When you think of chest day, what’s the first exercise that pops into your head? I’d put money on it that you thought, “bench press.” There’s no denying that barbell bench press is the granddaddy of chest exercises, but what if you don’t have access to one? Whether it’s all the benches that are taken up or just not having one in your home gym, you can still get a killer chest workout without ever having to touch a barbell. Today’s article will give you an absolute killer chest workout; all you’ll need are some dumbbells and a bench.
Top 6 Exercises for an Effective Dumbbell Chest Workout
1. Dumbbell Bench Press
We will start with the next best thing (some may even say it’s better) to the bench press: the flat dumbbell bench press. Rather than flaring our elbows out to 90º from our body, keep them closer to 45º. Full range of motion will be the focus here, ensuring that extra stretch that’s impossible with a barbell.
So that was the easy part; the rest of this workout…not so much.
Incline Tri-Set From Hell
Set your bench at the standard incline bench level of 15-30º and get ready to burn. You will do three exercises back-to-back-to-back, only resting after the third exercise. This is not for the faint of heart, but you’ll be rewarded with an insane upper chest pump.
2. Reverse Grip Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
These aren’t your everyday incline presses. Start in the same position as a traditional incline press, but you will supinate the dumbbells on the way up so your pinkies are on the inside. Focus on using your chest to bring the bottoms of your hands together.
*The video is performed on a flat bench, but you’ll do the same on an incline.
3. Rotating Incline Dumbbell Fly
Unlike a traditional dumbbell fly, your palms are not facing each other the entire time. This exercise will have you finish in the same position as the exercise above. If you want to take it to another level, rotate your hands so your palms are facing down at the bottom of the stretch.
*The video is performed on a flat bench, but you’ll do the same on an incline.
4. Dumbbell Svend Press
Now, this can be done in a few different ways. You can lay back on the bench, squeeze two dumbbells together, and press. You can sit up and use a single dumbbell, keeping your hands flat and pressing on either side of the grip. There’s also the option of turning a dumbbell sideways, pressing on either side, and performing the exercise that way. We would recommend using the third option. You don’t need to go heavy on this one. Instead, focus on squeezing the weight and keeping the correct angle on your press.
Hurray, Time For a Superset
What better way to follow a tri-set than a superset? While this isn’t necessarily a “lower chest” set, you are definitely going to be feeling it down there.
5. Dumbbell Pullover
Before you say, “Dumbbell pullovers don’t work,” yes, they do. You just probably haven’t been doing them the right way.
Set up on a flat bench, either lying entirely on it or perpendicular like Arnold used to. Keep your elbows tight; if you flare them out, you’ll likely use more lat to move the weight. You don’t need to lower the weight down to the ground; just get a good stretch, usually not much further down than your head. Keep the weight close to your body rather than a large arc when you’re bringing it back up. Bring the weight down to your lower chest, making sure to squeeze. You may not feel it on the first couple of reps, but by rep 5, you should be feeling the burn.
6. Dumbbell Push-Ups
Okay, so what’s the difference between these and regular push-ups? With dumbbell push-ups, you can get an even deeper stretch, really working your pecs and making this a great finisher.
Find out the 33 Best Push Up Variations from beginner to advanced.
The Best Dumbbell Chest Workout
EXERCISE
SETS/REPS/REST
DB Bench Press
2 Warm Up Sets x 15-20 Reps
4 Working Sets x 8-12 Reps
*Rest 90-120 secs between sets
Reverse Grip Incline DB Press
3 Sets x 10-12 Reps
*Tri-Set (no rest before next exercise)
Rotating Incline DB Fly
3 Sets x 10-12 Reps
*Tri-Set (no rest before next exercise)
DB Svend Press
3 Sets x 10-12 Reps
*Rest 90 secs before starting tri-set again
DB Pullover
3 Sets x 10-12 Reps
*Superset (no rest)
DB Push Ups
3 Sets x To Failure
*Rest 90 secs before starting superset-set again
Wrap Up
There you have it—a dumbbell-only chest workout. If you’re pushing yourself, I can guarantee you’ll be impressed with how much blood you can get into your pecs. If you’re really feeling squirrelly, you can switch the order of the tri-set and superset to finish with an upper chest you can rest a glass on. Make sure to keep an eye out for more dumbbell-only workouts coming soon!
