Plate Loaded Incline Chest Press

How to do it

1. Load the same plates on both sides and set the seat so the handles line up with your upper chest.
2. Sit back against the inclined pad with feet flat and grip the handles.
3. Set your shoulder blades back and down against the pad.
4. Press the handles up and forward until your arms are straight.
5. Lower slowly until your hands are beside your upper chest.

Tips

• Keep the chest high so the upper chest drives the press.
• Control the lowering for two to three seconds.

Common mistakes

• Seat so low that the press becomes a shoulder press.
• Arching the lower back off the pad.
• Letting the plates bang down between reps.

Muscles worked by the Plate Loaded Incline Chest Press

• Upper chest Primary29%
• Mid chest Primary22%
• Front delts Secondary20%
• Triceps (lateral head) Secondary10%
• Triceps (medial head) Secondary7%
• Triceps (long head) Minor5%
• Lower chest Minor4%
• Serratus anterior Stabilizer3%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

30 to 45 degrees shifts work to the clavicular pec and front delt (Rodriguez-Ridao 2020). A fixed path removes most stabiliser demand. Pressing away from the chest is shoulder horizontal adduction plus elbow extension: the sternal pec drives it, front delt and triceps assist, and the clavicular pec joins as a strong secondary on a flat bench.

Plate Loaded Incline Chest Press alternatives

Same equipment

• Hammer Strength Incline PressMachine
• Incline Machine Chest PressMachine

Different equipment

• Incline Smith Machine PressSmith machine
• Incline Bench PressBarbell
• Incline Dumbbell PressDumbbell

No equipment

• Decline Push UpBodyweight

Make it harder

• Smith Machine Incline Close Grip PressSmith machine
• High Incline Barbell PressBarbell
• Low Incline Barbell PressBarbell
• Board PressBarbell

Similar exercises

• Single Arm Incline Machine PressMachine

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Plate Loaded Incline Chest Press work?

Mainly the upper chest and mid chest. The front delts, triceps (lateral head) and triceps (medial head) assist.

Is the Plate Loaded Incline Chest Press good for beginners?

Yes. The Plate Loaded Incline Chest Press is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.

What is a good alternative to the Plate Loaded Incline Chest Press?

For example the Hammer Strength Incline Press, Incline Machine Chest Press and Incline Smith Machine Press. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.

How do you make the Plate Loaded Incline Chest Press harder?

Add weight or reps, or move on to the Smith Machine Incline Close Grip Press and High Incline Barbell Press.

Sources

• Rodriguez-Ridao et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(19):7339 (five bench inclinations)
• Lehman 2005, JSCR 19(3):587-591 (grip width and forearm position)
• Saeterbakken et al. 2011, J Sports Sci 29(5):533-538 (barbell, dumbbell, Smith)

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