Incline barbell bench press
Primary muscles: Chest. Assisting muscles: Shoulders, Triceps.
How to do it
- Lie back on an incline bench and grip the bar with a medium grip (forearms at 90° to the upper arms at the midpoint of the movement).
- Lift the bar off the rack and hold it straight above you with your arms locked out — the starting position.
- Breathe in and lower the bar under control until you feel it on your upper chest.
- Breathe out and press the bar back up, squeeze your chest at the top and hold for a second.
- Repeat the movement, then rack the bar.
Key to the execution: Keep your elbows slightly below the line of the bar rather than flared out wide, so you work the upper chest and not the shoulders.
Common mistakes
- Lowering the bar too low, towards your stomach, instead of to your upper chest.
- Lifting your shoulders off the bench to “help” the movement.
- Using too narrow a grip, which overloads the triceps.
Alternatives: exercises for the same muscles
Log your sets and see your progress
In the PlanSports app you pick the exercise, log weight and reps, and each exercise page shows your best weight and progression. The AI coach puts the exercises into a 4-week program.
Chest exercises › Training programs by sport ›The exercise pages are compiled by PlanSports; if you have an injury or pain, talk to your coach or doctor first.