Best Beginner Chest And Back Workouts To Power Lift

The Dumbbell Bench Press is a great exercise for beginners that targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Using dumbbells helps improve stability and ensures both sides of the body work equally without compensating for weaknesses.

How to do it

1. Lie back on a bench, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
2. Place your feet flat on the ground, under your knees.
3. Hold the dumbbells outside shoulder-width apart, above your chest.
4. Keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle and engage your core.
5. Extend your arms fully and then lower the dumbbells back to starting position.

The Dumbbell Fly is an effective exercise for strengthening and building the chest muscles. It also engages the shoulders for support. This exercise helps to develop muscle balance by working each side of the body independently.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back on a bench, squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your feet flat on the ground.
2. Ensure the bench supports your head, shoulders, and buttocks.
3. Hold the dumbbells above your shoulders with palms facing inward and elbows slightly bent.
4. Engage your core and slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
5. When the dumbbells are level with your chest, exhale and lift them back to the starting position.

The Dumbbell Row is a great exercise that strengthens your back, shoulders, and biceps while also engaging your core for stability. You can do this exercise using a flat bench and dumbbells, making it accessible even with limited equipment.

How to do it

1. Place a dumbbell on each side of a flat bench.
2. Kneel on the bench with your right knee and place your right hand on the bench's edge.
3. Keep your torso parallel to the ground and grab the dumbbell with your left hand, palm facing your torso.
4. Pull the dumbbell up to your side, engaging your back; exhale as you lift.
5. Pause briefly at the top, then lower the dumbbell back to the starting position.

The Bent Over Barbell Row is an effective exercise for strengthening your back, shoulders, and arms. It uses a barbell for stability, helping you focus on building strength, making it a good introduction to more advanced lifting techniques.

How to do it

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a barbell on the ground near your shins.
2. Bend your hips back and slightly bend your knees to reach for the barbell while bracing your core.
3. Grab the barbell with your palms facing you and lift it to knee height by extending your hips.
4. Pull the barbell towards your belly button by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Lower the barbell back to knee height and repeat.

The Hand Release Push Up is a modified version of the standard push up that helps improve your strength by ensuring full range of motion. By lifting your hands off the ground at the bottom of the movement, you engage your muscles more effectively during the exercise.

How to do it

1. Lie on the floor face down.
2. Position your hands in line with your chest, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Keep your legs straight and your toes pointed down.
4. Engage your core to maintain a straight line from head to heels.
5. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor.
6. Lift your hands off the ground for a moment, then place them back down.
7. Push your body back up to the starting position by extending your arms.

The Australian Chin Up is a bodyweight exercise that strengthens your back, biceps, and shoulders. You perform it from a low, inclined position using a bar, making it easier than regular Chin Ups. It's a great way for beginners to build strength towards full Chin Ups.

How to do it

1. Lie underneath a low bar and grab it with an underhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Keep your legs and body straight, starting with your arms fully extended.
3. Pull your chest towards the bar while keeping your elbows close, engaging your core to maintain a straight line.
4. Lower yourself back to the starting position and repeat.

The Dumbbell Bent Over Row targets your back and biceps. Using dumbbells helps ensure both sides of your body are trained equally and adds difficulty, making it great for building strength and muscle in your back workouts.

How to do it

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells beside your hips.
2. Bend your knees slightly and push your hips back, leaning your torso forward at a 45-degree angle.
3. Keep your arms extended with dumbbells under your shoulders.
4. Pull the dumbbells toward your sides, squeezing your shoulder blades together at the top.
5. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat.

Push Up on Knees is an easier version of the regular Push Up, suitable for beginners. It works your chest, shoulders, and triceps while helping you build strength to eventually do full Push Ups.

How to do it

1. Start on your knees with your hands on the floor under your shoulders.
2. Keep your body straight from your shoulders to your knees.
3. Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows at about a 45-degree angle.
4. Push back up to the starting position.

The Reverse Grip Barbell Bent Over Row is a great exercise for beginners that works your back, biceps, and shoulders. By using a reverse grip, you can better target your biceps and engage different back muscles. Holding a barbell offers stability, allowing you to focus on lifting properly.

How to do it

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Grip the barbell with an underhand grip (palms facing you).
3. Bend your hips back, keeping your knees slightly bent, until the barbell rests just in front of your shins at a 45-degree angle with your torso.
4. Pull the barbell towards your belly button by bending your elbows, keeping your back straight.
5. Lower the barbell back to the starting position in a controlled manner.

The Incline Dumbbell Row is a great exercise for building back strength. It uses an incline bench to help support your upper body, allowing you to focus on lifting weights without using other muscles for support.

How to do it

1. Set the bench to a 45-degree angle.
2. Lie face down on the bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your arms extended and palms facing in.
3. Bend your elbows and pull the dumbbells up toward your lower rib cage.
4. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position in a controlled manner.

The Incline Dumbbell Squeeze Press is a great exercise to strengthen your upper chest, shoulders, and triceps. By using an incline bench and squeezing the dumbbells, you can effectively work your muscles while maintaining tension in your chest.

How to do it

1. Set the bench to a 45-degree incline.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing in, resting them on your chest.
3. Press the dumbbells together as you extend your arms above your chest.
4. Squeeze the dumbbells as you lower them back to the starting position.

The Dumbbell Squeeze Press is an exercise that mainly works your chest, shoulders, and triceps. By pressing the dumbbells together, you keep constant tension on your chest, making it effective without needing extra equipment.

How to do it

1. Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in, resting on your chest.
2. Press the dumbbells together and raise them above your chest, extending your arms.
3. Keep pressing the dumbbells together as you lower them back to the starting position.

The Dumbbell Larson Press is a chest exercise that targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps without using your legs for support. By elevating your legs, you focus more on upper body strength and stability, helping improve your bench press form.

How to do it

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Lie back on a flat bench with your legs extended and toes pointing up.
3. Position the dumbbells wider than shoulder-width, palms facing your feet.
4. Keep your head, shoulders, and hips on the bench.
5. Press the dumbbells above your chest, engaging your chest muscles.
6. Pause at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down.

The Leg Raise With Dumbbell Pull Over is a workout combining a leg raise and a dumbbell pull over. This exercise works your core, shoulders, and back, helping to improve strength and stability.

How to do it

1. Hold a dumbbell with both hands, gripping the head firmly.
2. Lie back on a flat bench with the dumbbell resting on your chest.
3. Lift your legs off the ground, extending them straight up.
4. Move the dumbbell overhead, keeping your arms straight up from your shoulders.
5. Engage your core and press your back against the bench.
6. Lower your arms and legs together towards the floor in a controlled motion.
7. Pause briefly at the bottom, then pull the arms and legs back up to the starting position.

The EZ Bar PJR Pull Over is an exercise that works your lats, triceps, and chest. Using an EZ-Bar makes the grip more comfortable and helps stretch the muscles effectively, which is great for building upper body strength.

How to do it

1. Lie flat on a bench, keeping your shoulder blades on it.
2. Hold the EZ-Bar above your chest with arms straight.
3. Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, keeping your triceps tight.
4. Lower the EZ-Bar behind your head with control.
5. Pull the EZ-Bar back over your chest using your back muscles.
6. Extend your arms to return to the starting position.