Incline dumbbell press: An exercise to get stronger upper chest

Your upper body plays a major role when you push or throw things. That’s why you need to keep it strong by performing the right exercise. While there are many chest exercises, pick the incline dumbbell press. It involves using dumbbells and an incline bench. All you have to do is pick up the free weight off the ground, and use it while lying down on an incline bench. To target your upper body while doing this strength training exercise, you need to know the correct angle of the bench. Read on to know the right technique and the reasons why it should be part of your fitness routine.

What is the incline dumbbell press?

The incline dumbbell press is one of the popular strength training exercises. “All you have to do is lie on a bench set at an incline, usually between 15 to 30 degrees, and press dumbbells upward from your chest,” says fitness expert Yash Agarwal. It mostly targets the upper pectoralis major (upper chest). Pectoralis major is one of the chest muscles that allows people to rotate their shoulders, according to Harvard Health Publishing.

What are the benefits of doing the incline dumbbell press?

Here are some of the benefits of doing this exercise:

• Improved upper chest development: It helps build a fuller, well-rounded chest. “This is possible, as the exercise targets the often underdeveloped upper pectorals,” says the expert.
• Enhanced shoulder stability: It also activates the anterior deltoids, which are the muscles that help move the arm forward. This contributes to stronger and more stable shoulders.
• Balanced chest growth: Performing incline dumbbell press prevents overdevelopment of the mid or lower chest, reducing posture issues.
• Improved pressing strength: It helps improve strength in overhead movements and lifts by making the upper pushing muscles stronger.
• Better posture: “Strengthening the upper chest and shoulders can improve rounded shoulders caused by poor posture,” says Agarwal. Correcting posture is important, as it improves the balance of the body, and relieves musculoskeletal pain, as per a study published in the Journal Of Physical Therapy Science.

How to do the incline dumbbell press?

Follow these steps to make your upper chest strong:

• Before performing the chest exercise, adjust the workout bench to 15 or 30 degrees. Too high incline (above 45 degrees) will shift the focus to your shoulders more than chest.
• Sit with the dumbbells resting on your thighs.
• Lean back onto the bench and bring the weights to your shoulder level.
• Push the dumbbells up above your chest until arms are extended, and not locked.
• Make sure you are not flaring your elbows out too much, as it can strain your shoulder joints.
• Slowly lower the gym equipment then do 8 to 12 reps per set for muscle building.
• Control the descent otherwise it will increase injury risk.

Flat dumbbell press vs incline dumbbell press

The angle of the bench matters while doing dumbbell press. Here’s how doing this exercise with a flat or an incline bench can be different:

1. Muscle activation

• Flat dumbbell press: It targets the middle part of the chest (sternal pectoralis major) apart from anterior deltoids and triceps.
• Incline dumbbell press: It emphasises the upper chest, and engages the front deltoids more than flat press.

2. Strength

• Flat dumbbell press: It allows you to lift heavier weights due to better leverage.
• Incline dumbbell press: It generally involves lighter weights, usually 3 to 5 pounds for beginners, because of the incline angle.

3. Aesthetics

• Flat dumbbell press: It is good for general size and thickness in the chest.
• Incline dumbbell press: It is great for developing the upper chest shelf that visibly pops out while wearing T-shirts.

4. Shoulder stress and safety

• Flat dumbbell press: This exercise can place more stress on the shoulder joint if the form is poor or incorrect.
• Incline dumbbell press: It involves more front deltoid, which increases the risk of shoulder fatigue.

It is generally recommended to use an incline or flat or horizontal bench while doing strength training exercises. Both help with muscle growth and strength gain, as per research published in the International Journal Of Exercise Science. “Choose the flat dumbbell press if your mid-chest is underdeveloped. On the other hand, the incline dumbbell press is good if your upper chest is flat or you want to minimise lower chest dominance,” says Agarwal.

Who should avoid the incline dumbbell press?

Some people should stay away from this exercise even though it has benefits:

• The incline angle puts stress on the anterior delts, so people with shoulder injuries should not do this exercise.
• People with poor shoulder mobility have an increased risk of strain.
• Beginners without supervision may struggle with balance and coordination so, they should do only in the presence of experts.

Incline dumbbell press is a great chest exercise, especially if you are targeting the upper portion. But if you are a newbie then take help from professionals to avoid injuries. Also, before grabbing dumbbells to do this bench exercise, make sure to get a green signal from your doctor, especially if you recently injured your shoulders.

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