A Good Pectoral Workout With Dumbbells

Upon stepping through the doors of your gym, you're quickly faced with many ways to strengthen your chest. Building your pectorals, for example, is possible with weight machines, body-weight exercises, resistance bands and free weights. Every gym has dumbbells with which you can perform effective pectoral exercises such as the dumbbell incline fly.

  1. Choose the Right Exercise

    • Building muscle in your chest or anywhere else in your body is as much about picking the correct exercise as it is performing the workout. A 2012 study sponsored by American Council on Exercise tested the muscle activity in the pecs during a variety of chest exercises. The barbell bench press exercise placed first. The most effective exercise that involves dumbbells, according to the study, is the dumbbell incline fly. This exercise placed fifth overall.

    Fly Your Way to Stronger Pecs

    • Performing the dumbbell incline fly exercise requires a pair of dumbbells and an incline bench. Position your body on the bench with your feet firm on the floor and your back against the back support, and then lift the weights above your chest with your arms slightly bent. In this position, make a subtle rotation of your shoulders until your elbows point away from your torso. Inhale and slowly lower your arms to your sides without locking your elbows. You'll soon feel a stretch across your chest, which is your sign to exhale and lift the weights back to their original location above your chest.

    Part of a Strength-Building Regimen

    • Building your pecs with any exercise, including the dumbbell incline fly, requires not just the right mechanics, but also the right overall approach. Perform one or two sets with eight to 12 repetitions in each set. The weight you choose for the exercise should be such that the final few reps of each set are difficult. Allow one or two days of recovery in between workouts to prevent muscle strains and perform this exercise twice a week -- in addition to other strength-training exercises for other major muscle groups.

    Seek Help When Needed

    • If you're new to weight training, seek the help of a fitness trainer at your gym to ensure you perform your exercises correctly. Failure to do so can lead to injuries. Always warm up for a few minutes before you begin lifting weights. A simple exercise such as walking briskly on the treadmill while swinging your arms can prepare your body for weight training. Focus on executing the correct lifting form, rather than lifting very heavy weight or doing too many reps.