Dumbbell workouts are an extremely effective way to train your shoulders, chest, and more. Dumbbell exercises can help you boost strength, muscle mass, and tone in areas that aren’t as easily accessible by other means. This guide includes several exercises to help you get your shoulders and chest a good workout. If you’re serious about improving your health, read the entire article. There are many exercises included that will challenge every muscle in your body.
1. Dumbbell bench press
The bench press is a great exercise for developing your chest muscles, particularly if you’re not very experienced at the gym. You’ll find that the first time you try this exercise, you’ll want to add more weight so you can develop your strength more rapidly. Although it takes some time to get used to this movement, it will not disappoint once you do!
Here is how you do the dumbbell bench press:
- Start by lying on your back on a flat bench, with your feet firmly planted on the floor.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand, and position them so that they’re resting on your thighs.
- When you’re ready, press the dumbbells up so that your arms are extended fully.
- From here, lower the dumbbells back down to your thighs, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
The dumbbell bench press is one of the most effective exercises for developing your chest muscles, particularly if you are just beginning to work out at the gym. Beginners will find that they can do this exercise more easily than many other chest workouts because it requires less coordination and strength.
2. Dumbbell incline bench press
A dumbbell incline bench press is a great exercise to build your chest and help you with sculpting your upper body. This exercise will not only help you build up your chest but help you get big pecs in a short period. The main thing that this exercise relies upon is the use of resistance via dumbbells. You’ll be using one or two dumbbells in this exercise, which further focuses on gaining strength in both arms allowing you to lift more weight and develop more muscle mass without putting too much stress on the joints.
To do this exercise:
- Sit on an incline bench with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the floor.
- Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and hold them at arm’s length by your sides.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells to your chest, pause, and then press them back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
This exercise is done on an incline bench which is different from your regular flat bench. The incline bench is designed to provide you with a greater range of motion, especially in the upper chest area. It also creates a more favorable angle for the pectoralis major and minor muscles. This will help you develop lean muscle mass as well as protect your shoulders from injury. Use this exercise to get a great upper body workout.
3. Dumbbell seated shoulder press
The seated dumbbell shoulder press is arguably one of the best exercises for the shoulders and chest. This type of exercise strengthens the upper pec muscles and activates some small rotator muscles along with the deltoids. With a good grip and back support, it helps you build bigger, harder pecs in the process.
To do this exercise:
- Sit on a bench or chair with back support and a dumbbell in each hand.
- Place the dumbbells on your thighs and sit up straight.
- Bend your elbows and bring the dumbbells up to your shoulder level.
- From here, press the dumbbells up above your head.
- Lower the dumbbells back down to your shoulder level and repeat.
Dumbbell seated shoulder press is an accessible exercise and doesn’t require much setup or equipment, making it ideal for a well-rounded workout routine. Paired with some dumbbell curls, lateral raises, or any other type of pressing movements, it can help build strength throughout the shoulders to give you a balanced workout routine in one go.
4. Dumbbell decline bench press
The dumbbell decline bench press is one of the most effective exercises for developing your upper chest and overall. The main benefits are that it works the upper pecs, middle delts, and lower chest all at once building strength to the entire pectoral girdle region. It helps with shoulder health and improves leverage on heavy lifts too.
To perform dumbbell decline bench press correctly:
- Start by lying on your back on a decline bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Using a neutral grip (palms facing each other), press the dumbbells up until your arms are fully extended.
- Lower the dumbbells back down to your chest, maintaining control throughout the entire range of motion.
- Pause for a moment at the bottom of the movement and then press the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
The decline dumbbell bench press is a solid addition to any chest day. It’s a great way to test the maximum strength of your upper chest and triceps, which are the two muscle groups in charge of pressing the weight. The decline angle of the bench allows you to work your shoulders and triceps as well.
5. Dumbbell chest flyes
Dumbbell chest flyes are a great way to build your upper chest. This exercise is not only good for toning your chest muscles, but it can also help to develop overall muscular endurance. You’ll be hitting both your anterior (front) and posterior deltoids as well as your triceps in this exercise.
Here is how you do dumbbell chest flyes:
- Start by lying on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Keeping your palms facing each other, raise the dumbbells to the level of your chest.
- From here, slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides of your body while keeping your palms facing each other.
- Once your arms are parallel to the floor, pause for a moment and then return the dumbbells to the starting position.
Dumbbell chest flyes are a great move to incorporate into your workout routine. When done regularly, this exercise can help you reach your goals of toning your upper and lower pectoral muscles as well as building endurance in these areas. While you don’t have to do this exercise for an extended period to see results, you will want to make sure that you perform it properly to maximize your results and avoid injury.
Conclusion
Many people tend to avoid shoulder and chest workouts because they believe these exercises are simply too challenging. This guide is meant to alleviate those fears with helpful tips and advice for beginners and pro trainers alike. Make sure to start slowly with small weights or lighter dumbbells and work your way up from there. If you’ve tried other types of exercise routines, try adding some dumbbells into your workout routine. The results will surprise you.