The barbell incline shoulder raise is performed on an incline bench and targets the serratus anterior, with secondary emphasis on the deltoids and trapezius. The movement involves raising a barbell overhead from shoulder height while seated on an incline bench.
Also Works
ShouldersTrapezius
How to Perform
1
Set up an incline bench at a 45 degree angle.
2
Sit on the bench with your back against the pad and feet flat on the ground.
3
Hold a barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
4
Lift the barbell up to shoulder height, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
5
Slowly raise the barbell overhead, extending your arms fully.
6
Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the barbell back to shoulder height.
7
Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tips
•Think about pushing the bar toward the ceiling by protracting your shoulder blades (spreading them apart) at the top of each rep to fully engage the serratus anterior.
•Keep the movement slow and controlled; this targets a small muscle group that doesn't need heavy loading.
•Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout to reduce joint stress.
Common Mistakes
•Turning the exercise into an overhead press by bending the elbows and pressing instead of using scapular protraction.
•Using too much weight, which causes the traps and deltoids to take over from the serratus.
•Not fully protracting the shoulder blades at the top, missing the peak serratus contraction.