The Barbell Incline Bench Press is a intermediate-friendly barbell strength exercise that targets the chest, with the shoulders and triceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesChest
Secondary musclesShoulders, Triceps
EquipmentBarbell
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Barbell Incline Bench Press
Set the bench to about 30 to 45 degrees and lie back with feet planted flat on the floor.
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width and pull the shoulder blades back into the pad.
Unrack the bar to full arm extension with the wrists stacked directly over the elbows.
Lower the bar slowly to the upper chest with elbows tracked at about 60 to 75 degrees from the torso.
Pause briefly at the chest, keeping a tight upper back and full body tension.
Drive the bar back up by pressing through the upper chest and triceps until the arms lock out.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds upper-chest size for a fuller, squarer torso.
Strengthens the front shoulders alongside the chest in one lift.
Reinforces controlled pressing form that carries over to flat bench.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Setting the bench too flat or too steep, which dilutes the upper-chest target either way.
Letting the elbows flare wide to 90 degrees, which strains the front shoulders.
Lifting the hips off the bench for leverage, which destabilizes the press and stresses the back.
Bouncing the bar off the chest to use momentum instead of a controlled touch and press.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Barbell Incline Bench Press, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
