Dumbbell Around the World
Lying on a flat bench, you sweep light dumbbells in a wide semicircle from beside your thighs to over your head, keeping the arms level with the floor; a long-range isolation for the chest and shoulders.
Primary muscles
- Chest (Pectoralis Major)
Secondary muscles
- Front Delts
- Side Delts
- Lats (Latissimus Dorsi)
- Serratus Anterior
- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 10–12
- Rest
- 60s
How to perform
Main muscles working (thicker lines)
Starting position
Lie on a flat bench holding light dumbbells beside your thighs, palms up, arms long with a slight bend in the elbows.
Brace the core and keep the elbows softly bent.
Sweep the dumbbells out and up in a wide semicircle, arms level with the floor.
Continue until the dumbbells meet over your head.
Reverse the arc back to your thighs.
Breathing: Inhale as the arms travel overhead, exhale on the way back.
Coaching tips
Draw a big half circle
Arms stay level
Light weights, full range
Common mistakes
Using weights too heavy to keep the arms level
Bending the elbows to shorten the lever
Arching the back as the arms pass overhead
Safety notes
Go light; the arms stay fully extended away from the body the whole time.
Shorten the arc if you feel pinching at the top of the shoulder.
This information is general fitness guidance, not medical advice. Stop if you feel pain and consult a qualified professional.