Exercises

You lower yourself between the handles and press your body back up until your arms are straight, while the support moves along with you. The exercise targets the triceps, chest, and front of the shoulders; adjusting the level of assistance changes the proportion of your body weight that you lift.

The bench press is a horizontal pushing movement: lying on a flat bench, you lower a barbell to your chest and press it upward until your arms are fully extended. This exercise engages the pectoralis major, the anterior deltoids, and the triceps. When using a flat bench, the level of muscle activation across different areas of the chest and the anterior deltoids is relatively similar. Within a standard range, your grip width and the angle at which you position your elbows are a matter of personal preference—choose a setup that feels comfortable for you, and gradually increase the weight.

The dumbbell bench press is performed on a horizontal bench with a dumbbell in each hand. It targets the pectoralis major, with the anterior deltoids and triceps also playing a role. Since each arm presses and controls its own weight along an independent path, both pressing strength and control are essential.

The incline dumbbell press is a chest-pressing exercise performed on a bench set at an angle of approximately 15 to 45 degrees above the horizontal, with a dumbbell held in each hand. It is used to place greater emphasis on the upper portion of the chest, while the rest of the pectoralis major, the anterior deltoids, and the triceps are also engaged. Each arm controls its own independent weight. The specific angle of the bench and the orientation of the palms—whether facing forward or toward each other—are matters of personal preference regarding the starting position, rather than factors with a proven, definitive impact on muscle growth.

The overhead dumbbell press is performed by holding a dumbbell in each hand and lifting them from shoulder level to a position with arms fully extended overhead. Movement occurs at the shoulder joint and the elbow joint; the primary movers are the deltoids and the triceps—the deltoids lift the arm, while the triceps extend the elbow. Simultaneously, the trapezius and serratus anterior muscles rotate the scapula upward, enabling the arms to reach an overhead position, while the rotator cuff stabilizes the head of the humerus within the glenoid cavity. Whether performed seated or standing, and with palms facing forward or toward each other—all four variations are common, and no single one is the only correct method.