Dumbbell Bench Press
Why it’s on the list: Whether dumbbell or barbell presses are better for growth is an age-old weight-room debate. Luckily, you can do both! But there’s little doubt that the dumbbell variation has more versatility throughout the beginning, middle, and end of a chest workout.
A great many of you reading this probably expected to see the barbell bench press as the #1 exercise on this list, and you’d have a formidable argument. The barbell bench press is a staple exercise for many individuals seeking to build muscle and strength.
But, we’ve gone with the dumbbell bench press as the #1 exercise for a couple of reasons:
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* the dumbbell bench press allows for a greater range of motion, which means your chest muscles have to do more work, promoting greater hypertrophy.
* using dumbbells allows you to find the optimal hand and elbow placement that’s optimal for your body and biomechanics. The barbell locks you into a fixed path, and this can lead to stress on the shoulders, wrists, and/or elbows for some individuals.
* dumbbells force both sides of your body to work independently, which helps attenuate any imbalances that may develop (as we all have a dominant and non-dominant side).
* dumbbells may offer a more accessible option for learning pressing movements with weights as some individuals may be anxious about using a barbell if they’re not used to resistance training.
Some other big plusses for dumbbells: Each side’s musculature must work independently, creating more balanced strength and size. Dumbbells also allow a longer range of motion, which some studies say can lead to muscle growth. Plus, you can more easily tweak your grip to create variety and a new stimulus on chest day.
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Position the bench so it’s at a 30 to a 45-degree angle. Start by sitting up, holding a pair of dumbbells on your thighs. Using your knees, kick up one of the dumbbells at a time to shoulder level. In the starting position, your hands and arms should be positioned slightly below and wider than your shoulders. Push the dumbbells swiftly to create a motion that resembles an arc. At the top of the movement, let them hover over your chest. Pull your shoulder blades together on the way down.
Use a 30-degree angle instead of a higher angle for the bench to maximize chest muscle stimulation,” Perry recommends.
Complete 3-5 sets of 10 at the beginning or middle of your workout.
Just like the flat dumbbell bench press, the incline bench press allows you to address imbalances and weaknesses.
Chest Flye
More muscular coordination as the lifter is forced to stabilize and lift two separate dumbbells.
The chest flye stretch, which is achieved by extending the arms with lightweight, will really tax the chest’s muscle fibers and pump the area with nutrient-rich blood.
It’s a versatile movement that can be performed with dumbbells on a cable machine and kettlebells.
Lay back on a bench, with a dumbbell in each hand. With a slight bend in your elbows, lower your arms out to your sides slowly and with control. Now, reverse the motion to engage the chest. You should look like you’re hugging a tree.
That pump will help to drive nutrient-rich blood to the target area to help speed up recovery. Using dumbbells will also help improve your body’s ability to coordinate as you’re forced to stabilize each weight independently.
Floor Press
The floor press can be done with a barbell or dumbbells and is a great way to progress a beginner or lifter rehabbing their shoulders or pecs into fuller ranges of motion bench pressing.
By lying on the floor, you can decrease some of the stress placed on the shoulders and shift more on the chest and triceps.
Push-up
Support your body on your toes and hands, with your hands set slightly outside shoulder-width. While keeping a straight line from your neck to your ankles during each rep, bend your elbows to lower your entire body, and press to full lockout. To reduce shoulder joint strain, aim your elbows more towards your feet than your shoulders.
Rest as needed. Start a timer immediately before beginning the first rep and stop the timer immediately after completing the last rep. Record the total time and aim to improve by one second or more each workout.
100 reps total, broken down into as many or as few sets as necessary until completion.
Cable cross-over
This workout plan targets the chest muscles and includes different types of exercises so that all chest muscles are stimulated while training. There are specific exercises you can try that focus on just one or two areas. When working out the chest, It is important to combine exercises that train different chest muscles so that your muscles can bulk up and grow evenly.
The pectoral muscles are a group of muscles that are divided into two parts: the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. Generally, normally, gym workouts will target the pectoralis major muscles, which are more visible and closer to the outer body. However, this muscle is further divided into 3 parts, the upper, the mid-area, and the lower areas. All of these should be worked out.
Just like with strength-training exercises, your load or weight should be adapted to your individual capacity. Training with excess weight can lead to improper execution and form. It is important to know that developing muscle mass takes time, and is not done by simply increasing weight.
Your workout plan should involve at least 3 to 4 different exercises, which target both the pectoralis major and minor muscles. Ideally, you should pick any of the following exercises:
Inclined chest press with dumbbells
This exercise is done with a weight bench that is set at an incline (as guided by your trainer). Then you should:
Lean your back on the inclined bench, holding dumbbells that are appropriate for you
Stretch your arms perpendicularly above your body, almost touching the dumbbells to each other. Your elbows should be slightly flexed.
Lower your arms until you feel your chest stretch and until your arms form a 90-degree angle. You should inhale with this movement.
Raise your arms back to your starting position, exhaling as you lift the dumbbells.
You can do 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, with 1 minute rests between each set. A good tip is to start with lighter weights and increase weight gradually, aiming to decrease the number of reps you complete. For example, try completing a set of 12-12-10-8 reps.
This exercise can also be completed on a normal bench without the incline, at a horizontal level. This will target the mid-pecs instead of the superior pecs.
Barbell chest press
This is one of the most traditional chest exercises, but it is also very complex and is very effective in developing the volume or mass of the mid-area pec and general pec. To complete this exercise correctly, you should:
Adjust the bench to a horizontal position and lie on your back.
Hold the barbell with your hands shoulder-width apart.
Lower the barbell, flexing at the elbow until the bar taps your chest. Inhale while lowering.
Straighten your arms once again, pushing the barbell away from you until your arms are completely stretched. You should exhale while raising the bar.
You should complete 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, with a 1-minute rest between each set.
This exercise can be done with the help of another person, especially when you try to increase your weight, to prevent the barbell from falling on your chest. Alternatively, you can do this exercise with dumbbells.
Dips on parallel bars
Dips are very used to work out the tricep muscles, however, a small change in this exercise can help to target the lower pecs. To do this exercise, you should:
Hold the bars with your arms stretched below you and lift your feet from the floor, balancing your body weight in your hands
Bend your arms slowly until you reach a 90-degree angle. Lean your body slightly forward.
Stretch your arms below you again to return to your starting position.
You should complete 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, with a 1-minute rest between each set.
With this exercise, it is important to lean your trunk forward when you lower it to ensure your lower chest is the targeted muscle group.
