Smith machine incline bench press
- Muscle group
- Chest
- Equipment
- Smith machine
- Primary muscles
- Chest, Front delts
- Secondary muscles
- Triceps
- Set an incline bench beneath the Smith machine bar. Lie back so the bar is aligned over your upper chest. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width.
- Unhook the bar and lower it slowly to your upper chest.
- Press the bar upward until your arms are fully extended.
Tips
- Position the bench so the bar travels in a straight vertical line directly above your upper chest, not your shoulders or mid-chest.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor and your hips and upper back in contact with the bench throughout each repetition to maintain a stable base.
- Lower the bar at a controlled pace until it reaches the upper chest or just above it, then press back up without pausing at the bottom.
Common mistakes
- Allowing the bar to drift toward the mid-chest or lower chest during the descent, which moves the bar path away from the intended upper-chest target.
- Flaring the elbows out to the sides so they point perpendicular to the torso, rather than angled slightly inward.
- Lifting the hips off the bench to help complete a repetition, which changes the incline angle and reduces the range of motion at the upper chest.
Make Every Set Count.
Plan your workouts, track every session, and see your progress over time.
