Dumbbell Bench Press
How to do the Dumbbell Bench Press with correct form, the muscles it works, and where it fits a training plan you actually stick to.
Chest
Shoulders, Triceps
Dumbbell
How to do the Dumbbell Bench Press
- 1
Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand resting on top of your thighs. The palms of your hands will be facing each other.
- 2
Then, using your thighs to help raise the dumbbells up, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them in front of you at shoulder width.
- 3
Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. The dumbbells should be just to the sides of your chest, with your upper arm and forearm creating a 90 degree angle. Be sure to maintain full control of the dumbbells at all times. This will be your starting position.
- 4
Then, as you breathe out, use your chest to push the dumbbells up. Lock your arms at the top of the lift and squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then begin coming down slowly. Tip: Ideally, lowering the weight should take about twice as long as raising it.
- 5
Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions of your training program.
Log it, see it on your body.
Every Dumbbell Bench Press set you log feeds Ascend's anatomy heatmap, so your chest volume is visible at a glance, and counts toward your bodyweight-strength tier.
Where the Dumbbell Bench Press fits
The Dumbbell Bench Press shows up in training built around a specific goal. See how it fits:
More chest exercises
Dumbbell Bench Press: common questions
What muscles does the Dumbbell Bench Press work?
The Dumbbell Bench Press primarily works the Chest. It also recruits the Shoulders and Triceps as supporting muscles.
Is the Dumbbell Bench Press suitable for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Bench Press is a beginner-level exercise, so it's a solid choice if you're new to training. Start light and focus on the movement pattern before adding load.
What equipment do I need for the Dumbbell Bench Press?
To do the Dumbbell Bench Press you'll need a dumbbell.
Is the Dumbbell Bench Press a compound or isolation exercise?
The Dumbbell Bench Press is a compound exercise, it moves multiple joints and works several muscle groups at once, which makes it efficient for building overall strength.
How do I do the Dumbbell Bench Press with correct form?
Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand resting on top of your thighs. The palms of your hands will be facing each other. Follow the full step-by-step above for the complete movement.
Log your Dumbbell Bench Press sets, free.
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