Push-ups are among the best and most popular full-body exercises out there, strengthening the chest, arms, upper back, and abs, as well as the glutes, hip flexors, and lower back. . But if you absolutely hate this exercise, where does that leave you?
Before you start stressing out, read this: There are plenty of challenging chest exercises that aren't pushups. So, if a sculpted pec is your goal, try these dumbbell chest exercises.
The training below is based on trisets. For each tri set, you'll perform three exercises in a row with little to no rest between exercises and only resting between sets.
Chest Triset: Press Variations
The goal of this first triset is to engage as much of your pectoral muscle as possible. You'll start with the most difficult chest press variation and end with the easiest. And each variation trains your pecs at a slightly different angle, shifting the emphasis from top to bottom.
Low Incline Chest Press
- Set a bench in a low incline position (around 20 to 30 degrees).
- Lie on your back on a weight bench with a weight in each hand. Hold the weights with your arms straight across your chest. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and squeeze your abs.
- Bend your elbows and lower the weights until they are just above your chest.
- Press the dumbbells back onto your chest.
- Repetitions: 3 series of 10 to 12
flat chest press
- Place a bench in a flat position, parallel to the ground.
- Lie on your back on a weight bench (or floor) with a weight in each hand. Hold the weights with your arms straight across your chest. Bring your feet up on the bench, with your knees pointing up.
- Bend your elbows and lower the weights until they are above your chest.
- Press the dumbbells back onto your chest.
- Repetitions: 3 series of 10 to 12
As soon as you finish the incline series, drop the bench flat with your feet on top. This will also help you avoid straining your back. You won't have as much stability, but the goal with these isn't to push maximum weight. Instead, focus on engaging all of your pectoral fibers.
declined press
- Place a bench in a decline position (about 45 degrees), hooking your feet under the bench for added security.
- Lie on your back on a weight bench (or floor on a glute bridge) with a weight in each hand. Hold the weights with your arms straight across your chest. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and squeeze your abs.
- Bend your elbows and lower the weights until they are directly over your chest.
- Press the dumbbells back onto your chest.
- Repetitions: 3 series of 10 to 12
Chest triset 2: Flights and compression press
In this tri-set of chest exercises, you'll start by hitting the lower and upper parts of your pectoral muscles with both variations of the dumbbell fly. Then, finishing with a dumbbell press, you'll target the entire pectoral muscle to give yourself to final exhaustion.
Dumbbell Incline
- Lie on an incline bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand directly over your chest.
- With a slight bend in the elbows, rotate the shoulders so that the elbows point to the sides and the palms face each other. This is the initial position.
- Lower the weights to the sides of your chest in an arcing motion until you feel a slight stretch (not pulling or pain) in your chest.
- Exhale as you reverse the movement and use your chest muscles to press the weights back and start.
- Repetitions: 3 series of 10 to 12
decline fly with dumbbells
- Drop the bank to a decline. Lie down, holding a dumbbell in each hand directly across your chest.
- With a slight bend in the elbows, rotate the shoulders so that the elbows point to the sides and the palms face each other. This is the initial position.
- Lower the weights to the sides of your chest in an arcing motion until you feel a slight stretch (not pulling or pain) in your chest.
- Exhale as you reverse the movement and use your chest muscles to press the weights back to start.
- Repetitions: 3 series of 10 to 12
Once you complete the dumbbell fly, immediately drop your bench and repeat the same exercise. This change will affect the upper and lower pectoral muscle fibers. Without a doubt, one of the best chest exercises.
Dumbbell Compression Press
- Lay your bench in a flat position.
- Lie with your back flat against the bench, legs rooted to the floor, abs contracted.
- Hold the weights against each other with your arms straight, fingers on each hand facing each other.
- Bend your elbows and lower the weights until they are directly over your chest.
- Press the dumbbells back to your chest, keeping them in the same position.
- Repetitions: 3 series of 10 to 12