Decline One-Arm Dumbbell Chest Press

Setup

1. 01Set a decline bench to roughly 15 to 30 degrees and hook the feet under the pads.
2. 02Lie back with one dumbbell held at the lower chest.
3. 03Rest the free hand on the hip or torso.
4. 04Pull the shoulder blades back and brace before the first rep.

Execution

1. 01Press the dumbbell up over the lower chest until the elbow extends.
2. 02Keep the torso square as the single load tries to rotate you.
3. 03Lower under control to the outside of the lower chest.
4. 04Finish the set, then repeat with the other arm.

Checkpoints

• -Shoulders and hips stay square on the bench.
• -The dumbbell finishes stacked over the shoulder, not over the face.
• -Shoulder blades stay retracted on the pad.
• -Legs stay locked into the pads for stability.

Common mistakes

• -Twisting the torso toward the working arm to grind out reps.
• -Losing shoulder-blade position on the decline pad.
• -Loading heavier than the trunk can stabilize on the slope.
• -Rushing the handoff of the dumbbell when getting into position.