Tips on Decline DB Bench

Any tips on how to best setup a decline dumbbell bench press, assuming you don’t have someone to spot you? I’ve tried sitting on the edge to load, but the bench tips forward with heavy weights. Does anyone grab the weights from the declined position? Setting down the weights at the end of the set is easy enough, I’m just looking for a better way to load at the top of the set.

Can you bolt your bench to the floor? Or add a lot of weight to hold the bench down.

I get setup sitting on the far front of the bench, hold the DBs tight to torso and slowly lean back.

I’ve tried that same technique, but unfortunately the bench tips when I go with heavier dumbbells. There’s no way to bolt the bench since I use a public gym. I might try weighting it down with 45s, but not sure how much that would help. Surely there’s a better technique for people that do heavy dumbbell decline presses? I can’t imagine everyone needs a spotter to do this.

I’ve tried setting the DBs on another bench, just beyond the head position of the decline. Or even two benches, one each side. It kind-of works if you get the positions just right, but it isn’t that great.

Just a tough exercise without a spotter, I reckon.

i set one DB right beyond my head on the ground and i rest the other DB in between my feet on the leg catches. from there i pick up the DB behind my head first with 2 hands, do a sit up and grab the other DB. I also do decline DB’s at the end of my workout so i am not going too heavy. this technique might not work if the DB’s are over 100lbs or so…

In Gym: Smith machine… Sorry…

At home: Iron master Bench seems real stable, but I don’t push the weights common here…

In Gym: Smith machine… Sorry…

At home: Iron master Bench seems real stable, but I don’t push the weights common here…

In Gym: Smith machine… Sorry…

At home: Iron master Bench seems real stable, but I don’t push the weights common here…

Not to hiJack,

But I order benches 3x10 incline, flat then decline… Is that ok?

Bench at my gym (public) is bolted. Maybe the BB bench is bolted and you could use the BB decline.

I wouldn’t be able to do DB decline if it wasn’t, the same thing Forlife described would happen.

Hold both DBs, position one in front of your leg and "kick it up to position that leg on the bench and lock it up, by then you’re half-seated, place the other db in front of your standing leg, then kick it up to set it like the first one.

A little awkward at first, but it works quite well once you get used to it.

Don’t do them.

Do decline flyes or wide chest dips. Wide dips are basically an exaggerated decline bench if you do them right. But, you need a dip station or adjustable dip station so you can get out a little wider than normal and lean into (chest down, butt away) when dropping down. Anyone still have a Gironda style angled dip station?

I’ve seen a guy set up dumbbells on each side of the decline bench and put the dumbbells he is going to use on top of those, seems easy enough to load up.

I work out alone. Heavy decline DB pressing is a pain in the ass. I personally choose either the barbell version or weighted dips. It gets dangerous setting it up by yourself even when you have a bench that doesn’t tip.

I appreciate the tips, will do a little more experimenting. I do weighted dips every week, but don’t really like decline barbell because it’s hard to safely go heavy without a spotter.

Any other ideas are welcome.

Ive never had the bench tip over and i go heavy up to the 150 lb dbs. I normally pick them up from a standing position and then lie down on the bench. But the trick is to keep them in front of ur legs until you lie down. I can show u beetter than i can tell u