A well-structured push day doesn’t require a full commercial gym. With just a solid weight bench and a pair of dumbbells, you can build pressing power, fuller shoulders and stronger triceps at home. This 45‑minute upper body push workout uses simple movements, smart exercise order and scalable progressions so you can keep making gains, whether you’re a beginner or already lifting heavy.
Table of contents
Essential home equipment: bench and dumbbells
For this workout you only need two key pieces of kit. A reliable adjustable bench such as the Yoleo Adjustable Weight Bench, 300KG Stable Strength Training Bench gives you flat, incline and decline positions, letting you target chest, shoulders and triceps from multiple angles. It folds quickly for storage yet supports up to 300 kg, so it suits both beginners and stronger lifters. Pair it with a versatile dumbbell set like the Amonax 20kg Cast Iron Adjustable Dumbbells Weight Set, which can be loaded light for higher reps or heavier for serious strength work. Adjustable plates also make it easier to follow progressive overload over time.
Warm-up and activation (5–8 minutes)
Before loading your joints, invest a few minutes in a focused warm-up. Start with 2–3 minutes of light cardio (marching in place, step-ups on the bench or fast shadow boxing) to raise heart rate. Follow with dynamic mobility: 10–15 arm circles each way, band pull-aparts or light dumbbell rows, and 10–15 bodyweight incline push-ups on the bench. Finish with 1–2 ramp-up sets of light dumbbell bench presses for 12–15 reps, concentrating on slow control. This primes your chest and shoulders, lubricates the elbows and prepares your nervous system to press more efficiently in the working sets.
Main compound presses (15–20 minutes)
The foundation of this push workout is two heavy compound presses. First, perform Flat Dumbbell Bench Press on the Yoleo bench for 3–4 sets of 6–10 reps. Choose a load that leaves 1–2 reps “in the tank” each set. Rest 60–90 seconds. Focus on driving your feet into the floor, keeping shoulder blades pulled back and lowering the dumbbells with a 2–3 second controlled descent. Next, set the bench to a 30–45° incline for Incline Dumbbell Press, 3 sets of 8–12 reps. This angle shifts emphasis to the upper chest and front delts. If you’re newer to strength training, start at the lower end of the rep range with the Amonax set lightly loaded and add weight only when you can hit the top rep target with clean form.
Shoulder builders and triceps strength (10–12 minutes)
After your big presses, move to slightly higher-rep accessory work to round out the upper body push. Perform Seated Dumbbell Shoulder Press on the bench with back support for 3 sets of 8–12 reps, keeping your core braced and avoiding excessive arch. Follow this with a superset: Dumbbell Lateral Raises and Overhead Triceps Extensions, 3 sets of 12–15 reps each with 30–45 seconds rest between exercises. Lateral raises target the side delts for broader shoulders, while extensions hammer the triceps. Use moderate weights that let you keep tension on the muscles rather than swinging. With adjustable dumbbells you can micro-progress by adding a small plate every week or two while keeping technique strict.
Chest finisher and tempo focus (7–8 minutes)
To maximise tension in a short session, finish with a controlled tempo exercise and a bodyweight push variation. Try Dumbbell Squeeze Press on a flat bench: press two dumbbells together over your chest, lower slowly for 3 seconds and press up for 1 second, maintaining constant inward tension. Do 2–3 sets of 12–15 reps. Immediately follow with a set of bench push-ups (hands on the bench) or decline push-ups (feet on the bench) to near technical failure. This combination floods the chest with blood, reinforces mind–muscle connection and provides a powerful stimulus without needing very heavy loads, which is ideal for a compact home gym setup.
Progression, scheduling and safety tips
To keep progressing on this 45‑minute routine, follow basic progressive overload rules. Aim to add 0.5–2 kg total to your Amonax dumbbells or 1–2 extra reps each week on the big presses, while keeping rest times and form consistent. Train this push session 1–2 times per week, pairing it with a dedicated pull and lower body day for a balanced split. Always lock the incline setting securely on your Yoleo bench and check dumbbell spinlock collars before every set. Stop sets 1–2 reps short of failure to protect your shoulders and elbows, especially if you’re training alone at home. With consistency, small weekly improvements compound into noticeable strength and muscle gains.
This bench and dumbbell home workout proves you don’t need a crowded gym to run a serious push day. A sturdy adjustable bench, a compact cast iron dumbbell set and a clear plan for sets, reps and progression are enough to build a stronger chest, shoulders and triceps in just 45 minutes. Stick to the structure, track your loads and reps, and gradually challenge yourself. Over time, you’ll turn your living room or garage into an efficient, results-driven upper body training space.
