Dumbbell Bench Press

The technique.

1. 01

   Lie on a flat bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing each other.

2. 02

   Use your knees to help kick the dumbbells up to your chest, then rotate palms forward.

3. 03

   Press the dumbbells straight up until your arms are fully extended, but not locked out.

4. 04

   Slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a controlled arc until your elbows are slightly below the bench.

5. 05

   Maintain control throughout the movement, keeping your feet flat on the floor.

What goes wrong.

• ×Lowering the dumbbells too fast, losing control and risking injury.
• ×Flaring elbows excessively, placing undue stress on the shoulder joints.
• ×Allowing the dumbbells to touch at the top, which reduces continuous tension.
• ×Not fully extending the arms at the top, limiting triceps engagement.
• ×Using too heavy weight, compromising form and range of motion.