Bench Press (Dumbbell)
Lie on a bench and press a dumbbell in each hand from the shoulders to arm's length. Also called DB Bench and Dumbbell Bench.
- Pattern
- Press forward
- Equipment
- Dumbbells
- Works
- Chest, front delt, triceps
- Loads
- Shoulders, elbows, wrists
If something hurts
Not medical advice. Sharp pain, numbness or swelling needs someone qualified to look at it.
Each swap below spares one joint.
Shoulder Floor Press (Dumbbell)Try it if it feels okay
Floor stops the elbows before the shoulder reaches end range.
Elbow Chest Fly (Dumbbell)
A fly's elbow stays fixed, so no elbow bend loads it.
Wrist Chest Press (Machine)
Fixed handles keep the wrist and shoulder end range out of the press.
When it stalls, these usually help
Presses usually give out at lockout, and close-grip bench puts that work on the triceps.
The same press at a new angle, so a second pressing day is not a repeat.
The pull that balances the press; a strong upper back is the base you press from.
How Swolver coaches it
This lift is read from your own sessions. When it goes flat for four weeks, Swolver names the likely cause in plain words, such as weekly sets that dropped, and the one change to make. The rules are all on the method page.