Home / Exercises / Smith Incline Bench Press
Smith Incline Bench Press animation

How to do the Smith Incline Bench Press

ChestSmith MachineBeginner

The Smith Machine Incline Bench Press locks you into a guided path so you can dial in upper chest mechanics without fighting balance on day one. Master this movement and you build the clavicular thickness that gives your chest its full, developed look from every angle.

Add this to my personalized plan →

Muscles worked

Primary
Pectorals (chest)
Secondary
Front deltsTriceps

Step-by-step

  1. Set the bench to a 30 to 45 degree incline, position the bar directly over your upper chest, and plant your feet flat on the floor
  2. Unrack by rotating the bar forward, then lower it under control to just below your collarbone with elbows at roughly 45 to 60 degrees from your torso
  3. Press the bar back up in a straight vertical line, squeezing your upper chest hard at the top without fully locking out
  4. Re-rack by rotating the bar back into the hooks once your set is complete, never dropping it or losing your shoulder position

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows out to 90 degrees puts excessive strain on the shoulder joint, so keep them angled at 45 to 60 degrees from your sides throughout the press
  • Setting the bench too steep at 60 to 90 degrees shifts work onto the front deltoids and away from the upper chest, so stay within the 30 to 45 degree range
  • Bouncing the bar off your chest to lift heavier reduces muscle tension and risks injury, so pause briefly at the bottom and press with intention

Pro tip — Consciously retract and depress your scapulae before you unrack and hold that position throughout every rep, because on a Smith Machine it is easy to let the shoulder blades wing forward and lose the stable base that protects your joints and maximizes chest fiber recruitment.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 6–10 reps
Get stronger4–5 sets × 3–6 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 10–12 reps

Rest: 2–3 min between sets (60–90s on lighter days).

More Chest exercises

Barbell Bench PressBarbell Bench PressBarbell Decline Bench PressBarbell Decline Bench PressBarbell Decline Wide Grip PressBarbell Decline Wide Grip PressBarbell Front Raise And PulloverBarbell Front Raise And PulloverBarbell Incline Bench PressBarbell Incline Bench PressCable Bench PressCable Bench Press
Want this built into a full plan?2fit4u turns moves like this into your personalized weekly program — free to start.
Build my free plan →