10 Best Decline Dumbbell Bench Press Alternatives for Lower-Pec Development

Ranked Decline Dumbbell Bench Press Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

1. Best match

   Play demonstration

   1. Dumbbell Decline Hammer Press

   99% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   It uses the same equipment and still works the pectorals.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips.
   2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other and your arms extended above your chest.
   3. Lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
   4. Press the dumbbells back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: decline press, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
2. 

   2. Wide-grip Decline Barbell Bench Press

   96% match

   • Pectorals
   • Barbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the pectorals.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie back on a decline bench with the feet securely locked at the front of the bench. Using a wide, pronated (palms forward) grip that is around 3 inches away from shoulder width (for each hand), lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked. The bar will be perpendicular to the torso and the floor. This will be your starting position.
   2. As you breathe in, come down slowly until you feel the bar on your lower chest.
   3. After a second pause, bring the bar back to the starting position as you breathe out and push the bar using your chest muscles. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly again. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
   4. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: decline press, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
3. Play demonstration

   3. Barbell Reverse Grip Decline Bench Press

   95% match

   • Pectorals
   • Barbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips.
   2. Grasp the barbell with a reverse grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   3. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
   4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the barbell back up to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: decline press, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
4. Play demonstration

   4. Barbell Decline Bench Press

   95% match

   • Pectorals
   • Barbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips.
   2. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   3. Unrack the barbell and lower it slowly towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in.
   4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push the barbell back up to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: decline press, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
5. Play demonstration

   5. Barbell Decline Wide-grip Press

   95% match

   • Pectorals
   • Barbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie on a decline bench with your feet secured and your head lower than your hips.
   2. Grasp the barbell with a wide grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   3. Lower the barbell to your chest, keeping your elbows out to the sides.
   4. Push the barbell back up to the starting position, fully extending your arms.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: decline press, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
6. Play demonstration

   6. Dumbbell Palms In Incline Bench Press

   90% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Set up an incline bench at a 45-degree angle.
   2. Sit on the bench with your back against the backrest and feet flat on the ground.
   3. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, palms facing inwards.
   4. Extend your arms straight up above your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
   5. Lower the dumbbells slowly towards your shoulders, keeping your elbows close to your body.
   6. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then press the dumbbells back up to the starting position.
   7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
7. 

   7. Hammer Grip Incline DB Bench Press

   90% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
   2. By using your thighs to help you get the dumbbells up, clean the dumbbells one arm at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
   3. Once at shoulder width, keep the palms of your hands with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Keep your elbows flared out with the upper arms in line with the shoulders (perpendicular to the torso) and the elbows bent creating a 90-degree angle between the upper arm and the forearm. This will be your starting position.
   4. Now bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe in. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times.
   5. As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
   6. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
   7. When you are done, place the dumbbells back in your thighs and then on the floor. This is the safest manner to dispose of the dumbbells.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
8. 

   8. Dumbbell Bench Press With Neutral Grip

   89% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Take a dumbbell in each hand and lay back onto a flat bench. Your feet should be flat on the floor and your shoulder blades retracted.
   2. Maintaining a neutral grip, palms facing each other, begin with your arms extended directly above you, perpendicular to the floor. This will be your starting position.
   3. Begin the movement by flexing the elbow, lowering the upper arms to the side. Descend until the dumbbells are to your torso.
   4. Pause, then extend the elbow and return to the starting position.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
9. 

   9. Incline Dumbbell Bench With Palms Facing In

   89% match

   • Pectorals
   • Dumbbell
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell on each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
   2. By using your thighs to help you get the dumbbells up, clean the dumbbells one arm at a time so that you can hold them at shoulder width.
   3. Once at shoulder width, keep the palms of your hands with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Keep your elbows flared out with the upper arms in line with the shoulders (perpendicular to the torso) and the elbows bent creating a 90-degree angle between the upper arm and the forearm. This will be your starting position.
   4. Now bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe in. Keep full control of the dumbbells at all times.
   5. As you breathe out, push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles. Lock your arms in the contracted position, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly. Tip: It should take at least twice as long to go down than to come up.
   6. Repeat the movement for the prescribed amount of repetitions.
   7. When you are done, place the dumbbells back in your thighs and then on the floor. This is the safest manner to dispose of the dumbbells.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
   • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
10. 

    10. Bent-arm Dumbbell Pullover

    88% match

    • Pectorals
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Place a dumbbell standing up on a flat bench.
    2. Ensuring that the dumbbell stays securely placed at the top of the bench, lie perpendicular to the bench (torso across it as in forming a cross) with only your shoulders lying on the surface. Hips should be below the bench and legs bent with feet firmly on the floor. The head will be off the bench as well.
    3. Grasp the dumbbell with both hands and hold it straight over your chest with a bend in your arms. Both palms should be pressing against the underside one of the sides of the dumbbell. This will be your starting position. Caution: Always ensure that the dumbbell used for this exercise is secure. Using a dumbbell with loose plates can result in the dumbbell falling apart and falling on your face.
    4. While keeping your arms locked in the bent arm position, lower the weight slowly in an arc behind your head while breathing in until you feel a stretch on the chest.
    5. At that point, bring the dumbbell back to the starting position using the arc through which the weight was lowered and exhale as you perform this movement.
    6. Hold the weight on the initial position for a second and repeat the motion for the prescribed number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches

    • Primary muscle: pectorals, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
    • Equipment: free weights, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
    • Body position: lying on your back, the same as the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
    • Balance: easier to stay steady on than the Decline Dumbbell Bench Press