The most common chest exercise done with barbells or dumbbells is a bench chest press. Dumbbells and barbells each have their own distinct advantages for this exercise. Use a dumbbell or a barbell to do pullovers, which target the chest. Use dumbbells to isolate the chest muscles with butterfly exercises.
Barbell Chest Press
The barbell chest press is a fundamental free-weight chest exercise. Lie on your back on a weight bench with a rack overhead. Grab the bar with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. Unrack the bar and hold it above your chest with your arms extended. Lower the weight by bending your elbows out to your sides. Pause for a count when your upper arms are parallel to the ground, then press back up.
Target different areas of the chest by changing the incline or decline of the bench.
Dumbbell Chest Press
Perform the dumbbell chest press in the same way except bring the dumbbells together at the top of the motion, increasing your range of motion. Press up and pull the dumbbells together as you extend your arms. The dumbbells should almost touch, but don't slam them into each other. You can also adjust your grip with dumbbells. Try a neutral grip with your palms facing each other, or use a twisting grip where you start with your palms facing forward and end with them facing each other when your arms are fully extended.
Dumbbell Isolation Exercises
Use dumbbells to isolate your chest muscles with butterfly exercises. Lie on your back on a bench with one dumbbell in each hand. Hold the dumbbells over your chest, your palms facing each other. Bend your elbows slightly and lock your arms into this position. Lower the weights out to your sides in an arc. Do not bend your elbows. Continue until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor. Pause for a count then reverse the motion, pulling the weights back with the same arc pattern.
Pullovers
Pullovers, done with a barbell or a dumbbell, target your chest and back. Sit on a weight bench facing the side. Lower your torso so your shoulders and upper back are on the bench and your hips are off the bench. Hold a barbell with a shoulder-width grip. Hold a dumbbell on one end with your hands cupping the weight block. Start with your arms extended, perpendicular to the floor. Lower the weight over your head. Move at your shoulders, not your elbows. Pause when you feel a stretch in your chest, then pull the weight back up.
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