10 Best Dumbbell Incline Raise Alternatives for Shoulders

Ranked 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. 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.

1. Best match

   

   1. Straight Raises On Incline Bench

   95% match

   • Delts
   • Barbell
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

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

   How to perform this exercise

   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. 

   Progression

   2. Front Incline Dumbbell Raise

   91% match

   • Delts
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Isolation

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

   How to perform this exercise

   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
3. 

   Progression

   3. Standing Dumbbell Straight-arm Front Delt Raise Above Head

   90% match

   • Delts
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs, palms facing your thighs.
   2. Keep your arms straight with a slight bend at the elbows but keep them locked. This will be your starting position.
   3. Raise the dumbbells in a semicircular motion to arm's length overhead as you exhale.
   4. Slowly return to the starting position using the same path 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: standing, not lying on your back
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline Raise
4. 

   4. Smith Incline Shoulder Raise

   90% match

   • Delts
   • Barbell
   • Intermediate
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Place an incline bench underneath the smith machine. Place the barbell at a height that you can reach when lying down and your arms are almost fully extended. Once the weight you need is selected, lie down on the incline bench and make sure your shoulders are aligned right under the barbell.
   2. Using a shoulder width pronated (palms forward) grip, lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with a slight bend at the elbows. This will be your starting position.
   3. As you breathe out, lift the bar up until your arms are fully extended. Note: The contraction should be felt around the shoulders.
   4. After a second pause, bring the bar back down to the starting position as you breathe in.
   5. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
   6. When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.

   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 face down, not lying on your back
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline Raise
5. 

   5. Front Dumbbell Raise

   90% match

   • Delts
   • Dumbbell
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

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

   How to perform this exercise

   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
6. 

   6. Front Two-dumbbell Raise

   90% match

   • Delts
   • Dumbbell
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   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 dumbbells 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 arms are slightly above parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this portion of the movement and pause for a second at the top.
   3. As you inhale, lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position.
   4. 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: standing, not lying on your back
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline Raise
7. 

   7. Front Plate Raise

   90% match

   • Delts
   • Other
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. While standing straight, hold a barbell plate in both hands at the 3 and 9 o'clock positions. Your palms should be facing each other and your arms should be extended and locked with a slight bend at the elbows and the plate should be down near your waist in front of you as far as you can go. Tip: The arms will remain in this position throughout the exercise. This will be your starting position.
   2. Slowly raise the plate as you exhale until it is a little above shoulder level. Hold the contraction for a second. Tip: make sure that you do not swing the weight or bend at the elbows. Your torso should remain stationary throughout the movement as well.
   3. As you inhale, slowly lower the plate back down to the starting position.
   4. 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
   • Body position: standing, not lying on your back
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline Raise
8. Play demonstration

   8. Weighted Front Raise

   90% match

   • Delts
   • Weighted
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing your thighs.
   2. Keeping your arms straight, exhale and lift the dumbbells in front of you until they are at shoulder level.
   3. Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
   4. Repeat for the desired number 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: standing, not lying on your back
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline Raise
9. 

   9. Seated Side Lateral Raise

   86% match

   • Delts
   • Dumbbell
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Pick a couple of dumbbells and sit at the end of a flat bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing in and your arms straight down at your sides at arms' length. This will be your starting position.
   2. While maintaining the torso stationary (no swinging), lift the dumbbells to your side with a slight bend on the elbow and the hands slightly tilted forward as if pouring water in a glass. Continue to go up until you arms are parallel to the floor. Exhale as you execute this movement and pause for a second at the top.
   3. Lower the dumbbells back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
   4. 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
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline Raise
10. 

    Progression

    10. Side Laterals To Front Raise

    86% match

    • Delts
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation

    How to perform this exercise

    1. In a standing position, hold a pair of dumbbells at your side. This will be your starting position.
    2. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, raise the weights directly in front of you to shoulder height, avoiding any swinging or cheating.
    3. At the top of the exercise move the weights out in front of you, keeping your arms extended.
    4. Lower the weights with a controlled motion.
    5. On the next repetition, raise the weights in front of you to shoulder height before moving the weights laterally to your sides.
    6. Lower the weights 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: standing, not lying on your back
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Dumbbell Incline Raise