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Dumbbell bench press calculator

Enter the weight of one dumbbell, the reps you pressed and how many more you could have done. The calculator estimates your dumbbell bench max per hand, then shows which pair to use for sets of 6, 8, 10 and 12, rounded to the jumps dumbbells come in.

Unit
Reps in reserve

How many more you could have done. 0 means none.

Example result

Estimated dumbbell bench press 1RM

39kg

Brzycki, for comparison

40kg

30 kg × 8 with 2 in reserve counts as 10 reps to failure.

Your rep maxes
  • 37.5 kg2RM
  • 37.5 kg3RM
  • 35 kg5RM
  • 32.5 kg8RM
  • 30 kg10RM
Working loads from your estimated max, rounded to 2.5 kg
GoalSets × repsRIRLoad
Strength sixes3 × 6232.5 kg
Muscle-building eights3 × 8230 kg
Higher-rep tens3 × 10130 kg
Twelves to finish2 × 12127.5 kg
Build a dumbbell bench press session from this set

Dumbbell bench press examples

Every weight here is one dumbbell. The racks people train with run from a light home set to the heaviest pair in the gym, and the useful answer changes with it.

  • Example 1

    Eight reps with the 70s

    An intermediate lifter who pressed a pair of 70 lb dumbbells for 8, with 2 more in the tank.

    Weight per dumbbell
    70 lb
    Reps completed
    8
    Reps in reserve
    2
    • Estimated dumbbell bench press 1RM91 lb

    The working-load table puts the next sets of 6 on the 75s. Move up a pair for the first set of the next session and keep the 70s for the sets of 8 after it.

    Build a dumbbell bench press session from this set Open with these numbers

  • Example 2

    A light pair, getting stronger

    A woman three months into training, pressing 12.5 kg dumbbells for 8 with 2 left.

    Weight per dumbbell
    12.5 kg
    Reps completed
    8
    Reps in reserve
    2
    • Estimated dumbbell bench press 1RM16.5 kg

    The next pair up, 15 kg, is 20% heavier, a far bigger step than adding plates to a bar. Add reps first: when every set of the 12.5s reaches 12 with 2 in reserve, the same formula puts the 15s at sets of 5 with 2 in reserve, and you build from there.

    Build a dumbbell bench press session from this set Open with these numbers

  • Example 3

    Maxed-out home dumbbells

    A home lifter whose adjustable dumbbells top out at 22.5 kg, pressing them for 15 with about 2 left.

    Weight per dumbbell
    22.5 kg
    Reps completed
    15
    Reps in reserve
    2
    • Estimated dumbbell bench press 1RM~34.5 kg

    A 17-rep effort is past where a max estimate means much, and for this lifter the max doesn't matter. The dumbbells are the ceiling, so keep sets of 15 to 20 close to failure, slow the lowering, and add a pause at the bottom when the reps run past 20.

    Build a dumbbell bench press session from this set Open with these numbers

  • Example 4

    Heavy dumbbells, a set of 5

    A strong lifter who kicked up the 100 lb dumbbells for 5, with 1 rep left.

    Weight per dumbbell
    100 lb
    Reps completed
    5
    Reps in reserve
    1
    • Estimated dumbbell bench press 1RM117 lb

    At this weight, getting the bells into place and back down safely becomes part of every set. A top set of 5 or 6 is as heavy as dumbbells make sense; build strength past it with the barbell bench.

    Build a dumbbell bench press session from this set Open with these numbers

Enter one dumbbell, not the pair

Type the number printed on one dumbbell. Everything the calculator shows, from the max to the working loads, is per hand, which is the dumbbell you'll pick up off the rack. RIRLift logs dumbbell sets the same way.

To compare with your barbell bench, the dumbbell to barbell calculator converts a pair of dumbbells into a barbell estimate.

Why the next pair feels so much heavier

Dumbbells usually go up 2.5 kg or 5 lb per hand. On light dumbbells that is a big share of the weight: by the formula behind this calculator, 8 reps to failure with the 20 kg pair works out to about 4 with the 22.5s. Add reps before you add weight, and move up when the top of your rep range comes easy.

How big one dumbbell jump is
Pair nowNext pairHeavier by
10 kg12.5 kg25%
20 kg22.5 kg12.5%
30 kg32.5 kg8%
25 lb30 lb20%
50 lb55 lb10%

Dumbbell bench press technique

The lift this calculator is for

Flat Dumbbell Press

Chest

Depth and the kick-up decide what a rep is worth. Reps that stop well above chest level, or a set that starts with a struggle to get the bells up, give a max you won't repeat. Enter sets with the same depth you always train.

How to do it

  1. Sit on the end of a flat bench with the dumbbells standing on your thighs, then lie back and use your knees to help them up to your chest as your back reaches the bench.
  2. Plant your feet, squeeze your shoulder blades back and down, and press the bells up until they sit over your chest with your palms facing your feet.
  3. Lower the dumbbells under control, elbows travelling down and out at roughly 45 degrees from your torso.
  4. Stop when the handles reach chest level and you feel a stretch across the chest, with your forearms vertical.
  5. Press back up, bringing the bells slightly toward each other at the top without clanking them together.

Cues

  • Shoulder blades pinned
  • Forearms vertical
  • Press up and in

Common mistakes

  • Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides: tuck them partway so your upper arms point a little toward your hips.
  • Cutting the depth as the set gets hard: those short reps make the estimate look better than your press is.
  • Picking up dumbbells you can't get into position: if the kick-up is a struggle, the set will be too.

Swap for: Incline Dumbbell Press, Barbell Bench Press, Push-Up

Full dumbbell bench press guide

Make it fit you

  • Test with 5 to 10 reps

    Dumbbell sets in that range give the most useful number. A heavy single with dumbbells is awkward to set up and to bail from, and it tells you little more than a hard set of 5.

  • Use your gym's rack

    Loads round to 2.5 kg or 5 lb. If your gym goes up in 2 kg steps, or your home set jumps by more, pick the pair nearest the suggested load and adjust reps to hit the reps in reserve.

  • Count both arms honestly

    If one arm finishes the set with 2 left and the other with 0, enter 0. The weaker side sets the max, and it's the one you are training up.

  • Flat and incline are separate

    An incline dumbbell press is a different lift with its own max. Run an incline set through the incline bench press calculator for the barbell version, or keep a separate note for the incline dumbbells.

  • Not sure which pair to start with?

    If you haven't pressed dumbbells before, the dumbbell weight calculator suggests a first pair, and your first set gives this calculator something to work with.

Questions

Do I enter one dumbbell or both?

One. Enter the number on a single dumbbell. The max and every working load come out per hand.

How do I convert my dumbbell bench to a barbell bench?

Use the dumbbell to barbell calculator. Balancing two dumbbells costs some force, so the barbell estimate is not simply your two dumbbells added together.

How accurate is a dumbbell bench max calculator?

From a hard set of 5 to 10 reps, close enough to pick your next pair. Past about 10 reps to failure the estimate drifts, which is why the calculator stops showing rep maxes there.

What size dumbbells should I use for 8 reps?

The working-load table under the result gives it: the pair for 3 sets of 8 with 2 reps in reserve. Round to the nearest pair your gym has.

Is a 70 lb dumbbell bench press good?

It depends on your sex, bodyweight and how long you've trained. Enter your set with the 70s above, then compare the max with your barbell bench on the dumbbell to barbell calculator.

Sources

Know which pair to grab next

Log weight per dumbbell, reps and RIR on every set and RIRLift keeps your estimated max current, then picks the pair for your next session from the jumps your dumbbells really make.

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