Looking to change up your chest workout, or just add some new challenging exercises? Here are 3 dumbbell movements beyond the regular press to increase the intensity of your workout, build more strength, and isolate specific muscles even better! Just about any dumbbell exercise, when done correctly, is very effective, but can get old after a while.By throwing these into the mix, you’ll be sure to keep the workout exciting, and well worth your time!
1) Single Arm Press
The single arm press is done while holding two dumbbells. With one arm, perform the regular press, while the other arm holds the other weight in place just over your chest. Complete 8 reps with the first side, then immediately switch. Now your arm that was stationary is performing the press, while your other arm remains in an isomeric state (stationary) holding the weight just above your chest. This helps isolate each specific side as you press with one arm, while always keeping your stationary side engaged in an isomeric state. This is meant to increase both your muscular strength, along with muscular endurance! Give it a try and I guarantee you will feel the difference!
2) Incline Dumbbell Fly
This particular exercise, like other incline chest movements, focuses mainly on the clavicular head, or top portion of the chest. The wide stretch you get and isolated contraction in the chest as you come up, will force the muscle fibers along the upper portion of your pecs to adapt, and grow! The reason flys are beneficial rather than solely sticking with pressing movements, is that it takes our triceps out of the movement. When you press, you ignite your triceps to take some of the load off your chest. It’s what your body does, and you can’t really change that. Unless, however, you change what you are doing. The fly, rather than a press, isolates your chest much more, and by performing it at an incline, will pinpoint your upper chest fibers even better!
3) Dumbbell Drop Set
This consists of starting with a weight which is your 8 – 10 rep max, and performing 8 reps. Then drop the amount of weight by 20% and immediately complete 10 – 12 reps to finish the full round! If you would like, drop the weight one more time, and finish the set with 10 – 12 reps again. You really shouldn’t need to/be able to go past 3 sets in each full round however. This is a great way to finish and completely burn out at the end of your workout. I recommend performing this drop set 3 – 4 rounds, and if your chest isn’t completely exhausted by the end of it, you simply need to increase your starting weight. And remember, during a drop set, don’t take more than 10 seconds between each drop, and 2 minutes recovery between each full round!
Thank you for reading, and I hope this helps introduce some new and exciting exercises to your next workout so you can continue to annihilate your lifts, and keep improving to reach past your goals! If you are interested in Personal Training, Online Training, Workout Programs, Custom Meal Plans, or other Blog Posts please check them out here!
