Chest exercise
Dumbbell Bench PressHow to do it, with form in numbers
- Main muscles
- Chest
- Also works
- Front delts, Triceps
- Level
- Beginner
How to do it
How do you do the Dumbbell Bench Press?
- Lie on a flat bench, feet flat, dumbbells pressed over your shoulders.
- Pull your shoulder blades down and back.
- Lower the dumbbells slowly to the sides of your mid-chest.
- Press up and slightly in until your arms are straight.
Cues
- Forearms vertical at the bottom
- Elbows about 45° from your sides
- Press up and slightly in
Common mistakes
- Elbows flaring out to 90°; keep them angled towards your hips.
- Bouncing the weights off your chest; lower slowly and pause lightly.
- Arching the low back; keep buttocks and shoulders on the bench.
Form in detail
What does good form look like?
Starting position
Flat bench, about 45 cm high and 30 cm wide. Head, shoulders, buttocks on the bench; feet flat on the floor (or a riser) a little wider than shoulder width. Shoulder blades pulled down and back; natural low-back curve, no exaggerated arch. Closed pronated grip (palms towards the feet, thumbs round the handles), the two handles in one line across the body. Wrists neutral.
The movement
A slight arc: down and slightly out to the sides of the mid-chest, up and slightly in to finish over the shoulders. Both dumbbells move together and level. Torso, hips, head and feet stay still; shoulder blades stay pinned.
End position
(turnaround point): Dumbbells beside the mid-chest, slightly wider towards the armpits. Each dumbbell directly over its forearm, so the forearm is vertical between the elbow and the chest. Upper arm about 55° from the torso (accept 45–70°; never 90°). Elbows just below the level of the bench top. The dumbbells touch the chest lightly or stop just above it (a shoulder-cautious version stops 4–6 cm above).
Tempo
ACSM moderate speed: lower about 2 s, soft touch with no bounce, press about 1.5 s, hold 0.3 s at the top.
Form in numbers
What are the angles and distances?
| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elbow angle at top (included) | 172° | 165–178° | |
| Upper arm to torso at bottom | 55° | 45–70° | |
| Forearm at bottom | vertical | ±10° | |
| Dumbbell height above chest at bottom | 0–1 cm | touch to 6 cm | |
| Bench height | 45 cm | 42–46 cm | |
| Tempo down / up | 2 s / 1.5 s | 1–2 s each (ACSM) |
The targets our 3D demo was built to, from the references below. Bodies differ, so treat the ranges as a guide for your own build.
For coaches
Use this demo in your clients’ programs
The Dumbbell Bench Press is in Trainaq’s exercise library. Add it to a workout, and your client sees this demo in the free Trainaq app above the sets they log.
Sources
