Things You Should Know About Dumbbell Chest Workout
You’ve probably heard gym rats speak about “blasting their pecs” on a bench press day. However, strengthening your dumbbell chest workout is essential not just for cosmetic reasons but also for practical ones.
Your chest muscles are in charge of various upper body actions, including lifting, lowering, rotating, and moving your arms in practically every direction. Your chest muscles are active whenever you open a door, handle a big package, use a vacuum cleaner, or breathe. The stronger they are, the simpler it is to move about (and the less vulnerable you are to certain conditions).
Pick yourself a pair of dumbbells (here are the best adjustable dumbbells for weight lifting at home) and attempt 10 of the most excellent dumbbell chest exercises you can perform to build all your chest muscles.
What Muscles Comprise Your Chest?
The most common chest muscle that comes to mind is the pectoralis major, which elevates your arm in front of you, drops your arm to the side, and turns your arm inward. The pectoralis minor is also present, positioned underneath the pectoralis major and essential for shoulder blade stability.
Finally, the serratus anterior, placed deep beneath the pecs on the lateral sides of the rib cage, is responsible for bringing your shoulder blades forward, allowing you to reach in front of you.
Here are some of the most effective dumbbell chest workout.
1.DUMBBELL CHEST PRESSURE
The dumbbell chest workout is a simple yet prevalent exercise. While it works all of the central chest muscles, it also works your shoulders and, when done correctly, your back, making it an excellent upper-body strengthening exercise.
Grab two fairly heavy dumbbells and set them in front of you to do the chest press. Take a seat on a weight bench, pick up the dumbbells from the floor, and gently lower yourself until you’re resting flat. Make a perfect angle with your arms, elbows below your shoulders, neutral wrists, and knuckles facing the wall behind you.
You should be able to complete a set of 10-12 repetitions without stopping. Choose heavier weights for your following location if you can do more.
2.DUMBBELL CHEST FLY 2
Another popular exercise for developing all chest muscles is the dumbbell chest fly.
Place two light to moderately heavy dumbbells in front of you to do the dumbbell chest fly. Take a seat on a weight bench, take up the dumbbells from the floor, and gently lower yourself until you’re resting flat. Raise both dumbbells into the air, palms facing each other and directly above the sternum. Slowly drop the weights to the side with a tiny bend in your elbow, maintaining your arm posture fixed, expanding your chest, and retracting your shoulder blades.
Engage your chest muscles and return the weights to the beginning position after you’ve reached the end of your range. Perform a set of 10-12 repetitions, working up to muscular exhaustion on the last repetition.
3.PULLOVER DUMBBELL
The pullover may strengthen the chest and target the latissimus dorsi (a major muscle in the back).
Pick up one reasonably heavy dumbbell to do the dumbbell pullover. Lower yourself slowly onto a weight bench, holding a dumbbell vertically by one end squarely over your sternum. Ground your feet into the floor, compress your shoulder blades, and gently drop the dumbbell behind your head.
Engage your chest muscles and return the dumbbell to the beginning position after you’ve reached the end of your range. Repeat for 10-12 repetitions until muscular exhaustion is achieved after the set.
4.PRESS DUMBBELL SVEND
If you spend enough time at the gym, you’ll eventually see someone doing a Svend press. This exercise is often done with plates as a warm-up for bench pressing, but it may also be difficult on its own with a dumbbell or two.
Select two light to moderately heavy dumbbells for the Svend press. Squeeze them together while holding them by the handles vertically. Stand with your feet approximately hip-width apart and your core engaged. Bring the dumbbells up to your sternum, then extend your arms and push them out from you in a straight line while keeping them squeezed together.
Repeat this action 10-12 times, attaining muscular exhaustion on the last rep.
5.CROSS-BODY DUMBBELL RAISE STANDING
Standing cross-body dumbbell raises are an excellent technique to work the bottom region of your chest.
Choose a light to moderately heavy dumbbell for the standing cross-body dumbbell raise. Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and your core engaged. Squeeze the right pectoral while holding the dumbbell in your right hand, slightly bending the elbow, and gently bringing the weight up with an underhand grip toward the left shoulder. Lower yourself back to your starting position.
Perform 10-12 repetitions, then switch to the left arm.
6.DUMBBELL PRESS WITH A CRUSH GRIP
The crush grip dumbbell press, like the Svend press, offers added difficulty to a pressing motion by maintaining a consistent contraction of the dumbbell chest workout throughout the exercise.
Grab two fairly heavy dumbbells and set them in front of you to do the crush grip dumbbell press. Take a seat on a weight bench and grab a pair of dumbbells. Slowly lower yourself to a lying posture. Hold the dumbbells vertically, with the ends of each bell touching and aligned with your sternum. Squeeze your chest muscles as you “crush” the dumbbells together, then push both dumbbells up to the ceiling. Lower the weights slowly back to the starting position while maintaining pressure on the dumbbells.
Repeat 10-12 times more till you achieve muscular exhaustion.
7.DUMBBELL DECLINE CHEST PRESS
The decline dumbbell press is a variant of the regular chest press that targets the bottom area of your chest.
Grab two reasonably heavy dumbbells to do the decline dumbbell chest workout. Slowly lower yourself into a laying posture by placing your feet in the leg bracing of a declining weight bench. With your knuckles facing the wall behind you, aim the dumbbells exactly over your sternum. Retract your shoulder blades and drop the dumbbells to your sides gently, maintaining your elbows just below your shoulder and your arms at a straight angle. Return the dumbbells to their initial position.
Repeat 10-12 times more until you achieve muscular exhaustion.
8.DUMBBELL INCLINE CHEST PRESS
The incline dumbbell chest workout is another variant that targets the top area of your chest.
Place two fairly heavy dumbbells in front of you to do the incline dumbbell chest workout. Adjust the angle of a weight bench so it is about midway between entirely flat and upright. Sit on the court, grip the weights, and carefully lower yourself onto it.
Bring the weights to your shoulders, knuckles facing the back wall. Keep the consequences aligned with the top half of your chest as you press them towards the ceiling. Lower yourself back to your starting position.
Repeat for 10-12 reps, aiming for muscular exhaustion on the final rep.
9.PUSH THE DUMBBELL UP
The push-up is one of the most effective functional exercises for strengthening the upper body. Placing a dumbbell under each hand extends your push-up range of motion, enabling you to work your chest even more.
Grab two reasonably heavy dumbbells and set them vertically in front of you on the floor to do the dumbbell push-up. Grab each handle, place your neutral wrists strictly under your shoulders, and move back into a plank stance behind you. Maintaining a neutral lower back and engaged core, gently lower yourself to the floor, keeping the chest and hips aligned.
Push up to the starting position after reaching your range’s limit. Repeat 10-12 times with perfect form until you approach muscular failure.
10.DUMBBELL CHEST PRESS REVERSE GRIP
The reverse grip dumbbell chest press is yet another variant of the traditional chest press, designed to target the lower chest area (while also challenging your biceps).
Place two fairly heavy dumbbells before you do the reverse grip dumbbell chest press. Sit on a weight bench, pick up the weights, and gently lower yourself to a lying posture. Bring the dumbbells to your sides, knuckles facing the wall in front of you, elbows brought in at a straight angle towards your rib cage. Keep the dumbbells aligned with your lower chest as you press the weights toward the sky. Return the consequences to their initial position slowly.
Repeat for 10-12 repetitions, aiming for muscular failure towards the finish.
