WHETHER YOU DEVOTE an entire day of your weekly workout routine to chiselling out your chest or lump the muscle group into the occasional push day, we’re going to assume the basis of your chest workout involves some variation of bench press and a few ancillary lifts. Don’t get us wrong, bench press is an extremely effective way to build muscle, but by ignoring other chest exercises, you’re leaving a lot on the table.
You see, there are so many more chest exercises that can help you swell your pecs. From isometric bodyweight holds to classic dumbbell lifts, adding some variety to your chest workouts means you’ll be hitting your chest from multiple angles, ultimately building a bigger, stronger upper torso. This, in turn, will make your whole body stronger, allowing you to go heavier during other lifts.
There’s no downside to shaking up how you approach your chest. Whether you’re looking to adopt a more efficient method or simply escape the tedium of routine, these are the best chest exercises to help you build bigger pecs.
What are the best chest exercises?
1. Dips
As opposed to the standard push up, dips require you to lift your entire bodyweight, not just part of it. As you probably know, more weight = more gains. Dips are particularly effective because they engage the pectoralis major, the largest muscle in your chest, resulting in a larger look.
How to do it:
- With parallel bars on either side of your body, lift yourself off the ground while keeping your arms straight.
- Begin bending your arms and slowly lowering yourself until your arms are at right angles.
- Drive yourself back up to your starting point, using your chest for power.
2. Decline push-ups
Whereas regular push-ups target the middle of your pecs, decline push-ups shift the emphasis to your lower chest, a difficult region to apply pressure to.
How to do it:
- Assume a high plank position, with your feet placed on a bench, block or anything stable. Your feet should be level with your shoulders, or slightly higher.
- Perform a push-up as you would normally.
3. Diamond push-ups
While they do target your outer chest, diamond (AKA close grip) push-ups come with the added bonus of working your triceps.
- Get in a regular push-up position and place your hands closer together than usual. Your index fingers and thumbs should form a diamond shape.
- Perform a push-up as you normally would.
4. Push-ups
The very definition of a classic exercise, push-ups are easy to learn and can be performed just about anywhere with no equipment required. Depending on what variation you use, you can target every muscle in the chest by doing push-ups. And while you almost certainly know how to do them, here’s a quick how-to anyway.
How to do it:
- Assume a high plank position, with your hands directly below your shoulders.
- Lower yourself until your chest is just above the ground.
- Drive back up into your starting position.
5. Dumbbell press
Yes, dumbbell press does work the exact same muscles as bench press, but by having a dumbbell in each hand rather than a lone barbell, you can increase your range of motion to go lower and improve the effectiveness of the movement.
How to do it:
- Lay flat on a bench with your knees bent.
- Hold a pair of dumbbells just above chest level, with your elbows locked into an approximate right angle.
- Push the dumbbells into the air until your arms are straight.
- Lower the dumbbells to starting position and repeat.
6. Incline dumbbell press
Like flat dumbbell press, incline dumbbell press allows you to increase the range of motion you’d usually use on barbell bench press. This time, the focus moves to your upper chest.
How to do it:
- Lay on a bench with a 30 to 45-degree incline, with your knees bent.
- Perform a standard dumbbell press.
7. Dumbbell incline flys
Dumbbell flys allow you to fully stretch out your chest while under load, with one of the largest ranges of motion of any chest exercise. In addition to building strength, dumbbell flys also open up your chest and can improve posture and reduce lower back pain. Great for a warm-up.
How to do it:
- Lay flat on a bench with your knees bent.
- Lift two dumbbells in the air until your arms are at 45-degree angles.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells sideways, until they are horizontal to your body.
- Lift the dumbbells back upwards to the starting position and repeat.
8. Dumbbell squeeze press
For the difficult task of targeting your inner chest, go for dumbbell squeeze press.
How to do it:
- Lay on a flat bench with your knees bent.
- Hold two dumbbells directly above your chest.
- Lift the dumbbells directly upward, until your arms are at full extension.
- Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat.
9. Bench press
It’s a classic for a reason. Bench press is commonly used as a barometer for measuring your overall strength, and it works every inch of your chest.
How to do it:
- Lay flat on a bench beneath a racked barbell, with your knees bent.
- Unrack the barbell with your hands placed slightly wider than shoulder width and bring it into position directly above the centre of your chest.
- Slowly lower the barbell until it sits just above your chest.
- Bring the barbell back up to its starting position, maintaining control and ensuring your elbows don’t flare.
10. Close grip bench press
Similar to dumbbell squeeze press, close grip bench press works your inner chest. It’s also great for building tricep strength, which in turn will help increase your PRs for chest exercises.
How to do it:
- Like with bench press, lay flat on a bench beneath a racked barbell, with your knees bent.
- Unrack the barbell with your hands placed less than shoulder width apart and bring it into position directly above the centre of your chest.
- Slowly lower the barbell until it sits just above your chest.
- Bring the barbell back up to its starting position, maintaining control and ensuring your elbows don’t flare.
11. Cable crossovers
To target both your upper and lower chest simultaneously, cable crossovers are a great option – and they’re the perfect finisher.
How to do it:
- Attach handles to the pulleys of a cable machine, with the cables set in a high position overhead.
- Take one handle in each hand and start with your arms in a slight bend behind your torso.
- Place one foot slightly forward and pull the handles downward across your body.
- Return to the starting position while maintaining control.
