Incline dumbbell press: muscles worked and how to do it

How to do an incline dumbbell press

1. 1

   Set the bench to about 30 to 45 degrees and sit with the dumbbells on your thighs.

2. 2

   Lie back, using your knees to help bring the dumbbells up to your shoulders.

3. 3

   Plant your feet and pull your shoulder blades back and down into the bench.

4. 4

   Press the dumbbells up over your upper chest until your arms are straight.

5. 5

   Lower them under control to the sides of your upper chest, elbows angled partway in.

6. 6

   Press back up, bringing them toward each other at the top.

These steps describe common technique. If something hurts, stop and ask a qualified coach or clinician.

Common incline dumbbell press mistakes

• Bench too upright

  Above about 45 degrees it turns into a shoulder press. Keep the same angle every session.

• Short range at the bottom

  Lower until the dumbbells are level with your upper chest, as far as your shoulders are comfortable.

• Shoulders shrugging up

  Keep your shoulder blades back and down.

• Clanging the dumbbells at the top

  Bring them close without hitting, so the weight stays on your chest.

How to track your incline dumbbell press

Log the weight and reps of every set. Over a few weeks, the heaviest weight you lift and your estimated one-rep max show whether you are getting stronger, even when your sets use different rep counts.