9 Strength-Building Exercises for a Muscle-Pumping Dumbbell Chest Workout

Why Do It: Similar to the barbell bench press, the flat dumbbell bench press variation trains the same muscle groups as the barbell. This dumbbell bench variation is likely the one you’ll use the most weight on for added size and strength.   

How to Do It: 

1. Sit upright on the edge of the bench and place a dumbbell on each knee.
2. Lie down and use your knees and momentum to drive the dumbbells above your chest.
3. Lower each dumbbell towards your sternum with your upper arm at a 45-degree angle from your torso. 
4. When your elbows are level with your torso, use your triceps, shoulders, and chest muscles to push the elbows until lockout. Then reset and repeat.

Sets & Reps Suggestions: Two to four sets of between six to 15 reps work well for most lifters. 

Why Do It: Because the chest is a sizable, fan-like muscle, it helps to change the angle of your press for better muscle development. The incline dumbbell chest press using a 30 or 45-degree angle focuses more on the upper chest (clavicular head) muscle fibers near the clavicle than the regular flat press.

How to Do It: 

1. Set the weight bench at a 30- or 45-degree incline with a pair of dumbbells at your feet and sit on the edge of the bench. 
2. Curl the dumbbells to your knees and use your knees to press the dumbbells above your chest as you’re lying back.
3. Lower the dumbbells with your upper arms at a 45-degree angle from your torso until your elbows are level with it.
4. Press the dumbbells until your elbows are locked out and reset and repeat. 

Sets & Reps Suggestions: Three to four sets of six to 12 reps. 

Why Do It: The dumbbell fly is one of a few chest exercises that take the triceps out of it to focus on the pectorals and anterior shoulder. Here, you will feel the chest muscle stretch and contract through an extensive range of motion for some serious muscle-building potential. 

How to Do It: 

1. Sit at the edge of the bench with a pair of light dumbbells on your knees.
2. Lie down and bring the dumbbells together over your chest.
3. With a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower your arms to your sides with control. 
4. Reverse the motion to engage the chest while bringing the dumbbells together. Reset and repeat.

Sets & Reps Suggestions:  Two to three sets of eight to 15 reps. 

RELATED: 19 Muscle-Pumping Dumbbell Exercises

Why Do It: The crush press gives you all three muscle contractions: the isometric (the squeeze), the eccentric (lowering), and the concentric (“up” phase). This extra tension increases the muscle-building potential and focuses more on the inner pec muscle fibers. (Note: The squeeze press works best with hexagon dumbbells.)

How to Do It: 

1. Sit upright on the edge of the bench and place a dumbbell on each knee.
2. Lie down and use your knees and momentum to drive the dumbbells above your chest.
3. Press the dumbbells together over your chest for the entire set.
4. Lower the dumbbells down to just above your chest.
5. Use your triceps and chest to press until your elbows are extended. Reset and repeat. 

Sets & Reps Suggestions: Two to three sets of eight to 12 reps. 

Why Do It: The dumbbell floor press is just like the dumbbell version but done on the floor. Doing so limits the range of motion, which is good if shoulder issues are a problem. Plus, this chest press variation focuses on triceps lockout strength and strengthens imbalances between sides.

How to Do It: 

1. Lie on the floor with a dumbbell to your left hand side.
2. Roll over, grip the dumbbell with both hands, and roll onto your back.
3. Press the dumbbell with both hands and take the right hand off.
4. Lower the dumbbell until your upper arm touches the floor, and then press using your chest and triceps. Reset and repeat. 

Sets & Reps Suggestions: Three to four sets of between six to 15 reps 

Why Do It: The renegade row and push-up combo is the real upper-body deal. You’ll train your chest, triceps, core, biceps, upper back, and deltoids here. You will not be able to use a lot of weight on the row, but this exercise works more total muscle while improving core strength. (Note: This exercise works best with hexagon dumbbells.) 

How to Do It: 

1. Assume the front plank position with a dumbbell in each hand shoulder-width apart and feet wider than hip-width apart.
2. Without twisting the hips, row one dumbbell to your side, lower it, and do the row on the other side. 
3. Then perform a push-up, keeping your upper arms 45 degrees from your torso until your chest hovers above the ground. 
4. Push- up until your elbows are extended. That is one rep and reset and repeat. 

Sets& Reps Suggestions: Two to three sets of six to 12 reps will give you all you can handle.  

Why Do It: The dumbbell pullover is a chest and lats exercise, giving you more bang for your upper-body buck. This exercise trains the chest, upper back, deltoids, and anterior core. Like the exercise above, you cannot use a ton of weight, but you will be training more upper-body muscles with the dumbbell pullover. 

How to Do It: 

1. The setup is like the hip thrust; put your upper back lengthwise on a weight bench and engage your glutes and core. 
2. Ensure your knees are at a 90-degree position, and then hold the dumbbell underneath with both hands above your head. 
3. Keep a straight line from shoulders to knees and a soft bend in your elbows; lower your arms behind your head while keeping your elbows pointed forward. 
4. Lower to your preferred depth while keeping a good posture. 
5. Pull the dumbbell over your body and back to the starting position. 

Sets & Reps Suggestions:  Three to four sets of 10 to 15 reps

Why Do It: Remember the see-saw as a child? The adult version is the seesaw chest press, and this will strengthen your chest, triceps, and shoulders. As you press one dumbbell while lowering the other, you’ll train your anti-rotation strength, which helps your lower back. 

How to Do It: 

1. Sit upright on the edge of the bench and place a dumbbell on each knee.
2. Lie down and use your knees and momentum to drive the dumbbells above your chest.
3. Lower the right arm down and then press up as you lower the left arm down.
4. Then press with the left arm as you lower the right arm down. That’s one rep.

Note: You can do a variation of this exercise holding both weights in the upright position, lowering one at a time.

Sets & Reps Suggestions:  Three sets of six to 12 reps work well. 

Why Do It:  Doing a floor press in the hip extension position mimics a decline press, which seems to have gotten out of vogue in recent years. Here you’ll work your chest (lower chest muscle fibers), triceps, and shoulders while strengthening the glutes and hamstrings isometrically. It’s as close to a full-body exercise as you’ll find here. You’ll have less stability here, but you’ll be training more total-body muscle. 

How to Do It: 

1. Lie on the floor with a dumbbell on your right-hand side.
2. Roll over, grip the dumbbell with both hands, and perform a hip extension.
3. Press with both hands and take your left hand off.
4. While maintaining the hip extension, lower until your right upper arm touches the ground and press until lockout.  
5. Do all the reps on one side and then repeat on the left-hand side. 

Sets & Reps Suggestions: Two to three sets of eight to 15 reps on both sides.