Dumbbell workouts

Dumbbell chest workout

5 exercises 16 sets about 40 min a pair of dumbbells and a bench

A flat press for the whole chest, an incline press for the upper part, a fly for the stretch, dips for the lower part and push-ups to finish it off.

Dumbbells make each side carry its own weight, so a stronger arm or leg cannot cover for the other, and they travel through a longer range than a bar allows.

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The workout

  1. Dumbbell Bench Press4 × 8Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with forearms vertical, then press until they almost touch.2 min rest
  2. Incline Dumbbell Press4 × 10Bench at about 30 degrees. Lower until your upper arms pass the line of your chest, then press up and in.90 s rest
  3. Dumbbell Fly3 × 12Open your arms wide with soft elbows until you feel a stretch across the chest, then hug them back up.60 s rest
  4. Bench Dip3 × 12Hands on the bench behind you, legs out in front. Bend the elbows straight back to 90 degrees and press up.90 s rest
  5. Push-Up2 × 12Body in one straight line from head to heels. Chest to the floor, elbows about 45 degrees from your sides.60 s rest

Muscles worked

TrapsShouldersChestBicepsForearmsObliquesAbsAbsAbsAbsQuadsAdductorsCalvesTrapsShouldersChestBicepsForearmsObliquesAbsAbsAbsAbsQuadsAdductorsCalves
Front
TrapsShouldersUpper backLatsLower backTricepsForearmsGlutesHamstringsCalvesTrapsShouldersUpper backLatsLower backTricepsForearmsGlutesHamstringsCalves
Back
  • Chest14.5
  • Shoulders8
  • Triceps8
  • Abs1

Sets per muscle. A muscle that only assists in an exercise counts half.

How to run it

Before the first exercise, do two lighter sets of it: one at about half your working weight and one at three quarters. Rest for the time shown next to each exercise; the heavy lifts at the top need more than the smaller ones at the end.

Aim to finish each set with one or two reps left in you. If every set reaches its target easily, the session is too light. Dumbbells go up in big steps. When the next pair is too heavy, add a rep to every set first, and move up once you are two or three reps over the target.

Once or twice a week, with at least two days between sessions. If you also train shoulders and triceps on their own, keep one of those days well away from this one.

In myreplog

  1. It is already set up. These 5 exercises arrive in your account as a program, with the sets and reps above.
  2. Tap, do not type. Set your weights the first time, then mark each set done as you finish it.
  3. Records count themselves. From your second session, a lift that beats your best is marked as a personal record on the spot.
  4. See what you trained. The session ends with this muscle map, drawn from the sets you actually did.

Logging is free for good. The first 14 days also include Pro, where a coach reviews each session and suggests the weights for the next one. No card needed.

Questions

How long does this chest workout take?

About 40 minutes. That is 16 working sets with the rests listed next to each exercise, plus five minutes to warm up.

What muscles does it work?

Mostly the chest, shoulders and triceps. The abs assist. The map on this page shades each muscle by the number of sets that reach it.

What equipment do I need?

A pair of dumbbells and a bench.

How many chest exercises should I do?

Three to five. One flat press, one incline press and one fly cover the whole muscle; more exercises than that mostly repeat the same movement.

How do I build my upper chest?

Press on an incline. A bench at about 30 degrees, or feet-raised push-ups without one, moves the work to the upper fibres.

More dumbbell workouts

Dumbbell Full Body Workout7 exercises · 55 min Dumbbell Upper Body Workout7 exercises · 55 min Dumbbell Leg Day6 exercises · 50 min Dumbbell Push Day6 exercises · 45 min Dumbbell Pull Day7 exercises · 55 min Dumbbell Chest and Triceps Workout6 exercises · 45 min Dumbbell Back and Biceps Workout6 exercises · 45 min Dumbbell Shoulders and Arms Workout7 exercises · 50 min Dumbbell Back Workout6 exercises · 45 min Dumbbell Shoulder Workout6 exercises · 45 min Dumbbell Arm Workout6 exercises · 40 min Dumbbell Glute Workout5 exercises · 40 min Dumbbell Ab Workout6 exercises · 30 min
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