Incline Barbell Bench Press

Setup

• Set the bench to roughly 30–45 degrees. Steeper turns it into a shoulder press.
• Sit back with the shoulder blades retracted and the feet planted.
• Grip slightly wider than shoulder width.

Execution

1. 1.Unrack over the shoulders with locked arms.
2. 2.Lower to the upper chest, just below the collarbone, with the elbows moderately tucked.
3. 3.Touch lightly, then press back to lockout.

Breathing

Inhale down, exhale through the top half of the press.

Form cues

• Keep the shoulder blades pinned even though the torso is angled.
• Touch high on the chest, not the throat.
• Keep the bar path slightly back over the shoulders.

Common mistakes

• Setting the bench too steep and turning it into an overhead press.
• Letting the shoulders round forward at the bottom.
• Bouncing the bar off the upper chest.