Chest training for women: incline press vs bench press

Should women train chest? If your goal is a defined physique and powerful functional strength, training your chest is non-negotiable. While the bench press is the king of upper body compound movements, achieving a well-rounded look requires hitting the pectoral muscles from different angles. This leads to the classic dilemma: incline press vs bench press.

The best chest exercises for men are generally the same as those for women, including the incline bench press and flat bench press.

Chest workouts are just as important for women as they are for men.

Why women should prioritize chest training:

Despite persistent misconceptions, training your chest muscles is just as crucial for women as it is for men. The benefits extend far beyond aesthetics:

1. Develop rounded, defined muscles: Building the pectoral muscles underneath the breast tissue helps create a natural lift and a “perkier” appearance, acting like a non-surgical natural augmentation.
2. Improves posture: The pectoralis major is a large muscle that helps stabilize the shoulder joint. Strong pecs, balanced with back work, pull the shoulders into a better, more upright posture.
3. Boosts functional strength: Chest exercises mimic daily “pushing” activities like pushing a heavy door open, pushing a stroller, or lifting an object overhead, making everyday tasks easier.
4. Enhances overall upper body strength: Bench pressing is a compound movement that heavily involves the front shoulders and triceps, providing comprehensive upper body development.
5. Major muscle group activation: The pectorals are a major muscle group. Training them is key to maximizing output and overall strength gains.

The key difference: Incline press vs bench press

The difference between the flat bench press and the incline bench press is determined solely by the angle of the bench, which shifts the muscular emphasis.

Flat Bench press

The bench press, also known as the chest press, is the standard exercise for building overall muscle mass and strength in the chest. It is second to push-ups when it comes to key chest exercises. It works the entire pectoralis major but places the greatest stress on the middle and lower fibers.

How to do it: 

1. Lie back on the flat bench and place your hands on the bar with an overhand grip. Keep your feet flat on the floor.
2. Extend elbows to a 90-degree position, triceps should be resting, while holding the barbell above your chest.
3. Embrace your core and lower the bar down toward your chest. Then exhale and press the bar towards the ceiling.

Tip: Only your arms should be moving during this exercise. Your legs should remain firm on the floor. If your legs begin to lift off the ground, the amount of weight you’re using is too heavy.

Incline bench press

The incline bench press activates as much of the upper chest muscle as the flat bench press. It activates as much of the upper pecs and upper chest muscle as the flat bench press. This is crucial for creating a well-rounded and defined chest.

How to do it: 

1. Sit down on an incline bench. 
2. Once you lie on the bench with your feet flat on the floor, your arms should be parallel to the barbell and your hands roughly wider than shoulder-width apart. 
3. Slowly lower the bar to your chest, above your breasts and below your collarbone.
4. Focus on squeezing your upper chest together to raise the bar back up.

Changing up the degree angle

For optimal chest development and to prevent muscular imbalances, it’s recommended to include both flat and incline movements in your routine.

Dumbbells vs. Barbell

Both are highly effective, but dumbbells offer distinct advantages:

• Greater range of motion: Dumbbells allow you to lower the weight deeper than a barbell, potentially leading to more muscle activation.
• Better stabilizer activation: Using a pair of dumbbells requires significantly more work from your stabilizing muscles to control the weight independently.

Additional chest exercises

• Flat dumbbell chest press has several advantages over a flat barbell bench press exercise. It allows for a greater range of motion and better stabilizer activation using dumbbells. 
• Cable chest fly is an isolation chest exercise. Like the dumbbell chest press, cable chest flys are good for adding more training volume and stimulating outer chest muscle growth.
• Standard push-ups may not be popular in the gym, but they are effective. You can do push-ups anywhere and they do not require any equipment.
• Incline dumbbell chest press allows for extra range of motion with dumbbells over a barbell. You will work upper pecs and upper chest muscles.
• Smith machine incline press is a great exercise when you do not have a spotter. Similar to the variety of incline presses, just with the added security the smith machine can bring.

Do you have to arch?

You do not have to arch. Arching while bench pressing shortens the distance the bar needs to travel making it easier to move more weight. 

Should you use dumbbells?

You get more range of motion with a pair of dumbbells because there is extra mobility at both the top and the bottom of each press. It allows for more muscle activation in your upper body.

How much weight should women lift?

The weight you lift should challenge you by the last few reps, or even with each rep if you are training with very heavy weights.

Each time you train, try to increase the weight lifted from your previous session. This is one way to help you progress in your strength training goals and continue to see results.