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Dumbbell Reverse Bench Press animation

How to do the Dumbbell Reverse Bench Press

ChestDumbbellIntermediate

The dumbbell reverse bench press flips the grip to shift emphasis onto the upper chest and challenge your stabilizers in a way standard pressing never does. Master this underused movement and you will unlock new angles of chest development that conventional pressing leaves untouched.

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Muscles worked

Primary
Pectorals (chest)
Secondary
Front deltsTriceps

Step-by-step

  1. Lie on a flat bench and hold a dumbbell in each hand with a supinated grip, palms facing your face, elbows tucked at roughly 45 degrees from your torso.
  2. Lower the dumbbells under control toward your lower chest, keeping your wrists stacked directly above your elbows throughout the descent.
  3. Press the dumbbells upward and slightly inward, squeezing your chest at the top without locking out aggressively or letting the wrists roll.
  4. Lower back slowly for a 2 to 3 second eccentric, maintaining the supinated grip and a stable, arched upper back the entire set.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the wrists rotate back to a neutral grip mid-set, which defeats the purpose of the reverse grip and reduces upper chest activation, so consciously cue palms toward your face on every rep.
  • Using dumbbells that are too heavy and forcing the elbows to flare wide, which stresses the shoulder joint, so start lighter than you think you need and prioritize control over load.
  • Rushing the eccentric and losing upper back tension, which destabilizes the shoulder, so treat the lowering phase as active work and keep your shoulder blades retracted and depressed throughout.

Pro tip — At the top of each rep, think about rotating your pinkies slightly inward as you squeeze, this subtle supination emphasis amplifies the upper chest contraction far beyond a simple straight press.

Sets & reps by goal

Build muscle3–4 sets × 6–10 reps
Get stronger4–5 sets × 3–6 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 10–12 reps

Rest: 2–3 min between sets (60–90s on lighter days).

More Chest exercises

Barbell Bench PressBarbell Bench PressBarbell Decline Bench PressBarbell Decline Bench PressBarbell Decline Wide Grip PressBarbell Decline Wide Grip PressBarbell Front Raise And PulloverBarbell Front Raise And PulloverBarbell Incline Bench PressBarbell Incline Bench PressCable Bench PressCable Bench Press
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