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chest

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

A dumbbell press on a bench tilted upward, for the upper chest and front of the shoulders. Each arm works on its own.

beginnerdumbbellsincline bench

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press, start position
START
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START2
  1. Set the bench to between 30 and 45 degrees.
  2. Stand the dumbbells on the floor beside the bench.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Sit on the bench with a dumbbell standing on each thigh.
  2. Lean back and kick the dumbbells up to your shoulders, one at a time.
  3. Plant both feet flat on the floor and press your shoulder blades into the bench.
  4. Press the dumbbells up above your upper chest, palms facing your feet.

Check: The dumbbells are above your collarbones, almost touching, with your arms straight.

Lower the dumbbells

  1. Bend your elbows and lower both dumbbells slowly to the sides of your upper chest.
  2. Stop when the dumbbells are level with your chest.

Check: The dumbbells are level with your upper chest and your forearms point straight up.

Press up

  1. Push both dumbbells up and slightly together until your arms are almost straight.

Check: The dumbbells are back above your collarbones, nearly touching.

That is one rep. Repeat for your set, then lower the dumbbells to your thighs and sit up.

Breathe in as you lower for 2 to 3 seconds; breathe out as you press up in about 1 second.

MUSCLES WORKED
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: muscles worked, front view
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: muscles worked, back view

chestfront deltstriceps

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Elbows flared straight out. Fix: Keep them at about 45 degrees from your sides.
  • Bench set too steep. The shoulders take over from the chest. Fix: Keep the angle between 30 and 45 degrees.
  • Pressing the dumbbells toward your face. Fix: Press straight up, over your upper chest.
SAFETY2
  • Do not drop dumbbells from above your face.
  • Choose a weight you can control on the way down.
EQUIPMENT SETTINGS
  • incline bench · bench angle: 30 to 45 degrees
RELATED EXERCISES

easier: chest press machine

harder: incline barbell bench press

variants: dumbbell bench press, incline dumbbell fly

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