Dumbbell chest press
Main muscle worked: Anterior deltoids, pectoralis major, triceps
Chest press is one of the best chest exercises for muscle growth (hypertrophy). Using dumbbells instead of barbell allows for slightly lower arm position and greater range of motion.
Dumbbell chest press
- Lie flat on the bench with your feet on the ground with wider than the hip width apart.
- Hold the dumbbells vertically above your chest with and overhand grip at chest level. Your forearms should be vertical to the ground.
- Raise the dumbbells vertically toward the center
- Keep your elbows away from your body when lowering the dumbbells.
Perform 8-12 reps for 2-3 sets.
Tips: Picking up and putting down the dumbbells at the beginning and ending of each set could be challenging. One of the good ways for this is to ask a spotter to help taking and handing off the dumbbells especially with heavy loads. To avoid the risk of injury, do not lower weight too far.
Note: This exercise is similar to barbell bench press but this exercise stretches pectoralis major more with greater range of motion. Both bench press and chest fly focus on pectoralis major. If you are looking for intensive muscle contraction for your chest, bench press will be a better option for you since bench fly cannot handle heavy loads.