Dumbbell Floor Press
Dumbbell Floor Press is a resistance exercise – compound chest press exercise involving Pectoralis major. Use these steps to learn the movement and work with your coach to choose a suitable level.
Last updated: · DynPerformance
- Primary muscles
- Pectoralis major
- Secondary muscles
- Triceps brachii, Anterior deltoid, Serratus anterior
- Exercise type
- Resistance exercise – compound chest press
Exercise technique
- Lie on the floor
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat.
- Prepare the weights
Hold the dumbbells beside your chest and rest your upper arms gently on the floor.
- Wrist alignment
Carry the handles over your elbows with palms forward or slightly inward.
- Starting tension
Balance your shoulder blades on the floor and brace your abdomen without lifting your hips.
- Press
Exhale and straighten your elbows to press the dumbbells over your chest.
- Floor limit
Lower slowly and pause briefly when your upper arms touch the floor; do not descend farther.
- Repeat
Maintain muscular tension and press again, using the same bottom position without banging your elbows down.
Key technique points
- Make gentle upper-arm contact.
- Use the floor as the descent limit.
- Keep your hips on the floor.
- Align your wrists beneath the dumbbells.
- Stop both weights together.
- Do not relax and rest at the bottom.
Common mistakes
Hitting the elbows on the floor
Do not bang your upper arms down; brake with your muscles instead of using contact for rebound.
Bridging
Do not lift your hips and chest or change the floor press’s reduced shoulder range through lower-back movement.
Relaxing completely
Do not fully release arm tension at the bottom; keep the weights supported above your wrists and elbows.
Bending the wrists backward
Do not carry the dumbbells at the finger bases; maintain wrist alignment even in this shorter range.
Flaring sideways
Do not spread your elbows perpendicular to your shoulders; lower along a comfortable diagonal upper-arm path.
Drifting overhead
Do not press the dumbbells behind your face instead of over your chest; balance the top position along the shoulder support line.
Frequently asked questions
Dumbbell Floor Press: why is “Hitting the elbows on the floor” a mistake?
Do not bang your upper arms down; brake with your muscles instead of using contact for rebound.
Dumbbell Floor Press: why is “Bridging” a mistake?
Do not lift your hips and chest or change the floor press’s reduced shoulder range through lower-back movement.
Dumbbell Floor Press: why is “Relaxing completely” a mistake?
Do not fully release arm tension at the bottom; keep the weights supported above your wrists and elbows.
Dumbbell Floor Press: why is “Bending the wrists backward” a mistake?
Do not carry the dumbbells at the finger bases; maintain wrist alignment even in this shorter range.
Dumbbell Floor Press: why is “Flaring sideways” a mistake?
Do not spread your elbows perpendicular to your shoulders; lower along a comfortable diagonal upper-arm path.
Dumbbell Floor Press: why is “Drifting overhead” a mistake?
Do not press the dumbbells behind your face instead of over your chest; balance the top position along the shoulder support line.
What should I focus on when doing Dumbbell Floor Press?
Make gentle upper-arm contact. Use the floor as the descent limit. Keep your hips on the floor. Align your wrists beneath the dumbbells. Stop both weights together. Do not relax and rest at the bottom.
Related exercises
Add this exercise to your program with your coach
If you have a health condition, consult a qualified professional.