Incline dumbbell press: how to do it
Main muscles: Upper chest, Front delts (anterior deltoid). Helpers: Triceps lateral head, Triceps medial head. Below: step-by-step form, common mistakes, a muscle map, reps and rest, and what to swap it for.
Equipment
Dumbbells
Reps
6–10
Rest
150 s
Muscle group
Chest
How to do it
- Incline of 30–45°, back against the bench, dumbbells at upper chest level.
- Lower to a light stretch and press straight up.
- Do not lock the arms at the top, keep the tension.
Common mistakes
Too steep an incline, lifting the hips, clanging the dumbbells at the top.
Muscles worked
primary·secondary
- Primary
- Upper chest, Front delts (anterior deltoid)
- Secondary
- Triceps lateral head, Triceps medial head
A secondary muscle gets roughly half the stimulus of a set — that is also how the log’s stats count it.
Alternatives: similar exercises
Incline bench press
Barbell · Upper chest, Front delts (anterior deltoid)
Front raise
Dumbbells · Front delts (anterior deltoid)
Close-grip push-ups
Bodyweight · Triceps lateral head, Triceps medial head
Bench dips
Bodyweight · Triceps lateral head, Triceps medial head
Seated dumbbell press
Dumbbells · Front delts (anterior deltoid), Side delts (lateral deltoid)
Arnold press
Dumbbells · Front delts (anterior deltoid), Side delts (lateral deltoid)
Log your sets — the app suggests the next weight
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