One Arm Dumbbell Bench Press

What you'll gain

• Trains each side on its own so a weaker press cannot hide.

• Forces the trunk to resist rotation under a single load.

• Uses one dumbbell and a flat bench, so it fits small-gym templates.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1

   Sit at the end of a flat bench with one dumbbell on the thigh, then lie back and press it to lockout.

2. 2

   Plant both feet and keep the back, shoulders, and hips on the bench.

3. 3

   Hold the free hand near the hip or on the bench; it does not hold a weight.

4. 4

   Lower the dumbbell beside the chest until the elbow is about ninety degrees, forearm vertical.

5. 5

   Press it straight up over the working shoulder until the elbow is long.

6. 6

   Finish the set, then switch arms and match the same range.

Common Mistakes

• Letting the torso roll toward the working arm as the bell comes down.

• Flaring the elbow into a wide arc instead of a narrow up-and-down press.

• Bouncing the dumbbell off the chest at the bottom.

• Starting on the stronger side and leaving the weaker side undertrained.

About This Exercise

The one-arm dumbbell bench press is a flat-bench press done with a single bell. You lie supine, feet planted, and press one dumbbell from beside the chest to a vertical lockout over the working shoulder while the free arm stays quiet. The pecs drive the press; the anterior deltoid and triceps assist; the trunk has to stop the torso from rolling toward the load. The approved clip uses a hex dumbbell on a flat bench, lockout start, empty near arm bent at the waist. For a catalog this is the unilateral bench page: chest filters, anti-rotation pressing, and a lighter-load option than a two-dumbbell press.

Looking for an exercise animation collection for your app, coaching platform, or content workflow? MoveKit gives you consistent quality across every movement so your product feels cohesive from first launch through scale.

Build faster with related MoveKit resources