Building up your chest muscles can be accomplished by several different means. Heavy barbell exercises, specialized gym machines and multiple push-up variations are all adequate chest-building methods. Using dumbbells to build your chest can add size like a barbell and definition like a machine. Dumbbells are versatile because of the wide range of weights available, and the fact you can work your chest from different angles.
Step 1
Lie back on a flat bench with a heavy dumbbell in each hand. Hold the dumbbells near the sides of your chest with your palms up and elbows down. Press the dumbbells straight up until your elbows are locked. Lower the weights and repeat. Perform dumbbell presses on an incline or decline bench to work your chest from different angles.
Step 2
Lie back on a flat bench and hold dumbbells up over your chest with your arms extended and arms facing each other. Lower the dumbbells to your sides in a wide arc, keeping your arms slightly bent. Stop when your hands are out to the side at about chest level and you feel a stretch in your outer pecs. Move the weights back to the start on the same arc and repeat. Perform dumbbell flys on a decline or incline bench to hit different areas of your chest.
Step 3
Position your feet flat on the floor and your upper back on a flat bench, perpendicular to the bench. Hold a dumbbell vertically with both hands, placing your hands underneath the upper plate of the dumbbell. Lower the dumbbell slowly back behind your head with straight arms. Stop just behind your head so you can feel a stretch in your chest, and then raise the dumbbell back to the start and repeat.
Tips and Warnings
- Any chest dumbbell exercise can be performed on a stability ball to engage more muscle groups and make it more challenging.
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