Dumbbell Bench Press w/Twist

If you want to add muscle to your chest, dumbbell bench presses do the job quickly.

But one subtle adjustment to the standard move will help you build even more brawn: Slowly rotate the weights inward as you push them up, so your elbows are closer together when your arms are fully extended.

“This forces your chest muscles to contract more powerfully during the press,” explains fitness expert Wayne Westcott, PhD. And that means you’ll develop more muscle with fewer repetitions.

How to do it:

Lie on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Hold the dumbbells with your palms facing your knees, your elbows pointing straight out and bent 90 degrees.

As you raise the dumbbells, slowly turn your fists inward so that your knuckles face each other when your arms are fully extended. Contract your chest muscles forcefully for 1 full second, then lower the dumbbells as you rotate your hands back to their starting position.

Do two sets of 10 repetitions, and use heavier dumbbells when you can do 12 repetitions easily.