Dumbbell Bench Press

oec:dumbbell-bench-press

A compound free-weight exercise performed lying on a flat bench to build chest, anterior shoulder, and triceps strength and hypertrophy.

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Also called: dumbbell bench, flat dumbbell press, DB bench press, benchpress dumbbells

How to do it

Sit on the edge of a flat bench with a dumbbell resting vertically on each thigh near the knees.
Lie back smoothly while kicking the dumbbells up toward your chest using your thighs.
Plant your feet flat on the floor, pull your shoulder blades back and down against the bench, and press the dumbbells up over your mid-chest with elbows fully extended.

Lower the dumbbells under control toward the sides of your chest, keeping your forearms vertical and tucking your elbows at roughly a 45- to 60-degree angle relative to your torso.
Descend until the handles reach roughly chest level or you feel a comfortable stretch in the pectorals.
Press the dumbbells back upward along a slight inward arc until your arms are extended above your chest, without clashing the weights together at the top.

Inhale deeply as you lower the dumbbells, and exhale forcefully as you press past the sticking point.

Flaring elbows out perpendicular to the torso (90 degrees).: Tuck the elbows slightly to roughly 45 to 60 degrees to protect the shoulder joint.
Banging the dumbbells together at the top of the repetition.: Stop the press when the dumbbells are directly over the shoulders, keeping continuous tension on the pecs.
Hyperextending wrists under heavy loads.: Keep wrists neutral and directly over the elbows so the load transfers straight through the forearms.

Avoid dropping the dumbbells off to the sides if fatigued; bring them to your thighs and sit up, or dump them safely to the floor clear of your body.

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