Equipment Required: a pair of dumbbells and an adjustable incline bench.

Technique

  1. Sit down on an incline bench, with both feet on the floor and a dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs.
  2. Lift up the weights to your shoulders and lean back on the bench.
  3. Press the dumbbells up, keeping your elbows to the sides until your arms are extended.
  4. Lower the weight back to inline with the shoulders.
  5. Repeat the action for a number of repetitions.

Key points to remember

  • When holding the dumbbells with arms extended, avoid locking the elbows.
  • Keep the abdominals tight and the lower back in a neutral position.

Alternatives

  • You can perform the exercise with alternate arm action.
  • See the similar Dumbbell Press
  • A similar exercise using a barbell instead of dumbbells is the bench press