Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Balance Style Dumbbell Incline Shoulder Raise: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell incline shoulder raise targets the serratus anterior and also works the deltoids and trapezius. It is performed on an incline bench and involves raising dumbbells above the head while maintaining control and proper form.

Primary muscles
Not recorded
Secondary muscles
Traps , Shoulders
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the balance style dumbbell incline shoulder raise
Front view: muscles worked by the balance style dumbbell incline shoulder raise. Secondary: traps and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the balance style dumbbell incline shoulder raise. Secondary: traps and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the balance style dumbbell incline shoulder raise

  1. Step 1: Set an incline bench to a 45-degree angle and sit on it with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing down.
  2. Step 2: Rest the dumbbells on your thighs and lean back onto the bench.
  3. Step 3: Use your thighs to help raise the dumbbells to shoulder height, then rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing forward. Maintain balance form throughout.
  4. Step 4: Exhale and slowly raise the dumbbells above your head, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment at the top, then inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells back to shoulder height.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the balance style dumbbell incline shoulder raise by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.