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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

  1. 01Lie on a flat bench with one dumbbell held at the shoulder.
  2. 02Rest the free hand on the hip or hold the bench edge lightly.
  3. 03Plant both feet wide and flat for a stable base.
  4. 04Brace the trunk before unracking the first rep.

Execution

  1. 01Press the dumbbell up until the elbow locks over the shoulder.
  2. 02Keep the hips and shoulders square to the ceiling as the load moves on one side.
  3. 03Lower under control to the outside of the chest.
  4. 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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