Incline bench
- Set an incline bench (30-45 degrees). Lie down and grip the barbell slightly wider than your shoulders, aligning it with your upper chest.
- Lower the bar with control until it lightly touches your upper chest.
- Press the bar straight up until your arms are fully extended.
Tips
- Before unracking the bar, plant your feet flat on the floor, press your upper back firmly into the bench, and keep that contact throughout every rep.
- As you lower the bar, keep your elbows angled slightly inward rather than flaring them out to the sides.
- Press the bar in a path that stays roughly over your upper chest rather than drifting toward your face or your lower chest.
Common mistakes
- Letting the hips rise off the bench during the press so that the torso angle changes mid-set.
- Gripping the bar with the wrists bent back so the bar rests against the fingers rather than sitting across the base of the palm.
- Bouncing the bar off the chest at the bottom of the rep instead of making light, controlled contact before pressing.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
