Written by Garett Reid | NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S
Fact checked by Kirsten Yovino, CPT Brookbush Institute
FACT CHECKED
How much do you bench?
If you've ever talked to someone about fitness before or walked through a gym, you most likely have heard this question hundreds of times. Monday's are universally known as "chest day" because it's the most commonly worked muscle group.
While flat bar benching is the holy grail for building upper body mass, the dumbbell incline press is also essential for building a complete chest. The often neglected upper portion of the chest is usually the weakest part, so it's crucial to use inclined exercises to target these areas.
In this article, we will teach you everything you need to know about how to incline dumbbell press and how it fits into your routine.
What is the Incline Dumbbell Press?
The incline dumbbell press is a strength training exercise mainly targeting the upper chest muscle and shoulders. While it often plays second fiddle to the flat barbell bench, it has unique advantages. For one, all you need is an adjustable bench and a set of dumbbells to build a sculpted frame.
The movement starts by lying on an inclined bench with a pair of dumbbells held in each hand at shoulder level. From there, you extend your arms upward and finish by lowering the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
It's an excellent pressing variation to build strength and size in the upper chest, shoulders, and triceps. It can also help to improve overall upper body strength and stability.
What Muscles Does The Incline Dumbbell Press Work?
The incline dumbbell press works the clavicular head of the pectoralis major and, to a lesser degree, the sternal head of the pec major. In addition, it also works the shoulders, specifically the anterior deltoids, as well as the triceps.
Due to its angled nature, the incline dumbbell press activates the upper chest more than the flat bench press. And if you want that "upper chest" appearance, you need to target the clavicular head.
You can even change the emphasis from the chest to the shoulders by adjusting the incline, or make it more tricep-dominant by keeping your elbows tight.
In contrast, the flat bench press primarily targets the lower chest muscles (the sternal head of the pectoralis major).
Both exercises effectively build overall chest strength and size. Choose your weapon based on where you want the most muscle growth.
Incline Dumbbell Press vs Traditional Bench Press vs Decline Bench Press: What's the Difference?
The incline dumbbell press and the traditional bench press both target the chest but differ in the specific muscles they work and the equipment used. The incline dumbbell bench press is done on an incline bench using dumbbells, while the traditional bench press uses a flat bench and a barbell, or if you're performing a dumbbell chest press, dumbbells in place of the barbell.
While the traditional bench press is better for targeting the middle and lower chest muscles, the incline press better targets the muscle fibers of the upper chest,
You'll also get a greater range of motion with an incline dumbbell press, which helps develop muscular balance and stability. On the other hand, you can lift a lot more weight with the traditional bench press, making it better for building strength and overall muscle mass.
You can also lift some pretty big numbers with the decline bench press thanks to a little things called mechanical advantage. It also uses a barbell, making it good for building strength and overall muscle growth. As the name suggests, it's done with the bench on a slight decline, working the muscle fibers of the lower chest.
That means that while the incline dumbbell bench press is better for muscle growth in the upper chest, the decline bench press specifically trains your lower pecs.
Overall, the incline dumbbell press, flat bench press, and decline bench press all build chest muscles, but they have unique benefits. Include all exercises in your workout routine to develop your chest fully.
When it comes to frequency, we typically recommend limiting the primary compound pressing movements to two exercises per workout, then focusing on isolation exercises.
How to Perform the Incline Dumbbell Press
As always, it's crucial to have proper form to avoid injury and adequately work the muscles. To perform the incline dumbbell press, follow these steps.
- Adjust an incline bench to a comfortable angle, typically between 30 and 45 degrees.
- Lie down on the bench, planting your feet on the ground with your head and upper back supported by the bench.
- Hold a pair of dumbbells at shoulder level, palms facing forward. This is your starting position.
- Engage your core and press the dumbbells upward, extending your arms straight.
- Pause for a second at the top, then slowly return the dumbbells to the starting position
- Repeat for reps.
- Be sure to keep your back flat against the bench and your elbows close to your body throughout the movement. Avoid locking your elbows out at the top or bouncing the dumbbells off your chest at the bottom.
- Choose a weight that's challenging but you can do with good form.
Common Incline Dumbbell Press Mistakes to Avoid
While the incline dumbbell press is a great exercise for building muscle and strength, it's vital to avoid mistakes that can lead to injury or prevent growth, such as:
- Using too much weight: Drop the ego. If you're attempting to incline press a weight that's too heavy, you could put yourself at higher risk for injury. Or, you'll cheat the rep, missing out on all the juicy muscle-building benefits.
- Arching your back: Arching your back adds unnecessary strain to your lower back, which is not the target of an incline press. Keep your back flat against the bench the whole time, and you'll save your spine.
- Flaring your elbows: Flaring your elbows out to the sides can put excessive strain on your shoulder joints and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise. Keep your elbows close to your body throughout the movement.
- Locking your elbows: Locking your elbows at the top of the movement can put excessive strain on your elbow joints and increase the risk of injury. Avoid locking your elbows and keep a slight bend in them throughout the movement.
- Not using a full range of motion: To unlock max muscle growth, use the full range of motion. That means going all the way down to your chest before your press the dumbbells back up to the starting position. The lower you can extend the dumbbells, the greater the chest stretch.
- Not using proper form: Like we mentioned above, arching your back, craning your neck, or lifting your feet off the ground are all no-go's. Instead, maintain lower-back and head contact with the bench with your feet firmly planted the whole time. As you're pressing, keep the elbows close to your body, and avoid letting your shoulders shrug.
- Not focusing on the pecs: This is where form is crucial. When done properly, the incline dumbbell press is designed to target your pecs, so focus on contracting them throughout the exercise. Avoid relying on the momentum of your arms swinging. Instead, use slow, controlled movements for more time under tension, and keep the focus on the chest.
- Not adjusting the incline angle: The incline angle of the bench can affect which muscles are working, so make sure to adjust the angle as needed to target the specific muscles you want to work.
Benefits of the Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
There are numerous benefits to the incline dumbbell press, from maintaining muscle balance to improving muscular strength. Some of our favorite perks include:
1) Increased upper body strength:
Since it targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps muscles through a full range of motion, the dumbbell incline press may be one of the best pressing moves for total upper body strength.
2) Improved posture:
Unlike a flat barbell bench, the incline bench lets your elbows drop past your chest, opening it up to a bigger stretch. Make sure to add in some rows and upper back work to round out the pressing as well.
3) Corrects muscle imbalances:
By using dumbbells, you ensure each arm receives the same workload. When using a bar, the body often overcompensates for the weaker side by engaging other muscle groups, creating a gap in strength from one side of the body to the other.
Using dumbbells ensures both sides of the body are equally as strong. No one wants a muscle imbalance.
4) Enhanced athletic performance:
Strong chest muscles are needed for many activities, such as throwing, pushing, and pulling. The incline dumbbell press can therefore improve your performance in sports and other physical activities.
5) Increased chest definition:
Building a strong upper chest will really cause the pecs to pop. Thanks to the incline dumbbell press, you can further sculpt and define your upper body, giving you a more toned and muscular appearance.
These upper chest exercises can also be included in your routine to work alongside the incline dumbbell press to build your upper chest.
4 Incline Dumbbell Press Variations
If you don't have access to dumbbells, want to make your incline dumbbell press harder, or prefer other equipment, there are other variations.
1) Barbell incline press:
The incline barbell bench press is similar to the incline dumbbell press, but it uses a barbell instead of dumbbells. With a barbell, you can load up a lot of weight for maximal chest strength.
However, due to a lack of shoulder flexibility, the fixed bar makes it harder to get into a good, safe position. Make sure you adjust the bench to allow for a comfortable incline, and swap the dumbbells for a barbell.
2) Cable incline chest press:
The cable incline press uses a cable machine to provide resistance. The setup allows for constant tension on the muscles throughout the range of motion, which can help to improve muscle growth and strength.
You can do this exercise seated by placing an inclined bench in between the cables, or you can do it standing. Adjust the pulleys to the bottom, then press the cables together in the same manner as the dumbbell press.
3) Single-arm incline dumbbell press:
Another dumbbell bench press variation, the single-arm incline dumbbell press trains one arm at a time, keeping your non-working arm overhead or to the side to help maintain balance. This can help you focus on each arm individually and improve neuromuscular control.
4) Incline dumbbell bench press with a twist:
Use this incline dumbbell press variation to engage your triceps and shoulders more. It starts the same as a regular incline press, but as you press the dumbbells up, twist your wrists to face your palms the opposite way, so the front of your hands are facing forward, at the top of the movement.
4 Incline Dumbbell Press Alternatives
Several alternatives to the incline dumbbell press can help you work the same muscle groups, including:
1) Incline dumbbell fly:
Want to isolate the upper chest even further? Try the incline dumbbell fly.
Grab an adjustable bench and set up like you would an incline press, but face your palms toward each other instead of away from you. Start with much lighter dumbbells than your chest press, and with only a slight bend in the elbow, slowly lower the dumbbells out to your sides until they are perpendicular to your torso.
Then, finish the fly by bringing the dumbbells back together above your chest, like you were giving the ceiling a big hug.
2) Incline push-ups:
A convenient, bodyweight incline press variation, these push-ups are done on a bench or any other elevated surface.
To do this exercise, place your hands on the bench and walk your feet back until your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels. Next, bend your elbows, lower your chest toward the bench, and push back up to the starting position.
You'll find this version, along with many others, in our article on push-up variations, from beginner to advanced.
3) Incline dumbbell pullover:
Lying on an incline bench, grab a heavier dumbbell by its head and position it over your chest.
With your arms almost straight (keep a slight bend in the elbow), slowly lower the dumbbell over your head and back behind you. Go until you feel a slight stretch, and reverse the movement, bring the dumbbell back over your head to the start position.
Since it adds a pulling motion to your incline dumbbell press, use this dumbbell pullover variation to engage the shoulders, lats, and chest.
Incline Dumbbell Pullover Demo on YouTube
4) Incline machine press:
This variation drops the incline bench entirely and instead uses a weight machine for resistance. To do this exercise, adjust the seat and backrest to an incline position, and then grip the handles and press them forward.
Remember to use good form and focus on proper technique when doing these exercises to avoid injury and get the most out of your workout. It's also essential to consult with a fitness professional or trainer if you're unsure how to perform these exercises properly.
Programming the Incline Dumbbell Press
Now that we have taught you everything about the incline dumbbell press, it's time to incorporate it into your workout.
The frequency with which you perform the incline dumbbell press will depend on your fitness goals and overall workout routine. As a general rule, we recommend training the incline dumbbell press once or twice per week for muscle hypertrophy. Allowing for at least 48 hours of rest between sessions will give your muscles enough time to recover.
If you're new to weightlifting or just starting to incorporate the incline dumbbell press into your routine, you may want to start with just a few sets of 8-12 reps per session. As you get comfortable, stronger, and your muscles adapt, gradually increase the total sets and reps.
Since the incline dumbbell press is a compound movement that works multiple muscle groups, it requires a lot of energy and strength.
That means that to get the most out of your incline press, structure your workout so you do it at the beginning, especially when going for max weight. We recommend doing your incline dumbbell press within the first two or three exercises.
For example, if you're doing a push-pull split, the dumbbell incline press is a great primary exercise on push day. From there, you can target the triceps and shoulders with isolation exercises, even peppering in some chest flys or other variations from above.
We'll give you a more detailed sample workout below, but if you have any burning questions or concerns, consult with a fitness professional.
Sample Chest Workout
Here are two sample chest workouts demonstrating how to add the incline dumbbell press to your routine.
This workout can be done on a designated chest day workout, on a push day as part of a push-pull routine, or on any other upper body day.
Chest Day Workout 1:
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Barbell Bench Press |
3-4 |
6-10 |
|
Incline Dumbbell Press |
3-4 |
8-12 |
|
Standing Cable Crossover Fly |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Incline Dumbbell Fly |
3 |
10-12 |
Chest Day Workout 2:
|
Exercise |
Sets |
Reps |
|
Incline Dumbbell Press |
3-4 |
8-12 |
|
Seated Chest Press/Incline Chest Press Machine |
3-4 |
8-10 |
|
Seated Pec Fly Machine |
3 |
10-12 |
|
Standing Cable Crossover |
3 |
10-12 |
If possible, try to incorporate flat, incline, and decline movements in each workout to work the entire chest.
FAQs
Any remaining incline dumbbell press questions? Let's answer them here
What does the incline dumbbell press work?
The incline dumbbell press targets the upper pecs, specifically the upper portion of the pectoralis major muscle. You'll also work the shoulders and triceps, and some single arm variations even hit the core.
Is incline or flat dumbbell press better?
Both the incline and flat dumbbell press build chest strength and size, but they target slightly different muscle groups. The incline dumbbell press is better for upper chest growth, while the flat dumbbell press primarily works the middle and lower chest. Include both incline and flat dumbbell presses in your workout split to hit all areas of the chest.
What is the best angle for the incline dumbbell press?
Your ideal angle will vary based on fitness level, mobility, and injury history, as well as the specific muscles you want to target. In general, an adjustable bench angle of 30-45 degrees is a good starting point. This angle will give you a good balance of upper chest and shoulder training. You can decrease the incline for more chest work, or increase the angle to target your shoulders.
Incline Dumbbell Press: Summary
In conclusion, the incline dumbbell press is an excellent exercise for building the upper chest. If you want a sculpted chest to round out your physique, don't leave it out of your program.
If you're not doing so already, add incline presses to your upper body days to build sleeve-busting shoulders and a chest that turns heads.
Looking for more great dumbbell chest exercises? Check out our article on the Top 15 Dumbbell Chest Exercises. Or, if you're in search of another great chest workout, our Chest Day Workout Routine is just what you need!
Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days...
Garett Reid
Author