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§ L · Exercises · ChestUpdated 6/2026

Smith Incline Bench Press

Builds the upper chest and pressing strength. It carries over well to bench pressing and everyday pushing movements.

Muscle group
Chest
Equipment
Smith machine
Exercise type
Compound
Technique
Basic technique

Muscles worked

§ 01 · Muscles
Primary muscle
Chest
Supporting muscles
TricepsShoulders

How to perform

§ 02 · Steps
  1. 01

    Set the incline bench to a 30–45° angle, plant your feet firmly on the floor, and position the Smith bar in line with your upper chest.

  2. 02

    Pull your shoulder blades back and down, and brace your core to support your shoulders.

  3. 03

    Grip the Smith bar slightly wider than shoulder-width with a neutral wrist position.

  4. 04

    Lower the bar under control toward your upper chest until you feel a stretch in your chest muscles, and keep your elbows at about a 45-degree angle.

  5. 05

    Press the bar upward while squeezing your chest muscles, and return to the starting position without abruptly locking out your shoulders.

Beginner's guide

§ 03 · Guide
What it works

Builds the upper chest and pressing strength. It carries over well to bench pressing and everyday pushing movements.

What it should feel like

You should feel it mainly in your upper chest, with some work in the front delts. It should not feel like wrist strain or sharp pain in the front of the shoulder.

Most common mistake

A common mistake is setting the bench too steep, making the front delts take over. Keep the bench around 30 to 45 degrees and your shoulder blades pulled back.

How to get started at the gym

§ 04 · SisuLift

Smith Incline Bench Press is ready to go in the SisuLift exercise library. The app builds you a program, suggests starting weights and shows this same animation during your workout at the gym.

  • ·A ready training program based on your goal
  • ·Starting weight suggestions and automatic progression
  • ·Set logging and rest timer at the gym
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
SisuLift app workout view

Tips

§ 05 · Tips

Keep your elbows slightly out to the sides rather than tucked tightly against your body to avoid placing direct stress on the shoulder joint. Avoid setting the bench steeper than 45°, and focus on a controlled lowering phase.

An effective exercise for developing the upper chest using the Smith machine.

More exercises: Chest

§ 06 · Same muscles

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