10 Best Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press Alternatives for Home Gyms

The Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press is done lying on your back with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Dumbbell Incline Hammer Press, the Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press and the Hammer Grip Incline DB Bench Press. Two harder versions, the Dumbbell Incline Breeding and the Dumbbell Incline Bench Press, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press

Primary muscle
Pectorals
Equipment
Dumbbell
Difficulty
Intermediate
Type
Compound

Secondary muscles: Shoulders, Triceps

How to perform Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
  1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
  2. Sit on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
  3. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and keep your back straight against the bench.
  4. Start with the dumbbells at shoulder level, elbows bent and palms facing each other.
  5. Press the dumbbells up and away from your body, extending your arms fully.
  6. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
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Ranked Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page. Harder versions are tagged as progressions and kept out of the top spot even when they score higher.

    • Pectorals
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
    2. Sit on the bench with your back against the backrest and feet flat on the ground.
    3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing inwards.
    4. Extend your arms straight up above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
    5. Lower the dumbbells slowly towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.
    6. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then press the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
  1. Hammer Grip Incline DB Bench Press
    • Pectorals
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
    2. By using your thighs to help you get the dumbbells up, clean the dumbbells one arm at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
    3. Once at shoulder width, keep the palms of your hands with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Keep your elbows flared out with the upper arms in line with the shoulders (perpendicular to the torso) and the elbows bent creating a 90-degree angle between the upper arm and the forearm. This will be your starting position.
    4. Now bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe in. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times.
    5. As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
    6. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
    7. When you are done, place the dumbbells back in your thighs and then on the floor. This is the safest manner to dispose of the dumbbells.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
  2. Incline Dumbbell Bench With Palms Facing In
    • Pectorals
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    Pick this when you want to work the pectorals with more balance to manage.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
    2. By using your thighs to help you get the dumbbells up, clean the dumbbells one arm at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
    3. Once at shoulder width, keep the palms of your hands with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Keep your elbows flared out with the upper arms in line with the shoulders (perpendicular to the torso) and the elbows bent creating a 90-degree angle between the upper arm and the forearm. This will be your starting position.
    4. Now bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe in. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times.
    5. As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
    6. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
    7. When you are done, place the dumbbells back in your thighs and then on the floor. This is the safest manner to dispose of the dumbbells.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
  3. Progression

    • Pectorals
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    Pick this when you want a harder version that still works the pectorals.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
    2. Sit on the bench with your back against the pad and feet flat on the ground.
    3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing forward.
    4. Start with your arms fully extended, perpendicular to the ground.
    5. Lower the dumbbells slowly to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
    6. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
  4. Progression

    • Pectorals
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
    2. Sit on the bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed firmly against the bench.
    3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward, and lift them to shoulder height.
    4. Slowly lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
    5. Push the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Pectorals
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the pectorals.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
    2. Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
    3. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    4. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
    5. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the barbell back up to the starting position.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
  5. Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip
    • Pectorals
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie back on an incline bench. Using a medium-width grip (a grip that creates a 90-degree angle in the middle of the movement between the forearms and the upper arms), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. This will be your starting position.
    2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on you upper chest.
    3. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: it should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
    4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
    5. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Pectorals
    • Barbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
    2. Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
    3. Grasp the barbell with a reverse grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
    4. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
    5. Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
    6. Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: incline press, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Pectorals
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
    2. Lie back on the bench and press the dumbbells up to the starting position, directly above your chest, with your arms extended.
    3. Lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest.
    4. As you lower the dumbbells, rotate your wrists so that your palms face forward at the bottom of the movement.
    5. Reverse the motion and bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles together at the top.
    6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press

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