Training with dumbbells, like in the flat-bench dumbbell press, has many advantages, the first being the ability to force each side of the body to handle the weight on its own. If too much time is spent on barbell moves or machines, you miss out on the benefits dumbbells provide such as stabilizer activity. By adding the dumbbell bench press into the mix of exercises, your standard bench press, not to mention the size of your pecs, will improve by leaps and bounds.
Inside the Lift
While the flat-bench dumbbell press allows for stabilizers and balance, it’s possible to relax during the move, and many bodybuilders make that mistake. At the top of the range of motion, most guys bring the dumbbells together, allowing the dumbbells to touch (which actually takes tension off the muscle). But more times than not, they’re not using that moment to squeeze the chest. To keep tension in the pecs at the top, at least for the first few reps, try to press the dumbbells straight up to the ceiling, as if you had a barbell in your hands. You don’t lose any of the attributes the dumbbells provide, but you add constant tension. As you fatigue, you can begin bringing them together over the face to squeeze the pecs as well as to recover.
Best Technique to Add Intensity
At first glance, you automatically assume either drop sets or forced reps would be your go-to tactic, and with good reason, since moving from one set of dumbbells to the next or getting someone to push you past failure seems easy enough. But there is another less popular intensity booster called rest-pause that’s more practical, in which you take brief rest periods during a set of a given exercise to squeeze out more reps. We recommend you use a weight you can lift for 4-6 reps but do just 2–3 reps, rest just 20 seconds, then try for another 2–3 reps with the same weight. Rest again briefly, then try for another mini-set. The reason rest-pause is our method of choice is simple: You don’t need to swap dumbbells and you can do it alone.
After each set, you simply sit up and count seconds, then lie back down and continue the reps. The only stipulation is that you can’t drop the dumbbells to the floor from the lying position, which many bodybuilders do. We recommend actually transferring the dumbbells to your quads and rocking forward to a seated position each time; doing so will not only save your shoulders from possible injury, but you’re also already in the proper position to begin the next set.
Inside the Lift
While the flat-bench dumbbell press allows for stabilizers and balance, it’s possible to relax during the move, and many bodybuilders make that mistake. At the top of the range of motion, most guys bring the dumbbells together, allowing the dumbbells to touch (which actually takes tension off the muscle). But more times than not, they’re not using that moment to squeeze the chest. To keep tension in the pecs at the top, at least for the first few reps, try to press the dumbbells straight up to the ceiling, as if you had a barbell in your hands. You don’t lose any of the attributes the dumbbells provide, but you add constant tension. As you fatigue, you can begin bringing them together over the face to squeeze the pecs as well as to recover.
Best Technique to Add Intensity
At first glance, you automatically assume either drop sets or forced reps would be your go-to tactic, and with good reason, since moving from one set of dumbbells to the next or getting someone to push you past failure seems easy enough. But there is another less popular intensity booster called rest-pause that’s more practical, in which you take brief rest periods during a set of a given exercise to squeeze out more reps. We recommend you use a weight you can lift for 4-6 reps but do just 2–3 reps, rest just 20 seconds, then try for another 2–3 reps with the same weight. Rest again briefly, then try for another mini-set. The reason rest-pause is our method of choice is simple: You don’t need to swap dumbbells and you can do it alone.
After each set, you simply sit up and count seconds, then lie back down and continue the reps. The only stipulation is that you can’t drop the dumbbells to the floor from the lying position, which many bodybuilders do. We recommend actually transferring the dumbbells to your quads and rocking forward to a seated position each time; doing so will not only save your shoulders from possible injury, but you’re also already in the proper position to begin the next set.
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