Chest · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Incline Pullover
How to do the dumbbell incline pullover, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Fly
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie back on an incline bench holding a dumbbell with both hands over your chest. Keep a slight bend in your elbows and lower the dumbbell in an arc behind your head until you feel a stretch in your chest and lats. Pull it back over your chest using your lats and chest.
- 1A deep stretch through your lats and chest as the dumbbell travels behind
- 2your head
- 3A slight elbow bend with your core braced against the incline
- 4Your lats and pecs pulling the dumbbell back over your chest
Common mistakes
- Avoid arching your lower back off the bench
- Don't lock your elbows or let the weight drift too far; control the range
- Avoid shrugging your shoulders; keep them down away from your ears
Muscles worked
The dumbbell incline pullover mainly works the mid chest, with the upper chest, lower chest, and front delts assisting.
- Mid ChestPrimary
- Upper ChestSupport
- Lower ChestSupport
- Front DeltsSupport
- BicepsMinor
- ForearmsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell incline pullover 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 chest exercises
- How to do the archer push-up
- How to do the assisted dip
- How to do the resistance band chest flyes
- How to do the resistance band push-up
- How to do the barbell bench press
- How to do the paused bench press
Last reviewed June 2026.