Chest routine — dumbbell & kettlebell

Flat dumbbell bench press

4 x 8–10

Two dumbbells, flat bench

Lie flat, press the dumbbells up over your chest until your arms are almost locked out, then lower under control until your upper arms dip just below the bench line. The main mass-builder — go first while you're fresh.

Cue: shoulder blades pinned back and down, don't let the dumbbells drift toward your face.

Flat dumbbell bench press starting position with arms fully extended and shoulders retracted, and ending position with elbows at ninety degrees and dumbbells lowered to chest level

Incline dumbbell press

4 x 8–10

Two dumbbells, incline bench (30–45°)

Same pressing motion on an incline, which shifts more load onto the upper chest. Keep the bench angle moderate — too steep turns this into a shoulder exercise.

Cue: press up and slightly back, toward your eyes, not straight up.

Incline dumbbell press starting position with dumbbells at chest level on a forty-five degree bench, and ending position with arms fully extended and pectorals contracted

Dumbbell flye

3 x 12–15

Two dumbbells, flat or slight incline bench

Arms slightly bent, lower the dumbbells out to your sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch across your chest, then bring them back together over your chest without letting them touch.

Cue: keep the elbow bend fixed throughout — this is a hug, not a press.

Dumbbell flye starting position with arms fully extended above chest, and ending position with dumbbells lowered out to sides in a deep arc for maximum pectoral stretch

Kettlebell floor press

3 x 10–12

Kettlebell(s) — dumbbells work too

Lie on the floor, knees bent, and press the kettlebell(s) up from a dead stop at your chest. The floor shortens the range of motion, which takes the shoulder out of the bottom position and keeps tension on the chest and triceps.

Cue: pause briefly at the bottom before each rep — no bounce off the floor.

Kettlebell floor press lying position, arms extended overhead at the top and elbows resting near the floor with kettlebells drawn in close to the body at the bottom

Single-arm dumbbell press

3 x 10 / side

One dumbbell, flat bench or floor

Press one dumbbell at a time while the free hand rests on your stomach. Working unilaterally forces your core and chest to resist rotation, which fixes side-to-side strength imbalances.

Cue: keep hips and shoulders square — don't let the working side twist up.

Single-arm dumbbell press standing start position with both dumbbells racked at shoulders, and end position with one arm pressed fully overhead

Dumbbell pullover

3 x 12–15

One dumbbell, flat bench

Lying across a bench with hips low, lower a single dumbbell in a slow arc behind your head until you feel a deep stretch through your chest and lats, then pull it back over your chest.

Cue: lead with your ribs staying down, not your arms — this finishes the session on a full stretch.

Dumbbell pullover starting position lying on bench with dumbbell lowered behind head for a deep chest stretch, and ending position with dumbbell pulled back up over the chest

Session notes

Order: heavy presses (flat, incline) first while fresh, flye and pullover work last since they load the chest in a stretched position.
Rest: 60–90 seconds between sets, a touch longer on the flat press if you're going heavy.
Warm-up: 5 minutes light cardio plus two light sets of push-ups or band pull-aparts before loading up.
Progression: once you hit the top of a rep range on every set with good form, add weight next session.
No bench? Floor press works for exercises 01, 02, and 04 — just skip the incline angle and press straight up.