Chest
Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Press
The Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Press is a strength exercise with dumbbells for your chest. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: mid chest 32%, front delts 15% and upper chest 11%.
How to do it
- Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell on each thigh, then lie back holding them with palms facing each other.
- Hold the dumbbells at the sides of your chest, elbows close to your body.
- Plant your feet and pull your shoulder blades back and down.
- Press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight over your chest.
- Lower them slowly back to the sides of your chest.
Tips
- Let the elbows stay closer to the ribs than in a regular dumbbell press.
- Keep the dumbbells parallel and a few centimetres apart at the top.
Common mistakes
- Rotating the palms forward during the rep.
- Letting the dumbbells drift toward the face.
- Cutting the range short at the bottom.
Muscles worked by the Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench 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). Elbows tucked with a neutral grip shift a little work to front delt and triceps. 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.
Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Press alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Press work?
Mainly the mid chest and lower chest. The front delts, upper chest, triceps (lateral head) and triceps (medial head) assist.
Is the Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Press good for beginners?
Yes. The Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench 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 Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench Press?
For example the Dumbbell Hammer Press, Dumbbell Bench Press and Dumbbell Floor Press. They train mostly the same muscles.
How do you make the Neutral Grip Dumbbell Bench 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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