When it comes to building real upper body strength, the dumbbell bench press is one of my go-to moves. It’s simple, effective, and doesn’t require a ton of fancy equipment. But here’s the thing—just sticking to the flat bench press can get boring real quick. That’s where variations come in. Changing the angle, tempo, or grip can fire up different parts of your chest, shoulders, and triceps.
If you’re trying to build strength and want your workouts to stay fresh and exciting, these 8 dumbbell bench press variations are must-tries. I’ve done every single one of these, and trust me—they work.
1. Flat Dumbbell Bench Press
Let’s start with the OG. The flat bench press is your base movement. It works the whole chest, especially the middle part, and also hits your triceps and front delts.
How to do it:
- Lie flat on a bench with dumbbells in hand.
- Press them up above your chest, keeping your palms facing forward.
- Lower slowly and repeat.
This is the classic builder. If you want more size and strength in your upper body, this is the move to master.
2. Incline Dumbbell Press
Wanna target the upper chest? This one’s your best bet. Just adjust the bench to a 30–45° angle and you’re good to go.
Why I love it: That upper chest helps make your pecs pop when you’re wearing a V-neck or tank. It also strengthens your shoulders and helps with pushing power.
Quick Tip: Don’t go too upright or it turns into more of a shoulder press.
3. Decline Dumbbell Press
This one’s not as popular, but it works great for hitting the lower chest. You’ll feel the stretch deep in your pecs.
How to do it:
- Set your bench to a slight decline.
- Keep your core tight so you don’t slide down.
- Lower the dumbbells under control, then press back up.
You can even do this at home by stacking your bench on weight plates or setting it against a wall if it doesn’t decline on its own.
4. Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press
Wanna test your stability and control? Try pressing one dumbbell at a time. This forces your core to engage and keeps your chest working the entire time.
How to do it:
- Hold both dumbbells above your chest.
- Lower one dumbbell while the other stays locked out.
- Press it back up and switch sides.
It looks simple, but when you get to rep 10, your whole upper body will be shaking—in a good way.
5. Neutral Grip Dumbbell Press
Instead of having your palms face forward, turn them so they face each other. This grip takes some stress off your shoulders and puts more pressure on your triceps and inner chest.
Why it’s great: If your shoulders act up on pressing movements, this grip can feel a lot smoother. It also mimics how you push things in real life—like a sled or a heavy cart.
6. Single-Arm Dumbbell Bench Press
This one is underrated but powerful. Pressing with one arm at a time while the other arm rests completely forces your core to fight to keep you stable.
Why it works:
- Helps with imbalances between left and right sides.
- Great for athletes and folks who want better functional strength.
Pro tip: Keep your free arm flat against your torso or place it on your abs to keep yourself stable.
7. Tempo Dumbbell Bench Press
If your progress is stuck, try playing with tempo. Slow down the movement, especially the lowering (eccentric) part.
Example tempo: 3 seconds down, 1-second pause, explode up.
You’ll feel the difference big time. Your chest gets more time under tension, which leads to more gains. You don’t need super heavy weight to make this one brutal.
8. Floor Dumbbell Press
No bench? No problem. The floor press is a great variation that limits your range of motion slightly, protecting your shoulders while still hitting your chest and triceps.
How to do it:
- Lie flat on the floor with your knees bent.
- Press the dumbbells up like normal.
- Lower until your upper arms touch the ground, then press again.
This move is awesome if you’re training at home or recovering from shoulder issues. It still builds strength without putting too much stress on your joints.
Adding even just one or two of these variations to your weekly workout can help you bust through plateaus and stay excited about chest day. And yeah, you don’t need a fancy gym or expensive machines. Just a bench, a couple of dumbbells, and the willingness to push yourself.
If you’ve ever hit that “flat bench burnout,” these variations are gonna give your routine a whole new feel. So next time you hit the gym, throw in a new variation. You’ll be sore in places you forgot existed—but it’s worth it.
