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How to Workout the Chest Muscles: Exercises for a Chiseled Chest
Building a chest requires thought in your exercise selection, technique and consistency. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned gym goer, chest exercises are key to building pectoral strength and upper body aesthetics. This will take you through a series of chest exercises, each targeting specific muscle groups for a balanced and strong development.
Flat Bench Barbell Press
One of the most classic compound exercises, the flat bench barbell press hits the chest, shoulders and triceps. Here’s how to do it:
- Setup: Lie on a flat bench and grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder width.
- Execution: Lower the barbell to the middle of your chest, keep your elbows at 45 degrees. Press the barbell up, squeeze your chest at the top.
- Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
- Tip: Keep your feet on the ground and choose the right weight to maintain good form throughout the exercise.
Landmine Chest Press
The landmine chest press is different in its approach, targets the upper chest and provides isolation at a different angle.
- Setup: Face the landmine attachment, kneel down and hold the barbell at chest level with both hands.
- Execution: Press the barbell up until your arms are fully extended, then lower back down.
- Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
- Tip: Stay stable and engage your core.
Flat Bench Dumbbell Fly
This exercise is for stretching and squeezing the chest muscles.
- Setup: Lie on a flat bench with light dumbbells in each hand, arms straight above your chest.
- Execution: With a slight bend in your elbows, lower the dumbbells in a wide arc until you feel the stretch in your chest, then bring them back together above your chest, squeeze the muscles.
- Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
- Tip: Use lighter weight to control and avoid shoulder strain.
Dumbbell Pullover
Target your lower chest, lats and triceps with the dumbbell pullover, a full upper body exercise.
- Setup: Lie across a flat bench with only your upper back and shoulders on the bench, hold a dumbbell above your chest.
- Execution: Lower the dumbbell behind your head, stretch your lower chest and lats, then back to the starting position.
- Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
- Tip: For more range of motion, lower your hips than your shoulders.
Smith Machine Incline Press
Great exercise to target the upper chest with more stability and form.
- Setup: Place an incline bench at 30-45 degrees in the middle of a Smith machine, and grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder width.
- Execution: Lower the barbell to your upper chest and press up until your arms are fully extended.
- Reps: 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
- Tip: Control the movement and make sure the bench is at the right angle to hit the upper chest.
High-to-Low Cable Fly (Cable Cross-Over)
Great for the lower part of the chest, the high-to-low cable fly is a controlled and effective exercise.
- Setup: Attach D-handles to the highest pulley positions of a cable machine, step forward and hold the handles with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Execution: Bring the handles down and together in front of you, squeeze your lower chest, then back to the starting position.
- Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
- Tip: Use lighter weight to control and target the lower chest muscles.
Low-to-High Cable Fly
Similar to the high-to-low, the low-to-high cable fly targets the upper chest muscles and overall chest definition.
- Setup: Attach D-handles to the lowest pulley positions of a cable machine, stand up and hold with a slight bend in your elbows.
- Execution: Pull the handles up and together in front of your chest, hold for a brief moment and back to the starting position.
- Reps: 3 sets of 12-15 reps.
- Tip: Keep your elbows slightly bent and back straight throughout the movement.
These exercises make up a full chest workout, balance all parts of the chest. Mixing compound and isolation exercises will not only build your chest but also your whole upper body. Consistency, form and progressive overload will get you the chest you want.
