How To Perform A DB Bench Press Without A Bench: The DB Floor Press
When you do not have access to a bench but have dumbbells and are looking to train the chest with them your best option will be the DB Floor Press. In this article I will discuss when to use the DB floor press and its positives and negatives.
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- What Is The DB Floor Press
- Limitations of The DB Floor Press
- Benefits of The DB Floor Press
- Holiday / Home Training
- Sports Specific Training
- Simplification of Movement Pattern
What Is The DB Floor Press
The DB floor press is the same movement pattern as the DB bench press but it is performed while lying on the floor. This means that the elbow will touch the floor and then you will push the weights upwards rather than lowering the DB’s to the chest.
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Limitations of The DB Floor Press
The DB floor press doesn’t allow us to create a full stretch in the muscles of the pectorals, making it far less effective for both strength and hypertrophy training. When performing resistance training we are always striving to perform the full range of motion of the movement pattern in order to strengthen and or grow the entire muscle. That being said the DB floor press does have some benefits.
Benefits of The DB Floor Press
Holiday / Home Training
The DB floor press is a very useful exercise when you are having to train at home or on holiday and you have access to some dumbbells but no access to a bench. This means that you can still get some high quality training in when you are dealing with limited equipment. The single arm DB floor press is a great option if you find yourself with just one dumbbell and no other equipment.
Sports Specific Training
The DB floor press is also great for athletes that need to be strong in ground based positions. The DB floor press can be used with martial artists and rugby players for example who need to develop high levels of force on the floor. It is crucial to remember that this style of sport specific training should never replace the full range of motion strengthening movements, strength in the full range will ultimately determine strength in a shortened range.
Simplification of Movement Pattern
For true beginners who have low levels of skill and are having trouble learning the basic movements of resistance training or have very low levels of mobility the DB floor press can be a great option. The shortening of the range of motion makes the exercise much easier to learn and perform when compared to the DB bench press. This is only true in very extreme beginners, if you are a personal trainer you may have had some experience with these styles of clients however this point will not apply to most individuals reading this article.
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This resource was written by Sean Klein. Sean Richard Klein has thousands of hours of coaching experience and a BSc in Sports Science with Management from Loughborough University. He owns a gym in Bayonne France, CrossFit Essor, which runs group classes and a Personal training studio.
Sean Klein
