Grab the upper hand on the quest for a better chest.

Or perhaps we should say: the upper chest.

With so many weight trainers basing their chest routines solely around the flat bench presses, it has become a common practice for such trainers to waddle into the gym without a full-blown chest.

Yes, the upper pectorals are quite under-developed.

While it is time to start investing time and energy into your incline presses - perhaps three sets per chest workout - remember these helpful tips:

* Do not adjust the bench at too high of an angle. In most cases, the lower the better. Performing incline presses at a high angle tends to require too much help from the deltoids. Stick to under 45 degrees—about 30 degrees is ideal.

* Make your reps smooth ones. For whatever reason, many trainers tend to bounce the bar off their chest during this exercise. Instead, try slow, controlled negatives, slowly reversing the motion when the bar and your chest make slight contact. If need be, use lighter weights to make this more manageable.

* While keeping the incline somewhere below 45 degrees, try altering the angle slightly from one workout to the next. This will target various parts of the upper pectorals.

Of course, not all incline presses need to be performed with barbells. Dumbbell incline presses are also an ideal way to sprout growth in the upper chest, although wrist wraps and a good spotter may be in order here.

Also, don't forget to occasionally perform incline flyes for emphasizing the isolation in your upper pectorals.