Keep Making Chest Gains By Eliminating These 3 Dumbbell Bench Press Mistakes
You cannot go as heavy with this variation, but the dumbbell bench press does have a few advantages over the barbell variation. As you lift two dumbbells, each arm is working independently, strengthening imbalances between sides.
Big deal, you say, but wait, there is more: Strengthening imbalances leads to better muscle development of the chest and triceps for better flex appeal,
But to get the most bang for your dumbbell buck, it’s best to stop falling prey to these common dumbbell bench press mistakes. Here we’ll dive into how to do the dumbbell bench press exercise correctly and fixes for common miscues so you can continue making gains each and every chest day.
It doesn’t seem complicated, but the devil is in the details.
If you’re going heavy, ideally is best to have a spotter for safety purposes, but that is not always the case. That’s why setting up and finishing this lift properly is essential. Here are a few other things needed for good form.
Perfect form rarely exists, especially as the dumbbell weights start increasing. Little errors will happen, however, these technical flaws should be fixed no matter the amount of weight you’re pushing. Otherwise, these mistakes will affect your safety and the ability to acquire decent amounts of muscle and strength with this lift.
Remember that the most common error is letting your ego get in the way of lifting too heavy. But you should know that by now, right?
It may seem cool and easier to drop the dumbbells and feel that “thud” after finishing your set, but it’s not only lame, it can be unsafe for you and others. First, the dumbbells could rebound and hit someone close, and two, the dumbbell might break. However, doing this too often, especially with heavier weights, can eventually cause injury to your shoulder joints.
Fix it: Try not to drop the dumbbells, as the video shows. Please require your workout partner or someone at the gym to spot you if you must.
There is a time and place for shortening or expanding one’s range of motion, but the dumbbell bench press is not one of those exercises. Reducing the ROM means leaving potential gains on the bench because the muscle is under less muscle-building tension. Increasing the ROM by dropping your elbow below your torso puts the anterior shoulder in a compromised position, possibly leading to pain and injury.
Fix it: When clients perform this exercise, I place my hand below their torso and tell them to touch my elbow. My hands give them a reference point; after a few reps, they know how deep to go. Get a workout partner to do this, or perform a dumbbell floor press instead if you have difficulty judging your own ROM.
Taking your elbow out too wide puts the shoulder in a compromised position, making it less of a chest exercise. Plus, having your elbow tucked into your side emphasizes the triceps a little more than the chest. To make the dumbbell bench press an equal chest and triceps builder, a 45-degree arm angle works best.
Fix it: This is as simple as knowing your upper arm position when pressing. If you feel your upper arm brushing your side, it’s too close; if you ‘”eel it” too much in your anterior shoulder, you are too wide.
