Incline Chest Press
Seated against an angled backrest, you press handles forward and up from your upper chest, either on a dedicated machine or with two low cables and an incline bench.
Equipment
- Primary muscles
- Upper chest
- Secondary
- Middle chest, Lower chest, Front delts, Triceps
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
- Primary muscles
- Upper chest, Middle chest, Lower chest
- Secondary
- Front delts, Triceps
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weight × reps
Why do it
This is the guided way to train your upper chest. The machine is simple to set up, needs no spotter, and lets you push sets hard on a fixed path. The cable version on an incline bench takes more setup, but your hands can come together at the top for an extra squeeze and each arm works on its own. Pick the machine for heavy, straightforward work, and cables when you want that inward path or your gym has no incline machine.
How to do it (Machine)
Set the seat so the handles line up with your upper chest, and sit back against the pad.
Grip the handles just wider than shoulder-width with your feet planted.
Press the handles forward and up until your arms are nearly straight.
Let them come back slowly until you feel a stretch across your upper chest, without letting the stack rest between reps.
Set an incline bench to 30-45 degrees between two cable towers with both pulleys at the bottom.
Sit back with your feet planted and hold a handle in each hand just below shoulder level, palms facing forward.
Press the handles up and inward until your hands nearly meet above your upper chest.
Return slowly along the same path until you feel a stretch. The cables let your hands travel together at the top, which dumbbells on a fixed path can't do.
Common mistakes
Seat set so you press flat
If the handles start below your upper chest, the press loses its upward angle. Adjust the seat so they line up with your upper chest.
Arching off the backrest
Pushing your chest forward and your back away from the pad flattens the angle. Keep your back against the pad so the incline does its job.
Cable handles finishing wide
With cables, ending with your hands apart misses the inward path that sets this version apart. Press up and in until they nearly meet.
Shrugging as you press
Lifting your shoulders toward your ears near lockout hands the work to your shoulders. Keep them down and back.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
