If you’re looking for the best dumbbell chest exercises that require no bench, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article, I’ll share as many as sixteen dumbbell chest workouts that you can do without a bench to build muscular and defined pecs at home.
I’ve divided the exercises into two parts. In the first part, you’ll see dumbbell floor exercises, and in the second part, you’ll see standing dumbbell chest exercises. Together they will help you target the upper, middle, and lower chest and ensure you’ll have well-shaped pecs.
12 Floor Dumbbell Chest Exercises Without a Bench
Let’s see how you can train your entire chest with dumbbells while lying down on the floor.
1. Dumbbell Floor Press
The dumbbell floor press is a simple yet effective exercise to work on your pecs. It bolsters your pectoral and tricep muscles and helps improve upper body strength.
How to perform:
- Grab one dumbbell in each hand and lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Hold the dumbbells at your sides to a level of your chest. That’s your starting position.
- Squeezing your pecs, press the dumbbells over your chest until your arms are straight.
- Pause for a second and then lower the dumbbells to the start. That’s one rep.
Pro Tips:
- Keep your core tight throughout the movement.
- Inhale before pressing the weight and exhale at the top.
- Squeeze pecs at the top and the bottom of the lift.
Suggested sets and reps:
- 8-12 x 3
2. Dumbbell Floor Fly
The dumbbell fly is one of the isolation exercises for developing chest muscles. It stretches out pecs and then provides a squeeze when you bring the dumbbells toward each other. Doing this exercise will help you increase your strength for the barbell chest exercises.1Welsch EA, Bird M, Mayhew JL. Electromyographic activity of the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid muscles during three upper-body lifts. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 May;19(2):449-52. doi: 10.1519/14513.1. PMID: 15903389.
How to do it:
- Pick one dumbbell in each hand and lie supine on the floor back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Extend your arms out to the sides, your triceps resting on the floor and elbows slightly bent. That’s the starting position.
- Focusing on your chest, bring the dumbbells toward each other until your arms are straight directly over your chest.
- Pause, squeeze your pecs at the top and then lower the dumbbell in a controlled fashion. That’s one rep.
Pro Tips:
- Squeeze your pecs at the top to feel the maximum contraction in your chest.
- Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the exercise.
Suggested sets and reps:
- Perform three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions each.
3. Close Grip Dumbbell Floor Press
The close-grip floor press is another excellent way to forge your pectoral muscles. You can do it as a finisher exercise on your chest day to feel the pump. It is also known as the dumbbell squeeze press.
How to do it:
- Start with lying on the floor with your face facing upward. Bend your knees and keep your feet planted on the floor.
- Grab a pair of dumbbells with a neutral grip and hold them above your chest with your elbows bent and palms facing each other. That’s the start.
- Contracting the chest muscle, press the dumbbells toward the ceiling until your arms are straight.
- Pause, squeeze your pecs at the top and then return to the beginning. This is your one repetition.
Pro Tips:
- As the name suggests, it requires you to squeeze your pecs while pressing the dumbbells up. You should perform this movement in a controlled fashion so you can feel the work during the movement.
Recommended sets and reps:
- Go for three sets of 10 to 12 reps each.
4. Dumbbell Floor Pullover
The dumbbell pullover is another great way to provide a good stretch to your pecs muscles and help improve chest definition. However, doing it on the floor limit range of motion and won’t be as effective as the standard dumbbell pullovers.
But having no bench at home, the floor pullover can be effective and provide good results.
How to do it:
- Lying on your back on the floor, bend your knees, and keep your feet flat on the ground. Grasp a hexagonal or urethane dumbbell and hold the inner part of it with both hands.
- Extend your arms behind your head and maintain a soft bend in your elbows. That’s the start.
- Pull the dumbbell until your arms are straight over your chest.
- Pause and lower the dumbbell to the start in a controlled manner. This is your one repetition.
Pro Tips:
- Perform this move in a controlled fashion.
- Stretch and squeeze your pecs as much as you can during the movement.
- Do not flare your elbows out while pulling the dumbbell.
Recommended sets and reps:
- Go for three to four sets of 8-12 reps each.
5. Dumbbell Deficit Pushup
The deficit pushup is one of the dumbbell pushups to build up upper body muscles. It strengthens various muscles simultaneously, particularly the chest and triceps.
Whether you train your chest at home or in the gym, you can perform deficit once a week or two to maximize the development of your pecs.
How to do it:
- Grab a pair of dumbbells and get into a high plank position with your arms straight below your shoulders and your body straight from top to bottom.
- Lower your torso until your chest is close to the floor, and then push back to return to the start. That’s one rep.
Pro Tips:
- To feel the proper stretch, you can pause for a couple of seconds before you extend your arms.
- Keep your core tight throughout the movement.
- Grip the dumbbells firmly throughout the exercise.
Suggested reps and sets:
- 8-12 x 3
6. DB Underhand Grip Chest Press
Like the normal chest press, the dumbbell underhand press or reverse chest press performs with the same steps. All you need to do is to grab the dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip so that your palms are facing inward throughout the exercise.
When training your chest with dumbbells without a bench, you should try a variety of exercises so you can have a better chest pump.
7. Dumbbell Neutral Grip Push-up
The neutral grip pushup is another way to hit your arms and chest. You can substitute this exercise with a squeeze press on your chest day.
How to do it:
- Holding one dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip, get into a position to perform pushups. The arms should be straight below your chest, and the palms facing each other.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest as close as toward the ground.
- Contracting your chest, push your hands down to return to the starting point. That’s one rep.
Pro Tips:
- Your hands should be shorter than shoulder-width apart.
- You must keep your abdominal muscles tight throughout the movement.
Suggested reps and sets:
- Do as many reps and sets as you like.
8. Decline Floor Press
The decline floor press is also known as the bridge press and is an excellent way to work on your entire body, especially the pecs and core.
It requires you to lift your hips and glute off the floor so you can target the lower pecs. Working on your lower chest improves your pecs definition and strengthens the upper body.
How to do it:
- Lie on your back with your knees bent, and feet firmly planted on the floor.
- Grab one dumbbell in each hand and hold it to a level of your chest. Palms are facing forward.
- Lift your hips off the ground so your torso is elevated and your back is straight (Assume bridge position in Glutes bridge). This is your starting point.
- Contracting your chest muscles, press the dumbbell upward until your arms are fully straight over your chest. This is your one repetition. Repeat as many times as required.
Pro Tips:
- Bridge press is an advanced dumbbell chest exercise and requires you to keep your hips, glutes, thigh, and core tight throughout the movement.
- Make sure your elbows are not aligned with your shoulders during the exercise, as it can reduce stress from your chest.
Suggested reps and sets:
- Aim for three to four sets of eight to 12 reps.
9. Underhand Bridge Fly
The underhand bridge fly is a great way to engage entire chest muscles and stimulates muscle growth. It also strengthens the lower back, glutes, and abs and helps improve balance and posture.
How to do it:
- Holding a pair of dumbbells, get into the bridge position. Make sure your posterior chain muscles and core are tight so that you can maintain proper form.
- Contracting your pecs, raise your arms and bring the dumbbells toward each other above your lower pecs.
- Pause for a moment and lower your arms to the start. That’s one rep.
Pro Tips:
- There will be soft bends in your elbows, but mostly your arms will be straight throughout the movement.
- Keep your feet flat on the floor, and make sure your body is straight from your knee to your chest.
Suggested reps and sets:
- 8-12 x 3
10. Bridge Squeeze Press
The bridge squeeze press works in the same way as the close-grip floor press, but it works more on your lower chest. So, if your focus is on lower pecs, you can also try this exercise.
How to perform:
- Grab a pair of dumbbells and get into a bridge position.
- Hold the dumbbells above your chest with your palms facing each other.
- Squeezing your pecs, press the dumbbells over your chest until your arms are straight.
- Pause for a moment and then return to the start.
Suggested reps and sets:
- Do as many reps and sets as needed.
11. Dumbbell One-arm Floor Press
The one-arm floor press is a unilateral workout and great for people who want to improve their muscle symmetric.
How to do it:
- Grab a dumbbell in your right hand and lie on the floor.
- Keep your right arm straight over your chest while the other one is at your side.
- Press the dumbbell up until your arm is straight, and then lower it down and repeat.
Pro Tips:
- You can keep your left arm straight if you’re pressing the dumbbell with your right hand and vice-versa.
- Perform more reps or sets on your weaker side to improve muscle balance imbalance.
Suggested reps and sets:
- Do as many reps and sets as you like on each side.
12. Dumbbell One-arm Fly
Like unilateral floor press, you can also perform unilateral chest fly. The one-arm dumbbell chest fly allows you to concentrate more on your underdeveloped side and improve your chest muscle definition.
How to do it:
- Get in the same position as the dumbbell floor fly, but keep your right arm straight over your chest during the entire exercise while doing dumbbell flyes with your left arm.
- Once you complete 10 repetitions, hold your left arm straight over you and perform dumbbell flyes with your right arm.
Suggested reps and sets:
- Perform as many sets and reps as you like.
Standing Dumbbell Chest Exercises (No Bench)
Here are some of the best no-bench dumbbell chest workouts that you can do in a standing position. Combining floor exercises with standing dumbbell chest workouts may help you elicit better results.
1. Dumbbell Svend Press
The Svend press is also known as the standing chest press. It is a simple and effective exercise to hit your pecs without a bench. It works out all major chest muscles at once. However, it is not as effective as lying floor press.
How to do it:
- Grab a dumbbell and hold its ends in each hand with a neutral grip and stand upright with your feet together.
- Bend your elbows and hold the dumbbell close to your chest.
- Contracting your pecs, press the dumbbell in front of your chest until your arms are straight.
- Squeezing your pecs, pause for a moment, and then return to the start. That’s one rep.
Pro Tips:
- Keep your back straight, chest up, and core tight during the entire movement.
- Hold the dumbbell firmly and press it in a controlled manner.
Suggested reps and sets:
- Go for two to three sets of eight to ten reps.
2. Dumbbell Standing Chest Fly
The standing dumbbell chest fly is a free-weight exercise that strengthens upper body muscles. In the absence of a workout bench, you can do this exercise to target your chest muscles.
How to do it:
- Holding one dumbbell in each hand, stand straight in the hip-width stance.
- Raise your arms in front of you and hold them at your chest level. This is your starting position.
- With a slight bend in your elbows, extend your arms out to the sides. And then return back to the start. That’s your one rep.
Pro Tips:
- Grab a pair of dumbbells that are not heavy, so you have control over them.
- Perform each rep in a slow and controlled fashion.
Suggested reps and sets:
- Do it as many times as you like.
3. Dumbbell Upward Fly
The dumbbell upward fly is an excellent way to hit your upper pecs at home without a bench. It requires you to stand upright and raise the dumbbells in front of you so you can feel the contraction in your chest.
How to perform:
- Stand tall in the shoulder-width stance, holding one dumbbell in each hand at your sides with your palms facing inward.
- Contracting your chest muscles, raise your arms upward until your arms reach above your chest height and your palms are facing upward.
- Pause for a sec and then return to the start. That’s your one repetition.
Pro Tips:
- Keep your back straight, chest up, and core tight during the entire exercise.
Suggested reps and sets:
- Do as many reps as you can.
4. Standing Dumbbell Horizontal Press
The standing dumbbell horizontal press is another way to work on your chest without a bench. However, it also works multiple other muscles of the upper body and requires you to hold the dumbbells against gravity all the time, which makes it difficult to perform, especially for beginners.
You can give it a try and see if it works for you or not.
How to do it:
- Grab a pair of dumbbells with a neutral grip and stand straight in the split stance.
- Hold the dumbbells to your shoulder height by bending your arms, elbows pointing down.
- Press the dumbbells in front of you until your arms are straight, and return to the initial position.
Suggested reps and sets:
- Do as many reps as you can.
30-Minute Dumbbell Chest Workout at Home without Bench
As you have seen the plenty of dumbbell chest exercises that you can do without the bench at home. Now you have the option to design an effective chest workout routine.
I’ve also created a few chest workout examples that you can perform at home.
Example 1
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Floor Press | 3 | 8-12 | 60-sec |
| Dumbbell Floor Chest Fly | 3 | 8-12 | 60-sec |
| Dumbbell Deficit Pushup | 3 | 8-12 | 2-min |
| Close Grip Dumbbell Floor Press | 3 | 8-12 | 60-sec |
| Dumbbell Floor Pullover | 3 | 8-12 | 60-sec |
Example 2
| Exercise | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Deficit Pushup | 3 | 8-12 | 2-min |
| Dumbbell Floor Press | 3 | 8-12 | 60-sec |
| Dumbbell Upward Fly | 3 | 8-12 | 60-sec |
| Dumbbell Floor Pullover | 3 | 8-12 | 60-sec |
| Bridge Squeeze Press | 3 | 8-12 | 60-sec |
The Takeaway
If you want to strengthen and tone your chest muscles at home, you can try some of the best dumbbell chest exercises that require no bench, such as the Dumbbell floor press, Floor chest fly, Bridge press, Svend press, Deficit pushup, and Squeeze press.
In this article, I’ve shared as many as sixteen dumbbell exercises that you can perform without a bench to build stronger and sculpted pecs at home.
Depending on your fitness level, you can incorporate some of the exercises in your no-bench workout plan.
You can also check out the related exercises:
- Top 7 Dumbbell Workouts for Lats at Home
- Best Dumbbell Quad Exercises for Growth at Home
- The 37 Best Dumbbell Exercises For Beginners
- 10 Best Dumbbell Hamstring Exercises of All Time
- Top 9 Dumbbell Rear Delt Exercises of All time
- 20 Best Dumbbell Exercises to do on Pull Day
- 12 Best Dumbbell Exercises to Do On Push Day
References
- 1Welsch EA, Bird M, Mayhew JL. Electromyographic activity of the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid muscles during three upper-body lifts. J Strength Cond Res. 2005 May;19(2):449-52. doi: 10.1519/14513.1. PMID: 15903389.
