9 Best Dumbbell Chest Exercises

These 9 best dumbbell chest exercises are an excellent way to grow your pec muscles.

Dumbbells force your chest and arms to work unilaterally, helping you develop an even amount of strength on each side, says Max Posternak, YouTuber behind Gravity Transformation.

They are also an incredibly versatile fitness equipment that can be used at the gym, outdoors, or at home.

9 Best Dumbbell Chest Exercises

1 – Incline Neutral Grip Dumbbell Press

This variation targets the chest differently to a dumbbell press because it allows the dumbbells to travel through a wider movement pattern.

Read more: Incline Dumbbell Press: How To, Benefits, Muscles Worked and Variations

2 – Crush Press

This exercise provides a concentric, eccentric, and isometric contraction.

3 – Dumbbell Fly

This is one of the best dumbbell chest exercises and you can do this at a flat, incline or decline bench.

Read more: Avoid These Mistakes and Master the Dumbbell Fly To Get a Stronger Chest

4 – Dumbbell Floor Press

This dumbbell chest exercise allows you to use heavier weights than you would normally (if you have a spotter) as you only have to cover a shorter range of motion.

Dead stopping at the bottom also makes this a powerful exercise.

Read more: No Bench? No Problem. Grow Your Upper Body With the Dumbbell Floor Press

5 – Dumbbell Pullover

To put more tension on the chest (instead of the lats), sit perpendicular to the bench.

Read more: Dumbbell Pullover: How to Do It, Muscles Worked, Benefits and Workouts

6 – Standing Cross Body Dumbbell Raise

Since this exercise is performed standing it will also target your shoulders, but it does a great job at hitting the chest as well, says Posternak.

Source: Damir Spanic / Unsplash

7 – Reverse Grip Dumbbell Press

This exercise can help you target more of your upper chest.

8 – Renegade Rows Push-Up Combo

This is a great stabilisation dumbbell exercise that works your chest and your back.

Read more: How to Build a Stronger Back with the Dumbbell Row

9 – Single Arm Dumbbell Press

Again, this exercise can be performed on a flat, incline, or decline bench and it is a great one to help build up your stabilisation strength in the core, chest, and arms.

Create a new chest workout

Choose 3 to 5 exercises and perform 3 sets of 6-10 reps with a heavy weight.