Skip to main content Tom's Guide Tom's Guide Search Tom's Guide View Profile Newsletters Best Picks Entertainment Memorial Day sales Switch 2 Pre-Orders Best laptops Best Mattress Wordle Today Recommended reading Ditch the bench press — use this 8-minute push-up workout to strengthen your chest at home or the gym Swerve the gym — this 20-minute dumbbell workout can be done from home and will build a stronger upper body No gym needed — instead use this 30-minute dumbbell workout to build full-body strength at home No gym? Build upper body strength and torch your core with just a pair of dumbbells and 25 minutes Skip the gym — build full body strength at home with 1 dumbbell and 5 moves I did these 3 dumbbell exercises for summer-worthy arms — no gym required Skip push-ups and planks — I just did this 15-minute standing upper-body workout and my arms are on fire No, not push-ups — strengthen your pecs with a pair of dumbbells and these 4 exercises Jennifer Rizzuto 27 May 2025 Get a strong and defined chest with these dumbbell moves When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works. (Image credit: Getty/Cavan Images) Love them or hate them, push ups are a great exercise for strengthening your chest, shoulders, and even your back. If you fall into the latter category however, there’s good news — you can build your pecs with a pair of dumbbells instead. Dumbbells are one of my favorite fitness tools for increasing full-body strength, hypertrophy (or muscle growth), range of motion, and even cardiovascular endurance. They can be used by anyone from beginners to experienced athletes, are compact enough to fit in your home gym, and can be found at basically any fitness facility on the map. Give these four dumbbell exercises a try on your next chest day. Not only will you target your pecs with these moves, but you’ll strengthen several other upper-body muscle groups as well. You may like Ditch the bench press — use this 8-minute push-up workout to strengthen your chest at home or the gym Swerve the gym — this 20-minute dumbbell workout can be done from home and will build a stronger upper body No gym needed — instead use this 30-minute dumbbell workout to build full-body strength at home What are the 4 dumbbell pec exercises? You’ll need a pair of moderately-heavy dumbbells for this routine. All of the exercises can be done on the floor, but you can also use a weight bench if you have one available. If you choose to do the exercises on the floor, you may also want to use a yoga mat for additional support. Perform 10-12 repetitions of each exercise for 3 sets, resting briefly between each set. If you get to 12 reps without feeling fatigued, increase your dumbbell weight. If you can’t get to 10 reps without resting, choose lighter dumbbells. 1. Floor press How To Do A Dumbbell Floor Press - YouTube Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bring your elbows to your side, slightly below the shoulder. Keep your knuckles facing behind you. Engage your core and keep a neutral spine. Squeeze your chest, extend your arms and press the dumbbells toward the ceiling. Lower back down to the starting position with control. Continue for 10-12 repetitions. 2. Close-grip press Close Grip DB Floor Press - YouTube Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Bring your elbows together over your chest and press the dumbbells together. Your knuckles should face the walls to your side. Engage your core and keep a neutral spine. Squeeze your chest, extend your arms and press the dumbbells toward the ceiling. Lower back down to the starting position with control. Continue for 10-12 repetitions. 3. Dumbbell flys How To Do A Dumbbell Floor Fly - YouTube Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Press the dumbbells together and extend your arms. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine. With a slight bend in your elbow, open your arms to each side and slowly lower the weights to the floor. Squeeze your chest and bring the weights back to the starting position. Continue for 10-12 repetitions 4. Dumbbell pullover Dumbbell Pullover on Floor - YouTube Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold one dumbbell between your hands. Extend your arms and align the dumbbell directly over your chest. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine. Slowly lower the dumbbell to the floor behind you. Squeeze your chest and bring the weight back to the starting position. Continue for 10-12 repetitions. What are the benefits of these dumbbell pec exercises? These four exercises work the pectoralis major (or pecs) primarily, which are large muscles located on both sides of your chest. The pecs are responsible for moving your arms toward the center of your body, stabilizing the shoulder, facilitating your respiration, and assisting your arms on pushing and pulling movements. The four exercises in this routine also target a few additional muscles in your upper body including the triceps, biceps, deltoids (a large muscle in the shoulder) and lats (or latissimus dorsi, a large muscle in your back). Sign up to get the BEST of Tom's Guide direct to your inbox. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. Both compound and functional, these exercises work more than one muscle group at once and are similar to movements you encounter in everyday life. Training your upper body this way not only improves your strength levels and muscle size, but also makes you less susceptible to injury. More from Tom's Guide Forget sit-ups — all you need is 4 moves and 15 minutes to sculpt a strong core and strengthen your hips I tried the ‘Japanese walking’ method for a week — and I’m hooked I did the caterpillar walk every day for one week, here's what happened Today's best Dumbbells deals PowerTRC Adjustable Dumbell for Kids $13.89View See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices Jennifer Rizzuto Social Links Navigation Jennifer Rizzuto is a freelance writer and certified personal trainer based in Long Island, NY. She covers various fitness-related topics and reviews for Tom's Guide. She also writes sketch comedy and short films, and performs frequently as an actor, singer, and improviser. When she's not writing, working out, or performing, you'll find her trying to convince her husband to get a dog. You must confirm your public display name before commenting Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name. Ditch the bench press — use this 8-minute push-up workout to strengthen your chest at home or the gym Swerve the gym — this 20-minute dumbbell workout can be done from home and will build a stronger upper body No gym needed — instead use this 30-minute dumbbell workout to build full-body strength at home No gym? 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