Smith Incline Shoulder Raises

Setup

1. 01Set an incline bench at 30 to 45 degrees under the Smith bar.
2. 02Lie back and grip the bar at shoulder width with arms fully extended.
3. 03Position the bench so the locked-out bar sits over the upper chest.
4. 04Set the safety stops just below the bottom of the shrug range.

Execution

1. 01Unhook the bar with elbows locked and keep them locked.
2. 02Let the bar sink as the shoulder blades retract toward the bench.
3. 03Push the bar toward the ceiling by protracting the shoulder blades.
4. 04Pause at the top of the reach, then lower under control.

Checkpoints

• -Elbows never bend; the range comes only from the shoulder blades.
• -The bar travels a short 5 to 10 centimeter path.
• -The head and torso stay flat on the bench.
• -Each rep pauses briefly at full protraction.

Common mistakes

• -Turning it into a partial press by unlocking the elbows.
• -Loading too heavy to move through the small honest range.
• -Bouncing the bar between reps.
• -Shrugging toward the ears instead of reaching toward the ceiling.