Dumbbell Bench Press

What's a Good Dumbbell Bench Press Weight?

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What do you need to achieve a dream body? Motivation– everything else will follow suit.
Today, we will discuss the popular 'dumbbell bench press' and how you should decide what dumbbell weights suit you best.

Let's make this article a journey from understanding the basics of the workout, to deciding the factor affecting your dumbbell weight selection, the average weights for each level, and finally, how to choose the best Dumbbell Bench Press Weight for you!


The Overview of the Dumbbell Bench Press

What Is the Dumbbell Bench Press?

For starters, a dumbbell bench press uses a bench and dumbbells instead of a barbell. Your goal for the bench press workout is to build your upper body muscles, including pectorals (chest), anterior deltoids (shoulders), and triceps.
The process is similar to a barbell bench press but still slightly different. You should start by sitting at the end of the bench with weights in both hands. You lie down with your back slightly arching against the bench, head in contact with the bench, and dumbbells to your side with elbows at approximately 90 degrees. Then, you lift your arms over your chest– straight but not locking, and finally, bring it down slowly to complete a rep.

Why Choose Dumbbells Over Barbells?

First, dumbbells can support you in doing unilateral exercises, unlike barbells. Second, dumbbells can increase the range of motion and have been shown to improve muscle activation and reduce the risk of imbalance.

During the bench press, the weight distribution of dumbbells helps your muscle coordination. However, since dumbbells allow a large range of motion, there is always a risk of injury if the wrong weight is chosen, so once you decide to start, start with a small weight.

Factors To Determine a Good Dumbbell Bench Press Weight

Now, we enter the meat of this article, where we help you understand the factors to determine the best-fit weight for your Dumbbell Bench Press workout.

Fitness Level
We start with your current fitness level. If you are a newbie, it's better to focus on form and stability rather than maximizing your lifts. If you have been regular but humble enough to call yourself an expert, you can try a gradual increase in weights without decreasing your reps or sets. However, once you have reached the level of an expert, it's time to treat your body to its limits; you can lift the maximum weight, but ensure it doesn't compromise on your form.

Training Goals
The next factor to help decide the weight for your dumbbell bench press is your training goals. If you want to test and build your strength, it's best to go maximum weights and lower reps. However, if you are looking for muscle growth, you need moderate weights to get to about 10-12 reps each set.

Similarly, some gym goers will look to build their endurance using weight training; if you are one of them, you should take lighter weights but go with more reps. The best way is to start with 15 reps of lighter weight and increase your reps over time.

Body Weight and Frame
It is usually the first thing people discuss when deciding weight for a bench press, but here we discuss it as third– equally important as the other two. Your body weight (and frame) is the ultimate factor in deciding your ideal bench press weight alongside your expertise levels. It’s best suited to discuss this suggestion in bullets. For simplicity, we start with ‘male’ and 110 lbs as the regular body weight.

  • Beginner: if you weigh 110 lbs, you should lift about 18 lbs. For every 10 lbs increase in body weight, the dumbbell weight should increase by 3 lbs.
  • Intermediate: for the same 110 lbs, you should start at 57 lbs, but in intermediate’s case, for every 10 lbs increase in body weight, the dumbbell weight increases by 5 lbs.
  • Experts: if you weigh 110 lbs, you should start at 85 lbs; if you weigh higher, you should increase the combined dumbbell weight by 7 lbs for each 10 lbs increase in body weight.

For Females, the weights will vary; here are the better-suited dumbbell weights for each expertise level, starting with a body weight of 90 lbs.

  • Beginner: if you weigh 90 lbs, you should lift about 6 lbs. For every 10 lbs increase in body weight, the dumbbell weight should increase by 2 lbs.
  • Intermediate: for the same 90 lbs, you should start at 30 lbs, but in the intermediate’s case, for every 10 lbs increase in body weight, the dumbbell weight increases by 3 lbs.
  • Experts: if you are weigh 90 lbs, you should start at 50 lbs; if you weigh higher, you should increase the single dumbbell weight by 4 lbs for each 10 lbs increase in body weight.

Of course, this composition isn’t final, and will also depend on your age, body frame, muscle strength, and other factors. Our guide for this weight decomposition has been inspired by Strengthlevel.

Bench Type
The dumbbell workout bench you use also has an impact on the weight you can lift. You can typically press more weight on a decline bench press compared to an incline bench press. If you are looking to start a bench press routine, you should get an adjustable bench as they add more versatility to your workout, and save you bucks in buying different sizes. Not sure which one to choose, check out our bench collection here.


Average Dumbbell Bench Press Weights by Fitness Level

Now that we have discussed the factors that come into play in deciding weights, the question goes, 'What dumbbell press workout weight is the best for you?'. To help you, we have come up with average numbers that can help you start. Of course, they are generic and will vary based on the factors discussed in the last section.

Beginner Lifters
Average weight: 10-20 lbs per dumbbell.

Your focus initially should be on mastering the technique and building stability rather than maximizing weights; you should try to increase the number of reps before increasing the weight of your dumbbells.

Intermediate Lifters
Typical range: 20-50 lbs per dumbbell.

For regular gym goers, the main emphasis of your workout should be on perfecting your posture and achieving maximum muscle potential.

Advanced Lifters
Commonly lifting 60+ lbs per dumbbell.
For an expert, the target isn't only to maximize the weight you'd lift; instead, see how the exercise fits in the grander scheme of your workout. Here, section 2 of this article would come in handy for you in varying the dumbbell weights based on your goals.

Other Considerations
While our weight suggestions above suit the respective cohort, they shouldn't be taken as the final word. If you have a larger body frame, you can lift more weight than someone shorter. Similarly, women usually like to start with about 5 lbs less than the weight recommended earlier.


How to Determine the Right Weight for You?

It's now the time! Let's talk about how you can find the dumbbell bench press weight most suited for you.

Start with a Weight Test
Pick a dumbbell based on your weight and averages shared earlier, and attempt 10-12 reps without losing form. You will realize during the reps if the weight is perfect or needs to be changed.

The "5-10% Rule" for Progression
Now, once you have been working out with weight constantly, the body gets used to it, and eventually, you need to either increase the reps or the dumbbell weight based on your workout goals. If you choose to increase the weight, avoid taking larger jumps as they might cause injury. Only increase about 5-10% of your regular weight. You can increase reps in increments of 1 per set.

Listen to Your Body
Ultimately, the goal of any workout is to get your body in the best shape; hence, you need to listen to it. Your body shouldn't feel irregular strain or soreness post-workout; if your muscle is fatigued, you should skip some reps and use light stretching instead. It is also essential to take a slow and gradual approach. For a newbie, it's best to start with a lighter weight and adjust their body muscles to the workout. It will not only help your muscle enhancement but also prevent you from getting injured.


Tips to Progress in the Dumbbell Bench Press

Focus on Proper Form
Your bench press form is the most critical factor in ensuring maximum benefit and minimizing the risk of injury. Your feet should be straight on the floor to ensure stability. Your back should only have a slight arch, which assists with better upper body form.

Avoid flaring your elbows as it puts an undue strain on your shoulders– try to keep the angle greater than 60 degrees when bringing the arms down. Similarly, keep your head in contact with the dumbbell workout bench throughout the exercise, as otherwise, it might cause strain in your neck.

Incorporate Variations
If you thought a dumbbell bench press was your only option, here is a surprise. With an adjustable dumbbell workout bench, you can try newer variations with your dumbbell bench press; trainers usually combine flat bench presses with incline/decline bench presses and flys.

Why take the hassle? It will not only make your exercises more challenging but will also help you target different regions around your chest that the usual bench press won't build. The form of each workout will have slight variations, and external resources, such as YouTube videos, will come in handy for it.

Use Progressive Overload
Your muscles get used to weight once you train them regularly; hence, the impact on your muscles would reduce if the same weight-rep routine persists. Therefore, it is vital to have a progressive overload, where you are not only increasing weights in gradual increments but also increasing the reps. It's best to increase the load every 5-7 workouts in the beginning.

Complementary Exercises
A Dumbbell bench press is an excellent workout for your chest; however, you need to couple up with other complementary exercises to get the best results. Push-ups, dips, and cable chest presses are possible options; however, if you are an expert, don't go with the generic forms of these exercises; instead, adjust them to suit your expertise.


How a Foldable Bench Enhances Your Dumbbell Bench Press?

Why an Adjustable Bench Matters?

The regular dumbbell bench press affects your pectoralis major, but to maximize the workout benefits, you need to train the serratus anterior, subclavius, and transversus thoracic, or more simply, other parts of your chest as well.

An adjustable dumbbell workout bench allows you to practice incline, flat, and decline positions in your dumbbell bench press, which lets you train your complete upper body. Similarly, its adjustable design makes it compact and can easily be folded for space-saving.

FLYBIRD Foldable Adjustable Weight Bench

  • The FB299– FLYBIRD Foldable Adjustable Weight Bench is an excellent option for onlookers of an adjustable workout bench. It comes with a triangular steel construction capable of lifting up to 880 pounds and 96% pre-assembly, allowing immediate use with safety. More importantly, The 8x3 angle adjustments and pop-pin mechanisms allow maximum workout combinations. Finally, the non-slip leather and high-density sponge padding add to the experience.

FAQs About Dumbbell Bench Press Weight

How Often Should I Increase My Dumbbell Weight?

There isn't a hard and fast rule for it, and what we have are only suggestions, which will vary from expert to expert; more trainers usually suggest an increment in weight of your dumbbell bench press every 7-10 workouts as it provides sufficient time for your muscle to develop without risking injuries.

Is It Better to Lift Heavier or Lighter Weights?

It eventually comes down to your goals; lighter weights and more reps are best suited to build endurance. Higher weights with 6-8 reps are better for strength training. Section 2 of this article will provide more information about this.

Can I Bench Press Every Day?

It's important to let your muscles rest and recover to maximize your muscle growth; hence, it's ideal to dumbbell bench press every 3-4 days while focusing on other regional muscles of your body during the rest days.


What's a Good Dumbbell Bench Press Weight?

A regular workout routine is a step in the right direction; we hope this guide helped you understand the mechanics of weight selection in a dumbbell bench press, how the average numbers vary with different levels of expertise and objectives, and finally, what is the best-suited weight for you.

It is essential to focus on proper technique rather than maximizing the weight you lift. Gradual progression enhances your muscle growth while preventing undue muscle strain. Similarly, trying multiple combinations of dumbbell bench presses will help you develop your complete upper body region. If you want a bench to enhance your bench press workouts, Flybird is the place to go! Thousands of customers have trusted us and have shared remarkable reviews. We are offering special prices on selected items to help you purchase your favorite bench. GO SHOPPING!
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