10 Best Reverse-grip Incline Bench Press Alternatives for Upper Chest

Try these replacements when the Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press isn’t available: incline dumbbell press, Smith-machine reverse-grip incline press, incline cable press, incline dumbbell reverse-grip press, or decline (feet-elevated) push-ups. Set the bench 30–35°, press slightly toward the midline, and keep scapulae retracted to emphasize the clavicular fibers.

Original Exercise: Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press

Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press
Primary Muscle
Pectorals
Equipment
Barbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound
Secondary Muscles: Triceps, Shoulders
How to Perform Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press
  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.
  6. Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Best Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press Alternatives

Best Match
Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip

1. Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip

95.4% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  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.
Barbell Incline Bench Press

2. Barbell 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 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 Decline Bench Press

3. Barbell Reverse Grip Decline Bench Press

90% Match
Pectorals Barbell Intermediate Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips.
  2. Grasp the barbell with a reverse grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
  4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the barbell back up to the starting position.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Barbell Wide Reverse Grip Bench Press

4. Barbell Wide Reverse Grip Bench Press

90% Match
Pectorals Barbell Advanced Isolation
How to perform this exercise
  1. Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
  2. Grasp the barbell with a wide reverse grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it directly above your chest with your arms fully extended.
  4. Lower the barbell slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in and your wrists straight.
  5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest, then push it back up to the starting position.
Barbell Decline Pullover

5. Barbell Decline Pullover

86% 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 Bench Press

6. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press

85.9% 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.
Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press

7. Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press

85.9% 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 backrest and feet flat on the ground.
  3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing inwards.
  4. Extend your arms straight up above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  5. Lower the dumbbells slowly towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.
Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

8. Barbell Bench Press - Medium Grip

85.4% 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.
Dumbbell Incline Breeding

9. Dumbbell Incline Breeding

85.2% 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 With Chains

10. Bench Press With Chains

85.1% 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.

Why You Might Need a Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press Alternative

You may need substitutes because of shoulder pain, wrist discomfort from a supinated bar path, lack of a barbell or spotter, or to address unilateral imbalances. The reverse-grip shifts the line of pull toward the clavicular head and increases elbow flexor torque, which can aggravate elbows or biceps tendons. For rehab or comfort, choose a neutral-grip dumbbell or cable variation to reduce external rotation and rotator-cuff strain. If equipment is limited, decline push-ups at a 45° angle still load the upper pecs while eliminating heavy axial compression. Use a 2–3 second eccentric and controlled scapular retraction to preserve mechanics and maximize pectoral activation.

How to Choose the Right Substitute

Pick a substitute based on equipment, joint health, and training goals. If you want maximal loading and similar bilateral force, use incline dumbbells at 30–35° and press with a slight inward arc to replicate the reverse-grip line of pull. For shoulder issues, select incline cables or a neutral-grip dumbbell press to keep the humerus in a safer plane. If you face imbalances, prioritize unilateral dumbbell presses to correct asymmetries and train each side to near-failure. Test a 6–12RM to compare perceived upper-pec activation; if the clavicular region doesn’t burn after 3 sets, tweak angle or grip and re-test.

Frequently Asked Questions

What muscles does Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press work?

It primarily targets the clavicular head of the pectoralis major (upper pecs) while recruiting anterior deltoid and triceps. The reverse grip shifts the bar path so the line of pull increases elbow flexor and biceps involvement, so you’ll feel more upper-pec and anterior shoulder activation.

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

Decline (feet-elevated) push-ups are the top bodyweight option because they place the torso at an angle that targets the upper pecs. Set feet on a 12–18 in. box, keep a tight plank, and drive hands slightly toward midline while retracting the scapulae to maximize clavicular activation.

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

Yes. Use progressive overload with alternatives like incline dumbbell presses or incline cable presses to stimulate the same upper-pec fibers. Focus on 6–12 rep ranges, full controlled eccentrics, and a slight inward press arc to maintain the biomechanical stimulus for hypertrophy.

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