Press dumbbells from your upper chest on a bench set to about 30 degrees.
- Bench at about 30 degrees
- Shoulder blades pinched back and down
- Lower to the upper chest, elbows about 45 degrees out
- Press up and slightly in
Movement
- Pattern
- Horizontal push
- Type
- Compound, several joints move
- Sides
- Both sides together
- Equipment
- Bench, Dumbbells
Muscles worked
Main movers get full credit for a set, helpers half.
Ratings
Scores 1-5 averaged over sources. Tap a rating for the claims behind it. Claims are our summaries of the linked sources, fact-checked by AI.
Muscle growth higher is better3.7
Very good; among the better picks for the muscle. 7 sources.
- 4/5 Four hard sets pump his pecs heavily and leave them sore, a staple in his chest rotation. Renaissance Periodization, There IS a Best Chest Exercise (For You) @ 6:09videoExpert opinion2026checked by AI
- 3/5 Overrated as commonly done (ego loading, partial reps), but excellent with controlled eccentric and a deep stretch at the bottom. Renaissance Periodization, The Most OVERRATED and UNDERRATED Chest Exercises @ 1:33videoExpert opinion2025checked by AI
- 3/5 Sits on most top-chest lists but not high on his own; he calls incline dumbbell press an ego exercise where people chase heavy dumbbells. Renaissance Periodization, Pro Bodybuilder's TOP 5 Chest Exercises For Growth @ 7:14videoExpert opinion2025checked by AI
- 4/5 Same upsides and overload limits as flat dumbbell press with more upper chest emphasis. Jeff Nippard, The Best And Worst Chest Exercises (Ranked By Science) @ 4:04videoExpert opinion2024checked by AI
- 4/5 Add it weekly for the upper chest at only a 15-30 degree incline; steeper angles let front delts take over. Cites a 2020 incline bench study on upper-chest growth. Jeremy Ethier, STOP Doing Dumbbell Press Like This (5 Mistakes Slowing Your Chest Gains) @ 5:03videoExpert opinion2022checked by AI
- 4/5 Incline shown to beat flat for upper chest growth and dumbbells add range; setup is fatiguing; 4 stars. Jeff Nippard, The Best & Worst Chest Exercises To Build Muscle (Ranked!) @ 7:39videoExpert opinion2022checked by AI
- 4/5 Full range of motion and the best compound upper-chest activation in a 15-exercise EMG study; also prevents side-to-side imbalances. Jeremy Ethier, The Best Science-Based Chest Workout for Mass & Symmetry @ 2:02videoStudy2017checked by AI
Injury risk lower is better3.0
Moderate; needs attention to form or load. 1 source.
