6 Best Dumbbell Chest Exercises to Get a Buff Body

Dumbbell chest exercises are a must if your goal is to achieve a buff body. While using a barbell is effective too, dumbbell training has its own set of incredible benefits.

Dumbbell chest exercises are much more versatile, as they can be practiced anywhere – at the gym, at home, or outdoors. They offer hypertrophy and allow you to train with an increased range of motion, thereby helping you develop a stronger and bigger chest. Dumbbell chest exercises target your chest and arms unilaterally and help you build equal strength and muscle on each side. They allow you to move and comfortably rotate your arms while eliminating stress on your joints.

6 dumbbell chest exercises for a strong and muscular body

Here’s a look at some of the amazing dumbbell chest exercises to improve your overall muscle strength.

1. Dumbbell floor press

To do this exercise:

• Lie on the floor on your back and hold a dumbbell in each hand at your arm’s length. Position the dumbbells over your chest.
• Now rotate your wrists and lower the weights. Ensure that you keep your elbows close to your sides. Continue to lower the dumbbells until your triceps nearly touches the floor.
• Press the dumbbells back to their initial position and repeat the exercise.
• Complete 10 reps.

2. Dumbbell fly

To do this exercise:

• Hold a dumbbell in both hands using a neutral grip and position the ends at your hip crease. Sit down straight on a bench and then lay back to keep the dumbbells close to your chest.
• Press the weights to lockout and then unlock your elbows to slowly lower the dumbbells laterally. As you do this, remember to maintain the angle of your elbow.
• Reverse the movement when the dumbbell reaches your chest height while squeezing your pecs and bringing the weights back to the start.
• Repeat.

3. Incline dumbbell fly

To do this exercise:

• Lie on an incline bench and position your head on the elevated side. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at your arm’s length and place them just above your chest. Ensure that your palms are facing inward.
• Lower the dumbbells out to the sides slowly and at the same time, squeeze your shoulders and bend your elbows until your elbows get at a 90-degree angle and your chest fully stretches. If this movement feels uncomfortable, reduce your range of motion.
• Now reverse the movement and straighten your arms until they get back to the initial position.

4. Dumbbell one-arm chest press

To do this exercise:

• Lie on a bench and grab a dumbbell in your right hand. Extend your right arm so that it gets straight and the dumbbells get in line with your right shoulder.
• Now maintain this position and start to bend your arm towards your right chest.
• Return the dumbbell to its start and repeat.
• Complete 10 reps and then switch sides to perform the exercise with your left arm.

5. Dumbbell pullover

To do this exercise:

• Sit straight on the edge of an exercise bench with your feet positioned on the floor slightly wider than your shoulder width.
• Grab a dumbbell in each hand and roll back to get into a lying position.
• Now extend your arms up over your chest with your palms facing one another and elbows bent. Extend the dumbbells back slowly over your head while keeping a tight core and back.
• Reach your arms to a fully extended position with the dumbbells behind you.
• Return your arms to the start and repeat.
• Complete 10 reps.

6. Decline dumbbell bench press

To do this exercise:

• Hold a dumbbell in both hands at a shoulder-width distance using an overhand grip. Lie straight back on a decline bench.
• Extend your arms straight up and then slowly lower them down until they reach your chest level.
• Push the weights back to the start and repeat.
• Complete 10 reps.

Takeaway

Whether you want a massive chest or a stronger upper body, practicing the aforementioned dumbbell chest exercises is sure to help you achieve your goal. These exercises, when performed correctly, will help increase the strength and size of your muscles.

If you are a beginner, remember to start slow and use light weights when performing these dumbbell chest exercises to ensure that your form is correct and prevent the risk of injuries. As you progress, increase your weight gradually and challenge yourself.