The single arm dumbbell press increases the range of motion during the bench press.
The bench press is a fundamental exercise for building upper body strength. It effectively engages your arms, shoulders, and chest. However, what do you do when there’s no barbell in sight at the gym? Consider switching to the single arm dumbbell press. Research involving college football players reveals that this alternative stimulates muscle activation on par with its barbell counterpart (1).
Its unilateral approach sets the single arm dumbbell press apart, allowing for a more personalized strength-building and muscle-growth experience. Studies indicate that athletes achieve a greater range of motion when pressing with a single dumbbell versus two, leading to prolonged muscle tension and, ultimately, enhanced growth (2).
This guide offers an in-depth look at the single arm dumbbell press, including its key benefits and the specific muscles it targets. You’ll find detailed, step-by-step instructions to ensure you’re performing the exercise with impeccable form. Additionally, the article suggests top-notch alternatives to diversify your muscle-building routine and maximize workout effectiveness.
Technique & Muscles Worked
The single arm dumbbell press is a compound exercise that works the chest, anterior deltoids, and triceps. It also recruits core muscles like the abs and obliques for stabilization. Use a bench (flat, decline, or incline, depending on your training goals) and a single dumbbell to perform this exercise.
Training each side at a time can help you address any muscle imbalances and increase mind-muscle connection. For variation, you could also use kettlebells for this exercise. However, below are steps highlighting how to perform the single arm dumbbell press on a bench.
- Grab a dumbbell with your right hand using a neutral grip, sit on the bench, and carefully place the dumbbell on your thigh.
- Lie on the bench, place the dumbbell near your side, switch to an overhand grip, and then extend your right arm up in line with your shoulders.
- Brace your core, drive your shoulder blades into the bench, push your chest up, and arch your back. This will be your starting position.
- Next, take a deep breath, bend your right elbow, and slowly lower the dumbbell to your shoulder. Pause for about one to two seconds and slowly return the dumbbells to the starting position, making it one rep.
- Repeat for as many reps as you desire. Then, switch to the left hand and mirror the movement to complete the exercise.
Benefits
The single arm dumbbell press is a variation of the dumbbell bench press that builds strength and hypertrophy in your upper body muscles. It’s unilateral, requiring much coordination, balance, and stability. Below is a list of benefits of performing this exercise.
Induces Chest Muscle Hypertrophy
This exercise primarily targets the pecs, so it’s for you if you want to add muscle mass to your chest. It also strengthens and builds the deltoids and triceps muscles, making it an effective exercise for building your upper body muscles.
Activates Core Muscles
The single arm dumbbell press requires balance and stability. This exercise tasks your core muscles to keep your body in place and prevent it from rotating. Activating these core muscles improves your form and reduces the chance of injuries.
Addresses Muscle Imbalances
This is a unilateral exercise, meaning you can simultaneously train each side of your body. As a result, it’s easier to identify any side weaker than the other when doing the reps. Using this exercise, you can also implement training patterns to correct such muscle imbalances.
Improves Range Motion
The single arm dumbbell press allows you to bring the weight further down than the traditional barbell press. This increases the range of motion in your muscles and joints. The greater your range of motion, the more muscle hypertrophy you induce.
Improves Your Form for Other Exercises
This upper body building exercise works your shoulders, chest, arms, and core. It develops these body parts, making transitioning to other exercises easier and enhancing your training goals. Some of these exercises include push-ups, pull-ups, and barbell bench presses.
Single Arm Dumbbell Press Alternatives
The single arm dumbbell press uses a single arm variation to address the muscular imbalance between your two sides, build your core, and strengthen your upper body muscles. However, research shows mixing in other alternative exercises to build similar muscles can help prevent a training plateau (3). Below is a list of exercises you can incorporate to build your pecs, shoulders, arms, and core during your workout sessions.
Close-Grip Push-Up
Close-grip push-ups are bodyweight exercises that work your pecs, anterior deltoids, and tricep muscles, similar to the single arm dumbbell press. They also require a lot of core stability. For more resistance and muscle gains, you could use weight vests and resistance bands.
Single Arm Cable Front Raise
Using a cable machine, the single arm cable front raise is a unilateral movement targeting the front delts. Core muscles help with stabilization during this exercise. The cable provides constant tension on the target muscles, which helps with muscle growth.
Chest Dip
Chest dips use bodyweight exercises to target your chest, triceps, and shoulder muscles. This exercise involves a full range of motion that can hit those muscles differently. For more gains, you could use weight vests or weight plates that add extra load when performing this exercise. The video above shows fitness influencer Jeff Nippard demonstrating them.
FAQs
Is the one arm dumbbell press effective?
Yes, one or single arm dumbbell presses are effective for building your pecs, anterior deltoids, and triceps. They’re unilateral exercises that strengthen each side of your body equally and can address muscle imbalances.
What does the single arm press work?
The single arm dumbbell press works your upper body muscles. It also activates and recruits your core muscles, which you use for balance and stability during this exercise.
Is the single arm press better than the double arm press?
This depends on your training goals. The single arm dumbbell press is your go-to exercise if you’re looking at unilateral training to address muscle imbalances or training through injuries. This exercise guide above delves deeply into the concept of the single arm dumbbell press.
Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more exercise guides!
References
- Heinecke, M. L., Mauldin, M. L., Hunter, M. L., Mann, J. B., & Mayhew, J. L. (2021). Relationship of Barbell and Dumbbell Repetitions With One Repetition Maximum Bench Press in College Football Players. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 35(Suppl 1), S66–S71. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000003539
- Patterson, J. M., Vigotsky, A. D., Oppenheimer, N. E., & Feser, E. H. (2015). Differences in unilateral chest press muscle activation and kinematics on a stable versus unstable surface while holding one versus two dumbbells. PeerJ, 3, e1365. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1365
- Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(24), 4897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897
