How to Do Incline Bench Presses?

How to do incline bench press?

The bench press is the most practiced exercise in weight rooms. This is an essential exercise for the pectorals, and a good indicator of core strength. The  inclined press  – or “  Incline Barbell Bench Press  ” – is a variation that allows you to develop your upper torso a little more. Indeed, the inclination of the bench places the stress on  the upper part of the pectorals , but also on the shoulders.

If you have a delay in your upper pectorals, this exercise is for you and should be prioritized in your pectoral program. Indeed, it is often recommended to start your pectoral bodybuilding session with inclined exercises if the clavicular part (top of the pectorals) is a weak point. This movement is therefore essential to obtain well-muscled and proportionate pectorals.

 

How to properly do inclined bench press? What is the best incline bench angle? What precautions should be taken ? And what are the most effective variations and alternatives for gaining upper pecs?  All the answers to these questions below.

Which muscles work in the barbell incline bench press?

The incline press trains several major muscle groups and highlights your upper torso. It uses the muscles of the trunk, mainly the pectoralis major and minor – especially the clavicular fascicle –, the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulders) and the triceps at the back of the arm. Other muscles also participate to maintain balance such as the back, forearms and trapezius.

The benefit of targeting the upper bust is that it helps you develop well-proportioned pecs  where the upper and lower parts are equally well developed. Note that the inclined bench press targets both the middle region and the upper region of the pectoralis major, it does not only isolate the upper pectorals.

 

Depending on your body type, the exercise can work the shoulders more.  It is therefore not recommended to tilt the bench too much if your shoulders tend to take precedence over the pectorals. Especially since some studies show that the activity of the upper pectorals only increases by 5% at the incline compared to the standard bench press on a flat bench. And the shoulders “take everything”, with an 85% increase in the activity of these muscles. The bench press with a reverse grip increases the muscular activity of the upper pectorals by 30% compared to the classic grip. What should we conclude from this? If you want to develop your upper pectorals, focus on several exercises and choose them carefully.

How to properly do the inclined bench press on the bar?

How to do the incline press correctly?  What incline should I choose for the inclined bench press? Follow the tips below to do this exercise correctly:

 

1. In the starting position, you lie on an incline bench with the backrest set at an incline of approximately 30 to 45 degrees, with your feet on the floor and your lower back slightly arched.
2. Grip the bar more than shoulder-width apart, with your hands pronated and your thumbs facing inward.
3. Take off the bar and place it with outstretched arms above the top of the pectorals.
4. While inhaling, lower the bar towards the upper part of the pectorals, controlling the descent. The bar should be aligned with the wrists and elbows. The elbows should not be too far apart, and the rib cage should be “extended”. To do this, squeeze your shoulder blades together and place your shoulders in a low position.
5. Expand the bar by contracting the pectorals and without lifting the shoulders, then exhale. Respect a rectilinear trajectory and not elliptical as when lying on a flat bench.
6. Do as many repetitions as necessary.
7. Return the bar to the rack with or without the help of a partner.

Breathing

Inhale as you lower the bar and exhale as you return to the starting position with straight arms. It is not recommended to block breathing during the difficult phase, but this maneuver nevertheless helps stabilize the torso. This can be useful when lifting heavy loads. In this case, exhale after passing the critical point.

Tips for properly performing the inclined bench press on the bar

Don't raise the backrest too much  otherwise the shoulders will do most of the work. Opt for an incline of 30 degrees.

Do not put too much weight  on this exercise which is much more difficult than the bench press on a flat bench. If you are a beginner, it can be difficult to master the exercise and have a good bar trajectory. So don't load too much to "feel" the exercise. If you are working with a heavy load, you need a partner to assist you because you can get stuck under the bar. Use dumbbells if you don't have a partner, or work away from failure.

 

Refine the bar descent.  The descent must be done slowly, under control, without bouncing on the top of the pecs. The bar can touch your chest during each repetition if your body type allows it. But if you are fragile, don't go too low so as not to put too much stress on the shoulder joint and tendons.

Body position.  The glutes and shoulder blades should remain in contact with the bench during the exercise.

What are the variations of the inclined barbell bench press?

What exercise to replace the incline press?  Here are the main variations of the inclined barbell bench press:

INCLINED BELT PRESS

The  incline dumbbell bench press  is a variation where you use dumbbells instead of the barbell. Dumbbells allow you to exercise with a greater range of motion, which is beneficial for the muscles. In addition, they involve more stabilizing muscles. On the other hand, the exercise is significantly more difficult to master compared to the bar, and you will therefore have to use less weight. To choose the weight of your dumbbells, don't expect to lift the same weight as you would with an inclined bench press! Finally, the barbell bench press gives you the possibility of going to muscular failure, which is not the case with the barbell, at least without a partner.

The movement is also more natural and allows you to stretch your pectorals well. Some people report that the bar tends to work the outside of the pectorals more, whereas the dumbbells allow you to feel the sternal part, that is to say  the inside of the pectorals .

GUIDED BAR INCLINED BENE PRESS

It is a variation of the  Smith machine , a guided machine which allows you to train in complete safety. It can be interesting for beginners to understand and become familiar with the exercise. For advanced lifters, the Guided Frame Incline Press allows you to push heavier loads because you don't have to worry about balance and bar trajectory. You can then focus only on the pectorals. The slightly inclined version (15 to 30 degrees maximum) is particularly interesting and better adapted to the body shape.

 

DEVELOPED ON A CONVERGENT MACHINE

The  seated press on the converging machine  is a guided exercise that allows you to work heavier and safer. It is a good alternative to the inclined bench press with a barbell or dumbbells, even if the machine works the stabilizing muscles less compared to free weights. This variation is ideal for focusing on the pectorals, especially the upper part. To do this, simply adjust the seat height lower.

With a fluid, guided movement, the exercise is supposed to be less traumatic for the joints. But this is no reason to force too much or exaggerate in terms of amplitude. Especially since not all of these machines are necessarily easy to adjust or adapted to your body shape.

REVERSE GRIP BELT PRESS

As we saw previously, this variation on the bar with the hands supinated is interesting for targeting the top of the pectorals. In any case, that’s what the studies say! The  reverse grip bench press  remains a fairly difficult movement to master, and it will take you time to feel the exercise. Some machines can replicate the movement and are useful if you don't have a training partner.

 

Incline Barbell Bench Press FAQ

WHICH INCLINATION TO CHOOSE FOR THE INCLINED PRESS?

The basic instruction is not to raise the backrest too much, otherwise you risk making your shoulders work more to the detriment of the pectorals. Most weight lifters like the 30 degree angle for the incline bench press. A  study  looked into this subject and showed that the 30 degree angle was best for activating the upper pectoral muscles. Of course, if you still feel your shoulders too much at this angle, you can try decreasing it - to 15 degrees for example. What we know for sure is that an inclination of more than 45 degrees will make your shoulders work more compared to the pectorals.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF HAND SPREADING ON THE INCLINED BAR PRESS?

 

The distance between the hands should be greater than shoulder width to feel the pectorals working. A tighter grip on this exercise, a “medium” grip, will force you to bring your arm a little more against your torso, which will mobilize your shoulders, triceps and upper pectorals more.

WHERE TO PLACE THE INCLINED BAR PRESS IN THE PECTORAL SESSION?

As a basic exercise, it is recommended to start your pectoral session with bench presses with a barbell or dumbbells, on a flat or inclined bench, or even dips. These exercises are quite demanding and require a lot of energy, especially if you use heavy loads and do a lot of sets. You can then continue with isolation exercises to focus on a specific part of the pectorals.

 

To work the pectorals, you can include an inclined bench press session in your full-body program:

• Incline bench press: 4 x 10

In split, do these exercises on pectoral day:

• Bar bench press: 5 x 10
• Dumbbell Incline Bench Press: 4 x 10
• Spaced at opposite pulley: 3 x 12

Or

• Incline bench press at the bar: 4 x 8
• Incline dumbbell press: 4 x 10
• Spaced at the pulley opposite: 4 x 12

SHOULD YOU LOCK YOUR REPETITIONS OF THE INCLINED BENE PRESS?

 

No, do not lock your elbows in the high position. For what ? Because this loses tension in the pectorals and it is the triceps which then take over. In addition, it is not too recommended for joints and tendons. So keep your muscles tense, and lower the bar at the right time. Likewise, you do not have to touch the top of your pectorals with the bar if it bothers you at shoulder level. This can be the case when you have long arms and a narrow cage. A question of anatomy…

WHAT IS THE BEST EXERCISE FOR UPPER PECS?

What is the difference between bench press and incline press?  The bench press is an overall exercise for the pectorals, while the incline press works a little more on the upper part of the pectorals. Certainly, studies show that inclination does not play much of a role in terms of loading. So if your goal is to have the top of your pectorals more rounded, don't just focus on this exercise and add additional exercises. And above all, stop combining the barbell bench press with the incline. Because these two exercises are very redundant, and you will already find yourself exhausted from the flat bench press.

 

So,  what is the best exercise for your upper pecs?  To strengthen the clavicular part of the pectorals, here is the list of the best exercises:

1. Incline bench press with barbell or dumbbells.
2. Spread at the opposite pulley, from bottom to top, with a diagonal movement of the torso, tightening as much as possible in the top position.
3. Bench press using the Hammer Strength inclined press machine  , particularly unilateral.
4. Spread lying on inclined bench with dumbbells or pulley.
5. Floor push-ups with feet elevated.
6. Front raise with dumbbell or barbell.
7. Bench press on a flat bench, bringing the bar towards the collarbone or neck.

 

WHAT WEIGHT FOR THE INCLINED PRESS?

If you are a beginner, start with a light load and a classic format such as 4 sets of 10 repetitions (4 x 10). Try to progress from session to session, this is the key to gaining mass and strength in your pectorals. For muscle gain, a good format for your sets can be a 4 x 10 at 70% of your  1RM . For strength, you can do 5 x 5 at 85% of 1RM.

The difference between bench press and incline press is around 15 to 20%. So if you do 10 repetitions at 100 kg on the barbell bench press, aim for 85 kg for the incline press.

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