Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The dumbbell twisting bench press is a variation of the standard dumbbell bench press that incorporates a wrist twist to further engage the triceps, chest, and shoulders. This exercise requires coordination and control to safely twist the wrists during the pressing motion.

Primary muscles
Triceps
Secondary muscles
Chest , Shoulders
Equipment
Dumbbell
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the dumbbell twisting bench press
Front view: muscles worked by the dumbbell twisting bench press. Primary: triceps. Secondary: chest and shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the dumbbell twisting bench press. Primary: triceps. Secondary: chest and shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the dumbbell twisting bench press

  1. Step 1: Lie flat on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and your back pressed against the bench.
  2. Step 2: Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing away from you.
  3. Step 3: Extend your arms straight up over your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  4. Step 4: Lower the dumbbells down towards your chest, keeping your elbows close to your body.
  5. Step 5: As you lower the dumbbells, twist your wrists so that your palms face towards you at the bottom of the movement.
  6. Step 6: Pause for a moment at the bottom, then reverse the movement by pressing the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
  7. Step 7: As you press the dumbbells up, twist your wrists back to the starting position with palms facing away from you.
  8. Step 8: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the dumbbell twisting bench press by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Dumbbell Twisting Bench Press alternatives

More exercises that train the triceps as their main target:

More triceps exercises

See the best tricep exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.