Incline DB Press (30–45°)
How-To Guide & Brutal Variations

The single best exercise for building a thick, shelf-like upper chest.

Set your bench between 30–45° — any higher and it becomes a shoulder press. Perfect for garage Spartans who want that 3D chest pop in a T-shirt.

Incline DB Press (30–45°) – Primary Instructions

1. Set bench to 30–45° — no higher or it becomes a shoulder press.
2. Lie back, plant feet flat, core braced.
3. Start with dumbbells just outside chest, elbows at 45°.
4. Press up and slightly inward until arms are locked.
5. Lower slowly — 3–4 sec eccentric, full stretch at bottom.
6. 3 sets of 8–10 reps. Add weight every week.

If too hard right now: Do incline push-ups on a box or stairs — same angle, zero weight.

Spartan Mode: 4–5 sec eccentric on every rep + 1–2 second pause at the bottom stretch.

Pro Tip: Want max upper-chest activation? Use these adjustable dumbbells — go from 10 to 100+ lb without changing weights.