Seat too low or high
Adjust so handles line up with your upper chest at the start.
Horizontal push · Plate-loaded machine
Hammer Strength Incline Press
A plate-loaded incline press machine that guides the handles up and in along a fixed arc. It targets the upper chest with far less balance demand than a barbell. Good for lifters who want stable upper-chest work they can push near failure.
- Primary
- Chest
- Secondary
- Triceps, Front Delts
- Starting rep range
- 8–12 reps
- Target effort
- 1.5 reps in reserve
- Progression
- 5 kg jumps
Muscles worked
The clavicular (upper) fibers of the chest drive the arms up and across. The front delts work hard on any incline, and the triceps finish the lockout.
How to set up
- Set the seat so the handles start level with your upper chest.
- Sit with your back flat against the pad and feet planted.
- Grip the handles and set your shoulder blades back and down.
- Brace your abs before the first rep.
How to do each rep
- Press the handles up and away until your arms are nearly straight.
- Lower under control over two to three seconds until you feel a stretch across the chest.
- Keep the shoulder blades pinned and elbows about 45 degrees from your torso.
- Reverse smoothly at the bottom without bouncing.
Common hammer strength incline press mistakes
Shoulders rolling forward
Keep shoulder blades pinned back throughout.
Short range of motion
Lower until you feel a stretch in the chest each rep.
Sets, reps, and progression
Surpass starts the hammer strength incline press at 8–12 reps with about 1.5 reps in reserve. As a compound lift it usually belongs early in the session, when you are fresh.
Add reps before plates, then add 5-10 lb per side once you hit the top of your range. Keep both sides loaded evenly.
Know what to lift next time
Surpass shows what you lifted last time beside a target for this set, and adjusts it from your reps and RIR. Free on iPhone, no account needed.
Hammer Strength Incline Press alternatives
These train the same main muscles. Swap when the equipment is busy, something hurts, or progress has stalled for several weeks.
Programs that use it
Questions
Is the machine incline press good for upper chest?
Yes. The incline path lines up with the upper chest, and the fixed track lets you push hard without balancing a bar. It is a reliable upper-chest builder.
Machine incline vs. barbell incline press?
The machine is easier to learn and safer to take near failure without a spotter. The barbell demands more stability and is easier to test for strength. Both build the upper chest.