Barbell Incline Bench Press
A press on a 30–45 degree incline that builds the upper chest, front delts, and triceps — the second pillar of any press day.
How to do it
- Set the bench to about 30–45 degrees and lie back with your feet flat on the floor.
- Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width and pin your shoulder blades into the bench.
- Unrack the bar to full lockout, stacking your wrists directly over your elbows.
- Slowly lower the bar to your upper chest, keeping your elbows at roughly 60–75 degrees to your torso.
- Pause briefly at the chest, keeping your upper back tight and your whole body braced.
- Press the bar back up through your upper chest and triceps to full lockout.
Key technique cue
Bench at 30–45°, elbows ~60° from the torso — keep the hips on the bench.
Common mistakes
- ✕ Setting the bench too flat or too steep, which blurs the upper-chest focus either way.
- ✕ Flaring the elbows out to 90 degrees, which strains the front delts.
- ✕ Lifting the hips off the bench for leverage, which destabilizes the press and loads the lower back.
- ✕ Bouncing the bar off the chest to use momentum instead of a controlled touch and press.
Benefits
- ✓ Builds upper-chest mass for a fuller, squarer torso.
- ✓ Strengthens the front delts together with the chest in a single movement.
- ✓ Reinforces controlled pressing technique that carries over to the flat bench.
Progression: from easier to harder
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Step 1 -
Step 2 You are here - Barbell Incline Bench Press
- Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
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Step 3
About the exercise
The Barbell Incline Bench Press is the upper-chest counterpart to the flat bench. With the bench set to about 30–45 degrees, the pressing path runs longer through the upper chest and front delts, building the part of the pec that gives the torso a full, square look. It's a staple of any serious chest program, from beginner to advanced. The incline press is the second pressing exercise you add after the flat bench. It's standard on press days, in hypertrophy splits and in aesthetics-focused programs.
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