10 Best Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press Alternatives for Any Setup
If you need a substitute for the Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press, use incline close-grip presses, cable low-to-high flyes, neutral-grip machine presses, single-arm incline presses, or feet-elevated push-ups. Cue a 45-degree elbow tuck on inclines to bias the clavicular fibers and limit excessive external rotation of the shoulder joint.
Original Exercise: Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press
How to Perform Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Sit on the bench with your back against the backrest and feet flat on the ground.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing inwards.
- Extend your arms straight up above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then press the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press Alternatives
1. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Sit on the bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed firmly against the bench.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing forward, and lift them to shoulder height.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
- Push the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
2. Barbell Incline Bench Press - Medium Grip
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- 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.
- As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on you upper chest.
- 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.
- Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
- When you are done, place the bar back in the rack.
3. Barbell Incline Bench Press
96% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
- Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the barbell back up to the starting position.
4. Barbell Reverse Grip Incline Bench Press
95.4% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Lie down on the bench with your feet flat on the ground.
- Grasp the barbell with a reverse grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
- Pause for a moment when the barbell touches your chest.
5. Dumbbell Incline Breeding
95.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Sit on the bench with your back against the pad and feet flat on the ground.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing forward.
- Start with your arms fully extended, perpendicular to the ground.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows at a 90-degree angle.
6. Dumbbell Incline Hammer Press
94.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
- Lie back on the bench and position the dumbbells at shoulder level with your palms facing each other.
- Press the dumbbells up and away from your body until your arms are fully extended.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
7. Dumbbell Incline Palm-in Press
94.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
- Sit on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.
- Plant your feet firmly on the ground and keep your back straight against the bench.
- Start with the dumbbells at shoulder level, elbows bent and palms facing each other.
- Press the dumbbells up and away from your body, extending your arms fully.
8. Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lie down with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
- Once you are laying down, move the dumbbells in front of you at shoulder width.
- Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
- Bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe out. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times. Tip: Throughout the motion, the forearms should always be perpendicular to the floor.
- As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, 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..
9. Dumbbell Decline Hammer Press
90% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other and your arms extended above your chest.
- Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
- Press the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
10. Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip
89.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Take a dumbbell in each hand and lay back onto a flat bench. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your shoulder blades retracted.
- Maintaining a neutral grip, palms facing each other, begin with your arms extended directly above you, perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
- Begin the movement by flexing the elbow, lowering the upper arms to the side. Descend until the dumbbells are to your torso.
- Pause, then extend the elbow and return to the starting position.
Why You Might Need a Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press Alternative
You might swap the Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press because of shoulder pain, limited equipment, or to correct poor pec activation. A palms-in grip can reduce external rotation stress but still irritate the anterior shoulder in some athletes; switching to neutral-grip machine presses or cable variations keeps horizontal adduction while reducing torque at the glenohumeral joint. Alternatives also let you isolate the clavicular head with a 30–45° bench angle, manage unilateral imbalances with single-arm presses, and vary time under tension for hypertrophy.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Choose a substitute by matching movement pattern, available load, and shoulder tolerance. Prioritize exercises that preserve horizontal adduction and controlled shoulder flexion (e.g., incline close-grip DB press or cable low-to-high fly) if your goal is upper-pec growth. If shoulder pain limits range, pick neutral-grip machine presses or single-arm variations that allow scapular retraction and controlled eccentrics; cue a 2–3 second descent and keep elbows tracking ~45° to minimize deltoid dominance.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press work?
It primarily targets the clavicular head of the pectoralis major, with secondary loading of the anterior deltoid and triceps brachii. The palms-in grip and incline angle emphasize horizontal adduction and shoulder flexion while reducing external rotation torque on the shoulder.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press?
Feet-elevated push-ups (hands slightly narrower, elbows tucked ~45°) are the best bodyweight option to bias the upper chest. Elevating the feet shifts the press angle toward shoulder flexion, increasing clavicular head activation without external load.
Can I build muscle without doing Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press?
Yes. Use progressive overload with alternatives that maintain horizontal adduction—incline cable presses, unilateral incline DB presses, or machine inclines—to drive hypertrophy. Focus on full scapular retraction, controlled eccentrics, and increasing load or reps over time to stimulate growth.
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