This is a good alternative for incline bench press with the added advantage of being able to get a deeper stretch at the bottom of the motion. If you are hoisting heavier dumbbells it is easier to either have a spotter hand you the dumbbells. If that is not an option for you then you will have to sit down with the dumbbells in your hands. Hold the dumbbells in your hands but resting on your thigh. When you sit down they should still be on top of your leg. When you lay back kick each leg up one at a time, raising the weight to the shoulders. At the starting position the dumbbells should be your shoulders with your elbows underneath your wrists and the ends of the dumbbells pointing out (you don’t want them to face each other) and your elbows also aimed out. Don’t let your elbows move away from under the wrists (if elbows are pointing to the front wall at all then you are in an incorrect position) because you might do damage to the rotator cuff. You should feel the stretch across the top of the chest. From there, press them to the top until they touch, exhaling as you press. When you get to the top of the position, give your chest an extra little squeeze then release them slowly to the starting position.

A common error I see in this exercise is on the pressing motion. Do not arc the dumbbells… you should press them straight up to a converging point. I like to tell my clients that I want them to do "Christmas tree shapes, not hedges." Start wide at the bottom and touch at the top moving your arms in straight lines. Also, make sure you come deep enough at the bottom of the motion.