Dumbbell Incline Breeding

Setup

1. 01Set an incline bench to 30 to 45 degrees.
2. 02Lie back with a dumbbell in each hand extended over the upper chest.
3. 03Face the palms toward each other and set a slight elbow bend.
4. 04Plant the feet and keep the shoulder blades pinned.

Execution

1. 01Open the arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel an upper-chest stretch.
2. 02Hold the fixed elbow bend all the way down.
3. 03Squeeze the chest to sweep the dumbbells back up along the same arc.
4. 04Stop just short of the dumbbells touching at the top.

Checkpoints

• -The arc stays wide; the elbows do not collapse inward.
• -Upper arms stop about level with the torso at the bottom.
• -Shoulder blades stay set on the incline bench.
• -Tension stays on the chest at the top, no resting.

Common mistakes

• -Turning the fly into a press when the weight is too heavy.
• -Descending past a comfortable stretch and straining the shoulders.
• -Clanking the dumbbells together at the top.
• -Arching off the bench to flatten the incline.