1. Lie face up with back against the incline bench (approximately a 30 degree angle)
2. Place feet flat on floor to keep your lower back supported in a neutral position. Keep back and hips still during this exercise.
3. Grip bar with arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
4. Keep bar vertical and  lined up directly over the upper chest with arms and wrist straight.
5. Keep shoulder blades squeezed together and maintain this position throughout the entire exercise.
6. Inhale and slowly lower the bar until your arms are level with the bench. (Note: dropping arms lower than this could encourage shoulder injury)
7. Mentally & physically contract the chest muscles and exhale as you press the bar straight up to the starting position. (Avoid locking arms at top. Keep the elbow joint soft.)
8. Keep your repetitions  slow and controlled. Don' t pause between reps.

Pectoral Muscles

The pectoral is a term relating to the chest. The "pectoralis major" is a large, fan-shaped muscle that covers much of the front upper chest. It begins at the breastbone (sternum) and the cartilage of the second to the sixth ribs and is attached to the collarbone (clavicle) to converge on the upper arm bone (humerus) just below the shoulder. Its main use is in moving the arm across the body. The "pectoralis minor" is a smaller, triangular muscle beneath the pectoralis major. It stems from the third to fifth ribs and converges at the shoulder blade (scapula), which it moves up and down.

Triceps Brachii Muscles

The triceps brachii has three heads (connective immovable muscle) and is the only muscle on the back of the upper arm. It connects the humerus (upper arm bone) and the scapula (shoulder blade) to the ulna (longest of the forearm bones) and is the primary extensor of the elbow. The three heads are the "lateral," the "medial," and the "long head

Deltoid Muscles

The deltoid is the triangular muscle of the shoulder that forms the rounded flesh of the outer part of the upper arm. It passes up and over the shoulder joint. The wide end of the triangle is attached to the shoulder blade (scapula) and the collarbone (clavicle). The apex of the triangle is attached to the upper arm bone (humerus), about halfway down its length. Its strongest point is the central section, which raises the arm sideways. The front and back parts of the muscle twist the arm. The ligaments which connect the muscles to the bone endings are called "deltoid ligaments." Deltoid comes from the Greek word "deltoeides," meaning shaped like a (river) delta.

        Cathe TV

Click here to watch a video clip with detailed instructions on how to correctly perform this exercise.

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