How to do the Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press
TricepsDumbbellIntermediate
The dumbbell palms-in incline press is a powerful way to target the long head of the triceps through a demanding angle that flat pressing simply cannot match. Master this movement and you will build the kind of thick, dense tricep mass that transforms the entire look of your upper arm.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
Triceps
Secondary
Front deltsChest
Step-by-step
- Set the bench to 30 to 45 degrees, plant your feet flat, and hold the dumbbells with a neutral grip directly above your shoulders.
- Lower the dumbbells under control toward your lower chest with elbows tracking close to your sides, not flaring wide.
- Pause briefly at the bottom when you feel a deep stretch through the triceps, then drive the dumbbells back up by extending the elbows forcefully.
- Lock out fully at the top and squeeze the triceps hard for one count before beginning the next rep.
Common mistakes
- Allowing the elbows to flare outward shifts the load onto the chest and front delts, so keep the elbows tight to your torso throughout the entire range of motion.
- Using too steep an incline above 45 degrees reduces tricep tension and turns the movement into a shoulder press, so keep the angle moderate.
- Rushing the eccentric phase and dropping the dumbbells fast eliminates the stretch-loaded tension where the most growth stimulus occurs, so take two to three seconds on the way down.
Pro tip — At the top of each rep actively try to push the dumbbells toward each other without letting them touch, this co-contraction cue increases tricep activation significantly without changing the movement pattern.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
More Triceps exercises
Want this built into a full plan?2fit4u turns moves like this into your personalized weekly program — free to start.
Build my free plan →