12 AUGUST 2017 | ironmanmagazine.com
ALTERNATING DUMBBELL
CHEST PRESS
Six vital tips to ensure that you’re getting the most out of
this gym staple.
From National Bench Press Monday to the fairly typical
“how much do you bench?” question, it’s clear that this
exercise is one that’s often at the top of mind for many
gym-goers. So it should come as no surprise that new
bench press variations are something that many look to
try in the gym.
Before you spring into action, though, you’ll want to make
sure you are using a lighter weight than you would for
your standard flat dumbbell chest press. Why? You must
stabilize the dumbbells more than you would on a regular
flat dumbbell chest press. Also, when lying down on a flat
bench, you need to keep your feet, hips, shoulders and
head all in contact with the floor or the bench. But, that’s
not all. The following is a list of six other important tips to
ensure you properly perform this exercise.
By Patrick Thompson, CPT
EXERCISE
OF THE
ISSUE
Tip 1 – Keep your feet flat
on the floor and position
them below your knee
joints. While doing the
movements, make sure
you’re attempting to push
through the floor.Tip 2 – While lying flat on
the bench, your shoulder
blades need to be retracted
or pinched back. By keep-
ing your shoulder blades
tight, you’ll allow your lat
muscles to become acti-
vated during each press.Tip 3 – While keeping
one dumbbell in the down
position near your armpit,
press straight up with the
opposite arm. Make sure
you go straight up with the
dumbbell. Going outward
and then up would cause
great instability for your
body and the movement
as a whole.Tip 4 – At the top of each
movement, make sure
to squeeze your chest
muscles. This will cre-
ate greater motor unit
recruitment to adapt your
strength faster.Tip 5 – Breathe! Before
your first rep, deeply
inhale. As you start to
press one dumbbell, you
can exhale. Remember:
Inhale on the downward
motion and exhale on the
upward motion.