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Incline Bench Press

Incline Bench Press is a beginner compound barbell exercise that mainly works your chest, with help from your shoulders and triceps.

💪 Chest🏋️ Barbell📈 Beginner🔗 Compound🎯 3-5 sets of 5-10 reps
Incline Bench Press: starting position
Starting position
Incline Bench Press: end position
End position

How to do the incline bench press

  1. Lie back on an incline bench. Using a medium-width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
  2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on you upper chest.
  3. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: it should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
  4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
  5. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.

Muscles worked

Primary: ChestSecondary: ShouldersSecondary: Triceps

Sets and reps

For strength, do 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. For muscle growth, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add a little weight when you hit the top of the range on every set.

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Incline Bench Press alternatives

Exercises that train the same main muscle, including options with other equipment.

Bench PressBarbell · BeginnerChest PressMachine · BeginnerPush UpBodyweight · BeginnerDumbbell Bench PressDumbbell · BeginnerCable Chest PressCable · BeginnerSvend PressOther · Beginner

FAQ

What muscles does the incline bench press work?

It mainly works your chest; your shoulders and triceps assist.

How many sets and reps of incline bench press should I do?

For strength, do 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. For muscle growth, 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Add a little weight when you hit the top of the range on every set.

Is the incline bench press good for beginners?

Yes. It is a beginner-friendly movement: start light and focus on the form steps above.

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