- EquipmentDumbbell
- PatternPush
- Reps6 to 15 reps
- Joint loadNone flagged
Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell on each thigh, then lie back and bring them up beside your chest. Plant your feet and pull your shoulder blades together.
First cueMove both arms at the same speed.
How to do the Dumbbell Bench Press
Set up. Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell on each thigh, then lie back and bring them up beside your chest. Plant your feet and pull your shoulder blades together.
- Press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight over your shoulders.
- Lower them under control to the sides of your chest, elbows angled slightly in.
- Stop when you feel a stretch across the chest.
- Press back up, letting the dumbbells come a little closer together at the top.
Form cues
- Move both arms at the same speed.
- Keep your wrists straight over your elbows.
- Keep your back set on the bench.
Common mistakes
- Dropping the dumbbells too low and losing control at the bottom.
- Clanking the dumbbells together at the top.
Muscles worked
Main target: Chest. The chest muscles fan out across the front of the ribcage, from the breastbone and collarbone to the upper arm. They bring the arm forward and across the body, which is the work of every press, push-up and fly.
On the way: Triceps and Front delts.
Its other side: Upper back, Lats and Rear delts, in the horizontal push and pull pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Dumbbell Bench Press, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row Superset partner: it trains the other side of the horizontal push and pull pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Upright Row Same push session: it trains the side delts.
- Dumbbell Shrug Often left out: it trains the traps, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Dumbbell Bench Press first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Dumbbell Bench Press 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Single-Arm Dumbbell Row 3 × 6 to 15 reps
- Upright Row 3 × 8 to 15 reps
- Dumbbell Shrug 3 × 8 to 20 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Dip
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Machine Chest Press
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Barbell Bench Press.
Other variations of the Barbell Bench Press: Incline Barbell Bench Press, Decline Barbell Bench Press, Smith Machine Bench Press, Close-Grip Bench Press, Machine Chest Press and Floor Press.
Its variations: Incline Dumbbell Bench Press and Dumbbell Floor Press.
Do before it: Band Pull-Apart (shoulder blades), Push-Up (same movement, lighter) and Shoulder Dislocate (shoulder range).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Dumbbell Bench Press is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Dumbbell Bench Press?
Set up: Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell on each thigh, then lie back and bring them up beside your chest. Plant your feet and pull your shoulder blades together. Steps: 1. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight over your shoulders. 2. Lower them under control to the sides of your chest, elbows angled slightly in. 3. Stop when you feel a stretch across the chest. 4. Press back up, letting the dumbbells come a little closer together at the top. Form cues: Move both arms at the same speed. Keep your wrists straight over your elbows. Keep your back set on the bench. Common mistakes: Dropping the dumbbells too low and losing control at the bottom. Clanking the dumbbells together at the top.
What muscles does the Dumbbell Bench Press work?
It trains the chest as its main target and works the triceps and front delts on the way.
What can I do instead of the Dumbbell Bench Press?
At home: Dip. In a gym: Machine Chest Press. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Dumbbell Bench Press with?
Good partners in the same workout are Single-Arm Dumbbell Row, Upright Row and Dumbbell Shrug.
How heavy should the Dumbbell Bench Press be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.