Smith Incline Bench Press

Setup

1. 01Set an incline bench to 30 to 45 degrees under the bar.
2. 02Position the bench so the bar meets the upper chest.
3. 03Grip slightly wider than shoulder width.
4. 04Rotate the bar to unrack the hooks.

Execution

1. 01Lower the bar under control to the upper chest.
2. 02Touch lightly just below the collarbones.
3. 03Press the bar up to full elbow extension.
4. 04Re-hook the bar after the final rep.

Checkpoints

• -The bar meets the chest just below the collarbones.
• -Shoulder blades stay pinned to the bench.
• -Feet stay planted flat on the floor.
• -Elbows track about 45 degrees from the torso.

Common mistakes

• -Placing the bench so the bar lands on the neck or belly.
• -Bouncing the bar off the chest.
• -Half-repping and stopping above the chest.
• -Forgetting to test the hook rotation before loading.