Exercises

Dumbbell bench press

Each hand controls its own dumbbell, so both arms work independently.

Illustration of a flat bench press with a separate dumbbell in each hand.

Dumbbells · Flat bench

Source: ACE · Dumbbell Chest Press

Step by step

  1. Lie on a flat bench with both dumbbells. Keep feet, hips, shoulders and head supported.
  2. Hold the dumbbells above your chest, wrists straight and thumbs around the handles.
  3. Lower both dumbbells slowly toward the sides of your chest as you inhale.
  4. Press upward evenly as you exhale. Keep your shoulders against the bench.

Common mistakes

  • Bending your wrists back.
  • Lowering without control or pressing unevenly.

Anatomy and technique: the references below. Region boundaries and movement diagrams are schematic. Exercise images are AI-generated illustrations.