Exercise guide · Chest
Dumbbell Decline Bench Press
Press dumbbells on a decline bench to emphasize the lower chest and triceps. Secure your feet, set your shoulder blades, and control the weights on the way down.
- Targets: Chest
- Equipment: Dumbbell
- Type: Compound
Step by step
How to do the Dumbbell Decline Bench Press
- Set a decline bench to about 15–30° and secure your feet under the pads.
- Sit with a dumbbell on each thigh, lie back, and bring the weights to the sides of your lower chest with palms forward or slightly angled.
- Pin your shoulder blades down and back; keep a slight arch in your upper back and feet secured under the pads.
- Press the dumbbells up and slightly inward until your arms are extended without locking your elbows hard.
- Lower under control to roughly chest level, keeping wrists stacked over your elbows.
Form cues
- Drive your feet into the bench
- Keep elbows about 45° from your torso
- Control the descent
- Find the stretch at chest level, then press
Common mistakes
- Feet slipping off the bench
- Dropping the dumbbells too low past your rib cage
- Flaring your elbows straight out to the sides
- Bouncing the weights off your chest at the bottom
Muscles worked
Primary
Chest
Secondary
Triceps
Safety: Use a spotter or ask for a hand-off with heavy dumbbells, and set the weights down carefully after the set.
Alternatives
