14 Dumbbell Floor Exercises You Can Do While Lying Down

You don’t always need a workout bench to perform lying dumbbell exercises. You can do various exercises while lying down on the floor if you have a set of dumbbells, for example, floor press, dumbbell IYT raises, and dumbbell leg curls.

In this article, I will share the best dumbbell floor exercises you can do at home with no bench. These exercises help target various muscles throughout the body, including the chest, back, legs, and core and help you improve your body composition.

Related: Full-Body Dumbbell Standing Exercises (No Bench)

Here’s a quick list of dumbbell exercises you can do while lying on the floor.

Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps

1. Dumbbell Floor Press
2. Floor Dumbbell Fly
3. Dumbbell Squeeze Press
4. Decline Floor Press
5. Lying Dumbbell Lateral Raise
6. Dumbbell Triceps Extension

Back, Biceps, Leg, and Core

1. Dumbbell Floor IYT Raises
2. Lying Dumbbell Superman
3. Lying Biceps Curl
4. Dumbbell Glute Bridges
5. Dumbbell Leg Curl
6. Dumbbell Sit-ups
7. Side plank Hip Raises
8. Dumbbell Leg Lifts

These exercises are suitable for all fitness enthusiasts. Whether you’re a male or female, you can incorporate them into your workout routine.

Lying Down Dumbbell Exercises for Chest, Shoulder, & Triceps

1. Dumbbell Floor Press

Level	Muscles Worked	Focus
Beginner	Triceps and Chest	Strength and Gain

The floor press may not be as popular as bench presses, but it is a good workout to develop chest and tricep muscles without the help of a workout bench.

How to:

1. Pick one dumbbell in each hand, and lie on the floor with your knees bent in front of you.
2. Bend your elbows and hold the dumbbells at your sides to your chest level.
3. Brace your core, inhale and press the weights upward over your chest until your arms are straight. Bring the dumbbells close to each other at the top but avoid the collision.
4. Now, lower the dumbbells back to the start and repeat for the required number of repetitions.
5. Focus on your triceps and chest while pressing the weights.
6. Suggested sets and repetitions: 3 x 10-15

Dumbbell Floor Press Variations

a) Single-arm Floor Press:

The steps to perform a single-arm floor press will be the same as a normal floor press. However, instead of pressing both arms together, you’ll need to press one arm while holding your other arm straight over your chest.

You can also combine this move with both arms and floor presses. So, for example, if you’re doing three sets of 16 reps each, do 4 reps with both arms, 4 reps each single-arm, and then finish with 4 reps with both arms.

b) Neutral Grip Floor Press

The neutral grip variation of floor press primarily works on triceps muscles and helps your triceps grow.

You can do this exercise by following the same steps as the dumbbell floor press. You need to change only your grip. So when you perform, hold the dumbbells with a neutral grip instead of an overhand grip.

2. Floor Dumbbell Fly

Level	Muscles	Focus
Beginner	Chest	Strength and Mobility

The floor dumbbell fly is an isolation exercise that targets your chest muscles and develops upper body musculature. It provides a limited range of motion but can be a good alternative to a standard dumbbell fly in the absence of a workout bench.

How to:

1. Holding one dumbbell in each hand, lie on the floor.
2. Keep your arms straight out to your sides. You can keep your legs straight or knees bent, whichever suits you. That’s the start.
3. Now, raises your arms off the floor until they are close to each other over your chest.
4. Pause and return to the start. That’s your one repetition.
5. Do not bend your elbows and squeeze your pecs while flying the dumbells.
6. Recommended sets and repetitions: 3 x 12-15

Variations: Single-arm dumbbell fly

3. Dumbbell Squeeze Press

Level	Muscles	Focus
Beginner	Chest, Triceps	Strength and Size

To isolate your chest muscles specifically, you can perform a dumbbell squeeze press. The dumbbell squeeze press is a simple exercise, requiring only a pair of dumbbells and a flat surface.

How to:

• Grab a pair of dumbbells with a neutral grip and lie on the floor with your knees bent in front of you.
• Hold the weights just above your chest with your arms bent and elbows facing slightly outward.
• Squeezing your chest, press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight.
• Perform three to four sets of 10 reps each.

4. Decline Dumbbell Floor Press

Level	Muscles	Focus
Beginner	Chest	Strength and Gain

The decline floor press is a good exercise to hit your lower pecs and add strength and definition to your entire chest muscles.

How to:

1. Holding a pair of dumbbells, lie on the floor with your knees bent in front of you.
2. Lift your hips and lower back off the floor until your knees are aligned with your chest. That’s the start.
3. Press the weight over your chest until your elbows are extended.
4. Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

5. Lying Dumbbell Lateral Raise

Level	Muscles	Focus
Intermediate	Shoulder	Strength and Mobility

The lying dumbbell lateral raise is an excellent way to build strength in your shoulders without the bench. It targets the lateral and rear deltoids and helps boost shoulder strength and mobility.

How to:

• Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, lie on your left side, arm bent, and hand on your ear supporting your head.
• Bend your elbow and hold the dumbbell in front of your chest, palm facing your body.
• Raise the dumbbell until your arm is straight and palm facing forward.
• Return and repeat for the suggested time.

6. Dumbbell Lying Triceps Extension

Level	Muscles	Focus
Beginner	Triceps	Strength and Gain

Dumbbell lying triceps extension strengthens and tones the triceps muscles. It helps target the long head and build up solid arms.

How to:

• Grab one dumbbell in each hand, and lie on your back on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
• Bend your elbows, and hold the dumbbells over your forehead.
• Keeping your elbows locked, extend your upper arms until both arms are straight over your chest.
• Now, return the dumbbells to the start and repeat for the desired number of times.
• Make sure your triceps are engaged while extending your arms.
• Suggested sets and repetitions: 3 x 10-12

Dumbbell Floor Exercises for Back, Biceps, legs & Core

1. Floor Dumbbell IYT Raises

Level	Muscles	Focus
Intermediate	Back, Shoulder	Strength and Mobility

The IYT raises are one of the best exercises you can do while lying down on the floor. It is a compound workout that works on various muscles throughout the upper body, primarily the traps and posterior delt.

Depending on your strength, you can do this exercise with and without dumbbells.

How to:

1. Grab one dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, lie on your stomach on the floor, and extend your legs behind you.
2. Keep your arms straight in front of you (so that your body forms an “I” like shape). That’s the start.
3. Lift your arms off the floor as high as you can, and then lower them down.
4. Now position your arms in a way that your body forms a “Y” like shape. And then lift your arms off the floor as high as you can.
5. To perform the final move, keep your arms out to the sides on the floor and then raise them off the floor.
6. Recommended sets and repetitions: 3 x 8-10

2. Lying Dumbbell Superman Pull

Level	Muscles	Focus
Intermediate	Back	Strength and Mobility

The superman pull is an excellent dumbbell floor exercise that isolates multiple posterior chain muscles, such as lats, upper traps, and the lower back, and helps increase strength and mobility.

How to:

1. Start with lying prone, holding one dumbbell in each hand, keeping your arms straight in front of you and your leg extended straight behind you. This is your starting position.
2. Pull your arms toward your body until the dumbbells reach close to your chest. Make sure your back muscles are fully engaged.
3. Hold for a moment, and then return your arms to the start. That’s one repetition.
4. Slightly lift your chest off the ground as you pull the dumbbells toward you.
5. Suggested sets and repetitions: 3 x 10-15

3. Lying Dumbbell Biceps Curl

Level	Muscles Worked	Focus
Intermediate	Biceps	Strength and Size

The floor dumbbell curl primarily targets the biceps and helps build muscular arms. However, it is not as effective as other curls because it provides a limited range of motion. Along with this movement, you can do standing dumbbell curls to engage your biceps effectively.

How to:

• Grab one dumbbell in each hand, lie on your back on the floor, and bend your knees slightly.
• Keep your arms straight at your sides. That is your starting position.
• Curl your arms together until your biceps are engaged fully.
• Pause for a second and return to the start.
• Suggested sets and repetitions: 3-4 x 10-15

Variations: Lying alternate bicep curls and one-arm bicep curl.

4. Dumbbell Glute Bridges

Level	Muscles Worked	Focus
Beginner	Gluteus Maximus	Strength and Gain

The dumbbell glute bridge is an effective exercise for targeting the glutes and hamstrings. A solid glute provides your lower back stability and enhances overall performance.

How to:

• Lie on the floor and hold a dumbbell on your hips.
• Bend your knees to 90 degrees and keep your feet flat on the ground. That’s the starting position.
• Now, thrust your hips off the floor until your knees align with your shoulders.
• Hold for a moment and return your hips to the start. That’s one repetition.
• Suggested sets and repetitions: 3 x 10-12

5. Dumbbell Leg Curl

Level	Muscles Worked	Focus
Intermediate	Hamstrings	Strength and Gain

To strengthen your hamstrings, consider doing dumbbell leg curls. It’s a challenging exercise but can help strengthen your hamstrings and boost athletic performance. A study also has shown that by performing lying leg curls consistently, you can reduce the risk of a hamstring injury.

How to:

• Lie prone on the floor and clamp a dumbbell between your feet.
• Brace your thighs and glute, and curl your legs until you feel the full contraction in your hamstrings.
• Pause for a second and extend your legs to the beginning.
• Repeat for the desired number of sets and reps.

6. Dumbbell Sit-up

Level	Muscles Worked	Focus
Intermediate	Core	Strength and Gain

The sit-up is a specific core strengthening exercise that helps target the rectus abdominish, also known as six-pack abs muscles. Moreover, doing sit-ups up with weight challenge your strength and helps you develop a sturdy core.

How to:

• Pick one dumbbell in each hand and lie on the floor with your knees bent in front of you.
• Hold your arms straight over you and perform crunches for the desired repetitions.
• Make sure you feel the contraction in your abs during the movement.

7. Side plank Hip Raises

Level	Muscles Worked	Focus
Beginner	Hips and Core	Strength and Gain

The side plank hip raise is one of the lying dumbbell exercises that strengthen the muscles on the side of the hips, buttock, and obliques. It also improves your balance and ability to hold your body in an isometric position.

How to:

• Start with lying on your left side with the support of your forearm and hips.
• Grab one dumbbell with your right hand and hold it on your right thigh.
• Brace your core, and raise your left leg into the air (but do not lift the dumbbell off the leg).
• Hold for a second, and then return your leg to the start.
• Suggested sets and repetitions: 3 x 10-15

8. Dumbbell Leg Lifts

Level	Muscles Worked	Focus
Intermediate	Core	Strength and Gain

The leg lift is one of the best lying dumbbell exercises that forge lower abs and helps build a powerful core. However, it is challenging, so if you’ve just started your training, you can do bodyweight leg raises to scale up your strength for this movement.

How to:

• First, lie on the floor with your legs straight and arms at your sides.
• Now, clamp a dumbbell between your feet and raise your legs as high as you can so that the lower muscles of your abs get fully engaged.
• Hold for a moment, and then slowly lower your legs downward. And without landing your feet completely, go for the next rep. And after completing the one set, land your feet on the floor.
• Do three sets of 10 to 15 reps each.

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