Incline Barbell Bench Press

This exercise is used to work the chest. It is very similar to the bench press, but emphasises more on the upper chest.

 

Before the exercise

• Use the incline bench pressing bench.
• Lie down on the incline bench pressing bench with your feet flat on the floor.
• Take a medium grip on the bar using the smooth rings as a guide. Generally, a good rule-of-thumb is to place your middle finger on the rings.
• Experiment with grip widths until you feel comfortable then remember where that grip is.

The exercise

• Take the bar off the rack and hold it over your chest at arms-length. Your upper arms should be at a 45 degree angle to the sides of your body.
• Lower it slowly to the nipple line, and then press up in a slight backward arc so that the bar finishes approximately over your face.
• Repeat the exercise

Tips & Tricks

• Keep your elbows tuck in to your side throughout the entire exercise, for minimizing the strain on your shoulders.
  
  
• Inhale as you lower the Barbell and exhale as you are pressing up.
  
  
• Don’t bounce the weight of the chest, but try to perform the exercise controlled. Let the barbell touch the chest without letting it directly rest on it. Too much weight on the chest can damage your rip cage. It also reduces the effectiveness of the exercise.
  
  
• Keep your wrists straight. Don't cock them back or allow them to twist during the exercise. This causes undue stress on the wrist and reduces power in your shoulders, chest and arms.
  
  
• Always use collars to prevent the weights from sliding off. Especially for beginners this is important because you may have difficulties balancing the Barbell. Weights sliding off the bar can cause injury to yourself and others. It also looks very foolish.
  
  
• For getting the maximal out of the exercise it is useful to get someone to spot you. Your training partner is placed behind the bench. He/she only assists when you can’t push the Barbell all the way back up. Your training partner should attempt to keep the barbell in a slow but steady upward movement. Typically this almost requires only very little lifting from the helper. With this method you can safely perform 2-3 extra repetitions.