Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
The Dumbbell Incline Bench Press is a fundamental upper-body strength exercise that primarily targets the chest, with additional involvement from the triceps and front of the shoulders. Raising the back of the bench changes the pressing angle and places greater emphasis on the upper, or clavicular, portion of the pectoralis major compared with a flat dumbbell press. NASM classifies the two-arm incline dumbbell chest press as a beginner exercise and identifies the upper chest, triceps and anterior deltoids among the primary muscles involved.
As demonstrated in the video, the exercise is performed with both feet firmly on the floor and the back supported by an inclined bench. The dumbbells begin near the upper chest and are pressed upward together before being lowered under control. Each arm controls its own dumbbell, which requires coordination and stabilization while allowing the arms to move independently.
The Dumbbell Incline Bench Press is an excellent foundational exercise for learning an inclined pressing pattern and complements the flat dumbbell and barbell bench presses included in a basic chest-training program.
How to Perform
Set an adjustable bench to an incline position and sit with a dumbbell in each hand. Position your feet firmly on the floor and keep your back supported by the bench.
Bring the dumbbells to approximately upper-chest level. Position your palms generally forward with your wrists relatively straight and your elbows angled slightly down and away from your torso rather than directly out to the sides.
Brace your abdominal muscles and maintain a stable torso. Keep your shoulder blades controlled against the bench.
Press both dumbbells upward in a smooth motion until your arms are extended above the upper chest. Avoid forcefully locking the elbows.
Slowly lower the dumbbells toward the starting position while maintaining control of the weights and keeping the wrists aligned with the forearms.
Continue for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining a consistent pressing path and controlled tempo throughout the set. NASM recommends a controlled press and return with the core engaged and the shoulders stabilized throughout the exercise.
Tips
Use a manageable resistance that allows you to control both dumbbells throughout the entire movement. For beginners, developing good technique is more important than using heavy weights.
Keep your feet firmly planted on the floor and your back supported by the bench. Avoid lifting the hips or excessively arching the lower back in an attempt to press more weight.
Keep the wrists relatively straight and aligned with the forearms. Avoid allowing the dumbbells to force the wrists backward.
Maintain a comfortable elbow position rather than flaring the elbows directly outward. NASM recommends positioning the elbows at approximately 45 degrees from the torso during this exercise.
Lower the dumbbells slowly and under control. Do not allow gravity to rapidly pull the weights toward the chest.
Avoid setting the bench excessively upright. A steeper bench angle increases the contribution of the anterior deltoids and begins to turn the movement into more of a shoulder press.
Benefits
The Dumbbell Incline Bench Press strengthens the pectoralis major with greater emphasis on its upper, clavicular portion. The triceps assist with elbow extension while the anterior deltoids contribute to the pressing movement.
Because the exercise uses two independent dumbbells, each arm must control its own resistance. This provides a different stabilization challenge than pressing a single barbell.
The inclined position introduces another fundamental pressing angle while still using a familiar bench-press movement pattern.
The exercise can also be easily scaled by changing dumbbell resistance as strength and technique improve. Current ACSM guidance emphasizes keeping resistance training practical, individualized and progressively challenging rather than making exercise programming unnecessarily complicated.
Common Mistakes
Using dumbbells that are too heavy can make it difficult to maintain proper shoulder, elbow and wrist positioning and may lead to excessive body movement.
Setting the bench too upright is another common mistake. As the incline becomes steeper, more of the workload shifts from the chest toward the shoulders.
Flaring the elbows excessively outward can compromise comfortable shoulder mechanics. Maintain a natural elbow angle throughout the movement.
Allowing the wrists to bend excessively backward reduces stability and can place unnecessary stress on the wrists.
Arching the lower back excessively or lifting the hips from the bench often indicates that the resistance is too heavy or that body position has been lost.
Dropping the dumbbells quickly during the lowering phase reduces control. Maintain a smooth, deliberate movement in both directions.
FAQ
Safety Note
Use dumbbells that can be controlled throughout the entire range of motion and take particular care when getting the weights into and out of the starting position. A spotter may be appropriate as resistance increases.
Maintain stable shoulder, elbow and wrist positioning and avoid forcing a range of motion that causes discomfort. Stop the exercise if you experience pain in the shoulders, elbows, wrists, chest or back.
If you have an existing spinal injury or chronic back pain, consult your physician or another qualified healthcare professional before performing this or any other exercise.