Incline benches play an important role in developing the chest muscles. They allow you to adjust the angle of the bench to target different areas of the chest during pressing movements. Setting the bench at an incline emphasizes the upper chest, front delts, and triceps more than a flat bench.
For home gyms with limited space, a foldable incline bench is an ideal option. Foldable benches like the Flybird FB149 can fold completely flat, making storage under a bed or behind a door simple. This type of weight bench takes just seconds to unfold and lock into the desired incline position.
With an adjustable and foldable incline bench, you can build an efficient upper body workout into your home without sacrificing valuable floor space.
Let's discuss how to optimize a foldable incline bench for maximum chest and shoulder development based on the background information provided.
How to Set Up an Incline Bench for the Best Results：
Setting up a foldable incline bench properly is key to getting the most out of your upper body workouts. Follow these steps to adjust your foldable weight bench for different training goals:
Unfold the Bench
First, make sure your foldable incline bench is completely unfolded. Benches like the FB 149 have folding legs on one side that need to be extended. Release the lock holding the legs in the folded position. Fully extend both legs so the bench sits securely on the floor without rocking.
Next is the setting of the stool angle. Raise the back pad to your desired incline position. On benches with preset angles, slide the back pad up until it locks into the hole for your chosen angle. For benches with free-range adjustability, manually lift the back pad to the incline angle you want.
Listen for the click that indicates the back pad has locked into that preset position. Your foldable incline bench is now ready for use at the set incline angle.
Choose the Back Pad Incline Angle
One major benefit of an adjustable incline bench is the ability to change the back pad angle for different training effects. Here are some guidelines for choosing the best incline angle:
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15-30 degrees: Targets upper chest without much shoulder involvement. Closer to a flat bench press.
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30-45 degrees: Balances chest and front shoulder work. Hits more delts than lower inclines.
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45-60 degrees: Emphasizes front delts and activates shoulders more like an overhead press. Reduced chest involvement.
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60+ degrees: Isolates front delts with minimal chest work. Ideal for overhead pressing strength.
Adjust the Seat Height
Some adjustable benches also allow you to change the height of the seat pad. This positions your body differently relative to the back pad.
Higher seat pad: Lines up your shoulders with the middle of the back pad. Reduces range of motion which can allow heavier lifting.
Lower seat pad: Lines up your shoulders with the bottom of the back pad. Increases range of motion for greater chest stretch.
Try experimenting with different seat heights to find what feels best for your body and goals. Just make sure the seat pad locks securely into the chosen height.
Set Up Support Racks
While free-weight pressing doesn’t require a rack, having support stands makes unracking heavy weights much easier and safer. Power racks are ideal, allowing you to set precisely the right bar height for your exercise.
If you don’t have a full rack, opt for separate squat stands or spotter arms attached to your bench. Position the supports so the barbell ends are aligned with the top/middle of your chest at the bottom of your press.
Use Spotters Properly
Having a spotter behind the bench is highly recommended when pressing heavy weights. If training alone, be conservative with the loads used and do not fully fatigue your muscles.
When using a spotter, communicate clearly when you need assistance completing a rep. Do not start pushing the weight back up or turning it to the side. Your spotter should be able to smoothly take the barbell and rack it safely.
Position Your Body Correctly
Get set up in the proper pressing position before unracking any weight:
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Shoulder blades retracted and down
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Eyes below the barbell
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Feet flat on the floor or bench
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Soft grip on bar, elbows under wrists
Take your time getting set up for maximum stability and power on every rep. Proper form should always take priority over rushing to lift more weight.
Exercises to Perform on an Incline Bench：
An incline bench opens up a variety of effective upper-body exercises. Here are two of the best movements to perform on a foldable incline bench:
Incline Barbell Bench Press
The incline barbell bench press is a top exercise for building upper chest strength and size. To perform it:
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Set up the bench between 20-45 degrees incline. Higher inclines activate more front delts.
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Lie back with your eyes below the bar. Grip the bar slightly outside shoulder width.
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Keep your feet planted and pull your shoulder blades down and back.
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Unrack the barbell and lower it to your upper chest.
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Pause briefly then drive the bar back up in a straight line.
Touching higher on the chest emphasizes the clavicular head of the pecs. The inclined angle also reduces shoulder strain compared to flat benching.
Using a close or medium grip targets the triceps more. A wider grip focuses more on pec activation. Find the grip width that feels strongest to move more weight.
Incline Dumbbell Press
The incline dumbbell press allows for a greater range of motion and takes stabilization demands off the shoulders. To perform it properly:
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Set the incline bench to 30-45 degrees. Adjust as needed to avoid shoulder impingement.
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Sit upright holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward.
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Engage your core. Kick the weights up one at a time so your arms are extended.
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Lower the dumbbells at an angle to the top of the chest, elbows tucked.
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Press both dumbbells straight up above the shoulders.
Keep the movement controlled. Do not let the weights drop or jerk the weights overhead.
Rotate which arm you kick up first each set. Or use two spotters to hand you the dumbbells in the starting position.
The incline dumbbell press allows you to press efficiently while requiring stabilization and coordination. Experiment with different angles and hand positions to customize the focus for your upper body goals.
Incline Fly
The incline dumbbell fly isolates the pecs through a full range of motion:
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Lie back on a 30-45 degree incline bench. Hold dumbbells at shoulder height.
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Keeping a small bend in elbows, lower the weights out and down in an arc.
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Let the dumbbells travel as far down as is comfortable.
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Squeeze your pecs to bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
Keep your torso stationary throughout the movement. Do not rock or twist your body to lift the weights.
Benefits of Using an Incline Bench
Incline benches provide valuable versatility for upper body training. Here are some of the main benefits of using a foldable incline bench:
Targeted Upper Chest Development
The inclined angle of the bench allows you to emphasize the clavicular head of the pectoralis major. Flat pressing movements hit the lower pecs more. Adding incline presses to your routine provides more complete chest stimulation.
The angle also shifts tension during pressing to the shoulders and triceps. This provides the perfect complement to flat bench work for full upper body development.
Shoulder Friendly Pressing
At lower incline angles of 15-30 degrees, the shoulders are in a safer position compared to flat bench pressing. This reduces the shoulder strain and the potential for impingement or injury.
Space Efficient Strength Training
Foldable incline benches can be folded flat or upright when not in use. This saves considerable floor space versus fixed benches. It provides the versatility of an adjustable bench without eating up your home gym area.
Full Upper Body Workouts At Home
Incline benches allow for effective upper-body workouts from home. Combine incline presses with seated rows, overhead presses, bicep curls, and tricep extensions for full upper-body development. Adjust the incline angle to alter the focus of the presses during each workout.
Saving money on gym memberships, foldable incline benches enable complete strength training from the convenience of home. The adjustable functionality targets muscles thoroughly using multifaceted pressing angles. Incline benches are an efficient, shoulder-friendly tool for unlocking your upper body’s full potential.
Best Foldable Incline Benches on the Market
When setting up a home gym, an adjustable incline bench is a must-have piece of equipment. Incline benches allow you to work your upper body from multiple angles to build a balanced physique. They are also more shoulder-friendly than flat benches for pressing movements.
If you’re looking for a space-saving yet stable and durable incline bench, we highly recommend the options from Flybird Fitness. Flybird engineers their benches for strength, stability, and reliability while maintaining a foldable design.
Flybird FB149 Adjustable Weight Bench
The Flybird FB149 is one of our favorite foldable incline benches for home use. It combines a sleek, low-profile design with robust construction to support up to 800 pounds. The back pad offers 8 different angles from decline up to upright, adjustable via a quick-release pop pin.
We love the FB149’s space-saving abilities. It stows away to just 8 inches deep and can slide under beds or couches with ease. The bench also assembles in minutes - just attach the front stabilizer bar. Once unfolded, the wide triangular base provides a stable lift-off point for pressing heavy weights.
This bench works well for users up to 6’2” tall thanks to the 18.5” seat height and 30” long back pad. The FB149 offers tremendous value in a foldable incline bench under $200. It’s built to last in the most compact home gym spaces.
Flybird FB299 Adjustable Weight Bench
For those looking for premium quality and maximum durability, the Flybird FB299 is an excellent choice. With an 880 pound weight capacity and a robust 2mm thick steel frame, this bench provides a rock-solid base for hardcore strength training.
The FB299 excels at stability while retaining foldable portability. The unique triangular base distributes weight evenly across all contact points with the floor. This prevents rocking or tipping that can happen with narrower benches.
Despite the heavy-duty build, the FB299 still folds down to just 9.5 inches deep. The bench also comes 96% pre-assembled, so you just attach the front stabilizer and start lifting in minutes.
With 8 back pad angles and 3 seat positions, the FB299 enables you to hit the optimal setup for shoulders, chest, or triceps. If you want the pinnacle of quality in a foldable incline bench, this is it.
Flybird FB139 Compact Weight Bench
For those with tight home gym budgets, the Flybird FB139 delivers excellent value. It retains the foldable design in a more streamlined package.
The FB139 bench supports up to 600 pounds, providing plenty of strength for basic home lifting. The back pad offers 6 different angles to target various upper body muscles. At around $120, it’s the most affordable way to add an adjustable incline bench to your home setup.
This bench works well for users up to 5’9”, though taller lifters may want the FB299 or FB149 models. When folded, the FB139 can stow into just 12 inches of depth for ultra-compact storage. The front stabilizer bar and comfortable foam padding complete this budget-friendly package.
A foldable incline bench is an essential piece of equipment for any home gym focused on upper body training. The ability to adjust angles lets you target different areas of the chest, shoulders, and arms for more comprehensive development. When space is limited, a foldable design makes storing the bench out of the way quick and easy.
Flybird Fitness offers premier foldable incline benches that are engineered for maximum stability and durability. Their heavy-duty steel frames support lifting serious weight while the triangular bases prevent rocking and tipping. Convenient pop-pin adjustments make it simple to switch from flat to incline or decline angles in seconds.
For home gym owners wanting robust, portable incline benches, Flybird delivers. Experience upper body gains and functionality with the Flybird difference. A foldable incline bench belongs in every home gym.
