Dumbbell Bench Press
At a glance
- Equipment
- Pair of dumbbells + flat bench
- Suggested reps
- 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps
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Common mistakes
You stop the descent where a barbell would, wasting the extra range of motion that is the whole point of using dumbbells.
You let the dumbbells drift apart or wobble outward at the top instead of keeping them stacked over the shoulders.
You turn the palms and elbows fully out, flaring the upper arms to ninety degrees from the torso.
What to focus on
Lower into a deeper stretch than a bar allows and feel the chest load at the bottom before pressing.
Press up and very slightly inward so the dumbbells finish over the shoulders without touching.
Keep your feet planted and upper back tight on the bench; the dumbbells punish a loose setup immediately.
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Sources & further reading
- 1.EMG across press angles: a flat press biases the mid/lower pec, an incline the upper pec — the dumbbell press loads the same pattern — Int. J. Environmental Research and Public Health (2020), EMG study