Shoulders · Dumbbell
Dumbbell Incline Raise
How to do the dumbbell incline raise, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Extension
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Set an incline bench to 30 to 45 degrees and lie face down with your chest supported and a dumbbell hanging in each hand, palms facing in. Keeping your elbows slightly bent, lift your arms out to the sides until they are in line with your shoulders, then lower the weights slowly.
- 1Feel your rear delts and mid traps pull the dumbbells out to the sides
- 2Keep your elbows slightly bent and thumbs pointing down or neutral
- 3Pause at the top and lower slowly to keep tension on the back of the shoulder
Common mistakes
- Do not shrug your shoulders or let your chest come off the bench
- Avoid swinging the weights up with momentum
- Do not lift above shoulder height where the joint gets strained
Muscles worked
The dumbbell incline raise mainly works the rear delts and mid traps, with the lower traps and side delts assisting.
- Rear DeltsPrimary
- Mid TrapsPrimary
- Lower TrapsSupport
- Side DeltsSupport
- ForearmsMinor
- Upper AbsMinor
Kovo programs the dumbbell incline raise 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 shoulders exercises
- How to do the battle rope alternating waves
- How to do the arm circles
- How to do the arnold press
- How to do the resistance band front raise
- How to do the resistance band lateral raise
- How to do the resistance band overhead press
Last reviewed June 2026.