There are quite a few different exercises you can do for a bigger and stronger chest. If your goal is to build your upper body, I'm sure you've tried a lot of them out as well!
Now, of the chest exercises out there, bench presses tend to be the most popular. By this, I'm talking about exercises like dumbbell or barbell bench presses.
There are also variations of the bench press such as incline and decline bench presses.
Now, the two most popular are the standard flat bench press and the incline bench press. But between the two, which one is better?
If you came to find these answers, you came to the right place. Before we declare an official winner, let's dive into each, how they compare, and other tips to help you see the best results.
Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press is an exercise that emphasizes your upper chest muscles. At the same time, you'll also be working your triceps, shoulders, and core!
This exercise gets its name from the bench being set to an incline. Normally, this will fall anywhere between 30-45 degrees.
For the incline bench press, you will generally use either dumbbells or a barbell. However, that doesn't mean you can't use other pieces of equipment such as bands.
So, what does the incline bench press look like?
How To Do The Incline Bench Press
Before you get started, make sure to adjust the bench to a 30 to 45-degree incline. I'll explain how to do the incline bench press with a barbell. Just know that the movement will be very similar to how you'll do it with any other piece of equipment too.
Load the barbell with the desired weight and set it on a rack above the bench. You should be able to lay back on the bench with your face directly below the barbell.
Plant your feet on either side of the bench, pull your shoulders down and back, and puff your chest out. From here, you can get started!
1. Reach your arms overhead to grab the bar slightly outside shoulder-width apart (or where you find comfort). Your palms should be facing toward your feet.
2. Lift the barbell off the rack and bring it out slightly, holding it directly over your chest.
3. Slowly inhale as you lower the weight in a controlled manner to your upper chest.
4. Pause at the bottom before you exhale and push the weight back up to the starting position.
5. Repeat this for as many reps and sets as you have programmed, taking a rest between each set.
Flat Bench Press
The flat bench press is an exercise that will target all the same muscles. You'll work your chest, triceps, and shoulder just like in an incline bench press. Unlike an incline bench press though, you'll target more of your lower and middle chest.
In a flat bench, you won't be adjusting the bench at all. At the same time, you'll be able to use virtually any piece of equipment. Similar to incline bench presses though, you will most often use dumbbells or a barbell.
With that being said, let's get into how to do a flat bench press.
How To Do The Flat Bench Press
Load the barbell with the desired weight and set it on a rack above the bench. You should be able to lay back on the bench with your face directly below the barbell.
Plant your feet on either side of the bench, pull your shoulders down and back, and puff your chest out. Now you're ready to bench!
1. Place a flat bench under a loaded barbell. Make sure your face naturally falls underneath the barbell.
2. Grip the barbell with your hands a little outside shoulder-width apart (or where you find comfortable). Once again, your palms will be facing toward your feet.
3. Lift the barbell off of the rack and bring it forward slightly. It should be in line with your shoulders and upper chest.
4. Slowly inhale as you lower the weight in a controlled manner to your chest. The bar should also travel at a slight angle as you bring it to your lower chest.
5. Pause at the bottom before you exhale and push the weight back to its starting position.
6. Repeat this for as many reps and sets as you have programmed, taking a rest between each set.
Incline vs Flat Bench
These exercises are both great to help improve upper body strength. You truly can’t go wrong with either one. In fact, I would actually recommend using both in your routine.
Doing this can allow you to target slightly different muscles to get more out of your workout program.
The key difference is the angle at which you perform the workouts. As listed above, the incline bench press is set at an incline between 30-45 degrees. The flat bench press is completely parallel to the ground.
Research shows that the incline bench press is going to put about a 30% increased activation of your upper chest over the flat bench press (1). In addition to this, you will likely activate your shoulders more as well.
Even so, people tend to lift heavier weights with the flat bench press than the incline bench press. The flat bench press is going to allow you to put more emphasis on your chest muscles as a whole, rather than mostly your upper chest.
Since you can use heavier weights, It could also help you put more overall volume on your chest. This can be important if your main goal is to build muscle and strength.
How Are They Similar?
Both the flat bench press and incline bench press will target a lot of the same muscles. They will both help you hit mostly your triceps, chest, and shoulders.
In addition to this, they can both be done in a number of different ways. You can use barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, and even machines specific for both the flat bench press and incline bench press.
Even when it comes to how you actually do either exercise, they are very similar. The reality is, these exercises are similar in a lot more ways than they are different.
Now, which one is better?
Which Exercise Is Better: Flat Bench Press or Incline Bench Press?
Some people may tell you that one is better than the other, but in my experience, they are all beneficial in different ways. It really just depends on what you are looking to get out of the movement.
For this reason, I could never pick just one of these exercises. They are both fantastic movements to help increase your upper body strength. They each have a place to help you progress in your journey too.
In my opinion, you should use both to your advantage.
At the end of the day, this is like asking me to choose pasta or potatoes ... I could never pick just one. To get the most out of my workouts, I'm going to choose both!
Things To Think About For Bench Press Exercises
Now, if you're looking to get the most out of your bench press, I have some tips. Some of them may or may not be obvious to you. Either way, they can be helpful and are worth mentioning!
Warm Up
It's always important to make sure that you are preparing your body to train hard. This is especially true when you plan on using heavy weights. For flat bench presses and incline bench presses, there are quite a few ways you can warm up.
For pushing movements in general, I normally recommend some shoulder activation exercises. You can use lighter weights and resistance bands to get your blood flowing and get the right muscle groups ready to perform.
Push-ups can also be a great warmup if you plan on bench pressing.
Use A Spotter
Having somebody watch you during your lifts is something that I always recommend. This is going to ensure that you are safe and have a safety net when you need it.
In a flat bench press and incline bench press, a spotter can make sure you don't tweak your shoulder or drop the weight on yourself. On top of that, they can also assist you with getting the weight above your chest initially.
Engage Your Whole Body
This is something that many people miss out on. This doesn't just apply to bench pressing either, but all exercises. With bench pressing specifically, you can use your whole body to get more out of the lift.
For example, planting your feet correctly can help you produce more force. Also, engaging your core can support stabilization and strength in the movement.
How to Get the Most Out of Your Flat Bench Press & Incline Bench Press
Here at 1st Phorm, our mission is to help real people like you and me earn real and long-term results. That's why I'd be lying if I could guarantee you that these two exercises alone will get you the results you're after.
Is the flat bench press a great exercise? Sure.
Is the incline bench press a great exercise? Yes as well.
However, the exercises you choose to do are only one piece of a much bigger puzzle. If that puzzle is earning results, obviously one piece won't make the world's difference.
You need all the pieces to be in the right place. That means not only the exercises you choose to do but your workout program as a whole. No, it doesn't stop there either.
What I would argue is even more important is your nutrition. Earning the best results means giving your body the fuel it needs and in the right amounts.
Just know when it comes to earning the best results possible, we can help. In fact, that's why we developed the 1st Phorm App.
The 1st Phorm App is the ultimate all-in-one app for achieving your health and fitness goals. It simplifies the process and gives you access to everything you need including:
• A certified personal trainer and nutrition coach (sometimes a dietitian) to coach you every day in the app
• A custom nutrition plan and an easy way to log your food to stay on track
• 5x per week live streams about nutrition, training, and supplementation
• A full library of workout programs catered to your goals
• Activity and step-counting software
• Progress tracking and body metrics to make sure you get the results you're after
So, if you're ready to take your results to the next level - Download the 1st Phorm App now!
If you have any questions or need help in the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out! We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri. Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com any day from 6 AM to 10 PM Central.
References:
(1) Rodríguez-Ridao, David et al. “Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise.” International journal of environmental research and public health vol. 17,19 7339. 8 Oct. 2020, doi:10.3390/ijerph17197339.
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