Training with affordable equipment like dumbbells has many benefits. The main advantage, of course, is the low price, which allows you to purchase them and practice at home. In addition, dumbbells meet all the requirements for safe and balanced training. Unlike a barbell, dumbbells are two independent weights, and in order to hold them, small stabilizer muscles are included in the work. This article will help you learn how to pump up the chest muscles with dumbbells.

To the question “how to pump up the pectoral muscles with dumbbells?” There is one answer - to observe the technique of performing exercises.

How to train the pectoral muscles correctly?

What to look for so that each exercise with dumbbells for the chest gives quick and noticeable results?

1. Don't skip classes. Give chest muscles 2 days a week.
2. Bring variety. Surely you are striving for a beautiful and harmonious body. Then your classes should not be limited to working out the pectoral muscles. It is most effective to combine chest and back training. Take this advice and add some exercises to develop this part of the body.
3. Train with good weight. For exercises, you need the weight that you can lift and hold on an outstretched arm at chest level. For most beginners, it is optimal to start training with dumbbells weighing 5 kg.
4. No sudden movements. Make each movement slowly and smoothly. Remember that the effort must be done on the exhale.
5. The main thing is moderation. At the very beginning of classes, it is important to find a middle ground. Don't get too relaxed or overexerted during your workout. Start with 1 set of 12-15 reps. After a while, add 1 more approach.
6. Change your diet. If you really want to know how to pump chest muscles with a dumbbell, consider improving your diet. Be sure to enrich it with fiber and complex carbohydrates.

chest workout with dumbbells

Chest exercises with dumbbells are ideal for home training.

So, how to pump up the pectoral muscles with dumbbells?

Like any other activity, chest muscle training should begin with a warm-up. Pay special attention to body twists, vigorous arm swings, and jumps in place. Your goal is to increase your heart rate and prepare your muscles for exercise.

After a 5-minute warm-up, you can start the exercises.

Bench press on a horizontal bench

For the first exercise with dumbbells for the chest, you will need a horizontal bench, which can be replaced with a bed if necessary. The dumbbell press is one of the most common exercises among professional bodybuilders. As you improve its performance and increase muscle strength, you can complicate it by adding weight.

• Lie down on a bench. Take dumbbells and raise them in front of you. Pay attention to the fact that the shoulders and arms should form a right angle.
• Inhale and slowly lower the dumbbells to chest level.
• Take a short pause, exhale and squeeze the dumbbells to the starting position. Freeze in this position for a few seconds and slowly lower your arms. This is one repeat. During the movement, concentrate on contracting the pectoral muscles.

Dumbbell bench press is not a horizontal bench.

Incline presses, like the previous exercise with dumbbells for the chest, are very effective. The difference lies only in the redistribution of the load from the central part to the upper and lower parts of the chest. So, if the head on the bench is above the pelvis, the upper chest works. If your head is below the level of the pelvis, the main work falls on the lower part of the pectoral muscles. For the harmonious development of the pectoral muscles, it is recommended to perform all types of bench presses. However, if over time you notice that some area prevails in you, just increase the load on the opposite.

• Sit on a bench and place the dumbbells at chest level. At the same time, the elbows are taken away from the body and bent at an angle of 90 degrees.
• Pause briefly, exhale and press the dumbbells straight up. The execution technique is exactly the same as in the previous exercise, regardless of the position of the dumbbell body, you press straight up. Pause briefly at the end point and return to the starting position.

If the head is above the pelvis - the emphasis is on the upper chest, if the head is below the pelvis - the lower part works.

True, it’s worth mentioning that at home it’s not so easy to organize an inclined bench for training. You can’t replace it with stools, as is the case with a straight bench. Therefore, in such a situation, it can be recommended to replace incline presses with push-ups. If you want to work out the upper part of the chest, put your legs above the level of your hands (on the same stool), and if you are interested in the lower chest region, you need to put your hands on a raised platform. On our website there is a separate article devoted to push-ups and the technique of their implementation: "".

Rest 1-2 minutes and move on to the next movement. The classic dumbbell raise is performed on a flat bench, but like bench presses, it can be done in a positive or negative incline, depending on which area of ​​the chest you want to load the most.

• Sit on a bench and take dumbbells. Place them on your thighs so that your palms are facing each other.
• Lie down and raise your arms up, slightly bending them at the elbow. This is the starting position.
• As you inhale, spread your arms to the sides. The movement must be carried out with the help of the work of the shoulder joint.
• As you exhale, return your arms to their original position. They should move along the same trajectory as they descended. When performed correctly, you will feel a strong tension in the muscles of the chest.

Make sure that the arms move in a wide arc, but never fall below the line of the shoulders. Otherwise, you risk serious injury. When you master the basic exercise, diversify it.

When breeding dumbbells, do not straighten your arms to the end - they are slightly bent at the elbows.

Pullover

Pullover is the most popular exercise among those who are looking for a way to pump up the chest muscles with dumbbells. It is mostly aimed at the development of the upper pectoral muscles, which are difficult to load. The pullover perfectly "opens" the chest, increasing its volume. For this exercise, you will need 1 dumbbell (a weight that is comfortable for you).

• Sit on a bench and grab a dumbbell with both hands. Lie down so that your head is at its edge. For the starting position, lift the dumbbell directly over your chest.
• As you exhale, slowly move the dumbbell behind your head, feeling the tension and stretching of the chest muscles. Return to starting position.

Pullover - an exercise that "opens" the chest.

Stretching the pectoral muscles

After a good load, the muscles need a thorough stretch.

• • Stand against the wall and rest against it with your arm bent at the elbow and raised up. Lean slightly and shift your body weight forward. Hold this position for 15-20 seconds. Change your hand.
  • Stand up and place your feet shoulder-width apart. Put your hands behind your back and clasp them in the lock. Keeping your arms straight, slowly raise them up until you feel a strong stretch in your muscles. Repeat for 30 seconds.
  • Stand up straight and straighten your back. Put your hands together at the back of your head and slowly move them back. Stay in this position for 15-20 seconds.

Now you know how to pump the pectoral muscles with dumbbells. Give your classes enough time and soon you will appreciate the impressive results.