Best Incline Bench Workouts & Exercises

The incline bench press specifically targets the clavicular head or upper chest. Chest development is an important movement to develop the entire pec muscle, especially in aesthetic or bodybuilding training

The optimal angle is between 30 and 45 degrees. If the bench is too steep, the load shifts primarily to the front deltoids or shoulders, defeating the purpose. A lower incline of 15 to 30 degrees is often superior for hitting the upper pecs while minimizing shoulder strain.

Yes. For hypertrophy or muscle growth, dumbbells can be a great tool. They allow you to manipulate the wrist angle and bring your hands closer together at the top of the movement, which increases the peak contraction of the inner-upper pec compared to a fixed barbell.

Because the incline press places the shoulders in a slightly more vulnerable position than the flat bench, it is generally safer to stick to a hypertrophy rep range of 8 to 12. Testing 1-rep maxes on incline press is risky for the rotator cuff, so save the heavy triples for the flat bench.

The Guillotine Press involves lowering the bar to the neck and is effective but dangerous. Safer, high-value variations include the Incline Hex Press by squeezing dumbbells together for inner chest activation, and the Smith Machine Incline Press which allows you to safely take the upper pecs to absolute failure.