Dumbbell Incline Alternate Press

Lie down on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Start with your arms extended straight up over your chest. Lower one dumbbell down to the side of your chest, keeping your elbow at a 90-degree angle. Press the dumbbell back up to the starting position. Repeat the same movement with the opposite arm. Continue alternating arms for the desired number of repetitions.

How to perform the Dumbbell Incline Alternate Press

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Incline Alternate Press using your dumbbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your pectoralis major.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your pectoralis major rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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