What you'll gain

Builds upper-chest size that fills out the top of the torso.
Strengthens the front shoulders for better overhead press carryover.
Adds a fresh pressing angle that breaks plateaus on flat bench.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1
Set the bench to a steep incline of around 60 degrees and lie back with your feet planted flat.
2
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width and pull your shoulder blades back into the pad.
3
Unrack the bar to full arm extension and stack the wrists directly over the elbows.
4
Lower the bar slowly to the upper chest, just below the collarbone, with elbows tracking under the bar.
5
Pause briefly with the bar at the chest, keeping core tension and a tight upper back.
6
Press the bar back up along the same path until the arms are fully locked out over the upper chest.

Common Mistakes

Setting too steep an angle near vertical, which turns the lift into an overhead press and loses chest involvement.
Lowering the bar to the lower chest like a flat bench, which strains the shoulders at this angle.
Flaring the elbows wide, which loads the front of the shoulders instead of the upper chest.
Lifting the hips off the bench to cheat the press, which ruins the angle and risks back strain.

About This Exercise

The barbell high incline bench press is set on a bench inclined to roughly 60 degrees — steeper than a standard incline. That angle moves the load almost entirely onto the upper chest and front shoulders, building the clavicular fibers of the pec that fill out the top of the chest. It also takes pressure off the lower chest and gives lifters a strong overhead-press carryover. For coaching and bodybuilding apps, this is a high-value pressing variation that signals advanced programming. Ship it next to your flat and incline bench clips to give users a complete chest-angle set. It's also a great fit for shoulder-strength accessory work and any push-day track focused on building the upper torso.

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