Smith Incline Press
Smith Incline Press is a compound horizontal push exercise for the chest. Use a controlled range that keeps the target muscles loaded and the joints comfortable.
Illustration: Smith Machine Incline Bench Press · closest available open illustration of the same or equivalent movement. Follow the written setup for this equipment variation.
Set up
- 1Set the safety stops just below the bottom of your range.
- 2Place the body so the fixed bar path matches your natural joint path.
- 3Set the working height so the hands begin around mid-chest.
- 4Create a stable base with feet planted, ribs stacked, and shoulder blades gently set back.
How to perform it
- 1Place an incline bench underneath the smith machine. Place the barbell at a height that you can reach when lying down and your arms are almost fully extended. Once the weight you need is selected, lie down on the incline bench and make sure your upper chest is aligned with the barbell. Using a pronated grip (palms facing forward) that is wider than shoulder width, unlock the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
- 2As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your upper chest.
- 3After 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, 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.
- 4Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- 5When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
Breathing
Inhale and brace before the lowering phase, then exhale gradually through the hardest part of the repetition without losing trunk position.
Technique cues
- •Let the fixed rail guide the load; adjust your stance instead of fighting its path
- •Chest tall; shoulders down
- •Press through the whole hand
- •Control the final third of the lowering phase
Common mistakes
- •Shrugging toward the ears
- •Letting the shoulders roll forward at the bottom
- •Bouncing or cutting the range short
Machine busy?
See equivalent alternatives
These options train the same main muscle group and prioritize a similar movement pattern. Match the effort and rep target rather than trying to match the exact load.
Plate-loaded
Barbell
Bodyweight
Safety note: This training reference is educational, not medical advice. Use pain-free ranges and seek qualified care for persistent pain, dizziness, or other concerning symptoms.