Benches
Shop the Core Bench15 Dumbbell Bench Exercises for a Home Gym (Push, Pull, Legs and Core)
One adjustable bench and one pair of dumbbells cover almost every muscle in the body. Here are the 15 best dumbbell bench exercises with the bench angle for each, plus three ready-made home workouts.
One bench and one pair of dumbbells cover almost every muscle in the body. This guide gives you the 15 best dumbbell bench exercises for a home gym, grouped by push, pull, legs and core, with the bench angle for each one. Every move works on the BrainGain Core Bench, a folding bench with 7 backrest positions, and finishes with three ready-made workouts you can do tonight.
Still choosing a bench? Read our folding weight bench buying guide first.
The short version
- 15 exercises: 5 push, 4 pull, 4 legs, 2 core, all on one adjustable bench.
- You need: a bench with flat and incline settings and a pair of adjustable dumbbells.
- Our setup: BrainGain Core Bench (£99.99) with the 24 kg SmartBells Evo (£149.99), or the Intermediate Gym Bundle (£399) with a kettlebell and stand.
- Three workouts at the end: full body, upper and lower.
Push: chest, shoulders and triceps
| Exercise | Bench angle | Main muscles | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Flat dumbbell bench press | flat | chest, triceps | lower until the dumbbells are level with your chest |
| 2. Incline dumbbell press | low incline | upper chest, shoulders | use the first or second incline notch, not the steepest |
| 3. Seated shoulder press | upright | shoulders, triceps | keep your back against the pad |
| 4. Dumbbell fly | flat | chest | soft elbows, go lighter than you think |
| 5. Lying triceps extension | flat | triceps | elbows point at the ceiling, hands drop by your ears |
Pull: back and biceps
| Exercise | Bench angle | Main muscles | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6. One-arm dumbbell row | flat | lats, upper back | one knee and one hand on the bench, pull to your hip |
| 7. Chest-supported row | low incline, lie face down | upper back | the bench stops you cheating with your hips |
| 8. Dumbbell pullover | flat, lie across it | lats, chest | one dumbbell held in both hands |
| 9. Incline curl | incline | biceps | arms hang behind you for a longer stretch |
A bench makes rows far easier to do well. ThePowerPlant's review below shows the 40 kg SmartBells Original, a good match for heavy one-arm rows.
ThePowerPlant reviews the 40 kg SmartBells Original: 17 settings from 5 to 40 kg.
Legs and glutes
| Exercise | Bench angle | Main muscles | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10. Bulgarian split squat | flat, rear foot on the bench | quads, glutes | the best single leg exercise you can do at home |
| 11. Hip thrust | flat, upper back on the bench edge | glutes | dumbbell across your hips, pause at the top |
| 12. Step-up | flat | quads, glutes | check the bench is stable first and drive through the front foot |
| 13. Seated calf raise | flat, sit on the end | calves | dumbbells on your knees |
Core
| Exercise | Bench angle | Main muscles | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14. Anchored sit-up | flat, feet under the leg roller | abs | hold a light dumbbell on your chest to progress |
| 15. Seated knee tuck | flat, sit on the edge | lower abs | lean back and pull your knees in |
| General guidance, not medical advice. Warm up first and pick a weight where the last two reps feel hard. | |||
A bench turns a pair of dumbbells from a handful of moves into a full programme.
Three bench workouts to start with
- Full body, 30 minutes: flat press, one-arm row, Bulgarian split squat, hip thrust, anchored sit-up. 3 sets of 8 to 12.
- Upper, 30 minutes: incline press, chest-supported row, seated shoulder press, pullover, incline curl, lying triceps extension. 3 sets of 10.
- Lower, 25 minutes: Bulgarian split squat, step-up, hip thrust, seated calf raise, seated knee tuck. 3 sets of 10 to 15.
Two full-body sessions a week meet the NHS guideline of strength work on at least two days. A review in Sports Medicine by Iversen and colleagues found that about 4 hard sets per muscle group a week can build strength and muscle, so these workouts do not need to be long. The Pennywise Pundit's review below compares the 24 kg and 40 kg dumbbell sets, the two weights most people use with a bench.
The Pennywise Pundit reviews the BrainGain 24 kg and 40 kg adjustable dumbbell sets.
The kit for all 15 exercises
1. SmartBells Intermediate Gym Bundle
£399.00 · was £689.99
The Intermediate Gym Bundle has the Core Bench, the 24 kg SmartBells Evo, the 18 kg kettlebell and the stand. Every exercise above, plus kettlebell swings.
2. Core Bench + 24 kg SmartBells Evo
£99.99 + £149.99 = £249.98
The Core Bench with the 24 kg SmartBells Evo, 2.5 to 24 kg per hand with a twist of the handle. T3 gave the 24 kg Evo a T3 Recommends award in June 2026.
3. Stronger lifters: Core Bench + 40 kg SmartBells
£99.99 + £269.99 (Original) or £349.99 (Evo)
If you already press or row more than 24 kg, go for the 40 kg SmartBells Original or the 40 kg SmartBells Evo. Check the bench ratings: 380 kg load and 120 kg maximum user weight.
The verdict
With one adjustable bench and one pair of dumbbells you can train every major muscle group with 15 exercises. The BrainGain Core Bench covers all of them at £99.99, folds away after each session, and pairs with the 24 kg SmartBells Evo for £249.98 in total. For the full set, including a kettlebell and stand, the Intermediate Gym Bundle costs £399.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exercises can you do with a bench and dumbbells?
Flat and incline presses, shoulder presses, flyes, triceps extensions, one-arm and chest-supported rows, pullovers, incline curls, Bulgarian split squats, hip thrusts, step-ups, calf raises and sit-ups. That is 15 exercises covering every major muscle group.
What is the best bench angle for incline dumbbell press?
A low incline, the first or second notch above flat. Steeper angles shift the work to the shoulders.
How many sets do I need to build muscle at home?
A 2021 review in Sports Medicine by Iversen and colleagues found that about 4 hard sets per muscle group per week, in the 6 to 15 rep range, can build strength and muscle.
Do I need an adjustable bench or is a flat bench enough?
A flat bench covers about two-thirds of the exercises here. An adjustable bench adds incline presses, chest-supported rows, seated shoulder presses and incline curls.
Which BrainGain bench works for these exercises?
The Core Bench, £99.99. It has 7 backrest positions from flat to incline, 4 seat positions, a removable leg roller for sit-ups, and folds to 87 × 29 × 50 cm.
24-month warranty on BrainGain dumbbells, kettlebells and benches in the UK store. Prices checked 9 November 2026.
Keep reading
- BrainGain UK store product pages, prices and specifications checked on braingain.fit on 9 November 2026.
- BrainGain Core Bench product page: 7 backrest positions (120 to 180 degrees), 4 seat positions, removable leg roller, folds to 87 x 29 x 50 cm, maximum user weight 120 kg, bench load capacity 380 kg, 24-month warranty, checked 9 November 2026.
- Iversen VM et al., "No Time to Lift? Designing Time-Efficient Training Programs for Strength and Hypertrophy", Sports Medicine, 2021.
- NHS, "Physical activity guidelines for adults aged 19 to 64", reviewed 22 May 2024.
- T3, "BrainGain 24kg adjustable dumbbell review", 7 June 2026, T3 Recommends award.
- ThePowerPlant, "40kg Adjustable Dumbbells (BrainGain) - Review", YouTube, 12 October 2023.
- The Pennywise Pundit, "Review BRAINGAIN Adjustable Dumbbells Set 24kg / 40kg Pair", YouTube, 18 February 2025.
- Trustpilot rating for BrainGain: 4.7 stars from 2,000+ reviews, checked 9 November 2026.
This article is for general information and is not medical advice. Prices checked on braingain.fit on 9 November 2026.