Dumbbell Incline Shoulder Raise

What it is

This isolation exercise targets your shoulders directly. You'll perform it seated on an incline bench, using dumbbells to elevate your arms with a pushing motion. It primarily works your shoulders, with some engagement from your triceps. This movement helps build strength and definition in your deltoid muscles.

Technique tips

• Keep your arms straight and locked throughout the entire movement.
• Focus on raising your shoulders towards your ears to initiate the lift.
• Exhale as you elevate the dumbbells, inhale as you lower them with control.
• Maintain palms facing forward and knuckles pointing towards the ceiling.
• Avoid using momentum; the movement should be slow and deliberate.
• Control the weight on the way down to increase muscle engagement.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.