How to do an Incline Svend Press
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Incline Svend Press
Instructions for Proper Form
Incline Svend Press is an isolation exercise that primarily targets the chest. By performing this exercise on an incline bench, you can add more emphasis to the upper chest and shoulders. The Svend Press component involves compressing two weights together which helps activate the chest muscles more deeply. This is a great variation to improve muscle activation and build strength in the upper chest.
- Place your feet shoulder width apart and sit on bench that is angled to a 45 degree incline and position.
- Press a weight plate between your palms just above your middle chest.
- Extend your arms overtop of your chest, maintain pressure into the weight plate from your palms.
- Control the weight plate back to the starting position.
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Alternative Exercises to Incline Svend Press
1. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 457 TIMESDumbbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Incline Bench Press. This compound exercise primarily targets the chest, but the incline also places more emphasis on the shoulders. The use of dumbbells makes this exercise more unstable than its barbell counterpart, while also forcing you to address any strength discrepancies between sides.
2. Incline Dumbbell Squeeze Press
85.9 mSCORESWAPPED 375 TIMESIncline Dumbbell Squeeze Press is a variation on the more standard Bench Press. Like other Bench Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The incline position emphasizes the upper chest and shoulders, while the act of squeezing the dumbbells together helps to maintain tension in the chest throughout the movement. This is a great exercise for building both strength and muscle mass in the upper chest.
3. Dumbbell Squeeze Press
91.1 mSCORESWAPPED 230 TIMESSimilar to other Bench Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Unlike many other variations, some of the tension from this exercise is caused by pressing two dumbbells together rather than simply relying on the weight of those dumbbells. This helps maintain more tension in your chest throughout the movement without relying on other pieces of equipment. The positioning of the dumbbells can also take some tension out of your shoulders, and helps to further isolate your chest.
4. Svend Press
65 mSCORESWAPPED 158 TIMESSvend Press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Unlike traditional presses, it involves pressing a pair of plates together with both hands, which increases tension in the chest throughout the movement. This is a great exercise for achieving better muscle activation by focusing on squeezing the chest muscles, making it an excellent addition to any chest workout.
- Beginner
- Chest
5. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 138 TIMESDumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the standard Bench Press. Like Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, while also training the triceps and shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for greater instability which can help you become more stable on pushing movements in general, while also isolating each side of the body to prevent you from compensating for any weaknesses between sides.
6. Dumbbell Incline Fly
91.1 mSCORESWAPPED 130 TIMESDumbbell Incline Fly emphasizes the upper chest, improving muscle definition and shoulder flexibility. Performed on an incline, it targets the upper pectorals while also engaging deltoids and triceps, offering a comprehensive upper body workout that enhances strength and aesthetics.
7. Barbell Incline Bench Press
98.9 mSCORESWAPPED 119 TIMESBarbell 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.
8. Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
82 mSCORESWAPPED 117 TIMESAlternating Dumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Bench Press. Like other Bench Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. By alternating arms, you add instability and a greater need for core stabilization, helping to address any strength discrepancies between sides. This variation can also increase time under tension, making it an excellent exercise for muscle endurance.
9. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 117 TIMESDumbbell Fly’s are one of the most common isolation chest exercises, and for good. It primarily targets the muscles in the chest, but also recruits the shoulders for stability. The use of dumbbells ensures that you’re targeting each side of the body independently, and prevents compensating for any weaknesses between sides. In addition the isolated nature of this exercise is a great way to fatigue your chest, and focus on building both muscle mass and increasing strength in your chest.
10. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 87 TIMESMachine Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation chest exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the shoulders. The use of a machine makes the exercise more stable allowing you to focus on exertion or learn the movement with minimal risk of injury. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to learn the movement, or advanced lifters looking to push this movement to it’s limit.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Fly Machine