Preparation: Lie down on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Start with a weight that you can comfortably control to avoid straining your muscles.
Positioning: Hold the dumbbells above your chest with your arms extended and palms facing each other. Your elbows should have a slight bend to avoid locking them out.
Engage Your Core: Tighten your abdominal muscles and press your lower back into the bench to stabilize your spine throughout the exercise.
Lower the Weights: With a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc until your elbows are in line with your shoulders.
Stretch: Lower the weights until you feel a comfortable stretch in your chest muscles. Avoid going too deep, as this can strain your shoulders and increase the risk of injury.
Contract Your Chest: Once you reach the bottom of the movement, pause briefly and focus on squeezing your chest muscles to bring the weights back together.
Exhale and Return to Starting Position: As you bring the dumbbells back together, exhale and push through your chest muscles to return to the starting position.
Repeat: Perform the desired number of repetitions, aiming for 8-12 reps for muscle growth or 12-15 reps for muscular endurance.
Cooldown: Once you've completed your set, carefully lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and rest for a moment before starting your next set.