3 Day a Week at Home Chest Workout with Dumbbells

Go into any given gym on Monday and for some reason it is always chest day. There is usually a line for the benches and some guy telling you he has got a couple of more sets. You will be lucky to grab a bench you might as well pack it in and call it a wrap. Not so fast!

If you have just had your pre-workout and it’s chest day for you, that just won’t cut it. This chest workout can easily be done from home. All you will need is several sets of dumbbells and an adjustable bench. If you do not have an adjustable bench some modifications will need to be made, but don’t fret, you can still do this routine.

Listed below are some frequently asked questions when starting any new routine; then we will take a look at exercises and modifications to this routine.

What days should I do this routine?

You should do this routine 3 days a week on non-consecutive training days. This will allow adequate time to rest and recover before you train again. Here are just a few examples to get you started.

You could train:

• Monday, Wednesday and Friday
• Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday
• Saturday, Monday and Wednesday

What about warm ups?

Select a relatively light weight and do 2-3 warm up sets of 8-10 reps on the first exercise. Warm ups are just that, warm ups; they should never be too taxing.

Tip:

If you are a beginner and are limited with your dumbbell selection, you should still warm up before you hit the weights. You could go for a brief 5 minute walk, jog in place, jumping jacks or jump rope briefly. Any of these options will get the blood moving, and you will be ready to hit the weights.

What about sets and reps?

The number of sets will depend on the workout routine you use. *see below

For beginners I would suggest working up to 15 reps per set. For more advanced trainees with a less limited selection of weights; I would recommend 8-10 reps. When you can manage getting all 10 reps, increase the weight at your next workout.

How long should I rest between sets and exercises?

You can rest 60-90 seconds between sets. And 3-5 minutes between exercises. This will vary from individual to individual, but this is a good starting point. You want to make sure you are fully recovered to complete the next set.

How do I perform the exercises?

Below is a brief description of the exercises you will be performing. If you have an adjustable bench you will be performing all of these exercises! Remember there will be some modifications made depending upon your equipment availability.

• Incline Dumbbell Press-adjust the bench to approximately a 30 degree angle. Next grab a pair of dumbbells and sit on the bench. Place the dumbbells on your knees and rock back onto the bench. Arch your back, and stick your chest out while keeping your feet on the floor. Your shoulders should be back while your palms face forward with the dumbbells above your body; this is your starting position. Now lower the weights slowly towards your upper chest and return to the start position.
• Flat Bench Dumbbell Press-again grab a pair of dumbbells and place them on your thighs, lie on the flat bench. Keeping your lower back arched, chest high, plant your feet flat on the floor. You will start with the dumbbells straight above your chest. Slowly lower the dumbbells down approximately to chest level. Push the dumbbells back up to the top.
• Dumbbell Flys– lie flat on the bench again placing your feet on the floor hold the dumbbells above your chest. Extend your arms out above your body, but don’t let the dumbbells touch. Your palms should be facing each other, elbows high and slightly bent, lower the dumbbells slowly out to your sides. Return back to the starting position over the chest. Here is a tip, Arnold would say, think of this exercise as if you are hugging a tree.
• Dumbbell Pullover-start by lying across an exercise bench as you hold one dumbbell between both hands as if you are cupping the dumbbell directly over your head, this will be your start position. Keeping your hips low and feet planted firmly to the floor, slowly lower the dumbbell until it reaches bench level; you will want to pause here for a moment before bringing the dumbbell up and back to the start position.

Adjustable Bench Workout

• Incline Dumbbell Press 3 sets 15 reps
• Flat Bench Dumbbell Press 3 sets 15 reps
• Flat Dumbbell Flys 3 sets 15 reps
• Dumbbell Pullovers 2 sets 15 reps

*If you are more advanced select a weight you can handle for 8-10 reps. Once you are able to get all 10 reps increase the weight at your next workout.

Stability Ball Workout

You will need to use a stability ball that is preferably 60-70 centimeters.

Ball placement:

For each exercise it is important to make sure you are on the ball properly before performing the exercise. For the incline dumbbell press you will want to rest the dumbbells on your knees and roll back, making sure the middle of the ball is lined up with your shoulder blades. Both the flat dumbbell press and the flat fly start by resting the dumbbells on your thighs, but this time as you roll back, you will want the ball under the middle-back. Finally for the dumbbell pullover, make sure your upper back is on the stability ball.

Again just like with the bench make sure your feet remain firmly planted to the floor and your core stays tight. Refer back to the exercise description section for a more detailed explanation on how to perform the
exercises listed below.

• Incline Dumbbell Press 3 sets 15 reps
• Flat Dumbbell Press 3 sets 15 reps
• Flat Flys 3 sets 15 reps
• Dumbbell Pullovers 2 sets 15 reps

*If you are more advanced select a weight you can handle for 8-10 reps. Once you are able to get all 10 reps increase the weight at your next workout.

Stackable Aerobic Steps

You will need 2-3 aerobic steps to perform this workout. Stack the steps securely together to create your own exercise bench. Since this will be considered a flat bench you will be omitting the incline dumbbell bench press. Refer back to the exercise description section for a more detailed explanation on how to perform the exercises listed below.

• Flat Dumbbell Press 4 sets 15 reps
• Flat Dumbbell Flys 3 sets 15 reps
• Dumbbell Pullovers 3 sets 15 reps

*If you are more advanced select a weight you can handle for 8-10 reps. Once you are able to get all 10 reps increase the weight at your next workout.

**Since the Incline Press has been omitted from this routine an extra set was added to both the Flat dumbbell press and the dumbbell pullover.

Check out these tips to enhance your chest naturally.

Have you tried this workout? We’d love to hear from you. Let us know which one you’ve tried in the comment section below.