Demonstration
Watch the Form Demo
Technique
How to Do the Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
- Set an adjustable bench to between 30 and 45 degrees. Steeper than that and the front delts take over from the chest.
- Sit down with a dumbbell resting on each thigh, then kick them up one at a time as you lie back so they finish at chest height with your palms facing forward.
- Plant your feet, pull your shoulder blades back and down into the bench, and keep them there for the whole set.
- Press the dumbbells up and slightly inward until your arms are extended without locking the elbows hard.
- Lower under control until the dumbbells are level with your upper chest and you feel a stretch across the pecs.
- Press back to the top and repeat for your target reps.
Anatomy
Muscles Worked
Do This
Form Cues
- Keep your shoulder blades pinned back and down. Letting them roll forward hands the lift to your front delts.
- Think about pressing your chest up toward the dumbbells rather than just pushing the weights away from you.
- Wrists stay stacked over the elbows through the whole range, not bent back.
- Control the lowering phase for two to three seconds. The stretch at the bottom is where most of the growth stimulus comes from.
Avoid This
Common Mistakes
- Setting the bench too steep. Past about 45 degrees this becomes a shoulder press with a chest cameo.
- Bouncing the dumbbells together at the top, which unloads the pecs at exactly the point you want tension.
- Flaring the elbows out to 90 degrees, which puts the shoulder joint in a vulnerable position.
- Cutting the range short and stopping well above chest level to keep the weight moving.
More to Explore
Variations & Related Exercises
Variations of this lift
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Fly
Dumbbell Bench Press
Trains the same muscles
Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
Assisted Machine Dip
Barbell Bench Press
Bench Dip
Cable Chest Press
Cable Fly
Put It Into Practice
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