Chest
High Incline Dumbbell Press
The High Incline Dumbbell Press is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your chest. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: upper chest 26%, front delts 25% and mid chest 16%.
How to do it
- Set an adjustable bench to about 50 degrees and sit back with a dumbbell on each thigh.
- Kick the dumbbells up one at a time to the sides of your upper chest.
- Set your shoulder blades back against the pad.
- Press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight above your shoulders.
- Lower them slowly back to the sides of your upper chest.
Tips
- Keep the forearms vertical and the elbows slightly in front of the body.
- Stay pinned to the pad from hips to head.
Common mistakes
- Pressing the dumbbells forward away from the shoulders.
- Arching away from the pad.
- Letting the dumbbells crash together at the top.
Muscles worked by the High Incline Dumbbell Press
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Above 45 degrees the press turns into a shoulder press. Free implements need more shoulder stabilisation (Saeterbakken 2011). Pressing away from the chest is shoulder horizontal adduction plus elbow extension: the sternal pec drives it, front delt and triceps assist, and the clavicular pec joins as a strong secondary on a flat bench.
High Incline Dumbbell Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the High Incline Dumbbell Press work?
Mainly the upper chest and front delts. The mid chest, triceps (lateral head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the High Incline Dumbbell Press good for beginners?
Yes. The High Incline Dumbbell Press is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the High Incline Dumbbell Press?
For example the High Incline Barbell Press, Incline Bench Press and Hammer Strength Incline Press. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the High Incline Dumbbell Press harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the High Incline Barbell Press and Low Incline Barbell Press.
Sources
- Rodriguez-Ridao et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(19):7339 (five bench inclinations)
- Lehman 2005, JSCR 19(3):587-591 (grip width and forearm position)
- Saeterbakken et al. 2011, J Sports Sci 29(5):533-538 (barbell, dumbbell, Smith)
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