Proper Form for Incline Benching

The incline bench press is a chest exercise performed using either a barbell or a pair of dumbbells and an adjustable weight bench. Doing the exercise with proper form ensures maximum muscle development while preventing possible injury to the shoulders or chest. Safety is also important during the press; enlist a partner to spot you, especially if you are using heavy weights.

  1. Barbell Press

    • To do the incline bench press, lie face-up on a weight bench angled between 45 and 60 degrees placed underneath a barbell rack. Use a wide, overhand grip to hold the barbell and lift it up and away from the rack. A wide grip means your forearms are perpendicular to the floor at the bottom phase of the movement. Hold the weight with your elbows extended, but not locked, directly above your eyes. Bend your elbows out to the sides to lower the weight to the upper chest and return to the extended elbow position to complete one repetition.

    Dumbbell Variation

    • If you have a spotter, ask him to hand you the dumbbells once you are in proper position. If you don't have a spotter, sit with the dumbbells at your hips and then raise them up to the extended elbow position above your eyes. You should hold the dumbbells with a palm-forward position and your thumbs wrapped around the handle. Slowly lower the dumbbells toward your upper chest as you bend your elbows, keeping the inside head at the edge of your armpits. To complete a repetition, extend your elbows to return to the initial position of dumbbells over your eyes.

    Form Notes

    • While lying on the bench, your feet should be placed firmly on the floor. If your feet cannot reach the floor, place an elevated platform underneath them. Keep your head, shoulders and buttocks in contact with the bench throughout the entire execution of the exercise -- no arching of the spine as you press up. Inhale as you complete the downward phase of the movement and exhale as you press the weights back up. Pay attention to the position of your wrists as you press up and down. They should form a straight line with your forearms, rather than bending backward, to prevent strain.

    Grip Width

    • A wide grip on a barbell keeps the emphasis of the exercise on the pectorals of the chest and the anterior deltoids at the front of the shoulders. If you choose a more narrow grip and bring the elbows in against the sides of your body, the emphasis is greater on the triceps muscles at the back of the upper arms. When using dumbbells, flaring your arms out to the sides provides greater chest and shoulder activation, while keeping the elbows against the ribs provides greater triceps activation.