Incline Bench Pull

Incline Bench Pull is a strength - upper-back and rear-shoulder pull exercise involving Rhomboids and middle trapezius. Use these steps to learn the movement and work with your coach to choose a suitable level.

Last updated: 2026-10-31 · DynPerformance

Primary muscles: Rhomboids and middle trapezius
Secondary muscles: Latissimus dorsi, Deltoid
Exercise type: Strength - upper-back and rear-shoulder pull

Exercise technique

Bench
Set the bench to about 30 degrees.
Position
Rest your chest on the pad and secure your feet.
Grip
Turn the dumbbells to an overhand grip and let your arms hang.
Elbows
Open your elbows away from your torso.
Pull
Keep your forearms pointing down and raise your upper arms to back level.
Top
Pause when your torso and arms form a T.
Lower
Slowly lower the dumbbells while maintaining chest contact.

Key technique points

Stop the upper arms at back level.
Keep your chest on the pad.
Maintain palm direction.
Open both elbows equally.
Do not reach your neck forward.
Use a light load for the wide path.

Common mistakes

Tucking the elbows

Do not turn the wide upper-back variation into a narrow lat pull.

Raising the arms too far

Do not force the upper arms far behind the back line.

Bending the wrists

Do not steer the dumbbells through wrist movement instead of forearm position.

Lifting the chest

Do not use lower-back extension to pass the difficult point.

Shrugging

Do not replace elbow elevation with shoulder elevation.

Dropping the weights

Do not lose control of the descent with this wide arm lever.

Frequently asked questions