Strength Training
Dumbbell Floor Press
The dumbbell floor press trains your chest and triceps while you lie on the floor. The floor limits how far your elbows travel behind your body, creating a shorter press than a bench press.
- Beginner
- Compound
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 1 min 30 sec
How to do it
- Sit on a mat with knees bent, holding a dumbbell upright on each thigh.
- Roll onto your back with the dumbbells held close to your chest.
- Plant your feet flat on the floor.
- Press the dumbbells above your chest with palms facing toward your feet.
- Lower the dumbbells until your upper arms gently touch the floor, keeping elbows about 45 degrees from your sides.
- Pause briefly with your upper arms on the floor.
- Press the dumbbells back above your chest until your arms are straight.
Form cues
- Keep your shoulder blades gently drawn together.
- Keep your hips on the floor.
- Exhale as you press.
Common mistakes
- Wrists bending backwardKeep your knuckles pointed toward the ceiling with each dumbbell stacked over your wrist and elbow.
- One arm racing aheadUse a weight you can move with both arms rising and lowering at the same speed.
- Clanging dumbbells togetherFinish with the dumbbells roughly shoulder-width apart rather than bringing them together.
Safety
Heavy or poorly controlled dumbbells can strain your shoulders or wrists, or fall onto your torso. Striking the floor with your elbows can also cause injury.
- Choose dumbbells you can control while getting into position and returning to sitting.
- End the set with 1–2 controlled reps still possible rather than pressing to failure.
- Keep the area beside your mat clear so you have room to set the dumbbells down.
If you have shoulder, elbow, or wrist pain, use a lighter load and a pain-free range, or consult a physiotherapist before continuing.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Dumbbell
- Exercise Mat
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 2–3
- Target
- 8–12 reps
- Rest
- 1 min 30 sec
Start light while learning to control the transition between lowering, pausing, and pressing.