Incline Bench Press Exercises

Barbell Incline Press Exercise

The incline bench press builds mass and strength in the middle and upper regions of the pectoral muscle, and front deltoids and triceps are also recruited in this exercise.

Incline Bench Press Technique & Execution

• Lie flat on a incline bench, with your feet firmly planted on the floor (or bench support)
• Keep your buttocks, back, shoulders, and head positioned on the incline bench
• Pinch your shoulder blades as you would when doing a flat bench press
• Grip the bar with your hands wide enough apart such that at the bottom of the rep, your forearms are perpendicular to the floor. Use a closed grip
• Lift the bar off the rack
• Inhale as you lower the weight, and exhale as you push the weights up. Do not bounce the weight off your chest to gain momentum
• Have a training partner spot you as you perform the incline bench press

Incline Dumbbell Press

This exercise develops the mass and strength of the pectoral muscles. Using dumbbells allows the chest to work through a greater range of motion, and an extra degree of balance and coordination is required forcing stabilizer muscles to work even harder. Performing dumbbell presses on an incline bench places more stress on the upper and middle regions of the pectoral muscle.

Incline Dumbbell Technique & Execution

• Lie on an incline bench with feet firmly planted on the floor
• Keep your shoulder blades pinched together - this creates the most stable pushing environment
• Start the exercise with the dumbbells held at about shoulder height, and palms facing forward
• Push the dumbbells up overhead
• Lower the dumbbells as low as you can and feel the complete stretch in the pec muscles