Incline Bench Press

Muscles Incline Bench Press Works

Muscles used

• Upper pecsupper chest just below the collarbones
• Tricepsback of the upper arms
• Front deltsfront of the shoulders
• Serratus anteriorsaw-shaped muscle along the side of the ribs under the armpit
• Rectus abdominisThe six-pack muscles on the front of your abs, running from below your chest to your pelvis

Main muscleLie on an incline bench and press the bar up from your upper chest as your elbows extend. The main muscle driving this movement is your upper pecs. Your upper pecs press your arms forward and slightly upward to move the bar.

Supporting musclesYour triceps help straighten your elbows, your front delts assist the upward press, and your serratus helps keep your shoulder blades stable so the force stays on your upper chest.

How it should feelAs the bar lowers, your upper chest should stretch. As you press up, the area just below your collarbones should squeeze inward.

Signs you're offIf only your front shoulders feel loaded, the bench angle may be too steep or your shoulder blades may not be set. If the bar comes too close to your neck, shoulder stress can increase.

Remember thisSet your shoulder blades and press the bar up on a slight diagonal using your upper chest.

Setting Up for Incline Bench Press

Setup orderSet the bench angle → Set the rack height → Add matching plates → Lock the clips

• Incline bench angle

  Set it like thisSet the bench backrest to about 30–45°. If there are no numbers, set it so the backrest looks diagonal, not flat or upright.

  How to checkThe backrest should not look like a chair, and it should not be close to flat.

• Rack height

  Set it like thisSet the rack so the bar lines up above your upper chest near the collarbone and can be unracked with your arms almost straight.

  How to checkYour shoulders should stay on the bench when you unrack, and the bar should not sit too far toward your face or stomach.

• Plates and clips

  Set it like thisSlide matching plates all the way onto both sides, then lock the clips right next to the plates.

  How to checkBoth sides should have the same weight, with no visible gap between each clip and plate.

Watch out forAvoid setting the bench too upright or lining the bar up too far toward your face or stomach.

Stance for Incline Bench Press

Foot widthLie on the incline bench and place both feet comfortably on the floor.

Where your weight goesKeep your hips and upper back on the bench, and keep both feet firmly on the floor.

Upper body positionLie so the bar can come down toward your upper chest.

Why it mattersIf your body position or bench angle is off, your shoulders may feel uncomfortable first.

How to Grip for Incline Bench Press

Grip typePlace the barbell on the thick lower part of your palms near your wrists, and wrap your thumbs around it.

Grip widthPlace your hands slightly wider than shoulder width, about half a palm wider on each side, holding the same position on both sides of the bar.

How hard to gripKeep the bar on the thick lower part of your palms near your wrists, and keep the backs of your hands in line with your forearms.

The Key Point for Incline Bench Press

Slowly lower the bar toward your upper chest, and push it back up so that your shoulders do not roll forward.

Think of it like thisThe feeling of lowering the bar towards the upper chest.

Before the fixThe bar rides up toward my neck, and the front of my shoulders feels uncomfortable first.

After the fixThe bar comes down stably toward the upper chest, reducing the strain on the shoulders.