7 Best Dumbbell Exercises to Get a Strong Chest Like Jennifer Lopez 

Jennifer Lopez's workout is nothing short of motivation (Image via Pexels/Instagram)
Jennifer Lopez's workout is nothing short of motivation (Image via Pexels/Instagram)

Singer-dancer-actor Jennifer Lopez is one of the busiest celebrities in Hollywood, and yet she devotes the required time to her training. Her workouts, like so much of Lopez's life and career, are extremely motivating. The best part is that the movements are all quite basic.

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For a more advanced burn, increase the weight or reps, or stick to the lighter dumbbells on the rack to keep things simple. She works out four to five times a week for around an hour, focusing on different body parts.

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Maintaining strength, endurance, and, yes, abs, requires consistency. With the toned body that Lopez continues to maintain at 51, it's clear that she doesn't miss her workouts and follows a healthy lifestyle. She appears to be in incredible form, whether she's working on her upper body and core for her role in "Hustlers" or shimmying across the stage.

Jennifer Lopez trains with a plan that incorporates HIIT exercises, weight training, kickboxing, and dumbbell exercises.

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Check out this list of dumbbell exercises:

#1 Front raise

The dumbbell front raise is a basic muscle-building exercise that is beneficial for people who want to increase their chest strength. The dumbbell front raise can be used in any upper-body workout; just make sure you choose a weight that you can lift without compromising on your form.

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Here’s how to do it:

  • Grasp the dumbbells in an overhand grip across from your hips while positioning your feet shoulder-width apart with your legs slightly bent.
  • Lift the dumbbells up and out, keeping your elbows straight to avoid reclining, until they're at shoulder level.
  • Pause for a countdown of four seconds before carefully lowering the dumbbells in front of your body again.

2) Hammer curls

The hammer curl targets the upper and lower arm muscles. This workout is an excellent upper-body strength exercise to get a chiseled chest like Jennifer Lopez.

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Here’s how to do it:

  • Place your feet hip-width apart while standing straight. Hold the weights by your sides, hands facing your hips, with your arms free.
  • To oppose motion, brace your core and curve your hands towards your shoulders, having them face you at all times.
  • Gradually reduce them back to the starting position with control. Perform the reps with your feet firmly planted, elbows tucked in and back straight.
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3) Incline dumbbell row

The incline dumbbell row is an upper-body workout that works the lats (latissimus dorsi), upper-back, and forearm muscles. It's easier to target the lower lats by doing it on an incline bench.

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Here’s how to do it:

  • Lay face down on a 45-degree incline bench with a weight in each hand, palms facing one another.
  • Pull the weights to your sides, parallel to your ribcage, by bending your elbows and squeezing your shoulder blades.
  • Lower the weights slowly back to the starting position, fully stretching your arms. That would count as one rep.

4) Reverse fly

The reverse fly is an excellent example of a pulling technique that will help you build upper-body strength. It helps relax tight chest muscles while also providing the shoulders with more stability.

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Here’s how to do it:

  • Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a dumbbell in each hand. Hinge your hips to the floor until your upper torso is parallel to it. Maintain a slight bending of the knees.
  • Hold the weights, palms facing each other in front of you. Avoid leaning back or arching your back.
  • Extend each arm out to the side while squeezing your shoulder blades. Lower the dumbbells to the starting position.
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5) Dumbbell floor press

This exercise differs slightly from the standard bench press which targets the chest. In this exercise, your chest is never in a fully "extended" position, so you hit the muscle in a different manner. This is one of the best chest exercises to get a strong chest like Jennifer Lopez.

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Here’s how to do it:

  • Lay on your back with your knees bent and your back planted on the floor.
  • With your palms facing ahead, press the dumbbells up.
  • Squeeze your chest as hard as you can.
  • Slowly lower your arms until your triceps are parallel to the ground, then push back up.

6) Dumbbell bench press

The dumbbell bench press is, without a doubt, the most beneficial free-weight exercise for developing distinct pecs like Jennifer Lopez. Since you can bring the dumbbells together at the peak of the exercise, you can generate a better muscular contraction.

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Here’s how to do it:

  • Lie down on a flat bench and raise the dumbbells above your head. Twist your wrists with your thumbs facing each other while holding the weights with a strong grip.
  • Slowly lower your arms and extend your elbows as widely as possible, keeping your arms level on your shoulders and slightly curved elbows.
  • Hold for a second, then bring your arms up and close together in a triangular shape with your chest until the weights are touching each other. Make sure you squeeze those chest muscles while contracting at the top.
  • Rotate your wrists outwards, so that your thumbs are facing slightly up, for a stronger muscle contraction.
  • Remember to contract at the top and and stretch at the bottom during this exercise.
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7) Crush grip dumbbell bench press

As the name suggests, this exercise is meant to crush those chest muscles (in a good way)! A dumbbell bench press with a crush grip is a great way to hit the pectoral major part of your chest.

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Here’s how to do it:

  • Place the dumbbells across your chest while lying down on a flat bench. Bring the dumbbells together with your palms facing each other and the neutral grip.
  • Bend your elbows slightly and align your arms with your shoulders.
  • Press the weights against one another as hard as you can while squeezing your chest.
  • Maintain a "crush-grip" as you lower the dumbbells to about one inch from your chest.
  • Return the dumbbells to their initial positions and, at the top, contract your chest for one second.
Edited by Prem Deshpande
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