- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternPush
- Reps5 to 12 reps
- Joint loadShoulder and Wrist
Set the bench to a low incline and lie back with your eyes under the bar. Grip slightly wider than your shoulders and set your shoulder blades back and down.
First cueKeep your upper back tight against the bench.
How to do the Incline Barbell Bench Press
Set up. Set the bench to a low incline and lie back with your eyes under the bar. Grip slightly wider than your shoulders and set your shoulder blades back and down.
- Unrack the bar and hold it over your upper chest with straight arms.
- Lower it under control to the top of your chest, just below the collarbones.
- Pause lightly without resting the bar on you.
- Press back up to straight arms over your shoulders.
Form cues
- Keep your upper back tight against the bench.
- Lower to the upper chest, not the throat.
- Keep your forearms vertical.
Common mistakes
- Setting the bench so steep it becomes a shoulder press.
- Lifting the hips off the seat to finish a rep.
Take care. Use a spotter or safety arms when the weight is heavy, since the bar travels over your face and neck.
Muscles worked
Main target: Chest. The chest muscles fan out across the front of the ribcage, from the breastbone and collarbone to the upper arm. They bring the arm forward and across the body, which is the work of every press, push-up and fly.
On the way: Front delts and Triceps.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Incline Barbell Bench Press, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Barbell Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Upright Row Same push session: it trains the side delts.
- Barbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Incline Barbell Bench Press first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Incline Barbell Bench Press 3 × 5 to 12 reps
- Barbell Row 3 × 5 to 12 reps
- Upright Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Barbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Machine Chest Press
Machine
Less load on the shoulder
Dumbbell Bench Press
The Incline Barbell Bench Press loads the shoulder by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Barbell Bench Press.
Other variations of the Barbell Bench Press: Decline Barbell Bench Press, Smith Machine Bench Press, Close-Grip Bench Press, Machine Chest Press, Dumbbell Bench Press and Floor Press.
Do before it: Wall Slide (shoulder range), Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades), Push-Up (same movement, lighter) and Shoulder Dislocate (shoulder range).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Incline Barbell Bench Press is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Incline Barbell Bench Press?
Set up: Set the bench to a low incline and lie back with your eyes under the bar. Grip slightly wider than your shoulders and set your shoulder blades back and down. Steps: 1. Unrack the bar and hold it over your upper chest with straight arms. 2. Lower it under control to the top of your chest, just below the collarbones. 3. Pause lightly without resting the bar on you. 4. Press back up to straight arms over your shoulders. Form cues: Keep your upper back tight against the bench. Lower to the upper chest, not the throat. Keep your forearms vertical. Common mistakes: Setting the bench so steep it becomes a shoulder press. Lifting the hips off the seat to finish a rep. Take care: Use a spotter or safety arms when the weight is heavy, since the bar travels over your face and neck.
What muscles does the Incline Barbell Bench Press work?
It trains the chest as its main target and works the front delts and triceps on the way.
What can I do instead of the Incline Barbell Bench Press?
At home: Dumbbell Bench Press. In a gym: Machine Chest Press. With less load on the shoulder: Dumbbell Bench Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Incline Barbell Bench Press with?
Good partners in the same workout are Barbell Row, Upright Row and Barbell Shrug.
How heavy should the Incline Barbell Bench Press be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.