The floor dumbbell press is a great way to build strength in the chest, shoulders, triceps and deltoids.
The reduced range of motion in comparison to the traditional bench press reduces the risk of over straining the shoulders by creating less external rotation through the shoulder.
You might see this exercise referred to as floor dumbbell bench press, floor dumbbell chest press, dumbbell floor press, or simply floor press. All of these names refer to the same exercise you see above.
How to do a floor dumbbell press
To set up lie on your back on the floor. Plant your feet into the floor with your knees bent up. You should be engaging your core, pushing your spine into the ground.
Get hold of your dumbbells, holding them with a 90-degree bend in the elbow, so that your upper arm is along the floor and your fists are above your elbows. Your upper arm should be away from the body, at an angle that feels comfortable to you between 45 and 90 degrees away from the body.
From here, press the weights towards the ceiling so that they fully extend above your head.
Bring the arms back down, resting your elbows and upper arm on the floor between each repetition.
Take care at the end of the set to place the dumbbells back onto the floor safely and in control.
A few extra tips:
Keep your movements slow and controlled for better muscle engagement and to reduce the risk of injury.
Make sure your core remains engaged throughout the exercise. This helps maintain stability and protects your lower back.
If you experience discomfort in your shoulders or elbows, you might adjust the angle of your elbows slightly or reduce the weight.
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This is one of the many exercises featured in our strength training program for runners. Runna enables you to add personalized strength and conditioning workouts to your running plan and manage everything in a single app.
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