Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise

Also known as: incline barbell shoulder raise

Beginner

Serratus Anterior

Barbell

Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise pairs heavy bilateral barbell loading with scapular control most lifters skip — a safe first rung on the ladder.

How to do Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise

Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
Sit on the bench with your back against the pad and feet flat on the ground.
Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Lift the barbell up to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
Slowly raise the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to shoulder height.

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Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise Sets and Reps by Goal

Strength

3 sets of 5-6 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest. Take the smallest plate jump available once the reps are clean.

Hypertrophy

3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets.

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-18 reps with 45-60 seconds of rest. Reset the bar between reps rather than bouncing.

Common Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise Mistakes

Bouncing the bar to get through the hardest inch

Pause briefly so the muscle, not the rebound, does the work.

Letting the shoulder blade wing off the ribcage

Keep light pressure through the hand so the blade stays flat.

Chasing load before the pattern is grooved

Spend the first few weeks making every rep look the same.

Easier and Harder Than Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise

Harder progression

Barbell Front Raise And Pullover

Swap Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise For

Dumbbell Incline Shoulder Raise

Incline Scapula Push Up

Smith Incline Shoulder Raises

Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise — Frequently Asked Questions

How do you do the Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise?

Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle. Sit on the bench with your back against the pad and feet flat on the ground. Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Use a barbell and keep the movement controlled through the full range. The animated GIF above shows the complete rep at normal speed.

What muscles does the Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise work?

The Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise primarily targets the serratus anterior. It is classified as a chest exercise and is performed with a barbell.

How many sets and reps of the Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise should I do?

For muscle growth: 3 sets of 10-12 reps with 90 seconds of rest. Keep a rep or two in reserve on the heaviest sets. Adjust the load rather than the rep target if form breaks down before the final rep.

Is the Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise good for beginners?

Yes. The Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise is a beginner-level movement, so it is a reasonable place to start. Keep the load light enough that you can control every rep and stop 2-3 reps short of failure while you learn the pattern.

What can I do instead of the Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise?

Try the Dumbbell Incline Shoulder Raise, Incline Scapula Push Up or the Smith Incline Shoulder Raises. Each trains the serratus anterior with a similar movement pattern, so you can swap based on the equipment you have available.

Is the Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise the same as the incline barbell shoulder raise?

Yes. The Barbell Incline Shoulder Raise is also commonly called the incline barbell shoulder raise. Different gyms and training programs label it differently, but "incline barbell shoulder raise" refer to this same movement.