What is the best incline for upper chest?

Author: Vaughn Marks  |  Last update: Sunday, June 8, 2025

The best incline bench press angle for strength gains and muscle growth in the upper chest is 30 degrees. While some lifters make the mistake of adjusting to a 15 or 45-degree angle, research shows that the influence of bench angle on the upper pecs is greatest at a 30 degree position.

Which incline is better for the upper chest?

If you aim to focus on the upper body, consider the pivotal role of a 30-degree incline angle. This specific degree serves as an optimal guideline for enhancing upper chest muscle development by ensuring significant activation with minimal involvement from the front deltoids.

Is 30 or 45 better for upper chest?

Somewhere between 30-45% is the best angle. Many people just immediately say 30% but realistically everyone is different and different angles will work better for everyone. Just experiment with angles between 30-45% and find one you feel hits the upper chest for you the most.

What is the best chest angle for upper chest?

To effectively target the upper chest during incline dumbbell presses, an angle between 30 to 45 degrees is generally recommended.

How much incline to target the upper chest?

The incline bench can be set to anywhere between 30 and 45 degrees. The more upright the bench, the more the deltoids are activated, so keeping closer to 30 degrees will keep most of the focus on the pecs.

Incline Bench Press Tips For Maximum Upper Chest Activation

Is 30 degree incline good for upper chest?

Research shows that the correct angle of the Incline Barbell Bench Press should be 30 degrees from flat to target achieve the best muscular activation in the upper chest. This is one of the best incline bench exercises for upper chest activation, and one that you should definitely focus in each chest day workout.

Which angle is best for the upper chest?

The initial orientation of the arms is great when you are incline pressing. As you can see, the angled bench is set to a 30-45 degree incline angle (30 degrees is best) to allow you to hit the upper chest fibers preferentially.

What is the best exercise for the upper chest?

The 6 Best Upper Chest Exercises For Bigger Pecs
  • Incline Dumbbell Fly.
  • Incline Bench Press.
  • Wide-Grip Bench Press.
  • Low-to-High Cable Fly.
  • Decline Push-up.
  • Bar Dips.

Is the upper chest hard to build?

The upper chest is typically one of the toughest areas of the upper body to develop. There are various reasons for this, and like most things, there are ways to work around it.

Does low incline hit the upper chest?

Using a slight incline brings the upper pectoral into it. Most weight lifters use a full range of incline from flat to sitting vertical to work everything in the chest and shoulders. At about 15 degrees you are pushing the focus to include the upper pectoral.

What is the most optimal chest workout?

The 5 Best Chest Exercises To Build A Huge Chest:
  • Flat Barbell Bench Press.
  • Incline Dumbell Bench Press.
  • Bodyweight Dip.
  • Incline Bench Cable Chest Fly.
  • Push-Ups.

What is the best fly for the upper chest?

The low-to-high cable fly is a phenomenal chest finisher, specifically targeting the upper chest or the clavicular fibers of the pectoralis major. The unique angle of this exercise effectively isolates and emphasizes the upper chest, giving you that well-defined, sculpted look.

Do incline flyes work the upper chest?

The incline dumbbell fly is an isolation exercise that targets the upper chest muscles, activating the hard-to-develop upper pecs in a way that can't be achieved using a flat bench. 1 Different muscle groups are targeted based on the level at which you perform the dumbbell fly.

Is the decline bench worth it?

Decline bench pressing targets the lower chest muscles by increasing the stretch on the pectoralis major muscle and reducing the range of motion. This allows you to lift heavier weights and stimulate muscle growth in the lower chest.

What level incline is best?

You'll definitely hit your target heart rate faster on an incline than a flat surface. A 2013 study revealed that an incline anywhere between 2% to 7% was enough to raise the heart rate of study participants by 10%. At these incline levels, you should enjoy a more intense cardio workout on your incline treadmill.

What incline setting is best for fat loss?

Walking on an incline increases workout intensity, helping you burn more calories. Begin with a low incline (1-5%) and gradually increase as your fitness improves. Intermediate inclines (6-10%) offer a balanced challenge for moderate fitness levels.

How to get massive pecs?

The first step to increasing the size of your pecs is to focus on chest exercises. Chest exercises are essential for building muscle mass and increasing the size of your pecs. Examples of chest exercises include bench press, push ups, chest fly, and chest press.

How do you lose upper body fat around your chest?

7 Ways to Lose Upper Body Fat
  1. Be in a Calorie Deficit.
  2. Increase Calorie Expenditure.
  3. Train the Upper Body Muscles with Weights.
  4. Use Light to Moderate Intensity Cardio to Burn More Fat.
  5. Cut Down on Alcohol Consumption.
  6. Stop Smoking.
  7. Get Enough Sleep.
  8. Barbell Bench Press.

Is 45 or 30 degrees better for upper chest?

Although both a 30 degree and 45 degree incline have similar chest involvement, the steeper incline also has greater shoulder involvement meaning your shoulders may fatigue and become a limiting factor. A 30 degree incline will allow you to target your upper chest but without your shoulders potentially taking over.

Why is the upper chest hard to grow?

Many lifters struggle to build the upper chest, mainly because they lack the proper understanding of what movements are best to build the upper pecs and how to use them in a training program.

Why don't I feel my chest on the incline bench?

If you can't feel your chest when you're doing an incline press, it could be because you are tucking your elbows too far in on the way down, which over-activates your triceps, and doesn't allow you to get a full range of motion ❌ To fix this, bring the dumbbells outs and let them clear your chest, or when you begin to ...

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