Chest
Dumbbell Floor Press
The Dumbbell Floor Press is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your chest. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: mid chest 33%, front delts 13% and lower chest 12%.
Also known as: db floor press
How to do it
- Sit on the floor with a dumbbell on each thigh, then lie back with knees bent and feet flat.
- Bring the dumbbells to the sides of your chest and press them up to straight arms.
- Lower the dumbbells until the backs of your upper arms touch the floor.
- Pause briefly with the arms relaxed on the floor but the grip tight.
- Press back up to straight arms over your chest.
Tips
- Use the pause to take out any bounce so each rep starts from a dead stop.
- Keep the elbows about 45 degrees from the body when they land.
Common mistakes
- Slamming the elbows into the floor.
- Letting the dumbbells tip outward at the bottom.
- Arching the lower back off the floor to press.
Muscles worked by the Dumbbell Floor Press
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Free implements need more shoulder stabilisation (Saeterbakken 2011). Pressing away from the chest is shoulder horizontal adduction plus elbow extension: the sternal pec drives it, front delt and triceps assist, and the clavicular pec joins as a strong secondary on a flat bench.
Dumbbell Floor Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Dumbbell Floor Press work?
Mainly the mid chest and lower chest. The front delts, upper chest, triceps (lateral head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Dumbbell Floor Press good for beginners?
Yes. The Dumbbell Floor Press is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Dumbbell Floor Press?
For example the Double Kettlebell Bench Press, Kettlebell Floor Press and Band Chest Press. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Dumbbell Floor Press harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Double Kettlebell Bench Press and Bench Press.
Sources
- Rodriguez-Ridao et al. 2020, IJERPH 17(19):7339 (five bench inclinations)
- Lehman 2005, JSCR 19(3):587-591 (grip width and forearm position)
- Saeterbakken et al. 2011, J Sports Sci 29(5):533-538 (barbell, dumbbell, Smith)
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