If you’re looking to build bigger pecs, but you don’t have a weight bench, don’t worry. There are effective dumbbell chest exercises that you can do without a bench.
Traditional dumbbell bench exercises can be replicated whilst standing or laying on the floor. Although these variations offer less support, angles, and range of motion compared to using a bench, they are still great alternative methods to work the chest.
With a little creativity, you can even structure a full chest workout comprised of pressing, flying, and pullover movements.
These are some of the most popular no-bench exercises you can do with dumbbells to build a bigger chest.
1) Dumbell Floor Fly
Generally speaking, the dumbbell fly is a great isolation-type exercise to add volume to your chest and shape the inner pectoral region.
You can replicate the dumbbell fly without a bench by simply laying on the floor (check out my other post which reviews the effectiveness of the dumbbell floor fly)
Your range of motion will be reduced since your arms can’t go below the chest, but you can still challenge your chest muscle.
To perform the dumbbell floor fly:
- Lie down on the ground, holding two dumbbells tight to the chest.
- Hold the dumbbells above the chest, arms perpendicular to the torso.
- Simultaneously arc both arms down and outwards until they are just above the ground (arms should be 45° to the torso).
- Return the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Top tip:
Actively squeeze your pecs as the dumbbells come together at the top. But don’t let them bang together. Don’t be afraid to work with higher reps since the reduced range of motion (ROM) in the floor fly makes it easier and allows you to lift more weight than the dumbbell fly.
2) Dumbbell Floor Press
The traditional flat bench press is one of the best exercises to build your chest whilst simultaneously working your triceps and shoulders. It can be easily replicated by laying on the floor.
Whilst ROM will be reduced since the floor prevents your elbows from going below the chest, it’s still a good exercise to include in your home muscle-building workouts.
To perform the dumbbell floor press:
- Lay down on the floor, holding a pair of dumbbells tight to the abdomen.
- Kick the dumbbells up by thrusting your hips upwards, stabilizing them in the air.
- Hold the dumbbells above the nipple line, shoulder-width apart using an overhand grip.
- Lower the dumbbells until the elbows are just above the ground.
- Drive the dumbbells back up, bringing them together as they move upwards, and repeat for reps.
Top tip:
Don’t let your elbows touch the floor to keep tension on your pecs throughout the movement. Additionally, don’t be afraid to work in a higher rep range since the floor press is easier and allows more weight to be lifted, compared to the traditional dumbbell bench press.
3) Dumbbell Upward Fly
This exercise replicates an incline dumbbell fly to target the upper chest without a weight bench.
It’s essential to work all chest regions for the best growth results.
In fact, not including a sufficient variety of exercises to work the upper, mid, and lower pectorals is one of the most common reasons why a chest won’t grow.
The upward fly works your pecs, anterior deltoids, and biceps
To perform the dumbbell upward fly:
- Stand with dumbbells at your sides, next to your legs.
- Simultaneously bring both dumbbells forwards and upwards using an underhand grip.
- Stop when the dumbbells reach chest level.
- Return dumbbells to the starting position and repeat for reps.
Top tip:
Stagger your stance and bend your knees slightly (see above picture) to prevent your hips opening and generating upward momentum. This is “cheating” and it reduces pectoral activation. Additionally, make sure the dumbbells reach the chest line for a full ROM.
4) Dumbbell Push Ups
Push-ups are generally a great bodyweight exercise to work your chest, arms, and shoulders. The back, glutes, and core are also engaged for stabilization.
You can crank things up a notch by doing the push-up holding dumbbells instead of placing your hands directly on the ground.
Doing this raises your torso and increases the distance between your chest and the floor. It also allows you to sink lower and achieve a deeper stretch, like in a bench press. Both lead to greater pectoral activation.
To perform the dumbbell push-up:
- Place two dumbbells at a shoulder-width distance on the floor, handles running parallel to your body.
- Grip each dumbbell and enter a forward plank position.
- Lower the body whilst keeping your core and glutes tight.
- Drive back up as the nipples approach dumbbell level, and repeat for reps.
Top tip:
Go as low as you can for the greatest benefits. If you’re new to this exercise you can start on your knees to being building upper-body strength, and transition to the normal dumbbell push-up when you are ready.
Make sure you choose suitable dumbbells. They should ideally have a flat base to prevent them rolling on the floor (which takes away a lot of chest activation). I use the PowerBlock Elite EXP.
5) Dumbbell Close-Grip Floor Press
This is dumbbell floor variation of the narrow-grip bench press. It’s also similar to the normal dumbbell floor press (see #2).
By using narrowing your grip, you shift emphasis onto your triceps and shoulders, and the chest works as a secondary muscle.
It’s an awesome exercise to add variety to your chest workout. I like to finish my dumbbell chest workout with a set of narrow-grip presses done with AMRAP (as many reps as possible) to maximize pectoral fatigue.
To perform the dumbbell close-grip floor press:
- Lay down on the floor, holding a pair of dumbbells tight to the abdomen.
- Kick the dumbbells up by thrusting your hips upwards, stabilising them in the air.
- Hold the dumbbells above the sternum, parallel to your body, using a hammer grip. The top of the dumbbell should be in line with your nipples.
- Lower the dumbbells until the elbows are just above the ground.
- Drive the dumbbells back up, bringing them together as they move upwards, and repeat for reps.
Top tip:
Keep the dumbbells as close together as possible as you press them upward. Squeeze the chest muscles when the dumbbells reach the top position.
6) Dumbbell Decline Floor Press
This is the decline variation of the dumbbell floor press (see #2). The negative angle emphasizes your lower pectorals for increased chest definition. But this exercises will also work the middle and upper chest too.
The best thing about this exercise though is that it allows you to lift heavier weights compared to the flat and incline press.
This is great for beginners to start building upper body pressing strength and confidence, fast!
To perform dumbbell decline floor press:
- Lay on the floor with dumbbells tight to the abdomen.
- Flare both legs outwards, plant your feet into the ground, and raise your hips to create a negative angle in the torso.
- Use the hips to kick the dumbbells out, and stabilise them in the air.
- Hold the dumbbells in-line with the nipples, shoulder-width apart using an overhand grip.
- Drive the dumbbells upwards, at an angle 45° to the declined torso.
- Lower the dumbbells until elbows are just above the ground, and repeat for reps.
Top Tip:
Focus more on the lower chest by increasing the decline angle (i.e. increase vertical torso elevation).
Additionally, you might quickly max out your current home dumbbells on this exercise. At this point, it’s recommended to find creative ways to make the movement harder in order to keep challenging your pecs for growth.
You can check out my other post for different ways to increase bench press intensity after you’ve maxed out your current dumbbell weight.
7) Dumbbell Floor Pullover
This is a different kind of dumbbell floor exercise that you may wish to include into your chest workout.
It’s a compound movement that mainly works the pectorals, but it also engages the triceps, shoulders, and lats. This makes the dumbbell floor pullover a great upper body movement in general.
ROM is greatly reduced compared to the bench variation, but the floor pullover is still a great alternative movement for beginners to strengthen their stabilzers.
To perform the dumbbell floor pullover:
- Lay on the floor whilst using both hands to clasp a single dumbbell by the weighted-ends.
- Position the dumbbell on the floor, behind the head.
- Use both arms to arc the dumbbell upwards, until it comes directly above your face.
- Lower the dumbbell and repeat for reps.
Top Tip:
Balance can be an issue when you’re lifting heavy on this exercise. Spread your legs, arch your back, and plant your feet firmly into the ground. This serves to stabilize your body and allows you to more effectively use it as a counterweight to the dumbbell.
Alternatively, you may be interested din my list of crafty weight bench alternatives to use at home.
8) Dumbbell Valley Press-Hold
The dumbbell valley press is another alternative type of dumbbell chest exercise that does not require a weight bench.
It’s different because it works your pectorals, arms, and shoulders with a completely new type of stimulus- isomoetric contractions.
This describes a type of contraction where the muscle fibres do not shorten (think of a plank). It’s a great way to strengthen your chest and get a good pump.
To perform the standing dumbbell valley press:
- Lay on the floor and hold a dumbbell tight to your chest using an underhand grip.
- Extend both arms until they are straight, pushing the dumbbell away from the body.
- Extend your shoulder blades until you can feel your pectorals contract.
- Hold this position for the allotted time period.
Top Tip:
Actively squeeze your pecs together throughout the exercise. I like to hold the valley press until failure (the point where you can no longer keep going) at the end of my chest workout to really fatigue the pecs and stimulate growth.
For more details on growing your pecs, you can check out my tips on how to build a bigger chest with dumbbells.
9) Dumbbell Wide-Grip Floor Press
The wide-grip bench press is a good compound exercise that puts more tension onto the pectorals, compared to the standard-grip variation. The exercise can also be performed using dumbbells on the floor without a bench.
Increasing the distance between the dumbbells not only shifts more emphasis onto the pectorals, but you also reduce ROM, and this allows you to lift heavier weights.
To perform the dumbbell wide-grip floor press:
- Lay down on the floor, holding a pair of dumbbells tight to the abdomen.
- Kick the dumbbells up by thrusting your hips upwards, stabilising them in the air.
- Hold the dumbbells above the nipple-line, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, using an overhand grip.
- Lower the dumbbells until the elbows are just above the ground.
- Drive the dumbbells back up, bringing them together as they move upwards, and repeat for reps.
Top Tip:
Bring the dumbbells together as you press upwards. This increase pectoral activation and will help you to build a bigger chest.
You can check out my other post for more variations for bench pressing.
30-Minute Chest Workout Without A Bench
Now you have an assortment of exercises to pick, mix, and create an effective chest workout that does not require a bench.
Example 45-minute workout:
| Chest Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | Rest Between Sets |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell Push Ups | 1 | 15 | Bodyweight | 1 Min |
| Dumbbell Floor Fly | 1 | 12 | 70% Of 1RM. | 2 Min |
| Dumbbell Wide-Grip Floor Press + Dumbbell Floor Pullover (Superset) | 1 | 8 | 80% Of 1RM | 1 Min |
| Dumbbell Floor Press | 1 | 8 | 80% Of 1RM | 2 Min |
| Standing Dumbbell Upward Fly + Decline Dumbbell Floor Press | 1 | 8 | 80% Of 1RM | 1 Min |
| Dumbbell Close-Grip Floor Press | 1 | 8 | 80% Of 1RM | 2 Min |
| Valley Press-Hold | 1 | To Failure | 50% Of 1RM | 2 Min |
How It Works:
The workout starts with dumbbell push-ups to warm up, before moving on to the main exercises.
Progress through each exercise in the given order to give each pectoral region a rest before being worked again.
There are also 2 supersets in this workout. A superset is when you do two exercises back to back without resting. For example, a superset of wide-grip floor press and pullover would require you to do 1 set of each exercise before taking a rest to complete the full set.
The workout ends with a valley press-hold for as long as you can until failure.
How To Progress For Maximum Gains:
The workout is designed to be challenging despite only doing 1 set of each exercise (remember they all hit your chest).
If it’s too difficult to complete each set with good form, you can increase the rest time or decrease the weight by 10%.
If you find that the workout is not challenging enough, you can increase the weight (you may be interested in my other post on choosing the ideal lifting weight).
1 RM stands for 1 rep max. This is the maximum weight you can lift for one rep in the specified exercise.
You know you’ve found the correct weight if you see any of the major signs of strength & muscle gain.
How I Picked The Best No-Bench Dumbbell Chest Exercises
I chose the best dumbbell chest exercises that don’t need a bench by looking at 9 different Youtube chest workout videos.
Only chest workouts that did not require a bench were chosen.
Additionally, I made sure each video was from a reputable channel, and the creator themselves had a sizeable chest.
Here are the links to each video:
| Youtube Chanel | Video Views | % Likes |
| MiDASMVMT | 761,000 | 99% |
| Live Anabolic | 662,000 | 97% |
| Anabolic Aliens | 3,647,600 | 97% |
| Jeet Selal | 907,800 | 98% |
| Bully Juice | 581,000 | 98% |
| Tony Gonzalez | 293,700 | 99% |
| ACHV Peak | 58,490 | 99% |
| Ryan Humiston | 212,600 | 99% |
| Barbarian Body | 1,000,400 | 99% |
Furthermore, I tested each exercise myself to find out if they were comparable to regular pressing, flyes, and pullpovers using a weight bench.
Conclusion
I’ve shared 9 dumbbell exercises that you can do without a bench to build a bigger chest.
Each of these exercises helepd me to grow my pecs.
You can try my 30-minute chest workout to do the same!
You may also be interested in the downloadable Kalibre Blueprint PDF which details exactly how I gained 40lbs of lean muscle (it’s 100% free!). It details the exact exercises and nutrition (with printables) I used to go from skinny to ripped!
