How to do a bench press dumbbell: tips and exercise options

The bench press is probably the most popular exercise for the top. body parts. Even those who do not do powerlifting professionally, always ask about how much you press.

This is a classic chest exercise, as well as one of exercises, which is present in all competitions in powerlifting.

Nevertheless, in spite of its popularity, the bench press is not without disadvantages. It often happens that when lifting the bar one arm works more intensively than the other, which if unsuccessful, can cause serious injury.

In addition, the range of motion itself is very limited in the lower parts of the amplitude. If you have a short upper limb length, then chest muscles will not stretch enough, which may limit their growth.

This does not mean that the bench press is a bad exercise, but doing bench press with dumbbells, you can get around all these limitations. This option is perfect for diversify your workout plan. Studies show1 that diversity is as important as the number of sets, reps and weight to build muscle and strength.

• Working muscles with a bench press dumbbell
  • Proper exercise technique
  • Video: how to independently and safely take a lot of weight dumbbell for bench press
  • Choose the right workout program
• The benefits and benefits of a bench press dumbbell
• Bench press variations
  • 1. Bench press with a dumbbell
  • 2. One-handed dumbbell bench press
  • 3. Bench press on the floor
  • 4. Hand change dumbbell bench press
  • 5. Dumbbell bench press on fitball
• Conclusion

Working muscles with a bench press dumbbell

The bench press is a horizontal bench press exercise. It means that hands squeeze weight from the chest perpendicular to your body. The main muscles involved in this exercise:

• Large pectoralis: most athletes do bench press solely to pump the chest with dumbbells, therefore, the load when properly performed exercises is very large. The main function of the thoracic horizontal flexion and medial rotation of the shoulder joint.
• Anterior deltoid: they work together with pectoral muscles and also participate in horizontal flexion and medial rotation of the shoulder joint. Almost impossible work on breasts without these muscles.
• Triceps muscle: triceps located on the back of the shoulder, is responsible for the extension of the elbow. Closer hands are arranged to each other, the more triceps work should to do. Triceps are especially active at the end of the movement when you straighten your elbows.
• Shoulder muscles: this group of small muscles, consisting of the infraspinatus, the small round and subscapularis muscles, responsible for stabilizing the shoulder. They are especially active during exercises, because the weight can shift in various directions.

Proper exercise technique

To get the most out of any exercise, you should perform it correctly. Inaccurate technique reduces performance and increases the risk of injury. Step by step we will consider how correctly do bench press dumbbell:

1. Sit on the end of the bench, holding the weight in both hands. Move dumbbell weight on your hips.
2. Lie back and help yourself lift your weight. Take a seat so that the back on the bench lies straight, arms bent, and weight was over the shoulders. Place your feet directly on the floor. Tighten abdominal muscles and slightly bend the lower back, protruding chest forward.
3. Lift the dumbbells up to the length of your arms above your chest. Flatten dumbbells together at the top of the movement. Straighten your arms but not up end flexing elbows. Otherwise, the load will not be on muscles and joints.
4. Bend your arms and lower them back down. Lower them as much as your flexibility allows. The lower the exercise becomes more difficult and more productive. From the bottom movements try not to make sudden movements so as not to get an injury.
5. In your last approach, either lower the dumbbells to the floor, or, bending your arms, just sit down and return to your starting position. Can ask a friend nearby.

Video: how to independently and safely take a lot of weight dumbbell for bench press

Choose the right workout program

Do not grab the old dumbbells and squeeze out all the juices right away. First you need to decide on the purpose of training, then with weight and number of repetitions. Use the following recommendations to help you choose the right range repetitions and dumbbell weights:

• For strength development: 3-5 repetitions, giving 85% + of your maximum in one go. Have a rest 3-5 minutes between sets.
• For hypertrophy (muscle growth): 6-12 reps, laying out on 67-85% of your maximum in one repeat. Rest 60-90 seconds between sets.
• For muscle endurance: 13-20 + reps, laying out less than 67% of the maximum in one repeat. Rest for 30-60 seconds between sets.

We recommend a home workout program for men to pump muscles without visiting the hall.

Not sure how much your maximum is in one rep? It’s simple, the selected weight should tire your muscles for a given number of repetitions. If you cannot complete the desired number of repetitions, it means the weight is too big, but if you can do more than was determined, then the weight is too small.

The benefits and benefits of a bench press dumbbell

There are enough facts, relying on which, you can confidently say that the presses can be safely attributed to a very effective exercises for weight gain. Here are a few main:

They help to develop the muscles of both hands, removing all sorts of imbalances: exercise helps develop strength and endurance of both hands at once, without overloading one of them. Everyone has people, one hand is always leading, which can affect technique and process of muscle mass formation in working muscles. This is not a problem until you begin to notice differences in the size of your muscles or not get hurt. Using dumbbells instead of a bar will fix this problem.

Less shoulder load: bench press with barbell gives very heavy load on the muscles of the shoulders. This is because the barbell fixes your hands in one position and you cannot turn your wrists naturally. Dumbbells allow rotate the wrists, which relieves tension from the shoulders. Each hand can move freely in its range of motion, which also Helps relieve stress on the shoulder joint.

Safe when training alone: ​​each the repetition performed with the bar may be the last in terms of strength and endurance of working muscles. At this point, you can find yourself in a very a dangerous situation, especially if no one is around. With dumbbells There are no such problems, you can simply throw them aside.

You can change the range of motion: with a barbell you can make inclined and regular presses, but for this you need a special bench, and not all gyms have it. For a bench with dumbbells the angle of inclination changes. A raised bench will give more load on upper chest, and lowered down to the lower. Flat the surface allows you to evenly work out all parts of the chest cells.

Joint stability: in progress exercises need to learn to control weight – to manage it. it leads to greater activation of the muscles of the shoulder girdle and stabilization shoulder joints, which significantly reduces the risk of getting injuries 2.

Bench press variations

If you do the same movement for a long time, the muscles get used and the efficiency decreases. Diversify your workouts with various variations of this exercise.

1. Bench press with a dumbbell

This variation with a narrow grip, or as it is also called neutral, well loads the inside of the pectoral muscle. It very effective for building muscle in this area. Grip is slightly different than usually parallel. Here you will squeeze dumbbells simultaneously and together, the total weight of the load can be slightly to lower.

How to perform:

1. Grab the dumbbells in both hands and tune in like a regular bench press. Hold the dumbbells together throughout the exercise, feeling tension in the hands.
2. Raise the dumbbells until your arms are fully extended, and then lower them back to the chest. Keep bringing them together!

This variation can be performed as lying on a flat surface, and on a bench with an adjustable tilt.

2. One-handed dumbbell bench press

In this option, you use only one dumbbell and work on each hand separately. Great variation for leveling each thoracic isolation and muscle stabilizer core. Among other things will have to strain very hard to maintain balance and the right position.

How to do:

1. Take one dumbbell and get ready for the usual push-ups. Place your feet firmly on the floor and tighten your abdominal muscles.
2. Without changing the position of the shoulders and hips, lift the weight to full extension of the arm, and then lower it again.
3. Make the same amount on each side.

This variation can be performed as lying on a flat surface, and on a bench with a different slope.

3. Bench press on the floor

No bench? No problem! Dumbbell bench press can be done on the floor. The option is suitable for those in whom lowering weight to the chest causes pain in shoulders.

How to perform:

1. Lie on the floor with your knees bent, feet on the floor. Pick up dumbbells over the chest.
2. Bend your arms and lower them down to the floor. Repeat.

This exercise can also be done with one dumbbell or with flat dumbbells.

4. Hand change dumbbell bench press

This exercise not only allows you to work one arm at a time times, but also improves coordination and strength of the core. It’s good exercise for muscle endurance and works well when used as part of a workout for burning fat.

How to do it:

1. Take the starting position, as in the usual variation. Hold it down one dumbbell to the chest, and the other lift up.
2. Then raise your second hand, lowering the first.
3. Continue to alternate sides throughout the approach.

The angle of the bench can be changed when this option bench press.

5. Dumbbell bench press on fitball

How to perform:

1. Start sitting on the fitball with dumbbells in both palms. By making emphasis on the feet, lean back until those are on the ball whole back, shoulders and head. Tighten your legs and core.
2. Start with your arms bent at right angles up to their straighten, then lower them. Keep your hips and shoulders remained motionless and even.

On the fitball, you can perform the variations described above.

Conclusion

Dumbbell bench press is a great and more effective alternative. similar exercise with a barbell. Among other things, it’s beautiful A way to add variety to your workouts.

After you master the classic variation of the exercise, Be sure to try the variations described in this article. Can come up with several options for their compound exercises. Thanks your bumpy and big breasts will soon be difficult for these exercises miss.