Arms · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Incline Close Grip Press Variation
How to do the dumbbell incline close grip press variation, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- HorizontalPush
- Mechanic
- Compound
How to do it
Set a bench to a low incline and lie back holding two dumbbells pressed together over your chest with a neutral grip. Keeping the dumbbells touching and elbows tucked close to your sides, lower to your upper chest, then press back up and squeeze your triceps at the top.
- 1The triceps taking most of the load while the upper chest assists
- 2The dumbbells staying pressed together the whole set
- 3Elbows tracking close to your ribs, not flared wide
Common mistakes
- Letting the dumbbells drift apart or your elbows flare out
- Bouncing the weight off your chest
- Arching your back hard off the bench to move the load
Muscles worked
The dumbbell incline close grip press variation mainly works the triceps and upper chest, with the mid chest and front delts assisting.
- TricepsPrimary
- Upper ChestPrimary
- Mid ChestSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
- Lower AbsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell incline close grip press variation for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More triceps exercises
- How to do the bent-over tricep extension
- How to do the crossbody tricep extension
- How to do the cable katana tricep extension
- How to do the cable single arm tricep extension
- How to do the kickback
- How to do the lying tricep extension
Last reviewed June 2026.