Dumbbell Incline Raise

Lie on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing down. Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. Slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a controlled manner, until your arms are parallel to the floor. Pause for a second, then lift the dumbbells back up to the starting position while exhaling. Repeat for desired number of repetitions.

How to perform the Dumbbell Incline Raise

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Incline Raise 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 deltoids.
  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 deltoids 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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