10 Best Barbell Incline Bench Press Alternatives for Limited Equipment
What can I do instead of Barbell Incline Bench Press? Use dumbbell incline press, incline smith-machine press, incline cable press, landmine press, or feet-elevated push-ups. Set the bench 30–45°, retract your scapulae, and press with elbows ~30° from the torso to emphasize the clavicular head of the pectoralis and limit shoulder strain.
Original Exercise: Barbell Incline Bench Press
How to Perform Barbell Incline Bench Press
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
- Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the barbell back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Barbell Incline Bench Press Alternatives
1. Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip
99.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie back on an incline bench. Using a medium-width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on you upper chest.
- After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: it should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
2. Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press
95.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
- Grasp the barbell with a reverse grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
3. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Sit on the bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed firmly against the bench.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward, and lift them to shoulder height.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
- Push the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
4. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie back on a flat bench. Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.
- After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out. Focus on pushing the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
5. Bench Press With Chains
89.6% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Adjust the leader chain, shortening it to the desired length.Place the chains on the sleeves of the bar.
- Lying on the bench, get your head beyond the bar if possible. Tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement. However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar.
- Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart. Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
- Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
6. Barbell Decline Pullover
89.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie down on a decline bench with your head lower than your hips and your feet secured.
- Hold the barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing away from you) and your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Extend your arms above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Lower the barbell in an arc motion behind your head, feeling a stretch in your chest and shoulders.
- Pause for a moment, then return the barbell to the starting position by reversing the motion.
7. Dumbbell Incline Breeding
89.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Sit on the bench with your back against the pad and feet flat on the ground.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing forward.
- Start with your arms fully extended, perpendicular to the ground.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
8. Bench Press - Powerlifting
89.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Begin by lying on the bench, getting your head beyond the bar if possible. Tuck your feet underneath you and arch your back. Using the bar to help support your weight, lift your shoulder off the bench and retract them, squeezing the shoulder blades together. Use your feet to drive your traps into the bench. Maintain this tight body position throughout the movement.
- However wide your grip, it should cover the ring on the bar. Pull the bar out of the rack without protracting your shoulders. Focus on squeezing the bar and trying to pull it apart.
- Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
- Pause when the barbell touches your torso, and then drive the bar up with as much force as possible. The elbows should be tucked in until lockout.
9. Cable Incline Bench Press
89.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Adjust the bench to a 45-degree incline.
- Attach the cable handles to the high pulleys.
- Sit on the bench facing the cable machine with your feet flat on the ground.
- Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and bring them to shoulder height.
- Push the handles forward and upward until your arms are fully extended.
10. Decline Barbell Bench Press
87.9% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and slowly lay down on the bench.
- Using a medium width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. The arms should be perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position. Tip: In order to protect your rotator cuff, it is best if you have a spotter help you lift the barbell off the rack.
- As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your lower chest.
- After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up).
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Barbell Incline Bench Press Alternative
You might substitute the barbell incline press due to shoulder pain from a fixed bar path, no access to a barbell/bench, or a need for unilateral work. Dumbbells let you pronate or rotate the wrist to reduce impingement and increase upper-pec activation; set a 30° bench and lower to the upper chest with scapular retraction. Machines and cables provide a controlled path and constant tension to isolate the clavicular fibers. Landmine and elevated push-ups lower joint compression while preserving horizontal adduction and eccentric control for hypertrophy or rehab.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Match the substitute to your goal, equipment, and joint tolerance. For heavy loading and progressive overload choose dumbbell incline or smith-machine incline—use a 30–45° bench angle to bias the upper pecs and keep elbows 30–45° from the torso to reduce anterior deltoid dominance. For constant tension and peak contraction use incline cables, driving the handles together at lockout. If you lack equipment or have shoulder issues, select landmine presses or feet-elevated push-ups and press slightly forward to shorten the moment arm. Prefer unilateral work? Use single-arm dumbbell incline presses and track load or tempo progression.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Barbell Incline Bench Press work?
The barbell incline bench primarily targets the clavicular head of the pectoralis major (upper chest), with strong secondary activation of the anterior deltoids and triceps. Adjusting bench angle alters muscle emphasis: around 30° favors upper pecs, while higher angles increase deltoid contribution due to changes in the moment arm.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell Incline Bench Press?
Feet-elevated push-ups best replicate the upward press vector and upper-pec loading when you lack equipment. Place feet on a 12–18 in surface, maintain a straight plank line, and lower your chest with elbows at ~30–45° to keep tension on the clavicular fibers.
Can I build muscle without doing Barbell Incline Bench Press?
Yes. You can stimulate the upper chest with dumbbell incline presses, incline cables, landmine presses, or elevated push-ups while applying progressive overload. Focus on controlled eccentrics, full but safe range of motion, and incremental increases in load, reps, or tempo to drive hypertrophy.
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