Incline Barbell Bench Press

PushBBBench

Bench press performed on a 15-45 degree inclined bench, shifting emphasis toward the clavicular (upper) head of the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid.

Demo: Fitness education channel

Sets

4

Reps

6-10

Rest

2 min

Contraindications

Anterior shoulder pain — reduce incline angle or switch to dumbbells.

Setup

Set bench to 30-45 degrees. Lie back, retract shoulder blades, grip slightly narrower than flat bench due to altered shoulder angle.

Execution

  1. 1Unrack and lower bar to upper chest/clavicle area
  2. 2Keep elbows under the bar, not flared
  3. 3Press up and slightly back toward the face
  4. 4Maintain tight upper back throughout

Key cues

  • Bar touches upper chest, not the neck
  • Keep wrists stacked
  • Drive through the whole foot
  • Control the descent — no bouncing

Common faults

  • Setting incline too steep, turning it into an overhead press
  • Flaring elbows excessively
  • Bar drifting toward the neck (shoulder impingement risk)
  • Losing scapular retraction

Tweaks

  • Use dumbbells instead for more ROM
  • Add a 2-second pause at the chest
  • Try a closer grip for more triceps

Regressions

Incline Dumbbell Bench PressIncline Push-Up

Progressions

Barbell Bench Press

Muscles

Primary: Pectoralis Major (Clavicular Head), Anterior Deltoid, Triceps Brachii

Secondary: Serratus Anterior

Sources

Attribution: General S&C canon