Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
Lie on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand at the shoulders. Press straight up over the shoulders into a full elbow lockout. Control the weight down to position the forearms approximately vertical, keeping the upper arms within about 45 degrees away from the sides.
Purpose
The incline bench press is often a better bench press variation than flat for athletes with shoulder problems as it tends to stress the joint less, and using dumbbells improves this even more over a barbell. It also emphasizes the shoulders and triceps more and reduces the pec contribution somewhat relative to the flat bench, making it more valuable for building overhead strength. It can be used for lifters needing to dramatically increase upper body pressing strength and/or build shoulder girdle muscle, especially when wanting to build or maintain symmetry side to side.
Programming
Generally 5-15 reps are appropriate depending on whether the emphasis is more on strength or hypertrophy.