Workout of the Month: Dumbbell Bench Press

A dumbbell bench press, or chest press, is an upper-body weight training exercise in which the trainee presses a weight upwards while lying on a weight training bench. The exercise uses the pectoralis major, the anterior deltoids, and the triceps, among other stabilising muscles.

The Benefits of a Dumbbell Bench Press

Dumbbell bench presses can increase your upper body strength, improve muscular endurance, and even prepare your upper body to perform movements such as pushups. They also can be an effective strengthening exercise for sports like sprinting, hockey, and football.

How to perform a Dumbbell Bench Press

1. Lie flat on your back on a bench.
2. Grip the dumbbells with hands just wider than shoulder-width apart, so when you’re at the bottom of your move your hands are directly above your elbows. This allows for maximum force generation.
3. Bring the weights slowly down to your chest as you breathe in.
4. Push up as you breathe out, gripping the dumbbells hard, and watching a spot on the ceiling rather than the weights, so you can ensure it travels the same path every time..

Now that you know how to perform a dumbbell bench press, why not try it out in your workout this week at your local PCYC Queensland gym!