Building a powerful chest requires a strategic mix of compound and isolation exercises that target different muscle fibers for maximum strength and mass gain. Whether you’re aiming for increased bench press numbers or a more defined upper body, incorporating the right moves into your exercise plan is essential.
In this guide, we break down the 7 best chest exercises that optimize muscle activation, promote hypertrophy, and help you achieve impressive results.
10 out of 10 bodybuilders in the gym want to get a bigger, stronger chest as their goal when they start lifting weights.
Therefore, in addition to training hard, it is necessary to pay attention to a few details in order to achieve the desired results.
That’s why it’s so important to choose the right exercises for your training program, so that you can maximize your results.
Therefore, we’re going to cover different aspects of training this muscle group, its importance, how to train it properly, as well as 7 exercises to include in your training, an example of a training routine and more.
Why chest training is crucial
The chest muscles take an important role in daily activities, like pushing and lifting objects, open a door and more.
Also the chest muscules are importante for a good posture like the back muscles, and its important to a shoulder joint health.
Different sports need strong chest muscles, like baseball, swimming, tennis for better performance, because the chest provides essential support for the upper body.
How to train chest for growth
In order to develop large pecs, you need to make sure you train this muscle group correctly.
Here are some tips for building pecs:
- Control the execution of every rep. There’s no point in moving quickly and uncontrollably.
To maximize the work you do on your chest, you need to move slower and more controlled, making the exercise more efficient.
- Maximize the range of motion. Not only the weight you lift its responsible to create big pecs.
You will have a better stimulus for muscle hypertrophy if you perform each repetition at a complete range of motion.
- Focus os bench press with dumbells. The conventional bench press its a great exercise for a big chest, but there are some pros working out wilth dumbells.
When training with dumbells,its possible to have a better strecht at the bottom of the movement. This will enhance more muscle activation from the pecs.
The 7 best exercises for chest training
1° Bench press
This is the main exercise in the chest training routine. The bench press its responsible for gains in stregth and mass.
Muscles worked:
The bench press works the pecs muscles, deltoid (anterior head) and tríceps.
How to perform:
Start the exercise lying on the bench, then hold the bar and remove it from the support. Lower the bar until the bar its next to the chest and then extend your elbows, until you return to the strating position.
Finish the number of repetitions previously stipulated.
2° Incline bench press
The incline bench press is also very important exercise for chest growth.By tilting the bench its possible to work the upper chest.
Muscles worked:
Like the bench press, the incline bench press stimulate the pecs, anterior deltoid and tríceps.
How to perform:
Then lie down on the bench, hold the bar and remove it from the rack, start the exercise by lowering the bar to your chest, then extend your elbows and repeat the movement until you complete the set.
3° Parallel bar dips
Parallel bars can also be a great addition to your workout routine.
Adding this exercise to your workout can lead to gains and increased mass in this muscle.
Muscles worked:
Parallel bars work the chest, deltoids and triceps when performed.
How to perform:
Place your hands on the parallel bars and lift your legs off the floor, then bend your arms until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Then extend your elbows until you return to the starting position and perform the number of reps previously indicated.
4° Flat dumbbell bench press
The bench press with dumbbells is an exercise that works the chest and has the advantage of allowing a greater range of motion.
This exercise also allows you to work on asymmetries in each limb.
The dumbbell bench press works the pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, and tríceps.
How to perform:
Begin by lying on the bench with one dumbbell in each hand.
Next, extend your elbows and tighten your chest as much as possible, then lower yourself with the dumbbells until you have stretched your chest as much as possible, and repeat until you have done the number of reps you set beforehand.
5° Incline dumbbell bench press
The incline dumbbell bench press has the same benefits as the straight dumbbell bench press version, with a greater emphasis on upper chest area.
Muscles worked:
The main muscles worked are the pectoralis major, the deltoid with emphasis on the anterior region, and the triceps, as in the other bench press variations.
How to perform:
Lie flat on the incline bench.
Then begin the exercise with your elbows straight and a dumbbell in each hand.
Bend your elbows until you bring the dumbbells as close to your chest as possible and then extend your elbows.
Finish by repeating for the number of repetitions previously determined.
6° Push ups
Push-ups are an exercise that can be done at home, in the gym, or in any other environment, and their greatest advantage is their practicality.
Muscles worked:
This exercise can be used in a variety of chest training programs. It also works the anterior deltoid and triceps muscles.
How to perform:
Begin by lying down with your arms straight and both hands on the floor, slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
Then bend your arms until your chest is close to the floor.
Finish by extending your arms back to the starting position and repeat until the set is complete.
7° Mid cable cross over
The middle cable crossover is an excellent exercise to emphasize the pectoral region and, when used correctly, can produce good results in chest training.
Working on cable machines has the advantage of greater muscle tension throughout the entire range of motion.
Muscles worked:
The pectoralis major is the main muscle worked during the exercise. However, the anterior deltoid is also recruited.
How to perform:
Begin by positioning the pulley at shoulder height.
Grasp handholds and step forward.
Pull the handles until you close your arms and squeeze your chest as hard as you can.
Then stretch your chest and return to the starting position, repeating until you finish the set.
Sample chest workout program
There are several ways to set up a chest training program to stimulate this muscle and achieve greater hypertrophy results.
Therefore, below is an example of a chest workout where sets, repetitions and intervals should be adjusted according to each person’s needs.
| Exercise | Set | Reps | Rest |
| Bench press | 4 | 6-8 | 90 seconds |
| Incline dumbell chest press | 4 | 6-8 | 90 seconds |
| Mid cable cross over | 3 | 10-12 | 60 seconds |
| Push ups | 3 | 10-12 | 60 seconds |
| Parallel bar dips | 3 | 10-12 | 60 seconds |
Common mistakes to avoid
To get the best results, you need to be vigilant and not make any mistakes that could affect your results.
Here are some mistakes you should avoid when working out your pecs.
- Poor range of motion. One of the biggest mistakes in chest training is to perform the exercises with too little range of motion.
This mistake usually happens when you try to add more weight than you can handle.
To work the chest harder, you need to do the exercise with good amplitude and a weight you can handle.
- Neglecting to warm up before training. Before you start training with the right weight, you need to stretch.Without a proper warm-up, the chances of injury are higher.
Always start at 50% of your desired weight and do a few sets, gradually increasing the weight until you reach the weight you’ll be training with.
- Keeping always the same repetition range. To get the best results, you need to pay attention to periodization.
Doing the same repetition range over and over can lead to a plateau.
Properly planning your workouts and modifying your repetition range will lead to better results.
