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Chest

Incline Dumbbell Press

The incline dumbbell press puts the emphasis on the upper chest and front delts.

Incline Dumbbell Press: starting position
1Starting position
Incline Dumbbell Press: end position
2End position

Setup

Set the bench at 30–45 degrees. Sit with the dumbbells on your thighs, lie back and bring them over your shoulders. Shoulder blades back, chest up, feet on the floor.

Execution

  1. Lie on an incline bench, raise the dumbbells to your shoulders, palms forward — starting position.
  2. Exhale and press the dumbbells up until your arms are almost straight.
  3. Inhale and lower them back to your upper chest.

Common mistakes

  • Bench too steep — past 45 degrees it's a shoulder press.
  • Dumbbells come down toward your neck — lower them to your upper chest.
  • Hips lift off the seat — your butt stays on the bench.
  • Banging the dumbbells together at the top — stop just short and keep the tension.

Programs that include it

Full Body — 2 Daysbeginners · 2 workouts a weekFull Body — 3 Daysbeginners · 3 workouts a weekPush / Pull / Legsintermediate–advanced · 3–6 workouts a week3-Day Splitintermediate · 3 workouts a week

Not sure about your form? Send me a video of a set — I'll take a look and tell you what to fix first.

More for this muscle group: Chest

Barbell Bench PressBarbell Bench PressDipsDipsDumbbell Bench PressDumbbell Bench PressIncline Barbell Bench PressIncline Barbell Bench PressPush-UpsPush-UpsDecline Barbell Bench PressDecline Barbell Bench Press

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Position photos from the open free-exercise-db.