feels better on the shoulders and keeps the work on the chest and triceps.
Coach tips
- Start with a light bar or just the barbell to learn the path down to your upper chest before adding more weight.
- Think: breathe in at the top, keep a bit of that air as you reach the bottom, then breathe out as you press the bar up.
- Keep your feet planted and stable; avoid pulling them too far back or lifting them, so you don’t lose your base.
- People often do 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps, keeping at least 1 to 3 reps in reserve so form stays solid.
Variations
- You can slightly adjust your grip width to find what feels best on your shoulders, staying around a bit wider than shoulder-width.
- If the incline is adjustable, pick a moderate angle instead of very upright to keep the focus more on the chest.
- If the bar bothers your shoulders, you can rotate in barbell bench press or barbell decline bench press during the week to spread the stress out.
Sets and reps
The barbell incline bench press is often used as a first or second chest exercise, for about 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 12 reps, depending on the load you use and your experience.
Equipment
Alternatives for the same muscles
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Common questions
Where should I feel the barbell incline bench press?
You should mainly feel it in your chest, with solid help from your shoulders and triceps. If you don’t feel your chest at all, adjust the bar path to your upper chest and keep your shoulder blades squeezed into the bench.
What if I get shoulder pain on incline bench?
Stop the exercise right away. Talk to a health professional before you continue. In the meantime, you might see if another exercise from the alternatives list feels better, but only if it doesn’t cause pain.
I can’t control the bar on the way down, is that normal?
It’s common when you’re starting. Slow down the lowering phase, reduce the weight, and practice a controlled 2 to 3 second descent. You can also pause very briefly just above your upper chest to feel your position.
What can I substitute for the barbell incline bench press?
In many programs you can swap it for barbell bench press, barbell decline bench press, close-grip bench press, assisted dips, bar dips, or cable crossover, depending on what your gym has and what feels comfortable for you.