The dumbbell bench press works the chest through a bigger range than the barbell: each arm works on its own, so a weak side can't hide.
1Starting position2End position
Setup
Sit on the end of the bench, dumbbells on your thighs. Lie back and kick them up with your knees to straight arms over your chest. Shoulder blades back and down, feet on the floor.
Execution
Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand at your shoulders, palms facing forward — starting position.
Exhale and press the dumbbells up until your arms are almost straight, squeezing your chest at the top.
Inhale and lower them back down slowly.
Common mistakes
Dumbbells wobble and drift apart — lower slowly with vertical forearms.
Going too deep — lower to where your shoulders are comfortable, usually just below chest level.
Dropping the dumbbells at the end — bring them to your thighs and sit up, it's better for your shoulders and the floor.
Elbows flared to 90 degrees — keep them at 45–70 degrees to your torso.
Not sure about your form? Send me a video of a set — I'll take a look and tell you what to fix first.
