10 Best Dumbbell Incline Raise Alternatives for Shoulders

The Dumbbell Incline Raise is done lying on your back with dumbbells. Ranked closest by our scoring: Straight Raises On Incline Bench, the Smith Incline Shoulder Raise and the Front Dumbbell Raise. Three harder versions, the Front Incline Dumbbell Raise, the Standing Dumbbell Straight-arm Front Delt Raise Above Head and Side Laterals To Front Raise, are listed below as progressions rather than swaps.

Dumbbell Incline RaiseWatch the Dumbbell Incline Raise

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Dumbbell Incline Raise

The steps for the Dumbbell Incline Raise itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Delts, with trapezius, triceps · Dumbbell · Intermediate · Isolation

  1. Sit on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
  2. Lean back on the bench and raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, palms facing forward.
  3. Keeping your back against the bench, exhale and raise the dumbbells above your head, fully extending your arms.
  4. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

The 10 Best Dumbbell Incline Raise Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Dumbbell Incline Raise on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show 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.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Straight Raises On Incline Bench

    1. Straight Raises On Incline Bench

    95% match

    Delts · Beginner · Isolation

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

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. Place a bar on the ground behind the head of an incline bench.
    2. Lay on the bench face down. With a pronated grip, pick the barbell up from the floor, keeping your arms straight. Allow the bar to hang straight down. This will be your starting position.
    3. To begin, raise the barbell out in front of your head while keeping your arms extended.
    4. Return to the starting position.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: raise, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Raise
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Raise
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Raise
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Raise
  2. Front Incline Dumbbell Raise

    Progression

    2. Front Incline Dumbbell Raise

    91% match

    Delts · Intermediate · Isolation

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

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Sit down on an incline bench with the incline set anywhere between 30 to 60 degrees while holding a dumbbell on each hand. Tip: You can change the angle to hit the muscle a little differently each time.
    2. Extend your arms straight in front of you and have your palms facing down with the dumbbells raised about 1 inch above your thighs. This will be your starting position.
    3. Slowly raise the dumbbells straight up until they are slightly above your shoulders, while keeping your elbows locked. Squeeze at the top for a second and make sure you breathe out during this portion of the movement. Tip: Keep your head resting down against the bench and your legs on the floor at all times.
    4. Lower the arms back to the starting position as you inhale.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: raise, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Raise
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Raise
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Raise
    • Body position: seated, not lying on your back
  5. Front Dumbbell Raise

    5. Front Dumbbell Raise

    90% match

    Delts · Beginner · Isolation

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the delts.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Pick a couple of dumbbells and stand with a straight torso and the dumbbells on front of your thighs at arms length with the palms of the hand facing your thighs. This will be your starting position.
    2. While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the left dumbbell to the front with a slight bend on the elbow and the palms of the hands always facing down. Continue to go up until you arm is slightly above parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this portion of the movement and pause for a second at the top. Inhale after the second pause.
    3. Now lower the dumbbell back down slowly to the starting position as you simultaneously lift the right dumbbell.
    4. Continue alternating in this fashion until all of the recommended amount of repetitions have been performed for each arm.

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

    Why this matches
    • Movement: raise, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Raise
    • Primary muscle: delts, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Raise
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Dumbbell Incline Raise
    • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline Raise

How to Choose the Right Dumbbell Incline Raise Substitute

Prioritize plane of motion, load type, and scapular stability when selecting an alternative. If your goal is lateral-head hypertrophy, choose an abduction-focused movement (lateral raises or single-arm cables) and cue a 15° elbow bend to keep tension on the deltoid rather than the forearm. For limited equipment, use bands and emphasize slow eccentrics (2–3 seconds) to increase time under tension. For pain or rehab, work in the scapular plane (about 30° forward) with neutral grip and limit ROM to pain-free range to reduce subacromial compression. Track progressive overload by increasing reps, sets, or time under tension.

Dumbbell Incline Raise FAQ

What muscles does Dumbbell Incline Raise work?

The dumbbell incline raise primarily targets the lateral deltoid with secondary activation of the anterior deltoid and supraspinatus. When you perform the lift with a slight forward tilt and a 15° elbow bend, you place load on shoulder abduction and forward flexion, increasing lateral-head recruitment while minimizing biceps involvement.

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