Decline Bench Press (Dumbbell)

How to do it

1. Set the bench to a slight decline and hook your ankles under the leg rollers so you can't slide.
2. Lie back with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing your feet, and press them up over your shoulders.
3. Pull your shoulder blades together and down and keep your chest up.
4. Lower both dumbbells under control to the sides of your lower chest, forearms vertical, until you feel a deep stretch.
5. Press up and in until your arms are straight over your shoulders.

Key cues

• Feet secured, no sliding
• Shoulder blades together and down
• Chest up, lower chest as the target
• Wrists stacked over elbows
• Both dumbbells move together

Common mistakes

• Feet not secured, so you slide down the bench
• Letting your shoulder blades go loose off the pad
• Elbows flaring out wide at the bottom
• Starting too heavy to control both dumbbells

Muscles worked

Primary

Chest

Secondary

Triceps and front delts

Equipment

Dumbbells and decline bench.

Variations

• Decline Bench Press (Barbell)

  Barbell · Chest · Push

References

1. StrengthLog: Decline Bench Press
2. BarBend: How to Do the Decline Bench Press
3. BarBend: How to Do the Dumbbell Bench Press