Incline Dumbbell Press

About the movement

A pressing movement on an incline bench that shifts the emphasis to your upper chest. Dumbbells let each side move independently, which exposes strength imbalances.

How to do it

1. 1

   Set the bench to a 30 to 45 degree incline. Sit down and rest the dumbbells on your thighs, then kick them up to your shoulders.

2. 2

   Press the dumbbells up so they sit above your shoulders with your palms facing forward.

3. 3

   Lower both dumbbells under control until you feel a stretch across your upper chest.

4. 4

   Press back up until your arms are extended, without banging the dumbbells together at the top.

Form tips

• •Keep the bench below 45 degrees; anything steeper turns it into a shoulder press.
• •Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, not your neck.
• •Control the eccentric; a slow, steady lowering builds more chest tissue.