Elitefts™ Director of Education Mark Watts explains 3 variations of the Incline Dumbbell press while Derek Dolgner demonstrates. These 3 variations are optimal in a team setting and have several advantages to implementing them.
- These variations can add density to the training session by reducing sets and rest intervals
- These variations can add difficulty to the exercises with adding load or volume
- The alternating and DUO variations can increase torso activation and stabilization.
This variation we got from Joe Kenn and requires the incline on the bench to be lowered each subsequent set. As the fatigue increases throughout the training session, the incline of the bench creates a mechanical advantage to counteract. This is especially beneficial to athletes as it adds a variety of angles and varies the planes of motion. These can be done in a drop set fashion as well.
Alternating Dumbbell Press
This variation requires the athlete to start with both dumbbells on the chest and press on dumbbell at a time. The athlete should theoretically start with the non-dominant arm.
Duo Dumbbell Press
This variation I first got from the United States Military Academy. The name helps differentiate from the Alternating Press. The concept is the same but the arms start in the locked out position. One arm stays locked out while the other is pressing.