Mastering Incline Bench Press: Tips and Muscles Worked
The bench press is one of the most popular exercises ever and a favorite for engaging the chest. As famous as the exercise is, however, many fitness enthusiasts, especially beginners, still struggle with the form.
An even more technical variation of the bench press, the incline bench press, which targets the upper chest, can prove more difficult to set up and execute. Regardless, mastering the incline bench press just involves following some simple tips.
Continue reading to learn these cues and see how you can make your incline bench press more effective.
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What Does Incline Bench Press Do?
The incline bench press is a variation of the bench press that targets the upper part of the chest. The bench used for a flat bench press (the basic variation) is usually perfectly horizontal — parallel to the ground.
During incline bench presses, however, the bench is raised at a slight angle (30 degrees is recommended). This position forces the upper chest to do more work in bringing the barbell or dumbbell up.
In truth, you can’t isolate one part of the chest. The pectoralis major, the muscle that makes up most of the chest, works as one muscle, so you cannot train only the upper or lower chest.
However, research shows that if you position a bench properly, you can recruit more upper or lower chest fibers, depending on your goal. That’s why it is important to learn the proper setup for incline bench presses if you want bigger upper chest muscles.
Like every chest press, the incline bench press strengthens the deltoids and triceps. Muscles almost never work in isolation, but with the right form, you can focus resistance on specific muscle groups to instigate growth.
Why is Incline Bench So Much Harder?
The incline chest focuses on the upper pecs (the clavicular head of the pectoralis major) and the front shoulder muscles (the anterior deltoids). These muscles are smaller and less powerful than the larger mid-chest (the sternal head), which is mostly used during the flat bench. This size difference is one of the reasons the incline bench feels much harder.
Apart from muscle recruitment, the angle of the incline bench also reduces leverage and stability. During the incline bench, the arms have to push up and away from the body because of the body’s slight tilt. This would make the exercise more difficult compared to the flat bench, where the bench provides additional stability, and the arms simply have to push the weight up.
The incline bench may also cause a higher range of motion. In a flat bench press, the entire upper body is perfectly horizontal, but in the incline variation, the upper body is on a slope, with the chest at the highest point. This means that during the eccentric portion of the incline bench, the arms can go much lower, causing more range of motion.
More range of motion would make the bench press harder because it will likely increase time under tension (TUT) and task the shoulder joints even more. The incline bench press is relatively difficult to set up and execute, so to help you become more proficient at it, we’ve outlined the perfect bench angle, form, and technique below.
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Tips For Proper Execution
Setting Up the Bench and Equipment
Before incline bench presses, you want to adjust the bench to a 30 to 45-degree angle. Studies show that 30 degrees is great for upper chest activation, and anything above 45 degrees would incorporate the front shoulders too much and reduce chest activation.
If you’re doing the barbell incline bench press, you’re likely using a rack to lift off the bar and press. Adjust the rack so that you can lift off comfortably with only a slight bend in your arm. You should not have to stretch or lose form to reach or drop the bar. Load the barbell evenly on both sides and secure the weight with clips to ensure safety during the lift.
If you’re using dumbbells, set up your bench close to the dumbbell rack so that you don’t have to carry heavy weights for a long distance. Lift the dumbbells off the rack and place them on your thighs as you sit. If they are too heavy, get someone to help you place them on your thighs.
At this point, lift your legs, explosively using your thighs to push the dumbbells into a pressing position. This requires some skill, so you should start with lighter weights so that you can perfect the execution over time. You could also ask someone to hand you the dumbbells with your hands already in a pressing position if that’s an option.
Correct Form and Technique
As you press, relax your shoulders and keep your chest proud. This will not only make sure that the resistance is acting on your pectoral muscles but will also ensure safety during the lift. You could also arch your back slightly — a slight arch would help keep your chest up and may also help generate power as you press.
Do not flare your elbows too wide, especially at the beginning of a rep, just when you’re about to press up. The recommended elbow flare angle for safety and effectiveness in the bench press is 45 to 75 degrees from your torso.
In this position, your arms are not so spread out that they are in line with your shoulders. In the same way, they are not so tucked in that you feel all the contractions in your triceps. Now, that brings us to grip.
If you’re using a bar, grip it just outside shoulder-width apart before you lift off from the rack. This is just wide enough to avoid too much elbow flare and also ensure that most of the weight is acting on the chest muscles.
Breathing is an important part of any exercise, and the bench press is no exception. Exhale on the way up and inhale on the way down. Breathing like this during this exercise would enhance stability and help you power through each rep, ensuring intensity.
Variations and Modifications
Different Grip Options
You can perform the incline bench press, especially the barbell variation, with different types of grips for different goals. Here are some of these grip options:
Wide grip: As the name implies, this grip involves grabbing the bar significantly wider than shoulder-width apart. A wider grip would focus on the outer portion of the pecs and reduce the range of motion, which can help prioritize chest engagement over triceps.
Close-grip: The opposite of the wide grip, a close-grip bench press involves grabbing the bar closer than shoulder-width apart to incorporate the tricep muscles more.
Reverse grip: The reverse grip involves holding the bar with your palms facing you. It may better shift the focus to the upper delts and deltoids.
False grip: In the false grip, the thumb does not wrap around the bar. Instead, it rests alongside the index finger. This grip can increase chest recruitment by altering the wrist position, but it could also be dangerous as it increases the risk of the bar slipping.
Incorporating Dumbbells vs. Barbell
Both dumbbells and barbells have advantages when it comes to incline pressing. Dumbbells give you more range of motion, ease of failure, and more safety, while barbells offer easier progressive overload and stability.
If both incline bench press variations are available, it is expedient to try both options and see which you prefer. Whatever you choose, focus on maintaining good form and technique, as that’s the most important factor for safety and injury prevention.
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Maximizing Results and Safety
Following the tips in this article will ensure that you perform the incline bench press safely and effectively — set the bench at a 30 to 45-degree incline, don’t flare your elbows out too wide, relax your shoulders, and keep your chest proud.
As you adhere to these guidelines, remember to always use weights that you can lift back up to prevent them from crashing onto you. If you’re attempting a PR or trying to progressively overload, ensure you have a spotter to help in case things go south.
Progressive overload is important for hypertrophy and strength training; however, it is expedient to increase the weights slowly and over time. You shouldn’t increase the weight by 50, or even 25 percent suddenly, because you feel strong.
Five to ten-percent increments are ideal. From here, you can either increase or lower the load, depending on how subsequent sets go.
Apart from gradual progressive overload, another important practice for the incline bench is warming up. Start with a light weight and slowly work your way up to your top set, allowing your body to get used to the movement. Cool-down stretches are also a great way to strengthen your shoulder joints and avoid injury in the long run.
Sample Workout Routine
Specific Warm-Up:
Set 1: 12 reps with just the bar (or very light dumbbells) to practice form.
Set 2: 10 reps at 50 percent of the working set weight.
Set 3: 8 reps at 60 percent of the working set weight.
Working Sets
1. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Sets: 3
Reps: 8 - 10
Rest: 90 seconds to 2 minutes between sets
2. Incline Barbell Bench Press
Sets: 4
Reps: 6 - 8
Rest: 2 - 3 minutes between sets
3. Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Sets: 3
Reps: 10 - 12
Rest: 90 seconds between sets.
Cool-Down Stretches
Chest Stretch: Use a doorway or wall. Place your forearm against the surface at a right angle, and gently lean forward until you feel a stretch in your chest and shoulder. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds per arm.
Shoulder Stretch: Bring one arm across your body and use the other arm to pull it closer to your chest, stretching the shoulder. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds per arm.
Triceps Stretch: Reach one arm overhead, bend the elbow to touch the opposite shoulder blade, and use the other hand to gently push the elbow down. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds per arm.
Final Thoughts
The upper chest is arguably the most difficult part of the chest to grow. The anterior delts are involved in any shoulder pressing movement, and if you don’t use proper form, they can do most of the work in the incline press.
So, keeping your shoulders relaxed is important for reaping all incline bench press benefits. One way to do this is scapular depression, which involves bringing your shoulder blades down and tightening them. This move not only relaxes the shoulders but also prevents shoulder injuries.
Now that you have all this information, the best way to improve your incline press is to practice. With practice, you will become more skilled at the movement, leading to muscle and strength gains in the long run.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is incline bench 30 or 45?
Anywhere between a 30 and 45-degree bench angle would target the upper chest. However, above 45 degrees, the anterior delts would take over. Therefore, it’s very important to keep the incline under 45.
Is incline bench worth doing?
The incline bench is effective for building a big upper chest. But like any good exercise, there are other effective alternatives. Machine flyes and presses are other great options.
Is incline bench better than flat bench?
Both the incline and flat bench have their place in any good chest training program. The incline bench mostly recruits the clavicular head of the pectoralis major (upper chest), while the flat bench mostly recruits the sternal head (mid chest). For best results, it is advisable to perform both variations.
This article has been reviewed by our editorial board and has been approved for publication in accordance with our editorial policy.
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