How to do a Dumbbell Decline Bench Press
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Dumbbells
Decline Bench
Workouts with Dumbbell Decline Bench Press
Instructions for Proper Form
Dumbbell Decline Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Decline Bench Press. Similar to other decline variations, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps, however the decline adds more emphasis to your lower chest.
- Lie your back onto a decline bench while squeezing your shoulder blades together and place your heels firmly on the ground underneath your knees.
- The bench should be in contact with your head, shoulders, and butt at all times.
- Position a pair of dumbbells on the outsides of your shoulders with your palms facing forward.
- Keeping your core braced, extend your arms vertical to the floor keeping your elbows at a 45 degree angle from your torso.
- Once your arms are completely extended over your shoulders, return to the starting position.
Common Form Mistakes
Flared Elbows
Flaring your elbows out can sometimes help you lift heavier weights, but it places more tension on your shoulders. The ideal position can vary slightly from person to person, but try to keep your elbows around 45 degrees from your torso, and make small adjustments from there.
Heavy Dumbbells
Dumbbells are less stable than a barbell. This added instability means you won't be able to move the same weight you would with a barbell. Keep your weights on the lighter side, and focus on stability and control.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Dumbbell Decline Bench Press standards by male, female, weight, age and height
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Alternatives & Variations to Dumbbell Decline Bench Press
1. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 3,374 TIMESDumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the standard Bench Press. Like Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, while also training the triceps and shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for greater instability which can help you become more stable on pushing movements in general, while also isolating each side of the body to prevent you from compensating for any weaknesses between sides.
2. Barbell Decline Bench Press
89 mSCORESWAPPED 3,317 TIMESBarbell Decline Bench Press is a variation on the standard Barbell Bench Press. Like the standard Barbell Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the triceps and shoulders. Performing this exercise on a decline helps to emphasize the lower part of the chest.
3. Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 2,221 TIMESDumbbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Incline Bench Press. This compound exercise primarily targets the chest, but the incline also places more emphasis on the shoulders. The use of dumbbells makes this exercise more unstable than its barbell counterpart, while also forcing you to address any strength discrepancies between sides.
4. Barbell Bench Press
99.2 mSCORESWAPPED 1,102 TIMESBench Press is one of the three Powerlifting movements, and one of the most common upper body exercises. It’s a fantastic compound exercise that can help you build strength in your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s a staple in most fitness programs, and is often used as a metric for tracking upper body strength in general.
5. Hammerstrength Decline Chest Press
86.5 mSCORESWAPPED 915 TIMESHammerstrength Decline Chest Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Decline Bench Press. This compound movement primarily targets your chest, focusing more on the lower pecs. The use of a Hammerstrength Machine restricts your range of motion and adds stability to the movement, allowing you to focus more on exertion rather than stabilizing the movement. This is a great exercise for getting consistent tension and improving muscle activation.
6. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 882 TIMESDumbbell Fly’s are one of the most common isolation chest exercises, and for good. It primarily targets the muscles in the chest, but also recruits the shoulders for stability. The use of dumbbells ensures that you’re targeting each side of the body independently, and prevents compensating for any weaknesses between sides. In addition the isolated nature of this exercise is a great way to fatigue your chest, and focus on building both muscle mass and increasing strength in your chest.
7. Cable Crossover Fly
97.3 mSCORESWAPPED 826 TIMESCable Crossover Fly is an isolation exercise that targets the chest. It’s a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly, and can easily be adapted to further isolate specific areas of the chest. Using cables to add resistance allows you to keep more consistent tension on your chest, as well as control the angle that the resistance is coming from.
8. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 690 TIMESMachine Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation chest exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the shoulders. The use of a machine makes the exercise more stable allowing you to focus on exertion or learn the movement with minimal risk of injury. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to learn the movement, or advanced lifters looking to push this movement to it’s limit.
9. Barbell Incline Bench Press
98.9 mSCORESWAPPED 612 TIMESBarbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on a standard Bench Press. Similar to Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, but this variation places much more emphasis on your shoulders and upper chest.
10. Dumbbell Incline Fly
91.1 mSCORESWAPPED 588 TIMESDumbbell Incline Fly emphasizes the upper chest, improving muscle definition and shoulder flexibility. Performed on an incline, it targets the upper pectorals while also engaging deltoids and triceps, offering a comprehensive upper body workout that enhances strength and aesthetics.