Dumbbell Chest Workout for Intermediate
A dumbbell chest workout for intermediate that you can do at home or in the gym with a pair of dumbbells. 6 exercises, about 47 minutes, targeting chest.
| Level | Intermediate |
| Equipment | Dumbbell |
| Time | About 47 minutes |
| Muscles | Chest |
The workout
| Exercise | Sets / reps |
|---|---|
| 1. Incline Dumbbell Press | 4 × 8–12 |
| 2. Incline Dumbbell Flyes | 4 × 8–12 |
| 3. Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover | 4 × 8–12 |
| 4. Incline Dumbbell Bench With Palms Facing In | 4 × 8–12 |
| 5. Around The Worlds | 4 × 8–12 |
| 6. Pushups | 4 × 8–12 |
See each exercise
How to do this workout
- Warm up for 5 minutes: brisk walk or easy cardio, then one light set of the first exercise.
- Do the exercises in order. Finish all sets of one before moving on.
- Pick a weight that leaves about 1–2 reps in the tank on the last set. Rest 60–120 seconds on big lifts, 45–60 seconds on smaller ones.
- Do this workout 1–2 times a week, with at least one rest day before training the same muscles again.
How to progress
When you can do every set with good form at the top of the rep range, add one rep per set the next week, or a small amount of weight (1–2.5 kg). Progress slowly — consistent small jumps beat big ones. For fat loss, pair this with a small calorie deficit and around 1.6–2 g of protein per kg of body weight.
Exercise notes
1. Incline Dumbbell Press
Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand atop your thighs. The palms of your hands will be facing each other. Then, using your thighs to help push the dumbbells up, lift the dumbbells one at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
2. Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Hold a dumbbell on each hand and lie on an incline bench that is set to an incline angle of no more than 30 degrees. Extend your arms above you with a slight bend at the elbows.
3. Straight-Arm Dumbbell Pullover
Place a dumbbell standing up on a flat bench. Ensuring that the dumbbell stays securely placed at the top of the bench, lie perpendicular to the bench (torso across it as in forming a cross) with only your shoulders lying on the surface. Hips should be below the bench and legs bent with feet firmly on the floor. The head will be off the bench as well.
4. Incline Dumbbell Bench With Palms Facing In
Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other. By using your thighs to help you get the dumbbells up, clean the dumbbells one arm at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
5. Around The Worlds
Lay down on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with the palms of the hands facing towards the ceiling. Tip: Your arms should be parallel to the floor and next to your thighs. To avoid injury, make sure that you keep your elbows slightly bent. This will be your starting position. Now move the dumbbells by creating a semi-circle as you displace them from the initial position to over the head. All of the movement should happen with the arms parallel to the floor at all times. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
6. Pushups
Lie on the floor face down and place your hands about 36 inches apart while holding your torso up at arms length. Next, lower yourself downward until your chest almost touches the floor as you inhale.
Weekly plans that use this workout
More workouts like this
Gear for this workout
Adjustable dumbbellsA full home gym in one small space.See it on Amazon →
Adjustable workout benchUnlocks presses, rows and step-ups at home.See it on Amazon →Stop if anything hurts (sharp pain is different from muscle burn). If you have an injury or health condition, check with your GP or a physio first.