Presented by:
Anita Ramsey CSCS, CFT, CSN
&
Curtis Schultz CSCS
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Barbell Incline Bench Press
This develops mass and strength of the pectoral muscles (upper and middle regions) and front Deltoids. The incline angle of this press hits the upper pecs really hard. The main benefit in doing incline presses is to develop the upper portion of the pectoral muscles.
Target muscle group: Upper chest (clavicular portion of the pectoralis major). Other muscles affected are the deltoids (shoulders) and the triceps (back of the arms).
Everyone wants a huge chest, plain and simple. It is all too common to see inexperienced lifters slaving away on endless sets of cable crossovers in search of full, thick pecs. If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard someone ask that question we’ve all heard a million times, “how much do you bench?” I’d be rich. Don’t get me wrong, bench press is very important to thickness as well, but, the point is doing Incline bar presses is very important if you want to have upper chest thickness.
I have always used Incline presses as a staple in my chest training. As a bodybuilder, the incline should definitely be the emphasized in chest training. Utilizing incline bar, Smith machine incline bar, and incline dumbbell presses should be used for bodybuilding prep. These exercises are key to upper pec thickness. Incline presses are a very popular exercise in bodybuilding circles. It is common to hear that bodybuilders are inclining 4 or 5 plates for reps. Seven-time Mr. Olympia Ron Coleman, Chris Comier, and many top bodybuilders are doing reps with 500 pounds on the incline and their chest development shows their efforts.
The possession of a deep, thickly muscled chest is one of the hallmarks of a championship bodybuilding physique. Bodybuilders, in particular beginners, pay a great deal of attention to this region of the body not only because it responds rather quickly to regular training but also, when fully developed, imparts the look of power and muscular impressiveness to the whole physique. What I’d like to do is to point out how you can perform these moves more efficiently and suggest some alternatives.
Analyzing Wrong Technique
First, watch individuals performing these exercises, it is one of the best ways to analyze technique. Now, while watching these individuals do incline presses with a bar or with dumbbells, do their elbows go back towards their head away from their bodies? Of course they do, and that’s the wrong technique. That way of doing inclines putts undue stress on the entire shoulder area. Keep doing that type of technique and you’ll find yourself with serious shoulder problems. The trouble is many lifters extend the elbows way too far out to the sides when performing inclines. Another flaw many lifters practice when they incline is they raise their butt off the bench, in essence, making the incline press a flat press. This is an excerpt from an unknown CPT. “Keep elbows well out to the sides and back, and lower bar to the line of the nipples. If dumbbells are used, use the same elbow position but also lower them as much as you can manage in order to get the fullest extension of the arms…” This is incorrect bar and Dumbbell positioning.
For proper technique
To get the max drive out of pressing in the incline position it is the same as if you were flat bench pressing, your arms should be in a 45-degree tucked angle to the sides of your body. This technique places more emphasis on the pec and triceps muscles rather then the shoulder joint. Place your arms in the same manner when doing dumbbell incline presses too. At first, your strength will be a little down and that’s only because you changed your technique and you are not used to the proper movement yet. Keep working at this technique.
Execution:
Lean back on a 30 to 45 degree incline bench. Your feet should be flat on the floor giving yourself a good sturdy base. Lower back is slightly arched with your shoulders and traps flat against the bench. Take hold of the bar with a medium-wide grip. When you have the bar off the rack, do not start down immediately with it. Raise the bar off the rack and hold it right above your head with arms locked. Like with the bench press, hold it at the top for just a second and get oriented take a deep breath, hold then start.
Now, slowly, touch the muscles directly underneath the point that the clavicles meet, basically the upper chest or top of the chin. Don’t bounce the weight off your chest, but press it back up to the top position, exhaling on the way up. Do not touch the nipple area, this is way too low. Bar placement should be as stated, either touch your chin, or just below your clavicle. Even going an inch too low takes the emphasis off the upper chest muscles.
Also, keep your wrists straight and your elbows beneath your wrists with your arms tucked at a 45-degree angle. Do not keep your elbows back towards your head because this puts maximum stretch on the pecs and serious stress on the shoulder joint.
Safety Note: If you are new to this movement you should always use the bar at first for 10 15 reps and gradually go up in weight. Also, at all times, as with all exercises you should have a spotter while you’re trying to get a flow for this exercise.
Basic Incline Bench Press Routine:
Any routine can take up to 6 weeks or longer sometimes 12 to 14 weeks. Very Important, do not have your partner holing the bar on every rep you do screaming “It’s all you!” Because trust me if his/her hands are on the bar – it’s NOT all you! Got it?! Do it on your own each and every rep. Your spotter should only touch the bar when you are stuck.
Let’s say you can incline bench 225 on your own for a 1 rep max. Try this out. When beginning any routine, No matter what your 1 RM, always do the bar first for 1 set of 12-15 reps then do the following warm up: 135 for 10 reps; 175 for 5 reps, 185 for 5 reps, then do 205 for three sets of 6 reps.
When you can do 225 for three sets of 6 – ALL on our own then:
Use the same warm up but then do 225 for 3, and three sets of 235 for 6 reps.
Keep doing this routine until you’ve done your 250 + for a 1RM.
Here are some sample chest routines that are highly effective: All sets should stay within the 4-6 rep range and be taken to complete muscular failure. The trick for getting the most out of Incline presses is keeping your rep range fewer than 8 and above 3.
Incline barbell or dumbbell presses 4 x 8
Hammer Strength machine presses 4 x 6-12
Flat dumbbell flyes 4 x 15
Flat Bench Press: Work Sets 3 x 5
Incline Dumbbell Press: 4 x 6
Dips: 2 x 10 weighted
Incline Bench Press: 2 x 4-6
Dips: 2 x 4-6
Flat Dumbbell Press: 2 x 4-6
Incline Dumbbell Press: 2 x 4-6
Dips: 2 x 4-6
Flat Dumbbell Press: 1 x 4-6
Incline Dumbbell Flyes: 1 x 15
Incline Bench Press Variations
This exercise has a few variations. Smith machine incline bar, close grip incline bar (more for triceps), Incline dumbbell flies, and incline dumbbell presses. I get a lot out of dumbbell incline presses rather then bar but that’s preference. I do them every other week working my way up to a heavy set of 5 or sets with reps of 20. I substitute heavy incline bar sometimes on my light bench press day, and also do incline close grip bar every other heavy bench press day. Smith machine incline works well too, try them like Markus Ruhl does, very wide grip. So does the Hammer Strength™ incline chest machine.
General Tips
To keep the deltoids (shoulders) from doing too much work, don’t allow the rear deltoids to come off the bench, especially the last few inches when pushing the weight up. They should remain in the same position flat on the bench throughout the movement. If you are having trouble balancing the weight make sure that your arms remain relatively vertical throughout the left. The more vertical your arms are, the better your balance will be. The more narrow the grip, the more you involve your triceps. The wider the grip the more the outer area of the chest is worked.
In Conclusion:
Remember, if you want that upper chest thickness, then incline work is necessary. Train heavy and hard so your chest thickness will rival that of Ronnie Coleman. Incline into 30-45-degrees and give me one more rep!
Curtis Schultz is a contributor for Ironman magazine, MuscleMag International, Martial Arts Illustrated, Natural Bodybuilding & Fitness, and many other publications. He has been a Head or an Assistant Strength Coordinator as well as a football coach for 13 years with several colleges and high schools. Some of the places he has worked are the Univ. of Colorado, Univ. of the Pacific, St. Peter’s College, and Quincy Univ. Curtis is also an accomplished powerlifter and bench only competitor. He is also a certified Specialist in Sports Conditioning and certified Fitness Trainer, a USWF level 1 Olympic “Club” Coach, and has memberships with the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association, IFPA, and NSCA.
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