Based on the provided video, here is the elite biomechanical analysis of the Incline Dumbbell Press.
Note on Video Orientation: The video is recorded in portrait mode and rotated 90 degrees. The analysis below treats "up" as the direction against gravity (pushing the weights away from the chest).
Note on Subject: The primary analysis focuses on the Lifter (Male) performing the press. However, due to the specific request for "Scoliosis-Aware Analysis," a dedicated section is included for the Spotter (Female), as she displays significant visible spinal deviation that is relevant to biomechanical safety in a gym setting.
ACTIONABLE STEPS (Priority Order)
- 1Correct Elbow Flare (Shoulder Preservation): You are pressing with your elbows flared out at nearly 90° relative to your torso (creating a "T" shape). This places high stress on the rotator cuff.
* Cue: *"Tuck your elbows toward your ribs."* Aim for a 45-60° angle (an "Arrow" shape, not a "T").
- 2Stack the Wrists (Force Transfer): Your wrists are extended (bent backward) under the load, particularly visible on the left hand at 00:13. This creates a power leak.
* Cue: *"Knuckles to the ceiling."* Keep the wrist joint neutral and directly stacked over the elbow.
- 3Control the Eccentric (Time Under Tension): You are dropping the weight quickly and using the stretch reflex (bounce) to reverse the movement (00:20-00:22).
* Cue: *"3-second descent."* Control the weight down, pause briefly, then explode up.
- 4Reduce Spotter Dependency: The spotter is manually assisting almost every rep from the midpoint onwards. This prevents true neuromuscular adaptation.
* Correction: The spotter should hover hands *near* the elbows/wrists but only touch if the weight stops moving or travels backward.
FORM OVERVIEW & SCORE
The lifter demonstrates good raw strength and a full range of motion, bringing the dumbbells deep to touch the anterior deltoid. However, the movement pattern is compromised by excessive elbow flare and substantial assistance from the spotter, which masks true failure points. The spinal stability on the bench appears solid, though the wrist positioning needs immediate correction to prevent joint strain.
Form Quality Score: 6.5/10
- Spinal Integrity: 8/10 (Lifter appears stable against the bench)
- Movement Symmetry: 7/10 (Minor left-side lag masked by spotting)
- Tempo Control: 5/10 (Eccentric phase is too fast/uncontrolled)
- Range of Motion: 9/10 (Excellent depth)
DETAILED ANALYSIS
Setup Position
- Torso: The lifter is well-positioned on the incline bench (approx. 30° incline). The upper back appears to have good contact with the pad.
- Feet: Feet are planted, but leg drive seems minimal.
- Shoulders: Scapular retraction is difficult to assess fully due to the shirt, but the anterior shoulder position at the bottom of the rep suggests the scapulae may be slipping out of retraction, allowing the shoulders to roll forward slightly.
Eccentric Phase (Lowering)
- Timestamp 00:07 - 00:09: The descent is rapid. The humerus (upper arm) travels in a wide arc. The angle between the torso and the arm is too wide (>80°).
- Control: The weight is essentially "caught" at the bottom rather than controlled down. This increases shear force on the glenohumeral joint.
Transition/Bottom Position
- Timestamp 00:15: The depth is deep, which is excellent for hypertrophy, stretching the pectorals fully.
- Risk: Due to the wide elbow angle, this deep position places the anterior capsule of the shoulder in a vulnerable position. Tucking the elbows would make this deep stretch safer.
Concentric Phase (Pressing)
- Timestamp 00:18 - 00:19: The drive is initiated well, but the bar path is slightly erratic.
- Elbow Extension: The elbows do not fully lock out at the top, maintaining tension on the pecs (this is positive for hypertrophy).
- Symmetry: The left arm appears to drift slightly wider than the right during the fatigue reps (00:33).
Rep-to-Rep Consistency
- Fatigue: By 00:30, velocity drops significantly.
- Form Degradation: As fatigue sets in, the elbows flare even harder. Usually, fatigue should cause the body to seek mechanically stronger positions (tucked elbows), but here the pattern degrades into a mechanically weaker, joint-stressing position.
SCOLIOSIS & SPINAL MECHANICS ASSESSMENT
For the Lifter (The Athlete)
- Thoracic Contact: In an incline press, a lifter with scoliosis (thoracic rotation/convexity) often struggles to keep both shoulder blades flat against the bench. This can cause the bar path to corkscrew or one arm to press further forward than the other.
- Observation: The lifter maintains relatively even shoulder height, suggesting that if scoliosis is present, it is currently well-managed by the stability of the bench.
- Recommendation: Focus on "driving the back into the bench" equally on both sides to prevent rotational compensation during the concentric drive.
For the Spotter (Critical Biomechanical Note)
*The prompt specifically asked for scoliosis analysis, and the spotter displays a visible scoliotic presentation.*
- Observation: The female spotter (visible 00:00 - 00:48) displays a significant Right Thoracic Convexity with associated rib hump. Her right scapula is winged and higher than the left.
- Biomechanics: She is using a split stance and leaning forward with a rotated spine to spot the lifter. This places asymmetrical torsional shear on her vertebral discs.
- Correction for Spotter:
- 1Square Stance: Stand with feet parallel and wider than shoulder-width.
- 2Hip Hinge: Hinge at the hips rather than rounding/twisting the thoracic spine to reach the lifter.
- 3Risk: Spotting heavy loads in a twisted, kyphotic posture is a high-risk activity for exacerbating scoliotic pain or curvature progression.
PROGRAMMING RECOMMENDATIONS
- 1Technique Regression:
- Reduce the weight by 15-20%.
- Switch to Neutral Grip Dumbbell Press. Turning the palms to face each other forces the elbows to tuck, automatically fixing the flared elbow issue and protecting the shoulders.
- 2Tempo Work:
- Implement a 3-1-0 Tempo. 3 seconds down, 1 second pause at the stretch, 0 seconds (explosive) up. This forces the lifter to own the weight rather than relying on momentum.
- 3Accessory Work:
- Face Pulls: To strengthen the rear delts and external rotators, counteracting the internal rotation bias of the wide-elbow press.
- Unilateral Landmine Press: To train the pressing pattern with a fixed arc that encourages proper scapular movement and core anti-rotation (beneficial for scoliosis management).