The upper portion of the chest is often seen as both difficult and crucial to grow. But there’s ongoing debate about the best way to target it. Some argue there’s no need to set the bench too steep, while others insist a higher incline is essential for maximising gains. So YouTuber and science-based lifter Jeff Nippard set out to test it for himself.
‘Most people think a 45-degree incline is the best angle for the upper chest,’ Nippard says in a recent video. ‘But I wanted to test this out for myself. So I measured my upper pec activation at every incline from flat to vertical.’
To do that, Nippard attached an EMG muscle sensor to his upper pecs and used a Smith machine to keep the weight and bar path consistent across six different bench angles.
The Results
Nippard found his upper chest was most activated at a 45-degree incline. However, the difference between 15 and 45 degrees was minimal. Even on a flat bench, there was still substantial upper chest recruitment.
- 59% upper chest activation at 0 degrees
- 64% upper chest activation at 15 degrees
- 66% upper chest activation at 25 degrees
- 67% upper chest activation at 45 degrees
- 60% upper chest activation at 65 degrees
- 35% upper chest activation at 90 degrees
The Canadian bodybuilder is quick to point out that these results apply to him specifically. Individual differences, such as how much someone arches their back, can change how muscle fibres are recruited.
The Bottom Line
‘So 45 degrees won, but it was basically the same from 15 to 45. And if you have less arch than me, a slightly lower incline might actually work better. I’m just one subject, and activation may not predict growth. The real takeaway: pick an angle that you feel working and get strong at it,’ he concludes.