7 Best Lower Chest Dumbbell Exercises To Build Muscle

If you are looking for the to build lower chest with dumbbells, then you are at the right place, here we discuss the best lower chest dumbbell exercises.

The lower chest is one of the harder areas to train because of the lack of variations available and the limited motion range. That’s why it’s so important to incorporate these dumbbell exercises into your lower chest workout routine.

People who want to develop their lower chest muscles can try doing a range of exercises that strengthen the pectoral muscles.

To build more thickness, muscle, and strength in your lower chest, you need to add these dumbbell chest exercises to your training regime.

Here, we’ll talk about the following topics:

• Lower Chest Muscle
• How To Train Lower Chest With Dumbbells
• Best Lower Chest Dumbbell Exercises
• Training Plan As Per Your Goal
• Workout Plan
• Benefits
• FAQs

Lower Chest Muscle (Anatomy)

To effectively train the lower chest, first we need to take a closer look at the chest anatomy and how to train it.

The muscles of the chest consist of the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor.

The pectoralis major is the primary muscle of the chest. It is generally divided into two main parts:

• The clavicular part is the smaller, upper portion, which originates from the first half of your clavicle. This is what we usually mean by upper chest.
• The sternocostal part is the larger, lower part that mainly comes from your sternum (and to a small degree from your upper abdominal sheath and ribs) This is your middle and lower chest.

The pectoralis minor is the triangle-shaped muscle located under the pectoralis major, a layer deeper, and draws the shoulder blades down and forward.

How To Train Lower Chest With Dumbbells

Dumbbells may be better for training your lower chest than barbells, as they offer a wider range of motion and allow for a more intense workout. It is also beneficial for achieving hypertrophy and strength.

However, with dumbbells, you can easily increase the intensity of your workout on your own. For example, if you want to do drop sets on the barbell bench press, you’ll need a partner to drop the weight from the barbell.

To train the lower chest (sternal head) requires you to change the angle of your press to emphasize the lower part of the chest. You do this by either performing exercises on a decline bench. Research indicates that the correct angle for the decline bench press should be 15–30 degrees declined from flat in order to target the lower chest. 

To strengthen your lower chest, you should try increasing the intensity of your workout.

• Drop-sets,
• forced reps, and
• The pause and go method

7 Best Lower Chest Dumbbell Workouts

Here is the list of the best dumbbell exercises for the lower chest, which help to train the chest at various angles and strengthen and to build a well-developed chest.

1. Decline Dumbbell Press

The decline dumbbell bench press aka dumbbell decline press is an upper body workout that engages the lower pec muscles, the triceps, and the anterior deltoid muscles of the shoulders.

As the name suggests, you have to use a bench at a declined angle to perform the bench presses.

The angle of the adjustable bench in this variation puts more tension on your lower chest muscles than a flat bench press would.

How To Do Decline Dumbbell Press

1. First, adjust the decline bench press angle to 15-30 degrees.
2. Then lie on your back with your face upward.
3. With your form right, grab the dumbbell.
4. Hold the weights above you at shoulder height.
5. Now extend the weights to the top overhead, feeling a good chest muscle contraction.
6. Lower the dumbbells to the starting position and feel a good stretch in your lower pecs.
7. Repeat the desired number of reps.

Tips

• Keep a controlled motion and avoid jerky movements.
• Always use weights that you can handle comfortably.
• Perform them before triceps in any workout.

2. Decline Dumbbell Fly

The decline dumbbell chest fly is a variation of the dumbbell fly used to target the muscles of the chest. It is performed on a decline bench, which is set at a downward slope of around 30 to 45 degrees

The decline dumbbell chest fly specifically targets the lower chest due to the decline angle used.

How To Do Decline Dumbbell Fly

1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand and lie on your back on a decline bench. Hook your feet into the foot pad or roller.
2. Extend the dumbbells above your chest. Turn the palms to face each other and the dumbbells directly over your upper chest.
3. Slowly lower your arms out to your sides until your wrists come to about shoulder level or slightly above.
4. Bring your arms back toward the midline of your body, focusing on using your lower pec muscles to draw them back together.

Tips

• Keep the movement slow and controlled.
• Use a slight decline, such as 30 degrees. Extremes are never the best option.
• If you’re using very heavyweights, have a spotter to handle dumbbells for you once your body is in position.

3. Decline Hammer-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press

The decline hammer-grip dumbbell bench press is a compound exercise which primarily targets the lower chest, but the triceps and shoulders are secondary movers during the workout, and they receive heavy stimulation as well.

Using a neutral grip is a safe alternative to the pronated grip as it protects the shoulder joints, and this is a great advantage. So, include the decline hammer-grip dumbbell bench press in your chest routine for great results.

How To Do Decline Hammer-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press

1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand in each hand with a neutral/hammer grip and lie on a decline bench.
2. Hold the weights above you at shoulder height.
3. Now extend the weights to the top overhead, feeling a good chest muscle contraction.
4. Lower the dumbbells to the starting position and feel a good stretch in your pecs.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Tips

• Do not lock out your elbows during the concentric (Positive) phase of the exercise.
• Perform them before triceps in any workout.

4. Dumbbell Pullover

Dumbbell Pullover is the best exercise to build a strong rib cage and build serratus anterior muscle to build a complete chest and back.

Pullovers work directly on the serratus anterior muscle to develop the back. This workout is done lying across on a bench with a heavy dumbbell.

How To Do Dumbbell Pullover

1. Lie across on a bench on your shoulders so that your head is hanging.
2. Grasp a dumbbell with both hands and get it straight over your chest.
3. Lower the dumbbell in an arc, slowly getting a good stretch in your rib cage.
4. Lower the dumbbell as far as possible and then raise it back to the starting position.

Tips

• Exhale while you exert.
• Maximum stretching ensures the greatest expansion of the rib cage.
• Relax your hips and let them fall, as relaxed hips help in extra expansion.

5. Dumbbell Decline one Arm Fly

The One arm decline dumbbell fly is a unilateral variation of the chest fly used to target the muscles of the chest. It is used by those who would like to focus on one side of their chest working at a time.

The decline angle used for the dumbbell chest fly targets the lower chest in particular.

When performing the one arm dumbbell fly, it is important to start off with the weaker side of your chest.

How To Do Dumbbell Decline one Arm Fly

1. Grab a dumbbell in one hand and lie on your back on a decline bench. Hook your feet into the foot pad or roller.
2. Extend the dumbbell above your chest.
3. Slowly lower your arm out to your side until your wrist comes to about shoulder level or slightly above.
4. Bring your arm back toward the midline of your body, focusing on using your lower pec muscles to draw them back together.
5. Repeat for as many reps and sets as desired.

Tips

• Keep the movement slow and controlled.
• Always keep a slight bend in the elbows and never lower the weight to the point where you get any sort of pain and pressure at the front of the shoulder joint.

6. Dumbbell Decline Twist Fly

The decline dumbbell twist fly is a slight variation of the decline dumbbell fly.

The movement targets the muscles of the chest, with an emphasis on the lower pecs. It also indirectly targets the muscles of the shoulder and triceps.

The slight added twist of the decline dumbbell twist fly works the lower chest muscles more effectively.

How To Do Dumbbell Decline Twist Fly

1. Grab a dumbbell in each hand in each hand with a neutral grip and lie on a decline bench.
2. Hold the weights above you at shoulder height. Slightly retract your shoulder blades, unlock your elbows, and slowly lower the dumbbells laterally while maintaining the angle at your elbow.
3. Once the dumbbells reach chest level, reverse the movement by squeezing your pecs together. As the dumbbells are returning to the starting position, twist the handles so that the bottom of the dumbbells almost touch.
4. Without allowing the dumbbells to touch, start the next repetition by untwisting the handles back to a neutral position, and continue until the set is completed.

Tips

• Imagine you’re trying to hug a tree while completing the exercise.
• Avoid touching or banging the dumbbells together at the top of each repetition to keep constant tension.

7. One Arm Dumbbell Decline Chest Press

The one-arm decline dumbbell bench press is an upper-body exercise that primarily targets the pectoral muscles, particularly the lower chest.

This press unilateral decline press variation is usually performed with lighter weight for moderate to high reps, such as 8-12 reps per set or more, since balance can be an issue.

How To Do Dumbbell One Arm Decline Chest Press

1. Adjust the bench at around 15-30 degrees of decline and grab a pair of light or moderately-heavy dumbbells in one arm.
2. Lower yourself slowly and make sure that your legs are secured and that your shoulders and head are in contact with the bench. Maintain your upper back position as you lie down.
3. Bring a dumbbell to your side, but avoid flaring your elbows out.
4. Take another breath and push the dumbbell up as you engage your chest and triceps.
5. Exhale and slowly bring the dumbbell back to your side.
6. Repeat the desired number of reps.

Training Plan As Per Your Goal

1. For muscle endurance: Aim for 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps, with a moderate amount of resistance.
2. For muscle strength: Aim for 3-5 sets of 6-10 reps, with a heavier amount of resistance.
3. For muscle hypertrophy (increased muscle size): Aim for 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps, with a moderate to heavy amount of resistance.

It is always best to start with a lower number of reps and sets, and then gradually increase as your strength improves.

Dumbbell Lower Chest Workout Plan

Beginner Friendly Plan

If you’re new to lifting weights, don’t worry. This beginner-friendly chest workout routine is a great place to start.

When this gets easy, choose a heavier free weight. After you’ve upped your weight several times and feel strong in the movements below, move on to the intermediate routine.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Decline Dumbbell Press	4	8-12	60-90 sec
Decline Dumbbell Fly	4	8-10	60-90 sec
Dumbbell Pullover	3	8-10	60-90 sec

Intermediate Dumbbell Lower Chest Workout

If you are an intermediate level or have outgrown the beginner routine, try the intermediate chest workout routine below.

Regardless of how many reps your programming is calling for, you should be unable to complete the last one with proper form.

Exercise	Sets	Reps	Rest
Decline Hammer Grip Press	4	8-10	60-90 sec
Single Arm Decline Fly	4	8-12	60 sec
Decline Dumbbell Press	3	8-10	60-90 sec
Dumbbell fly	3	12-15	60 sec

Benefits of Using Dumbbells For Chest Workouts

Lower chest dumbbell exercises offer a multitude of benefits that contribute to your overall chest development and fitness progress. Here are some of the key advantages:

1. Target the Lower Chest Muscles

One of the primary benefits of doing lower chest dumbbell exercises is their ability to specifically target the lower pec muscles.

These exercises engage the sternal fibers of the pectoralis major, help to enhance the chest’s size, strength, and definition.

2. Improved Chest Symmetry

You can make your chest look more balanced and symmetrical by focusing on the lower chest. This is important for a good body shape because neglecting the lower chest can make the chest shape uneven.

3. Increases Strength And Power

Including lower chest exercises in your workout routine can help to increase your overall strength and power. This is because the chest muscles are some of the largest in the body, and by working them out, you can expect to see significant enhancements in strength and power.

4. Enhanced Muscle Definition

Lower chest dumbbell exercises contribute to increased muscle definition in the chest area. As the lower pectoral muscles become more developed, your chest will appear more sculpted and toned.

5. Stabilization and Balance

Dumbbell exercises require the use of stabilizing muscles, particularly in the shoulders and core, to maintain balance and control during the movements. This helps to improve overall muscle coordination and stability.

6. Progressive Overload and Muscle Growth

As you consistently increase the resistance and intensity of your dumbbell exercises, you’ll promote progressive overload, which is a key factor in muscle growth. This will lead to continuous improvements in your chest strength and size.

Frequently Asked Question

Lower chest workout with dumbbells no bench

• Dumbbell Floor Press
• Dumbbell Pullovers (on the floor)
• Floor Dumbbell Chest Flyes
• Glute bridge dumbbell flyes
• Dumbbell Deficit Push-Up
• Dumbbell Svend Press
• Dumbbell Single-Arm Floor Fly
• Floor Dumbbell Squeeze Press
• Dumbbell Push-Up with Alternating Arm Raise

Can you target the lower chest?

Yes, but training your lower chest is not as straightforward as training other muscles, such as your biceps. You have to choose the exercise that directly targets the lower chest muscle.

What are the best lower chest exercises with dumbbells?

There are many good exercises with dumbbells that work your lower chest. The decline dumbbell bench presses are one of the best lower chest exercises. You could also add decline dumbbell flies.

 If you really want to improve your lower pecs, this adjustable decline bench is your new best friend.

How do I make my chest lower?

People who are looking to develop their lower chest muscles can try doing a range of exercises that strengthen the pectoral muscles. You should try the above-mentioned exercise to build the lower chest.

Is the lower chest important?

Yes, the lower chest is important to build the lower pec. Emphasizing your lower chest is vital for the overall appearance and functionality of the pectorals. Your lower chest contributes to the overall look of your pectorals. By developing the lower portion, your chest looks rounder and more balanced.

How to isolate lower chest workout?

The lower portion of your chest is part of a larger muscle that activates during most, if not all, chest-related exercises.

Still, you can emphasize the lower chest through better exercise selection. Include exercises like:

• Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
• Decline Dumbbell fly

Lower chest is not growing

If you do not properly train (under train) a lower chest muscle, it will not grow because it will not receive adequate stimulation. However, if you overtrain a muscle, it will not recover and will not grow. Adequate stimulation is required to grow the chest.

You should train your lower chest 1 to 2 times per week to build mass and strength. If your goal is muscle hypertrophy, then you should do 8-12 repetitions per set.

Can I Do Lower Chest Exercises With Dumbbells?

Any lower chest move that you can do with a barbell can be done with dumbbells. Below are some of our favorites, many of which are classic moves that you are probably already familiar with, but have been given a clever twist that yields even greater gains.

It’s time to try out the lower chest workout with dumbbells. Some people might think that training with dumbbells is outdated and ineffective.

However, due to the increased range of motion and ability to intensify the workouts, dumbbell chest workouts have shown benefits over other chest exercises.

Takeaway

Doing the exercises provided in this article will give your lower chest a complete workout. For anyone interested in building body strength and gaining muscle on the lower chest, this lower chest dumbbell exercises and Workout plan is highly recommended.

Let us know, in the comment section below, your favorite exercise!

Thanks for reading.

Sources

• Saeterbakken, A. H., et al. (2017). The effects of bench press variations in competitive athletes on muscle activity and performance.

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