Best
Workouts & Exercises for the Chest to Gain Muscle
Best Chest
Exercises
1.
Flat Bench Press
2.
Incline Bench Press
3.
Decline Bench Press
4.
Dip
5.
Dumbbell Bench Press
6.
Dumbbell Floor Press
7.
Incline Dumbbell Hex Press
8.
Chest Flye
9.
Cable Press-Around
10. Decline Push up
11 Close Grip Bench Press
12. Push-Up
13. Cable Crossover
14. Plyo Push-Up
15. Dumbbell Pullover
1. Flat
Bench Press
Equipment Needed
Bench press station, barbell, weight plates
Because you can load the bench press with a
relatively heavy weight, compared to most other chest exercises, it’s one of
the best exercises for building mass and strength in the chest.
“If you can, bench press should be a part of every chest exercise
program.” “This is the most fundamental exercise you can do for your
chest.”
How to do Flat Bench Press
- Plant your feet on the ground, slightly
arch your lower back, and lie back down on a bench. - To improve stability and strength in your
upper back, pull your shoulder blades together. - To fully extend your arm and grip your
muscles, grab the bar and clench your hand. - Consider bringing the barbell up to your
body to make contact with your sternum or the base of your chest when the
load is unracked. - While pressing the weight upward,
maintain a taut back and a pulled-in shoulder blade.
Changes
- Simplify It: To make the bench press
easier on your joints, consider using a Swiss barbell, if you have one. - Make It More Difficult: For an effective
core workout, bench while keeping your feet raised in the air.
2. Incline
Bench Press
Equipment Needed
Incline bench press station or adjustable weight bench, barbell
Because the incline press is a cross between
the overhead press and the flat bench press, lifting a barbell (or two
kettlebells or dumbbells) from an incline activates more muscle fibers in the
upper chest and puts greater strain on the shoulders.
How to
Carry It Out
- A weight bench should be set up similarly
to a flat bench press and adjusted to a 45-degree angle. - Pull the weight down to align it with the
upper chest, which is a few inches below the clavicle, after unracking the
loaded barbell. - with the elbows bent at a 45-degree angle
and the shoulder blades drawn together. - Raise the barbell with a push.
- alterations.
- To make it easier, try limiting your
range of motion by not putting the bar to your chest, or try a narrow grip
if you have shoulder problems. - To increase difficulty, consider pausing
at the end of each iteration.
3. Decline
Bench Press
Equipment Needed Decline bench
press station, barbell, weight plates
Because of the altered shoulder angle, this
pressing variation usually puts less strain on your shoulders than the regular
bench press. Additionally, you’ll be able to approach your inner chest from a
different perspective, which is crucial if you want to build a muscular body
with a variety of functional movements.
How to
Carry It Out
- Place your feet in a declining bench
position first, then firmly plant your hips and upper back on the bench
(much like you would for a flat bench press). - Maintaining the shoulder blades together,
unscrew the weight and draw the burden down toward the sternum. - For your elbows to lock out, press
through the barbell. Make sure the elbows don’t extend too far out. - Changes
- To make it easier, if you don’t have a
decline bench station, you can perform this exercise using dumbbells
instead. - Make It Harder: To add some dynamic
tension, consider adding chains to your bar.
4. Dip
Equipment Needed Dip bars or
assisted pull-up + dip station
The dip is another bodyweight gem. It comes
out toward the top of this list and is also one of the best arm
exercises out there — the dip really is a powerhouse.
“Dips are deceptively useful — they really
stretch out your chest and help you build functional strength.
How To Do
It
- Grab the dip bar firmly and get
yourself in the top of the dip position, with your upper back tight and
shoulder blades squeezed together. - Angle your torso slightly forward and
allow your elbows to bend as they slightly tuck inwards towards the sides
of the torso. - Lower yourself down until your elbows
bend at about 90 degrees. - When ready, press through the handles and
bring your body upright into the top of the dip position.
Changes
- To make it easier, use a knee
pad-equipped assisted dip station or wrap a resistance band around the dip
bars for some elasticity aid. - Make It More Difficult: For this upper
back workout, work your way up to performing weighted dips with a dip belt
attached.
5. Dumbbell
Bench Press
Equipment Needed Weight
bench, dumbbells,
The dumbbell bench press doesn’t
allow you to go as heavy as its barbell counterpart, but there’s a lot to like
about this move. For one, you’re controlling two dumbbells, which works your
chest (and the smaller stabilizer muscles around your shoulder joint)
differently than the bench press.
Like all chest exercises with dumbbells, this
move has a secret weapon — if you have a weaker side, this move’s unilateral
nature allows one side to catch up to the other.
How To Do
It
- Sit up on a flat bench and then hinge
forward to pick up each dumbbell. - Place each weight on a knee and get set.
- Lean back and then drive the dumbbells
back towards you (carefully) with your knees, simultaneously pressing the
weights over your chest. - Lower the weights, keeping your elbows
tucked in at 45 degrees until your elbows break 90 degrees. - Then, drive the dumbbells back
up.
Changes
- Simplify It: To relieve some of the
strain on your shoulders, use a neutral grip. - Make It Harder: Lower the weights to your
chest and practice at a tempo of three to four seconds.
6. Cable
Press
Equipment Needed
Adjustable cable station, adjustable weight bench
The cable press allows you to to train your
pecs through their two primary anatomical functions; arm adduction and shoulder
flexion. In simple terms, the tension of the cable pulls your arm both backward
and out to the side, doubling down on the stimulus to your pecs.
How To Do
It
- Set up an adjustable weight bench a few
feet in front of a cable station with the seat elevated high. - The cables should be fixed with D-handle
attachments and set to around shoulder height when you sit on the bench. - Stand behind the bench, grab each handle,
and step around the bench to sit in it. - Simulate a chest press position while
holding the handles with your elbows bent and out to the sides. - Perform a chest press, driving the
handles forward and inward toward your midline
Changes
- To make this chest and shoulder workout
easier to set up, reduce your range of motion by placing the bench between
the two cable attachments rather than in front of them. - Make It Harder: Experiment with the bench
seat’s angle; you could discover that a little less inclination makes the
exercise harder on your pecs.
7. Incline
Dumbbell Hex Press
Equipment Needed
Adjustable weight bench, dumbbells
Although it’s a good place to start, you need
to do more than just slam presses on a flat bench to develop the greatest pair
of pecs you can. Exercises for the upper chest that bias the top fibers in your
chest can be quite beneficial.
The incline hex press does multiple tasks simultaneously. You may concurrently
work on your front delts and triceps, contract your chest both isometrically
and dynamically, and activate your upper chest the entire time.
How To Do
It
- Lie on a low-to-medium incline bench with
a pair of dumbbells above your head. - Tuck your inner arms against your torso
and clasp the sides of the dumbbells together. - Squeeze them tightly and lower your arms
down until the bells touch your chest. - Reverse the motion, ensuring the
dumbbells don’t come apart at any point.
- Changes
- Make It Easier: Try a low incline here to
reduce the load on your shoulders. - Make It Harder: This exercise is
well-suited for drop sets, so grab multiple pairs of dumbbells.
8. Chest
Flye
Equipment Needed
Weight bench, dumbbells
The chest flye is a well-liked bodybuilding
exercise to lengthen the muscular fibers and increase muscle mass. Depending on
the tool you’re using, it’s also known as dumbbell flyes or cable flyes. Your
body’s coordination will also be enhanced by using dumbbells since you have to
stabilize each weight separately.
How to Carry It Out
- With a dumbbell in each hand, recline on
a bench that is either level, inclining, or declining. - Lower your arms to your sides slowly and
deliberately, bending your elbows slightly in the process. - Turn the movement around and bring the
weights back to the beginning position by pressing your upper arms against
your torso.
Modifications
- Make It Easier: Do this move on the floor
to ensure your arms don’t sink too deep below your torso. - Make It Harder: Try the chest flye on a
low incline bench to really challenge your upper pecs.
9. Cable
Press-Around
Equipment Needed
Adjustable cable station
Include exercises that challenge your pecs
across their whole range of motion if you want to get the most out of your
chest training. Presses and flies don’t quite meet this condition, but the wire
press-around does. If you can perfect the technique, it can also incorporate a
rotating component and excite your pecs in a whole new way.
How to Carry It Out
- Position yourself 45 degrees away from a
cable handle that is approximately waist height. - Take hold of the handle and let it drag
stress across your chest. - Sweep your elbow around your torso
slightly bent. - Firmly squeeze your pecs. At the finish,
pause for one beat, then do the opposite motion.
Modifications
- Make It Easier: You can perform this move
while seated instead of standing. - Make It Harder: Try doing a drop
set for each of your arms.
10. Decline
Push-Up
Equipment Needed Plyo
box or weight bench,
Push-ups aren’t just a beginner chest
exercise. Modifying the movement by adjusting the angle of your body can
emphasize different parts of your chest. By elevating your feet on a weight
bench or plyo box, you’ll find that the decline push-up is far more difficult
than the default move.
How To Do
It
- Get into a push-up position with your
feet elevated on a low plyo box or weight bench. - From here, unlock your elbows and lower
your body down toward the floor. - When your elbows are behind your torso
and you feel a deep stretch across your chest, push into the ground with
your palms to return to the starting position.
Changes
- To make it easier, try placing your feet on a bumper plate to lower
their elevation.
- To intensify this exercise, place a
weight plate on your upper back or grasp a resistance band in your hands.
11.
Close-Grip Bench Press
Equipment Needed Bench press
station, barbell
Your upper pecs, triceps, and shoulders will
be biased if you perform the close-grip bench press. For most people, the
narrow grip is also a little more comfortable, particularly if doing a standard
bench press bothers your shoulders.
Fitbulk says, “I use this bench press variation regularly in my own
training.” “I can lift heavy objects with less strain on my
shoulders.”
How to
Carry It Out
- Position yourself in a bench press
station with your feet flat on the ground and your eyes squarely beneath
the barbell. - Using a thin, shoulder-width (or somewhat
closer) grip, hold onto the bar. - Pull it straight out of the station so
that your arms are directly over your shoulders to unrack it. - Keeping your upper arms snugly tucked to
your sides, lower the bar to your body. - Press up and back in the opposite
direction until the bar is over your shoulders once more.
Changes
- Simplify It: If you need to restrict your
range of motion, try the close-grip floor press. - Make It More Difficult: Raising your feet
and putting them on the end of the bench increases the amount of stability
required.
12. Push-Up
The push-up is the gold standard for
bodyweight chest exercises, right behind the dip. Your joints won’t be under as
much stress from working out with simply your body weight as they would be from
weighted exercises. Additionally, you have a lot of muscle to gain overall
because you can perform a lot of pushups in a short period of time.
How to
Carry It Out
- Assume a plank posture, placing your feet
together, your back flat, and your hands beneath your shoulders. - Press your hands firmly into the earth.
Your chest should start to stiffen. - Maintain this posture, and then gradually
lower yourself until your chest is just a little bit off the ground. - Proceed to accelerate upward using your
hands’ palms.
Changes
- To make it easier, you
can kneel or brace your body against a low bench or box to perform
push-ups with your body inclined. - To Increase Difficulty,
Consider Performing Push-Ups on an Upper Back Weight Plate.
13. Cable
Crossover
Equipment Needed
Adjustable cable station, D-handle attachments
Exercises for the cable crossover and cable
flye are essentially the same. The majority of the benefits of this chest
exercise come from the deep, extended stretch it gives your pecs, though you
can choose to cross your hands over one another at the conclusion of each
repetition. Crossovers, also known as cable flyes, are an excellent way to end
a chest exercise.
How to Carry it out
- Attach two D-handle attachments so that
the handles are approximately shoulder height to the carabiners of two
nearby adjustable cable stations. - To pull the weight taut, take a step
forward and grab each handle while facing away from the cable stack. - Draw your arms around and forth toward
your midline, keeping your elbows somewhat straight. - You can use the cables to create a “X”
shape by crossing your hands over one another.
Changes
- Make It Easier: You can ease the strain
on your shoulders by lowering the cables to a height that is around hip or
around the nipple. - To increase difficulty, try performing
crossovers one arm at a time by extending your working arm past your
midline and toward the shoulder on the other side.
14. Plyo
Push-Up
When you get into the higher push-up rep
ranges, you’re training muscular endurance and not just muscle-building. Enter
the plyo push-up, one of the more difficult push-up variations to perform
Instead of practicing regular endurance, your
main focus will be power. You can stimulate your fast-twitch muscle fibers,
which have enormous growth potential, by performing plyo push-ups. This is not
only a matter of taste. Stronger muscles will directly translate to an
increased capacity for bench pressing.
How to
Carry It Out
- Place your hands beneath your shoulders
to perform a push-up. - Bring yourself down to the ground.
- Push yourself up explosively, lifting
your hands off the ground. - As you descend, slightly bend your elbows
to better absorb the stress. - Quickly lower yourself into a new
push-up. Repeat.
Changes
- Simplify: These can be
simplified by performing them while kneeling. - Make It More Difficult:
While you’re in the air, try landing a frontal and a behind-the-back clap.
15.
Dumbbell Pullover
Because of its special setup and method, the
dumbbell pullover is among the best dumbbell chest exercises you can perform.
One of the few exercises for growing chest that works your upper pecs and
activates your lats and triceps at the same time is this one. Try it on for
yourself and learn why the pullover was so highly regarded by traditional
bodybuilders for its capacity to create a v-tapered torso.
How to Carry It Out
- With your pelvis slightly off the floor,
lie down on a weight bench in a normal or perpendicular orientation. - Raise a dumbbell right in front of your
face with your hands. - Move the weight back behind your head
until your arms are perpendicular to the floor, keeping your elbows
somewhat straight. - Reverse the motion, contracting your pecs
and pulling the weight back into view above your face.
Changes
- Make It Easier: The
range of motion necessary in your shoulders will be slightly reduced if
you lie on a decline bench. - Make It Harder: Instead
of using a dumbbell for this exercise, try it with a straight-bar cable
attachment.
As a seasoned content writer specialized in the fitness and health niche, Arun Bhagat has always wanted to promote wellness. After gaining proper certification as a gym trainer with in-depth knowledge of virtually all the information related to it, he exercised his flair for writing interesting, informative content to advise readers on their healthier lifestyle. His topics range from workout routines, nutrition, and mental health to strategies on how to be more fit in general. His writing is informative but inspiring for people to achieve their wellness goals as well. Arun is committed to equipping those he reaches with the insights and knowledge gained through fitness.