Exercises / Incline Dumbbell Press

Incline Dumbbell Press

Also known as: Incline DB press, Dumbbell incline bench press, Incline dumbbell bench

A dumbbell press on a moderate incline. The bells travel from beside the upper chest to lockout over the shoulders.

Primary muscles
Chest (pectoralis major, clavicular), Shoulders (anterior deltoid)
Secondary muscles
Triceps (triceps brachii)
Equipment
Dumbbell (incline bench, pair of dumbbells)
Pattern
Horizontal Push
Difficulty
Intermediate
Line diagram of an Incline Dumbbell Press.
Diagram: Fytniz. License: original-placeholder (Fytniz).

Stills

Incline dumbbell press near mid-to-lockout on a ship gym bench.
US Navy 070227-N-0998G-003 by MCSN Jeffery J. Gabriel Jr., U.S. Navy. Public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons. License: Public domain. Source.
Side view of an incline dumbbell press at lockout.
Two Miles Ahead of the Curve (9782536).jpg by A1C Paden Henry, U.S. Air Force. Public domain. Via Wikimedia Commons. License: Public domain. Source.

Cues

  1. Set a moderate incline so the press stays on the upper chest; a very steep bench becomes a shoulder press.
  2. Plant both feet, keep the upper back and head on the pad, and start with the dumbbells over the upper chest.
  3. Lower until the elbows are about in line with the torso and the handles sit beside the upper chest, not the neck.
  4. Press up and slightly in so the bells finish over the shoulders without crashing together.
  5. Keep the wrists stacked over the elbows; do not let the bells roll back toward the face.

Common mistakes

  • Bench angle so steep that the front delts take over the lift.
  • Flaring the elbows and losing the stack of wrist over elbow.
  • Bouncing the bells off the shoulders at the bottom.

Safety

  • Start light enough to control both bells at the bottom without a bounce.
  • Stop if you feel sharp front-shoulder pain on the stretch.