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Incline Dumbbell Palm-in Press
An incline dumbbell press performed with a neutral, palms-facing grip that targets the upper chest while keeping the shoulders in a more comfortable position.
ChestDumbbellIncline press
GoLightWeight mediadumbbell-incline-palm-in-press
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Pectoralis major
Secondary
Anterior deltoidsTriceps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Pattern
Incline press
Setup
- 01Set an adjustable bench to roughly 30 to 45 degrees.
- 02Sit with a dumbbell on each thigh, then kick them up as you lie back.
- 03Hold the dumbbells at shoulder level with palms facing each other.
- 04Plant the feet, pull the shoulder blades back, and keep the upper back on the bench.
Execution
- 01Press both dumbbells up and slightly together while keeping the palms facing in.
- 02Stop just short of the dumbbells touching at the top.
- 03Lower under control until the dumbbells reach the outside of the shoulders.
- 04Keep the elbows tracking close to the torso rather than flaring wide.
Checkpoints
- -Palms stay facing each other for the entire set.
- -Elbows stay at roughly 30 to 45 degrees from the torso.
- -Shoulder blades stay pinned to the bench.
- -Both dumbbells move at the same speed and height.
Common mistakes
- -Letting the wrists rotate out into a standard grip mid set.
- -Flaring the elbows, which defeats the shoulder-friendly purpose of the grip.
- -Bouncing the dumbbells out of the bottom position.
- -Setting the bench too steep and shifting the work onto the delts.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps as an upper chest builder.
- -A good substitute for the standard incline press when the shoulders are cranky.
- -Slow 2 to 3 second lowering phases increase the training effect without more load.
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