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Dumbbell floor press

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Muscles worked

High load
Chest
Low load
Delts · Front and Triceps

Primary muscles

Secondary muscles

How to do it

Lie on your back on the floor with knees bent and a dumbbell in each hand at chest level. Press the bells straight up until the arms lock, then lower until the backs of the upper arms touch the floor and pause there. The floor caps the range, which is exactly why it suits a home trainee: it removes the deep, unsupported stretch a bench press reaches without a spotter, and it needs no bench at all.

Form cues

  • Let the upper arms rest on the floor between reps
  • Keep the forearms vertical

Safety

Talk to a professional before this exercise if you have any of the following:

ElbowWrist

This is general exercise reference, not medical advice. Stop and consult a qualified professional if an exercise causes pain, and never work through joint pain.

Harder variants