One Arm Dumbbell Bench Press

Also called single arm dumbbell bench, one arm db press and unilateral bench press.

Works

Chest, plus shoulders and triceps

Equipment

Dumbbells

Level

Beginner

Type

Compound, one side at a time

How to do it

Setup. Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in one hand on top of your thigh.

1. By using your thigh to help you get the dumbbell up, clean the dumbbell up so that you can hold it in front of you at shoulder width. Use the hand you are not lifting with to help position the dumbbell over you properly.
2. Once at shoulder width, rotate your wrist forward so that the palm of your hand is facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
3. Bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe in. Keep full control of the dumbbell at all times. Tip: Use the hand that you are not lifting with to help keep the dumbbell balance as you may struggle a bit at first. Only use your non-lifting hand if it is needed. Otherwise, keep it resting to the side.
4. As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
5. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions of your training program.
6. Switch arms and repeat the movement.

Cues

• Brace so you don't roll.
• Lower to the side of the chest.
• Elbow about 45° from the body.
• Press straight up, wrist stacked.

Common mistakes

• Hips and torso twisting.
• Elbow flaring wide.

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.

Go easy, or pick an alternative, if you have a sore shoulder. Pain that's sharp or gets worse set to set means stop.

Easier

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