Continue making chest gains by eliminating these 3 dumbbell bench press mistakes

Continue making chest gains by eliminating these 3 dumbbell bench press mistakes

There is no doubt that most athletes love the barbell bench press. It's one of the Big 3 exercises for a reason: The barbell bench press, with its stability and relatively fixed range of motion, allows the lifter to lift the most weight possible. But due to injuries or mobility limitations, not everyone is able to maximize the bench press. This is where the dumbbell bench press comes into play.

You can't train as heavy with this variation, but the dumbbell bench press has some advantages over the barbell variation. When you lift two dumbbells, each arm works independently, exacerbating the imbalance between the sides.

Big deal, you say, but wait, there's more: Strengthening imbalances leads to better muscle development of the chest and triceps for better mobility.

And dumbbells give you more freedom of movement than your barbell handle and higher intensity with less weight. It's a great standalone exercise and an excellent addition to the barbell bench press.

But to get the most bang for your dumbbell money, it's best to stop falling victim to these common dumbbell bench press mistakes. Here's how to do the dumbbell bench press exercise correctly and how to fix common mistakes so you can gain chest weight every day.

How to perform the dumbbell bench press

1. Setzen Sie sich aufrecht auf eine flache Bank und legen Sie auf jedes Knie eine Hantel.
2. Dann legen Sie sich hin und bewegen Sie die Hanteln mit den Knien zurück zu sich, während Sie die Hanteln nach oben drücken.
3. Senken Sie die Hanteln ab und halten Sie Ihre Ellbogen im 45-Grad-Winkel zum Oberkörper.
4. Sobald Ihre Ellbogen ungefähr auf Höhe Ihres Oberkörpers sind, schieben Sie die Hanteln wieder nach oben, setzen Sie sie zurück und wiederholen Sie den Vorgang.

It doesn't seem complicated, but the devil is in the details.

What you need for good dumbbell bench press form

When traveling heavy, having a spotter is ideal for safety reasons, but this is not always the case. Therefore, proper setup and completion of this lift is essential. Here are a few other things required for good form.

• Ordentlicher Griff und Handgelenkstärke: Das Hantel-Bankdrücken erfordert aufgrund der Bewegungsfreiheit der Hantel im Vergleich zur Langhantel mehr Griffkraft als die übliche Drückvariante.
• Keine vorderen Schulterschmerzen: Diese Variante ist schonender für die Schulter, aber wenn Schmerzen im vorderen Schulterbereich auftreten, ist Vorsicht geboten.
• Möglichkeit zum Aufbau und Abschluss ohne Spotter: Mit Körperenglisch die Hanteln in die richtige Position zu bringen, ist vielleicht einfacher, aber Ihre Schultern werden Sie hassen. Und die Hanteln auf den Boden fallen zu lassen, wenn man fertig ist, ist nicht cool, egal, was jemand sagt.
• Richtiger Oberarmwinkel: Sie können mit an der Seite oder am Ellenbogen angewinkeltem Arm parallel zur Schulter drücken, aber das ist nicht ideal. Um das Beste aus dem Hantelbankdrücken herauszuholen, verwenden Sie einen Armwinkel von 45 Grad.

3 common mistakes when doing the dumbbell bench press

Perfect form rarely exists, especially as dumbbell weights increase. Minor errors can occur, but these technical flaws should be addressed regardless of how much weight you are moving. Otherwise, these mistakes will compromise your safety and ability to build proper muscle and strength with this lift.

Remember that the most common mistake is that your ego prevents you from lifting too heavy a load. But you should know that by now, right?

Improper construction and termination

It may seem cool and easier to drop the dumbbells and feel that "pop" when you finish your set, but not only is that lame, it can also be unsafe for you and others. First, the dumbbells could ricochet and hit someone nearby, and second, the dumbbell could break. However, doing this too often, especially with heavier weights, can ultimately cause injury to your shoulder joints.

Fix it:Try not to drop the dumbbells as the video shows. Please ask your training partner or someone in the gym to recognize you if necessary.

Too much or too little freedom of movement

There is a time and a place to shorten or widen the range of motion, but the dumbbell bench press is not one of those exercises. Reducing ROM means leaving potential gains on the bench because the muscle is exposed to less muscle-building tension. Increasing range of motion by lowering your elbow beneath your torso puts the front shoulder in a compromised position, potentially resulting in pain and injury.

Fix it:When clients perform this exercise, I place my hand under their torso and ask them to touch my elbow. My hands give them a point of reference; After a few repetitions, they will know how deep they need to go. Have a training partner do this, or do dumbbell floor presses instead if you have trouble estimating your own range of motion.

Upper arm angle

Sticking your elbow out too far puts the shoulder in a compromised position, making it less of a chest exercise. Additionally, the triceps are emphasized slightly more than the chest when the elbow is at the side. To make the dumbbell bench press an equivalent strength training exercise for the chest and triceps, an arm angle of 45 degrees is best.

Fix it:This is as simple as knowing the position of your upper arm when you press. If you feel your upper arm touching your side, it's too close; If you “see” it too much in your front shoulder, you are too wide.