Shoulders · Barbell
Barbell Incline Shoulders Press
How to do the barbell incline shoulders press, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- VerticalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Sit on an incline bench set fairly upright and hold a barbell at shoulder height with an overhand grip. Press the bar up and slightly back until your arms are extended, then lower it to the front of your shoulders under control. The incline angle blends a shoulder press with upper chest work.
- 1Feel your front delts and upper chest drive the bar up
- 2Keep your core braced and back supported on the bench
- 3Press in a straight line over your shoulders
Common mistakes
- Avoid flaring your elbows straight out to the sides
- Don't arch your lower back off the bench
- Avoid bouncing the bar at the bottom
Muscles worked
The barbell incline shoulders press mainly works the front delts and upper chest, with the triceps and side delts assisting.
- Front DeltsPrimary
- Upper ChestPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Mid ChestMinor
- Upper TrapsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the barbell incline shoulders press for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.