5 Plateau-busting Dumbbell Chest Exercises

There are several exercises you can do to build strong, powerful pectorals. Push-ups and benching are workout staples for countless gym-goers. However, there are also times when these exercises won't be enough to help you break through plateaus or get started if you haven't been exercising for long.

Performing the same moves again and again can get your muscles way too comfortable and accustomed to the contraction. If there's anything you don't want your muscles to feel in the gym — it's comfort. To break your plateau, you need to shock your muscles. That means placing emphasis on parts that might otherwise go untrained with basic exercises.

Best Plateau Busting Dumbbell Chest Exercises

If your muscles aren't growing, don't worry. We've got five dumbbell chest exercises to help blast through that plateau once and for all:

#1 Dumbbell Chest Press

It's a great exercise to strengthen the chest muscles and build muscle mass. It's also a good way to help tone up the body and get rid of fat. This move works the pectorals (the major chest muscle) and both triceps, which are located on the back of the upper arm.

To do it:

Lie on a flat bench, and press the dumbbells till your arms are fully extended. Bring the weight down to your chest, and repeat.
When doing the lift, make sure that you keep your core tight throughout the entire movement.
Make sure you're not arching your back or leaning forward, as that could put unnecessary stress leading to injury.
To increase difficulty, try using heavier weights than recommended or increasing the repetitions per set.

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#2 Dumbbell Fly

This exercise works the chest muscles, which are the muscles that lie beneath the pectoralis muscles.

Moreover, it also works the triceps and serratus anterior muscle. You can also make the exercise more difficult by doing it on an incline bench for added resistance.

To perform this exercise correctly and effectively, lie on a bench with a slight bend in your knees, and keep a straight back while holding the dumbbells with both hands in front of you.

Proceed as follows:

Slowly lower them till they're parallel to your chest, forming one straight line from one arm, across to another, with your chest in between.
Hold before lifting them back up again using only chest movement rather than arm or shoulder movement.

It's important not to use momentum when performing this exercise, otherwise it will not be effective for building muscle or burning fat.

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#3 Incline Dumbbell Press

The incline dumbbell press is one of the best ways to target the chest muscles. It prioritizes the upper chest, which can make the pecs look massive, certainly much bigger than you think they are.

The added incline also forces you to work harder, as it increases the resistance by setting you up on a raised bench compared to that in a flat one. If you've never done this exercise before, follow these steps:

Lie back on the bench, and grasp the dumbbells at their outer edges with your hands facing forward.
Grip the weights with an overhand grip, and place them at shoulder-width.
Press the weights up till your arms are straight, and lower them to chest level.
Repeat for 8-12 repetitions, depending on your fitness level (the more advanced you are, the more reps you should do).

#4 Decline Dumbbell Press

The decline dumbbell press is a great exercise for targeting the chest muscles. It can be done with one or two dumbbells, depending on how heavy you want to go and what you're comfortable with.

To perform this exercise, set up on a bench at a decline angle. You can use any type of weight bench you have available. However, the higher it is, the easier it will be to perform the movement without straining your lower back too much.

So look for something that's relatively low if possible, or just try it out on some different benches till you find one that feels right. Proceed as follows:

Grip each end of the dumbbells so that they're in between your palms and fingertips.
Keep your arms straight throughout the entire movement.
Press the weight up till you feel a stretch in your lower pecs.
Bring it back down for more reps.

#5 Dumbbell Pullover

This workout is great for strengthening the chest and shoulders. It’s also good for building shoulder stability, which is important for preventing injury when you lift weights or do other athletic activities.

To perform a pullover:

Lie on your back on a flat bench, with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with arms straight overhead and palms facing each other.
Pull over the dumbbells while keeping them extended till they're at arm's length above your chest. Lower them to their starting position as you inhale slowly.
Repeat 10-12 times with each arm before switching sides to complete one set.

Takeaway

You can use the aforementioned workouts to help you break through a plateau and take your chest workout to the next level. After that, try adding in some incline presses to target different areas of your chest and build more muscle.