Illustrations: Everkinetic (Greg Priday), CC BY-SA 4.0 · cropped, resized & combined
Chest
Set the bench to 30-45 degrees; the more upright it is, the more the front delts take over.
Sit back until your glutes and upper back are fully in contact, feet flat, shoulder blades pulled down and together.
Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width, unrack it, and set it straight over your collarbones.
Lower the bar under control to the upper chest just below the collarbones, elbows about 45 degrees from your torso.
Press the bar up in a straight line until the elbows are nearly locked, glutes staying on the bench.
Hold for a second at the top while squeezing the chest, then repeat with the same tempo.
Setting the bench steeper than 45 degrees, which turns the lift into an overhead press.
Lowering the bar to mid-chest like a flat bench, which over-extends the shoulders.
Lifting the hips to flatten out the angle so the weight feels easier.
Holding your breath for the whole set until you get dizzy on the last rep.
Start 10-20 percent lighter than your flat bench; the incline angle genuinely cuts your pressing power.
If your front delts burn more than your chest, drop the bench back to 30 degrees.
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