Smith machine incline bench press

How to Do Smith machine incline bench press

1. Position an incline bench at a 30 to 45-degree angle inside the Smith machine frame.
2. Lie flat on the bench and adjust its position so the barbell aligns directly over your upper chest.
3. Grip the bar with hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, rotate the bar to unlock it, and fully extend your arms.
4. Lower the bar slowly under control until it gently touches your upper chest, keeping your elbows tucked at a 45-degree angle.
5. Press the bar back up to the starting position by driving through your chest, stopping just short of locking out your elbows.

Muscles worked

Form tips

• Keep your shoulder blades retracted and pressed firmly back into the bench throughout the entire movement.
• Ensure the bench is perfectly centered under the bar to prevent uneven loading and shoulder strain.
• Focus on pushing your biceps inward toward your chest at the top of the movement to maximize pectoral contraction.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing the bar off the chest at the bottom of the rep to gain momentum.
• Flaring the elbows out to 90 degrees, which shifts the stress from the chest to the rotator cuffs.
• Setting the bench angle too high (above 45 degrees), which over-emphasizes the front shoulders instead of the upper chest.

Related Upper exercises

PushupAlternate incline dumbbell rowBarbell biceps curlBarbell cable triceps extensionBarbell pronated rowingBarbell supinated rowing