Decline Dumbbell Bench Press

intermediate · push_horizontal

Setup

Hook your feet under the pads at the raised end of a decline bench, so your head is at the low end. Sit on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand resting on your thighs, then lie back.

Execution

Use your thighs to help kick the dumbbells up over your chest, palms facing forward, arms locked out.
Inhale and lower the dumbbells under control, elbows at roughly 45 degrees from your torso.
Lower until the dumbbells reach the lower chest, feeling a light stretch there.
Exhale and press the dumbbells straight back up, squeezing the chest at the top.
At the end of the set, bring the dumbbells in to your chest and set each hand down on the floor beside the bench, or hand them to a training partner; unhook your feet and sit up slowly, because your head is below your heart.

Breathing

Inhale as you lower the dumbbells, exhale as you press up. Do not hold your breath at the bottom; if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, a hernia or you are pregnant, use a lighter load and avoid this head-low position if it makes you dizzy.

Quick cues

Elbows at 45 degrees the whole set.
Aim the dumbbells at the lower chest.
Squeeze the chest at the top.
Bring the weights back to the thighs.

Common faults

Fault: Lowering to the middle of the chest instead of the lower chest
Fix: Aim clearly at the lower chest before starting the descent.
Fault: The elbows flaring out to 90 degrees
Fix: Tuck the elbows in closer, to about 45 degrees.
Fault: Letting the dumbbells drop at the end of the set
Fix: Bring them in to the chest first, then set each hand down on the floor beside the bench; if the load is heavy, line up a training partner before the set.
Fault: Feeling dizzy from the head-below-feet position
Fix: Sit up slowly after the set, and skip this exercise if dizziness happens regularly.

Equipment

dumbbell, bench

Muscle groups

chest, shoulders, arms