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Dumbbell Lying One Arm Press
A flat single-arm dumbbell press that trains the chest one side at a time while the trunk works hard to resist rolling off the bench.
ChestDumbbellHorizontal press
GoLightWeight mediadumbbell-lying-one-arm-press
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Pectoralis major
Secondary
Anterior deltoidsTricepsObliquesCore
Equipment
Dumbbell
Pattern
Horizontal press
Setup
- 01Lie on a flat bench with one dumbbell held at the shoulder.
- 02Rest the free hand on the hip or hold the bench edge lightly.
- 03Plant both feet wide and flat for a stable base.
- 04Brace the trunk before unracking the first rep.
Execution
- 01Press the dumbbell up until the elbow locks over the shoulder.
- 02Keep the hips and shoulders square to the ceiling as the load moves on one side.
- 03Lower under control to the outside of the chest.
- 04Complete all reps, then switch arms with the same setup.
Checkpoints
- -Torso stays level; no rolling toward the working side.
- -The dumbbell finishes stacked over the shoulder joint.
- -Feet stay planted and quiet.
- -Rep speed matches on both arms.
Common mistakes
- -Letting the body twist or the opposite shoulder lift off the bench.
- -Gripping the bench so hard the free arm does the stabilizing instead of the trunk.
- -Loading heavier than the trunk can stabilize.
- -Shortening the range on the weaker arm.
Programming notes
- -Use 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps per arm, starting with the weaker side.
- -Useful for exposing and closing left-right pressing gaps.
- -Keep the load 20 to 30 percent lighter than half of your two-dumbbell press load at first.
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