5 Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip Alternatives for Home Gyms

What to use instead of the Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip: try incline dumbbell press, incline Smith press, decline/feet-elevated push-ups, cable incline flyes, or a low-angle landmine press. Each preserves the upward pressing pattern that targets the clavicular head; cue a 30° bench angle, retract the scapula, and press in a slight arc to load the upper pecs.

Original Exercise: Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip

Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip
Primary Muscle
Pectorals
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Shoulders, Triceps
How to Perform Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip
  1. 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.
  2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on you upper chest.
  3. 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.
  4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
  5. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Pro Tips
  • Category: Strength
  • Force: Push
  • Movement type: Compound

Best Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip Alternatives

Best Match
Barbell Incline Bench Press

1. Barbell Incline Bench Press

99.9% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
  3. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
  5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the barbell back up to the starting position.
Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press

2. Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press

95.4% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
  3. Grasp the barbell with a reverse grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
  5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press

3. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press

90% Match
Pectorals Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Sit on the bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed firmly against the bench.
  3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward, and lift them to shoulder height.
  4. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
  5. Push the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

4. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

90% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. 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.
  2. From the starting position, breathe in and begin coming down slowly until the bar touches your middle chest.
  3. 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.
  4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
  5. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Bench Press With Chains

5. Bench Press With Chains

89.6% Match
Pectorals Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the leader chain, shortening it to the desired length.Place the chains on the sleeves of the bar.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
Barbell Decline Pullover

6. Barbell Decline Pullover

89.4% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie down on a decline bench with your head lower than your hips and your feet secured.
  2. Hold the barbell with a pronated grip (palms facing away from you) and your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Extend your arms above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  4. Lower the barbell in an arc motion behind your head, feeling a stretch in your chest and shoulders.
  5. Pause for a moment, then return the barbell to the starting position by reversing the motion.
Dumbbell Incline Breeding

7. Dumbbell Incline Breeding

89.3% Match
Pectorals Dumbbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Sit on the bench with your back against the pad and feet flat on the ground.
  3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing forward.
  4. Start with your arms fully extended, perpendicular to the ground.
  5. Lower the dumbbells slowly to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
Bench Press - Powerlifting

8. Bench Press - Powerlifting

89.2% Match
Pectorals Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Lower the bar to your lower chest or upper stomach. The bar, wrist, and elbow should stay in line at all times.
  4. 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.
Cable Incline Bench Press

9. Cable Incline Bench Press

89.2% Match
Pectorals Cable Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Adjust the bench to a 45-degree incline.
  2. Attach the cable handles to the high pulleys.
  3. Sit on the bench facing the cable machine with your feet flat on the ground.
  4. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and bring them to shoulder height.
  5. Push the handles forward and upward until your arms are fully extended.
Decline Barbell Bench Press

10. Decline Barbell Bench Press

87.9% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and slowly lay down on the bench.
  2. 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.
  3. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your lower chest.
  4. 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).
  5. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

Why You Might Need a Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip Alternative

You may swap the barbell incline for several reasons: shoulder pain from a fixed bar path, no barbell available, the need for unilateral balance, or to vary stimulus for hypertrophy. The incline bench shifts load to the clavicular head and anterior deltoid, so choose substitutes that replicate upward shoulder flexion and horizontal adduction. For example, dumbbells allow greater scapular motion and reduce impingement—keep elbows ~45° and drive through the palms to preserve pec activation. A landmine or Smith reduces shear while cables maintain continuous tension for strict pec loading.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Select an alternative based on equipment, pain history, and training goal. If you lack a barbell, pick incline dumbbells or Smith machine to keep a bilateral pressing pattern; cue a controlled 3–4s eccentric to maximize time under tension. If you have shoulder soreness, favor cables or landmine presses that permit a natural arc and reduce humeral internal rotation—keep scapula retracted and elbows tracking slightly forward. For unilateral balance or core carryover, choose single-arm dumbbell or landmine presses and prioritize progressive overload with strict form and full ROM.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip work?

The primary target is the clavicular head of the pectoralis major (upper chest), with secondary load on the anterior deltoid and triceps brachii. Increasing bench angle above 30° raises anterior deltoid involvement; keep elbows at ~45° to emphasize the pecs over the shoulders.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip?

Decline (feet-elevated) push-ups best mimic the upward pressing angle for upper-pec emphasis. Elevate feet 12–18 inches, maintain a straight plank, retract the scapula, descend until your chest nears the floor, and press with a controlled tempo for maximal upper-chest recruitment.

Can I build muscle without doing Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip?

Yes. You can achieve equal or better hypertrophy with alternatives that preserve the incline pressing pattern, like incline dumbbell presses, cable incline flyes, or single-arm landmine presses. Focus on progressive overload, full ROM, and controlled eccentrics to stimulate the clavicular head effectively.

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