Incline Press: Choosing your angle
Barbell, dumbbell, alternating, iso-hold, push-up, JC, landmine… so many incline press variations to try and SO LITTLE TIME!
Just kiddin’ (about the time, not the variety)
Most upper body pressing we do in the gym is categorized by a horizontal movement OR a vertical movement but there is a group presses that combines the two into one: incline pressing.
There is a lot of beauty in the incline press.
For some, vertical pressing can cause discomfort and/or some may not have the appropriate shoulder mobility to do a strict vertical press. Swapping a vertical press to an incline press can elevate this discomfort while still working the deltoid (shoulder) muscles effectively. Example: Barbell overhead press —> landmine overhead press.
☼ Special note: While it can be helpful & the right choice to swap out a lift due to mobility limitations, we don’t want to make the swap and forget about it! Make sure to address any mobility limitations specifically so you can build back up to the original lift. ☼
In other cases, incline pressing can be placed strategically in a workout to emphasize/tax a specific muscle without directly repeating a movement pattern. Incline presses can also be swapped in place of a horizontal or vertical press to “mix it up” and keep things exciting without sacrificing progress. Example: Db chest press & db incline press.
Still in other cases an incline press may be helpful if you want to improve your strict vertical press or strict horizontal press but aren’t quite strong enough to execute it yet. In that case, working on an incline press that favors the weaker movement pattern you want to improve can help you bridge the strength gap over time & progress you to the strict press you have your sights set on. Example: Incline push-up —> traditional push-up
On the same note as the point above, one of my top reasons for lovin’ an incline press is that you can manipulate the angle of the incline to bias chest muscles (pectorals) more or less than shoulder muscles (deltoids). Of course we know we won't totally eliminate the work of either group while doing an incline press but it’s cool to be able to adjust the lift to fit our needs better.
Basically, if you make it look more like a horizontal press then you’ll get more of a horizontal pressing stimulus & same for vertical pressing.
Flatter bench angle = looks more horizontal = is more horizontal = more pectoral recruitment
Steeper bench angle = looks more vertical = is more vertical = more deltoid recruitment
Regardless of which variation you decide on, all of these lifts are a combination of a horizontal and vertical press & will work both the chest and shoulders together. When picking out which variation of the incline press you want to incorporate into your workouts consider what your overall goals are, what you enjoy & what interests you most!
psssst! I made you a free lifting guide that breaks down All movement patterns & includes cues, demos & more.
get the download here.
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