Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Barbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on a standard Bench Press. Similar to Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, but this variation places much more emphasis on your shoulders and upper chest.
Bouncing the bar off your chest can help you lift heavier weights, but it increases your risk of injury, and makes the exercise less effective. Focus on slowly lowering the bar, and gently tapping your chest at the bottom of the movement.
Flaring your elbows out can sometimes help you lift heavier weights, but it places more tension on your shoulders. The ideal position can vary slightly from person to person, but try to keep your elbows around 45 degrees from your torso, and make small adjustments from there.
Allowing your wrist to extend in order to grab a barbell may feel more secure, and less likely to slip out of your hands. The downside is that it places a lot of tension on your wrist, and can be a limiting factor to how much weight you can move. Focus on keeping your wrist in a neutral position inline with your forearm.
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