Dumbbell Bench Press

Also called DB bench and dumbbell press.

Works

Chest, plus shoulders and triceps

Equipment

Dumbbells

Level

Beginner

Type

Compound

How to do it

Setup. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions of your training program.

Cues

• Kick the weights up with the knees.
• Elbows about 45°.
• Press up and slightly in.
• Keep the shoulder blades pinned.

Common mistakes

• Clanking the dumbbells together.
• Elbows flared.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.

Harder

Easier