Chest · Barbell
Barbell Pause Incline Bench Press
How to do the barbell pause incline bench 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
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Lie on an incline bench with your feet flat and grip the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulders. Lower the bar to your upper chest and hold a full pause with the bar still, then press it back up to lockout. Keep your shoulder blades pulled together throughout.
- 1Feel your upper chest and triceps load as you lower to a dead-stop pause
- 2Keep your shoulder blades pinned down and back through the pause
- 3Press straight up from the upper chest after the hold
Common mistakes
- Don't bounce; hold the pause fully before pressing
- Avoid flaring your elbows too wide
- Don't arch your back off the bench; stay set
Muscles worked
The barbell pause incline bench press mainly works the upper chest and mid chest, with the triceps, lower chest, and front delts assisting.
- Upper ChestPrimary
- Mid ChestPrimary
- TricepsSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the barbell pause incline bench 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 chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed June 2026.