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Dumbbell Reverse Bench Press
A flat dumbbell press with a supinated grip that shifts emphasis toward the upper chest and keeps the elbows tucked in a shoulder-friendly path.
ChestDumbbellHorizontal press
GoLightWeight mediadumbbell-reverse-bench-press
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Pectoralis majorClavicular pectoralis
Secondary
Anterior deltoidsTricepsBiceps
Equipment
Dumbbell
Pattern
Horizontal press
Setup
- 01Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand at the shoulders.
- 02Rotate both palms to face toward your head in a full underhand grip.
- 03Plant the feet and pin the shoulder blades to the bench.
- 04Keep the elbows tucked close to the torso at the start.
Execution
- 01Brace and press both dumbbells up and slightly back over the chest.
- 02Keep the palms supinated as the arms extend.
- 03Lower under control until the dumbbells reach the lower chest.
- 04Keep the elbows tracking along the ribs on every rep.
Checkpoints
- -Palms face the head from the first rep to the last.
- -Elbows stay tucked instead of drifting wide.
- -Wrists stay neutral, not bent back under the load.
- -Shoulder blades stay pinned through the press.
Common mistakes
- -Letting the grip rotate back to neutral as fatigue sets in.
- -Starting with weights too heavy to get into position safely.
- -Arching the lower back to force the dumbbells higher.
- -Cutting range short at the bottom of the rep.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps as an upper-chest biased accessory.
- -Kick the dumbbells up from the knees one at a time to reach the start safely.
- -Rotate it in when incline benches are unavailable or elbows dislike flared pressing.
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