The Dumbbell Single Arm Chest Press is a beginner-friendly dumbbell strength exercise that targets the chest, with the triceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesChest
Secondary musclesTriceps
EquipmentDumbbell
LevelBeginner
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Dumbbell Single Arm Chest Press
Lie flat on a bench with one dumbbell held over your chest and the other arm braced on the bench.
Plant your feet firmly on the floor and pull your shoulder blades back and down into the bench.
Start with the working arm extended over your shoulder with the palm facing your feet.
Lower the dumbbell slowly to the side of your chest with the elbow tracked at about 60 to 75 degrees.
Pause briefly when the dumbbell touches the side of the chest, fighting any rotation in your torso.
Press the dumbbell back up to full extension, squeeze the chest, and repeat for reps before switching arms.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Builds chest and triceps strength one side at a time.
Trains core anti-rotation through real pressing load.
Fixes side-to-side imbalances in horizontal pressing.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Letting the torso twist toward the working side, which turns the press into a rotational lift.
Flaring the elbow out to 90 degrees, which strains the front shoulder and shortens the press.
Using too much weight and bouncing the dumbbell off the chest instead of pausing or controlling the touch.
Lifting the off-side hip or shoulder off the bench for leverage, which destabilizes the lift.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Dumbbell Single Arm Chest Press, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
