Incline Dumbbell Press

When it comes to bodybuilding, there are several selected and specific exercises that are undertaken and targeted to work different body parts. It is therefore natural that there will be specific exercises that are meant to work the chest area specifically. The incline dumbbell press is seen to be a great exercise for this purpose and is seen to work wonders. How does this exercise work and what are its advantages is what we will see in the article that follows.

How to Do an Incline Dumbbell Press

In this type of dumbbell press, muscles worked include the chest muscles mainly and therefore it acts as a great chest exercise. Along with working on the chest, it also works on the arms and the torso and allows one to have a superbly toned upper body. Thus this exercise also doubles up as one of the best arm exercises as well as abdominal exercise. How is one to go about this exercise? Let us study that in more detail:

1. You'll need to have an access to the incline bench at a gym for this one.
2. Lie back on the incline bench and take the dumbbells in your hand.
3. Hold the dumbbells on the thighs such that the palms are facing each other for this dumbbell chest exercise.
4. Then use the thigh muscles to push the dumbbells one at a time and take them to the shoulder level, while the elbows are bent.
5. Make sure that there is a shoulder width distance between the two dumbbells.
6. Once they are at the level of the shoulder, turn your wrists around so that the palms are backing your torso.
7. Grip the dumbbells tightly and then push them over your chest while breathing out.
8. Keep the arms straight while locking the elbows and hold your breathe when you take the dumbbells up.
9. Hold for 2-3 seconds and then start to lower them to the original position. Breathe in while you do this.
10. The lowering actions should be done as slowly and deliberately as possible. This will intensify the workout and help in muscle building.
11. Once the dumbbells are brought down to the chest, they should be slowly lowered to the thighs and then placed down and only then should a person leave the bench. This will prevent any muscle pulls and strains. Never get up with the dumbbells in hand in this dumbbell exercise.
12. Repeat the exercise 16 times in one set and repeat 3 sets of the same.

As you get more and more adept at this chest muscle workout, you can increase the dumbbell weight so that the chest and arm muscles get a better workout. So also, there can be varied variations brought to this basic incline dumbbell press. For instance using a low incline press such that the incline in the bench is intensified and it helps in increasing the intensity of the exercise. It also helps to work the muscles in the torso better.

Another variation that can be brought about in this exercise for bodybuilding is to place the palms such that they are facing the torso. Unlike the earlier one where they are backing it. The exercise is carried out in the same manner with the dumbbells on the thighs and then the chest, but then while the arms are raised, the palms are placed facing the torso. This variation helps to work a different muscle group and therefore provides an overall workout.

Seated Incline Press with a Dumbbell

Instead of inclining on the bench, one needs to sit on the bench for this one. Here's how you build chest muscles with this exercise.

1. Sit on the bench with a 90 degree angle at the back for rest. Place the feet firmly over the ground.
2. Start out with light weight dumbbells and place them over your thighs.
3. Now breathe out and raise the dumbbells above your chest.
4. Twist the wrists around so that the palms are facing forward.
5. Then lower the dumbbells to the shoulder level then raise them to the position above the head and contract the shoulder muscles.
6. Do not hold above the head and continue to have a constant movement with this.
7. Repeat 15 times then rest.
8. Do 3-4 sets of 15 reps each.

And that is how you do an incline dumbbell press. Now that you know the basic exercise and the way in which the variations can be carried out to gain maximum benefits, you'll be able to carry forth a good workout schedule and build the chest muscles perfectly well.