Dumbbell Larsen Press

The Dumbbell Larsen Press targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps while minimizing lower back strain.

  1. Lie on a flat bench with your feet elevated off the ground.
  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height, palms facing forward.
  3. Press the dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended.
  4. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position with control.

How to perform the Dumbbell Larsen Press

  1. Set up. Set up in a stable, balanced starting position appropriate for the Dumbbell Larsen Press using your dumbbell.
  2. Brace and execute. Brace your core, control the descent, and move through a full pain-free range of motion while emphasizing your pectoralis major.
  3. Reset. Reverse the movement under control and reset between repetitions, keeping your form crisp on every rep.

Coaching cues

  • Move with intent — every rep should feel deliberate, not rushed.
  • Drive force through your pectoralis major rather than momentum.
  • Keep your breathing steady: exhale on the hard part, inhale on the reset.

Common mistakes

  • Using too much weight and losing positional control.
  • Cutting the range of motion short and missing the target muscle.
  • Letting your spine round or hyperextend instead of staying neutral.

Detailed cues, common mistakes, and demonstration video are available in the Fitly app.

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