Chest · Dumbbell · Compound · Intermediate
Incline Dumbbell Press
A dumbbell press on a bench set to a low incline, usually 15 to 30 degrees. The angle shifts work toward the upper (clavicular) fibres of the chest, and the dumbbells allow a deeper stretch at the bottom than a barbell does.
- Main muscles
- Chest, Front Delts
- Also working
- Triceps
How to do it
- Set the bench to about 15 to 30 degrees. Past roughly 45 degrees the front delts take over most of the work.
- Sit on the end of the bench with a dumbbell standing on each thigh near the knee. Lie back and kick one knee up at a time to bring each bell to your shoulder.
- Set your shoulder blades down and back into the pad and plant your feet.
- Lower the dumbbells with elbows about 45 degrees from your torso, forearms close to vertical, until you feel a stretch across the upper chest.
- Press up and slightly inward so the bells finish over your upper chest, stopping just short of clanking them together.
Cues
Short phrases to think during a set.
- “Shoulder blades stay pinned”
- “Wrists stacked over elbows”
- “Up and slightly in”
Common mistakes
- Bench set too steep, which turns it into a shoulder press. Drop it a notch or two.
- Elbows flared out to 90 degrees at the bottom, which loads the front of the shoulder. Tuck them to about 45.
- Muscling heavy dumbbells into place from the floor with your arms. Use the knee kick to get them up, and on the way down bring them back to your thighs or set them down with control rather than dropping them out wide.
- Stopping several inches short of the stretch. Lower until the chest is stretched, not until the set gets hard.
The short version
Most chest programs include some incline pressing, because a flat bench alone tends to work the lower and middle chest more than the upper. The linked sources agree the incline does shift emphasis toward the clavicular head, though they are less sure it matters as much as total pressing volume does.
The practical problems are logistics. Heavy dumbbells are awkward to get into position, and gym dumbbells often jump 5 lb at a time, so progress usually comes from adding reps before adding weight. Going very deep with heavy bells is where shoulders tend to complain, so the stretch should be controlled rather than forced.
Why people do it
- Puts more of the work on the upper chest than a flat press
- Dumbbells allow a deeper stretch at the bottom than a barbell
- Each arm moves on its own path, which many lifters find easier on the shoulders
- Each side has to do its own work, so a weaker arm cannot hide
- A failed rep can be lowered to the sides instead of pinning you under a bar
Drawbacks
- Getting heavy dumbbells into the start position is awkward and can limit the load you use
- Dumbbell increments are coarse, often 5 lb per hand, which makes small jumps in load hard
- The deep stretch at the bottom can aggravate shoulders that are already irritated
Sources
- Barbell Medicine: Incline Press for Chest Hypertrophy · Barbell Medicine
- RP Strength: Complete Chest Training Guide · RP Strength
- Barbell Medicine: Upper vs Lower Chest — What Matters for Hypertrophy · Barbell Medicine
Questions
What incline angle is best for upper chest?+
Somewhere around 15 to 30 degrees. On a bench with fixed notches that is usually one or two settings up from flat.
Why do I feel incline press in my shoulders and not my chest?+
The bench is probably too steep. Lower it, keep the shoulder blades pulled back, and tuck the elbows to about 45 degrees. Some front delt work is normal on any incline press.
Is incline dumbbell or incline barbell better for upper chest?+
Either will build it. The barbell loads heavier and in smaller jumps; dumbbells give more stretch and let each arm find its own path. A common split is the barbell for heavy sets and dumbbells for higher-rep work.
Should the dumbbells touch at the top?+
Bringing them close is fine, but banging them together does nothing for the chest and makes the next rep harder to control.
Swaps on other equipment
Each has the chest as its main muscle and is also a push, on a different piece of equipment.
Variations
Incline Barbell Bench Press · Incline Machine Press · Incline Dumbbell Fly
Other chest exercises
- Incline Dumbbell Bench With Palms Facing In · Dumbbell
- Incline Dumbbell Flyes · Dumbbell
- Incline Dumbbell Flyes - With A Twist · Dumbbell
- Incline Push-Up · Bodyweight
- Incline Push-Up Depth Jump · Other
- Incline Push-Up Medium · Bodyweight
Written for this site from the sources listed above. Last reviewed October 20, 2026. How this site is put together · Report a mistake