Incline Bench Press 45. About the incline bench press (head up)

Type of exercise: basic

Core muscles: chest, front delta

Accessory muscles: triceps

The complexity of the exercise: high

Equipment: rod

It is a basic exercise. When doing an angle press, you will not lose your strength indicators on the bench press, but do not forget that execution technique is more important here, and not the maximum weights that you can bench. Bench press at an angle up forms the top of the chest, draws it. Note: Arnold Schwarzenegger great attention gave the top of the chest.

In the bench press at an angle, your task is to find the optimal angle of the bench for yourself. An angle greater than 45 degrees loads the front delta more. The classic version is an angle of 45 degrees, benches with such an angle are made. However, I advise you to give preference to the angle of the bench below 45 degrees, so the triceps and chest are loaded more.

Initial position

Set the angle of the bench between 30 and 40 degrees, this position works best. pectoral muscles. Take a position on the bench, spread your legs wider than your shoulders and rest them on the floor. The back should fit snugly against the bench, bring the shoulder blades together. In this exercise, only the pectoral muscles should work. You should not bend in the lower back or raise the pelvis, you should pay attention to technique and pumping. Take the bar wider than your shoulders or at a level so that due to the tilt of the bench, the load from the triceps is transferred to the pectoral muscles. Grab the barbell with thumb, if done without it, you will not hold the weight over you securely enough.

For those who are going to press a decent weight, it is necessary first of all to rest their feet on the floor, the main emphasis is from the heels. Be sure to bend in the lower back with tension. During the bench press, the bar should not walk, the movement occurs along a clearly defined trajectory.

Incline Bench Press Technique

Then take a breath and remove the barbell. You need to lower it to the level of the collarbone, the barbell gently rests on the chest. When lifting above half, squeezing out the heaviest section, begin to exhale. When you squeeze the bar, do not straighten your elbows to the limit, so you shift some of the load from the chest to the triceps. Then inhale and start the exercise again.

Bench Press incline bench- one of the best basic exercises for the development of pectoral muscles. The incline bench press is the most popular in bodybuilding, some athletes even completely abandon the horizontal bench press and switch to an incline bench. All because top part the chest is lagging behind in most athletes and can only be pumped up with presses on a bench with a positive slope.

The bench press on an incline bench is almost no different from the classic. If you know how to technically press on horizontal bench then you won't have any problems here.

When performing an incline bench press, it is necessary to reasonably select working weights. Pressing on an incline bench is more difficult than on a horizontal one, so you will need to slightly reduce the load.

Common rookie mistakes

  • Never do a bench press from your chest, either lightly touch the barbell to your chest, or work inside the amplitude at all without touching the pectoral muscles with the bar.
  • Do not straighten your arms completely to engage the triceps - our the main objective consists in the study of the pectoral muscles.
  • When performing working sets, always work with a partner. If there is none, then remove the locks from the neck that hold the pancakes so that you can throw them off when a failure occurs.
  • Use a bench with an incline angle of 25 to 35 degrees - this angle is most optimal for maximum development of the upper pectoral muscles.
  • Firmly fix your legs on the floor, focus on your heels.

Do not use the bridge technique while pressing on an incline bench - this way you reduce the amplitude of movement of the bar and, accordingly, reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. The bridge technique is great if your goal is to increase strength, but in bodybuilding we are more important muscle mass, so the bridge in bodybuilding should not be used.

If your lower pectoral muscles are lagging behind, then we would not recommend training the lower pectoral muscles on the presses; push-ups on the uneven bars that are performed during triceps training are excellent for this.

Features of the technique of performing a bench press while lying on an incline bench

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Exercises for chest muscles

Considering that the developed pectoral muscles are one of the first goals of those who train, in any fitness room there are many simulators for working out these muscles, not to mention variations of exercises on the bench with different levels of incline.

But it is important to understand that most of these exercises repeat the logic of the basic chest exercise - the bench press. However, if you are not familiar with correct technique bench press, doing variations of it would be pointless

chest training strategy effective exercises with dumbbells and barbell. All about how to pump up a powerful chest.

Chest trainers

Machines for performing exercises on the muscles of the chest are divided into two types - simulating bench press and simulating dumbbell breeding. At the same time, any simulators that repeat the bench press will definitely be less effective than a regular barbell.

In general, the presence of a huge number of machines in fitness clubs is due not so much to their efficiency as to the level of profit of the manufacturer. In addition, the fitness club risks less - it is more difficult to get an injury in the simulator than when working with a barbell.

Barbell Head Down Press

Speaking of bench press inclinations, it is important to note that the head down press shortens the trajectory of movement, which allows you to work with more weight, making it easier to lift. But it is important to understand that this is a minus, as the risk of injury increases.

Despite the fact that the barbell head down press is more actively involved in the work of the lower part of the pectoral muscles, the difference with the classic variation is minimal. In addition, such a simple exercise as push-ups on the uneven bars develops the lower part of the chest better.

Bench press on an incline bench

As with the barbell head down press, the incline bench press with the head up does not fundamentally differ from the regular bench press in terms of the level of engagement of the upper pectoral muscles. The difference is in work deltoid muscles.

remember, that incline press barbell, in which the head is higher than the body, is an exclusively additional exercise. Not to mention that in most cases, trainees minimize the difference with a regular bench press.

Incline bench press mistakes

Performing the bench press on an incline bench with legs raised (or with legs placed on a special stand) turns this exercise into a more dangerous version of the bench press on a horizontal bench. Remember that your feet should always be on the floor.

When bench press, in no case should you arch your back, tearing your buttocks off the bench. This design allows you to use more weight, but the use more weight more dangerous than useful - you can overload your wrist and drop the barbell on yourself.

Proper Incline Bench Press Technique

The incline bench press technique is no different from the conventional bench press technique. the shoulder blades are slightly brought together, the chest is set forward, the back is tense and slightly arched, the buttocks touch the bench, the legs are confidently on the floor.

When performing a movement, the eyes do not follow the movement of the bar, but look at the same point on the ceiling. At the bottom of the movement, the bar touches the chest a little higher than with the horizontal bench press. The elbows are always in line with the barbell.

How to build chest muscles?

If you want to build chest muscles, give preference to a regular bench press, only occasionally replacing it with an incline bench press.

It is important to understand that the exercises do not complement each other, but rather replace, so it is unnecessary to perform them in a row.

In addition, any variations of exercises for the pectoral muscles in the simulators will be significantly less effective than the usual bench press or push-ups on the uneven bars. The presence of a large selection of exercise equipment in fitness clubs does not mean that they are needed.

The technique for performing an incline bench press is practically the same as the technique for performing a bench press on a horizontal bench. Doing an incline press with your head down is dangerous, and it is better to replace this exercise with push-ups on the uneven bars.

Starting Strength, 3rd edition, Mark Rippetoe, Jason Kelly.

Execution technique

Before performing the exercise, the barbell can rest on the floor or on racks at the level of your knees. Walk up to the bar and place your feet shoulder-width apart. The position of your legs fixes the position of the whole body. Choose the most comfortable leg width. Try different variants. It may turn out that by placing your feet very narrowly you will be able to work better in this exercise.

Adjust grip width and foot placement for maximum lat contraction

Grab the barbell with an overhand grip. The general recommendation for grip width is shoulder width (and the amplitude is sufficient and you can take your elbows above your back). But do not take it as a dogma, we are all designed by nature in different ways. Learn to feel the contraction of your target muscles and select the grip width based on your own sensations. It may be convenient for you to grip narrower or vice versa wider. The narrower the grip, the more the biceps are included in the work, and the amplitude becomes maximum. The wider the grip, the smaller the amplitude. Try it, find what suits you.

In the starting position, bend the lower back, and firmly fix the back in a straight position. The arms are straightened and hold the bar, the shoulders are lowered, the shoulder blades are separated. Your body should be tilted forward at an angle of 30-35 ° to the horizontal, looking straight ahead. Keep your torso arched by pushing your pelvis back and slightly bending your knees.

Starting position: look in front of you, shoulders are lowered, arms are straight, the body is tilted forward, the back is straight, there is a deflection in the lower back

While performing the barbell row, you must maintain a fixed position and tilt of your body. It is not necessary to carry out the rod thrust with an inclination very close to the horizon (almost parallel). In theory, this will allow you to better work out the muscles of the back, but in practice it is unrealistic to do this without losing the quality of the technique.

Completely eliminate such a moment as a jerk with your back during traction. Your back should be firmly fixed by the extensor muscles. In addition to jerking your torso, avoid inertial motions where your body is rocking while you are pulling (meaning too much weight). Your body and legs should be motionless, and all the work is done with your hands (it looks like this from the side, but in fact the muscles of the back).

Inhale powerfully and as you exhale pull the bar to the very bottom of the abdomen, leading it along the surface of the legs (slide the bar over the legs). The movement is carried out by raising the shoulders and a strong abduction of the elbows back and up. Try to lead your elbows as close to the body as possible (do not spread them apart). Your movement must be powerful. You forcefully contract your lats, forcing your shoulder blades to contract as much as possible and your shoulders to rise. The back at the same time, as if folded in half along the line of the spine.

Pull the points of the elbows back and up with a powerful reduction of the shoulder blades

Pull the bar with the strength of your back, not your arms. Hands are only needed to hold the bar. To isolate and turn off the biceps from the exercise, imagine that you need to take the points of the elbows back and up as much as possible with the strength of your shoulders and back. Concentrate on that and don't think about the barbell.

As you inhale, begin to slowly lower the barbell to its original position, while sliding the bar along the surface of the legs. The concentration should be on the latissimus dorsi, on their stretching. At the lowest point, lower your shoulders as much as possible. Do not straighten your arms completely, keep the tension in the whole body (do not transfer the load on the joints).

Common mistakes

Avoid rounding your back. With a rounded back latissimus dorsi will not be able to adequately perceive the load and the weight will fall on the spine, risking injuring you. Do not lose tension in the lower back until the moment you put the barbell on the floor.

Don't round your back!

Do not round your wrists - this way you shorten the working amplitude.

Don't roll your wrists!

Keep the slope of the body constant - do not straighten up at the top and do not lean too low at the bottom. The higher the slope of the body in the starting position, the more useless the exercise.

You need to pull the bar along the legs to the lower abdomen, and not to the chest. If you pull the bar to your chest, your deltas will be at work, not your back.

You can try to take the barbell reverse grip. Find out for yourself the most comfortable grip, in which your lats will work to the maximum.

Phil Heath works with a reverse grip

The weight should not be too large, otherwise the hands will take over all the work. Do not do a small number of repetitions. Optimal 8-12 reps in 2-4 sets. Keep the load and tension in the muscles at the bottom of the movement - do not straighten your arms to the end. Effort on exhalation, lowering on inhalation Provide the desired tilt of the body forward by pulling the pelvis back and bending the knees. The higher the elbows, the stronger the impact on the back muscles. During the exercise in the initial phase, when the elbows are below the body, the lower back works. When the elbows are above the body, the middle and upper back are included in the work.

At the top point, the elbows go above the body

To increase the load on your muscles, you can pause for a second at the moment of maximum contraction (when the bar touches the lower abdomen), and then begin to slowly lower.

Incline bench press how to do it correctly

What should be the slope? The angle of inclination should be about 30° to the horizon. You must drive this axiom firmly into your head. The higher the slope, the more useless the exercise due to the large shift in the load on the deltas.

The best inclination of the bench

Such an inclination removes a significant load from the bottom of the chest and transfers it to the entire surface of the pectoral muscle (and not specifically to the top, as many people think). Thus, the top of the chest receives the necessary stimulation. We can say that with such an inclination, the entire chest works.

A positive slope also significantly relieves the load on the triceps. For this reason, you can take the bar a little narrower than in the classic bench press, and work in a larger amplitude.

The width of the grip on the incline press should be slightly wider than shoulder width. This is exactly the golden mean that maintains good amplitude and does not include triceps (but do not think that they will not be loaded at all). This grip corresponds to your setting of hands in push-ups from the floor. In them, you must place your hands so as to develop maximum strength. Optimally - a little wider than the shoulders. Remember your grip in push-ups and use it in the incline press.

The grip width in the incline press is slightly narrower than in the classic

At the top point, do not straighten your arms completely blocking your elbows. Thus, you will give all the load to the triceps. By working inside the amplitude, you maintain chest tension throughout the entire approach. At the bottom point, you only need to lightly touch the chest (you can not touch it at all) and immediately start lifting. It is unacceptable to put the barbell on the chest or do it in the "rebound" - the load will go away, which we do not need.

One of the most interesting moments is the position of the legs. The fact is that the bodybuilding press and the lifter differ dramatically. The task of the builder is to load the target muscles using big weight in a large number of repetitions, the task of the lifter is to squeeze the ultimate Weight Limit in a single repetition, due to the whole body.

The lifter needs his legs as one of the support points for the bridge, which makes it easier to press. The bodybuilder does not “bridge”, his lower back is pressed against the bench, and the load is distributed to the necessary muscles.

For greater isolation of the pectoral muscles in the incline press, you should remove the space between the lower back and the bench. Accordingly, the load will leave the bottom and go to the entire surface of the chest. This can be achieved by lifting your legs up (you can put them on a bench).

As for breathing, you should exhale with effort. Inhale as you lower the bar, while stretching your chest as much as possible. From the bottom point, push out not only the weight, but also the air.

Remember that the closer the elbows to the body, the more the triceps are included in the work. The further the elbows are spread apart, the more the chest works.

As for the number of repetitions, in bodybuilding it is 6-12 repetitions. To work out the technique, use a larger amount (15-30) and a small weight of weights. Having mastered the technique, you will be able to progress faster and better in the future than if you had not spent 1-2 months learning the exercise.

Squeeze your shoulder blades together, drop your shoulders, and push your chest forward. Lower the bar slowly, and raise it quickly, but smoothly.

Bent-over barbell pull working muscles, exercise effect

Powerful and broad back every man's dream. Anatomically, it is all muscle. In order to give the back a powerful look, it is necessary to increase volumes on it. This should be done with basic exercises.

First, they act on the muscles more strongly, by using more heavy weight as opposed to isolation exercises. Secondly, they include more joints in the work, and therefore muscle groups. The overall anabolic effect is much more serious than isolating one muscle.

The thrust of the bar to the belt in the slope refers to lower link and includes the latissimus dorsi, large round, rhomboid, trapezius, as well as deltoid and forearm muscles. In statics, the extensor muscles of the back and the biceps of the thigh work.

Back muscles involved in the exercise

Here are some more benefits of bent over rows:

  • Increasing muscle strength and volume
  • Improving Flexibility
  • Posture improvement
  • Increasing strength in movements such as the bench press and deadlift

Many people don't really like bent-over rows, because hard exercise. But what is given the hardest often brings results.

It is very difficult to load the back muscles purposefully, so you will need to devote Special attention execution technique. In any exercise on the back, remember that the lower back should be bent, and the back should be straight and firmly fixed.

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Iron HealthBest exercises and programs for back training in the gymPost navigation Shoulder weight training program
How to quickly pump up the pectoral muscles
Bench press in the simulator while sitting. Exercises for the pectoral muscles

Incline Bench Press perform to work out the upper chest, the exercise to a greater extent loads the upper bundle of the pectoral muscle, as well as the frontal (front) parts of the deltoid muscles and triceps.

Initial position

Pre-set the angle of the bench in the range from 35 to 45 degrees. Sit on a bench, put your feet on the floor and press your back against the back. Grab the barbell with an overhand grip, with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders. Remove the bar from the stops and squeeze it up so that in the upper position the bar of the bar is above the middle of the chest.

Trajectory

We take a deep breath and from the top point lower the barbell to the lower part of the chest, to the highest part of the chest. When lowering, we do not touch the chest at the lowest point, we stop and, as we exhale, we squeeze the projectile up, back towards the middle of the chest. There is no need to pause at the bottom point; we immediately lift the weight to its original position.

Implementation options

Medium and wide grip engages the upper bundle of the pectoralis major muscle. With a narrow grip, the load falls on the middle of the chest and triceps. A wide grip transfers the load to the side of the chest and reduces the effort of the triceps. However, the wider the grip, the greater the risk of injury.

The angle of the bench determines the trajectory of movement. The higher the bench is raised, the greater the load on the pectoralis major muscle. The greater the angle of the bench, the higher the load on the upper bundle of the pectoralis major muscle, most of all it is loaded when the angle of the bench is 30-45 degrees. An angle of inclination exceeding 60 degrees includes the anterior bundle of the deltoid muscle.

As starting position you can use the location of the bar at the bottom point, the trajectory of movement in this case will be from the bottom point to the top and back, there will be no mistake, but lowering the bar to the chest and pressing up is considered classic, since the bar at the beginning of the exercise usually lies on the stops, and put back at the end of the approach.

To maximize the load on the pectoralis major muscle, spread your elbows to the sides when lowering the barbell. A short press, in which the arms are not fully extended at the elbows, maintains tension on the pectoralis major muscle and reduces the load on the triceps. By using a wider grip and lowering the bar towards your collarbones, you will achieve even better pumping of the chest muscles.

Execution technique

  • Lying on an incline bench, take the barbell with a straight middle grip.
  • Slowly lower the bar until it touches your chest.
  • Squeeze the bar vertically upwards, fully extending your arms at the elbows.

Despite the incredible popularity of the bench press, I would like to say that this training alone is not enough to have a powerful and beautiful breasts. To work it out, it is important to give the load at different angles, that is, to perform the training obliquely.

It is known that the pectoral muscle is made up of three sections, so each of them needs to be worked out: lower, middle and upper. For this, different basic exercises: the classic version of the bench press, performed on a horizontal bench, but there is another one - with an upward slope (incline) or downward (decline).

The last two incline workouts are incomparable in popularity with the eminent classic counterpart. But, it is wrong when an athlete does only this press. But more on this later, after we consider the anatomical atlas, which is the basis of the basics.

The pectoral muscle (large) resembles a fan in shape. Its fibers are oriented in different directions and have tension angles from the bottom to the top. The fibers come together humerus. Two heads make up big muscle: located on the frontal plane of the clavicle is called the clavicle, and on 6 ribs and the sternum (on the lateral part) - the sternocostal. Both of them converge on the head of the humerus.

One of the heads - the clavicle is reduced when the press is performed at an angle upwards, i.e. in this case, the fibers of this head of the HM are more activated than with a horizontal press, in which the fibers of the sternocostal head of the HM work to a greater extent.

When performing oblique presses, it is impossible to completely isolate the fibers of the lower and upper parts.

What do incline presses give

Why were gladiators different developed chest? Because these brave guys owned the secrets of how to achieve ideal proportions - symmetry, volume and mass. They are known today: the lagging departments (the upper one in particular) need to be given special attention. Since there are variations of the bench press, then they are needed. For athletes, they help to develop fully pectoral muscles throughout the entire volume.

To build the thickness of the chest cell, a classic bench press on an inclined bench is suitable, which develops the outer parts and lower BGM. But a balanced chest mass cannot be achieved using only this press, so it is important to use variations.

Due to the fact that the potential depth that the lower region has is greater than the upper region, as well as the number of fibers, one must not forget to do incline presses, which help build a “high chest” (tilted upwards), thereby improving its balance and shape. squares.

Benefits of this Incline Barbell Press

These include:

  • development of several muscle groups at the same time. In this variant, the front deltas, small and large pectoral deltas, triceps work, increasing volume and strength indicators;
  • analyzing the EMG activity at a tilt of 40 degrees, we concluded that the fibers of the clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscle are involved in the work; overcoming the plateau - benching results improve.

Proper incline bench press technique

It is important because it helps to direct the load on the target muscles.

Step by step it looks like this:

First step.

  • Set the desired slope: usually it is 35-40 degrees.
  • Install the bar on the support and fix the weight at both ends, not forgetting about the clamps.
  • Lie down and take the projectile, placing your hands wider than your shoulders.
  • Now the projectile must be withdrawn on straight arms.

This is what IP looks like.

Second step. While inhaling, slowly lower the bar until it touches the top of the chest, linger, squeezing the pectoral muscles, for 1 count.

Step three. By the effort of the muscles of the chest, squeeze the projectile up, then return it to the PI, exhaling. Repetitions to perform the specified number of times.

The picture option will help to conduct the training correctly:

So that there are no questions left, get acquainted with the training in motion:

Barbell Press Options

There are several variations of incline presses:

  • wide grip of the bar - the emphasis of the load is shifted to the shoulders, the narrow one loads the biceps;
  • possible angles of the bench: 30 degrees, 45 and 60 (upside down). Depending on it, the load is also redistributed;
  • reverse grip:
  • in the Smith simulator (at an angle up);
  • with dumbbells on an inclined bench;
  • in power frame tilted up.

Pictures show individual variations:

They will help you perform the incline press more efficiently:

  • the bar should not walk, so as not to reduce the weight of the burden;
  • put the emphasis on the heel to fix the feet rigidly;
  • contact with the surface: head, shoulder blades, shoulders, sacrum;
  • watch the deflection in the lower back, which should be maintained throughout the training;
  • while the exercise is being performed, the shoulder blades are in a reduced position;
  • the neck is lowered exactly on upper area(collarbone), which requires retraction of the head;
  • in time, the descent (eccentric phase) of the projectile lasts twice as long as the rise (concentric);
  • at the lower extreme point of the forearm are vertical;
  • you can’t “beat off” the bar from the chest (inertia must be extinguished);
  • in the “lying on the bench” position, the chest should be protruded forward, and the spine should be bent;
  • do not take your shoulders off the bench.

What is more useful for the development of the top

It is widely believed that the bench press on an incline bench works better on the bottom and top of the chest, and on a horizontal bench - on the middle. But, according to recent studies by Australian scientists, this is not true.

Fifteen-year-old studies using electromyography (EMG) revealed the degree of dependence of muscles on exposure to different presses. It was found that horizontal press"Catches" better than the inclined lower back. When they examined the upper chest, they found that it is more productive than flat or angled down bench press for them to press at an angle up.

The study of grips showed that, a combination of tilt up and narrow grip, the best option for correcting the top of the pectoral muscles. It turns out that there are no significant differences between the chest presses, so you can press horizontally.

Which bench press is more productive for chest muscle growth

Reported results scientific research help each athlete choose the most suitable exercise for themselves. But, when changing the barbell to dumbbells, the athlete receives the best stretch and a "deeper" range of motion.

Conclusion: if the goal is to create a massive chest, in training program must include:

  • horizontal bench press;
  • in the Smith simulator at an angle down;
  • bench press at an angle up dumbbells.

Video: Incline Bench Press

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