Decline Dumbbell Press
A great exercise that can enhance bodyweight strength tremendously and can easily be performed with the equipment that is available at most gyms. Its value lies in its ability to train the body how to contract the pecs and lats tightly to keep the shoulders down in place during all horizontal pushing exercises. This is a great exercise to use before moving on to dips, especially if you don’t have access to an assisted chin-up/dip machine since performing a bodyweight dip takes a fairly high degree of bodyweight strength.
Find a Decline Bench in your gym, hook your ankles into the slots, lay back on the bench, and (ideally) have someone hand you your dumbbells. If you do not have someone to help you get set up, then you will have to hold onto them the entire time as you get set up for the exercise and hook your ankles in and lay back. This is a little inconvenient but no impossible.
Once you are set in the proper position, steadily lower dumbbells down to your armpits, letting your chest muscles smoothly stretch, and then contract your lats and chest tightly to press them up and together pushing firmly through your armpits and elbows. Utilize the bottom portion of the motion to engage the muscles in a very smooth controlled stretch as you transition the dumbbells from the thrie downward motion into their upward motion. DO NOT relax the muscles at any point however. Relaxing the muscles can significantly increase the chance of injury. Simply feel the stretch occur as the muscles reach the limit of their effective range of motion and smoothly contract the muscles to press them back up again for the next rep.
Make sure that you attempt to keep your armpits squeezed tightly throughout the entire exercise. The technique for this exercise is very similar to that for Decline Barbell Press so it would be worth reading that exercise description as well and mastering both versions of this exercise.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.getrealstrength.com
Find a Decline Bench in your gym, hook your ankles into the slots, lay back on the bench, and (ideally) have someone hand you your dumbbells. If you do not have someone to help you get set up, then you will have to hold onto them the entire time as you get set up for the exercise and hook your ankles in and lay back. This is a little inconvenient but no impossible.
Once you are set in the proper position, steadily lower dumbbells down to your armpits, letting your chest muscles smoothly stretch, and then contract your lats and chest tightly to press them up and together pushing firmly through your armpits and elbows. Utilize the bottom portion of the motion to engage the muscles in a very smooth controlled stretch as you transition the dumbbells from the thrie downward motion into their upward motion. DO NOT relax the muscles at any point however. Relaxing the muscles can significantly increase the chance of injury. Simply feel the stretch occur as the muscles reach the limit of their effective range of motion and smoothly contract the muscles to press them back up again for the next rep.
Make sure that you attempt to keep your armpits squeezed tightly throughout the entire exercise. The technique for this exercise is very similar to that for Decline Barbell Press so it would be worth reading that exercise description as well and mastering both versions of this exercise.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.getrealstrength.com