Barbell Incline Bench

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Equipment & Set Up

• Bench and barbell (BB).
• Hooks just below start position (arms extended).
• When utilizing a power rack, bench must be placed in center of rack.

Primary Muscles Involved

• Pectoralis major
• Pectoralis minor
• Anterior deltoids
• Triceps brachii

Starting Position

• 5 points of contact
  Two feet flat on floor. Glutes flat on bench. Upper back and shoulders flat on bench. Back of head flat on bench.
• Set your core-brace the abdominals, retract scapula, and inhale.
• BB directly above eyes.
• Hands on BB slightly wider than shoulder width, placing wrists directly over elbow and perpendicular to floor.

Movement Execution

• Initiate eccentric phase by lowering BB, touching chest at nipple level.
• Initiate concentric phase by driving BB up, returning to start position. Exhaling after clearing sticking point.

Safety & Spotting Techniques

• BB bench press requires one spotter.
• Spotter is placed directly behind the BB.
• Spotter will assist unracking and reracking the BB.
• In the case of a failed attempt the spotter will assist returning the BB to the rack.

Common Errors & Corrections

• Failure to maintain 5 points of contact
  1. Emphasize replacing point of contact.
• Allowing elbows to flair out
  1. Emphasize keeping scapula retracted and elbows pulled in.
• Bouncing BB off chest
  1. Emphasize eccentric control.