Back to library

Exercise Library

Dumbbell Incline 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

  1. 01Set an adjustable bench to roughly 30 to 45 degrees.
  2. 02Sit with a dumbbell on each thigh, then kick them up as you lie back.
  3. 03Hold the dumbbells at shoulder level with palms facing each other.
  4. 04Plant the feet, pull the shoulder blades back, and keep the upper back on the bench.

Execution

  1. 01Press both dumbbells up and slightly together while keeping the palms facing in.
  2. 02Stop just short of the dumbbells touching at the top.
  3. 03Lower under control until the dumbbells reach the outside of the shoulders.
  4. 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.

Related exercises

Almost there

Coming soon to iOS & Android

GoLightWeight is in the final stretch. Free to download, no account required to start.

Coming soonApp Store
Coming soonGoogle Play