The Top 25 Chest Workouts for Men for Strength and Shape
– Chest Workouts –
With single-leg press-ups, you can genuinely create a massive chest in just a few days. Chest workouts are essentially something that most men dislike doing. This article will explain why you need that workout to build your body.
The chest muscles distinguish strong anatomy. Evidently, they perform tasks such as squeezing a pair of loppers to chop a tree branch and pushing a door open with their hands.
They’re also the first muscles that come up when discussing upper-body strength. The chest muscles are the defining element of muscle mass for bodybuilders and people interested in physical attractiveness.
For the bench press, powerlifters rely on them to get the best lift. However, because these muscles facilitate arm mobility, they are extremely important from a functional standpoint.
Three Primary Muscles of the Chest
There are three primary muscles that make up the chest:
‣ Pectoralis major
‣ Pectoralis minor
‣ Serratus anterior
The subclavius is a lesser-known muscle of the chest. It’s a minor auxiliary muscle that helps with breathing (breathing).
Because it has two heads, the clavicular head, and the sternocostal head. Moreover, the pectoralis major is a unique muscle.
These are hostile to one another, so when one contracts, the other relaxes. By elevating your arm in front of you, the clavicular head flexes the humerus or upper arm bone.
It also adducts the humerus, bringing the arm inward toward the midline of the body, and helps with internal rotation of the same bone.
The pectoralis minor’s role is to support the shoulder blade by drawing it forward and down against the rib cage, which is referred to as shoulder blade protraction.
Without reservation, it also helps with breathing and shoulder stability.
The serratus anterior begins on the outside front of the first through eighth ribs and ends on the medial border of the shoulder blade in a sawlike pattern (closest to the spine).
It prevents scapular winging by pulling the shoulder blade around the ribs, giving the shoulder stability during pushing actions.
Top 25 Chest Workouts for Men
Here, we’ll go through the top 12 chest workouts for men and all you need to know about them.
1. Incline Push Up
Equipment required: None
This is a good warmup to prepare the chest for work. Research has shown that a dynamic warmup is helpful in preventing injury prior to training.
Lower resistance movements related to those you are about to perform prepare the muscles for work.
‣ Start with your hands on the wall or a countertop height surface. Walk your feet back so that your body makes roughly a 45-degree angle with the floor.
‣ Keep your body straight and your spine neutral, and lower your chest to the surface you’re leaning against.
‣ Pause for a moment and then return to the start position.
‣ Make sure the resistance feels light enough to complete up to 20 repetitions. If you need to make it easier, step closer to your hands; to make it harder, step farther away.
As you begin your chest workouts session, this is one technique you can’t do without.
2. Flat Bench Press
Equipment required: Barbell or dumbbells, flat bench
‣ Lie on your back on the bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Grasp the barbell, with your thumb wrapped around the barbell and palms facing toward your feet. Press your arms straight toward the ceiling to lift the weight off the rack.
‣ Move the weight over chest level.
‣ Bending your elbows down at a 45-degree angle, slowly lower the weight to your chest. Keep the bar approximately in line with your nipples.
‣ Pause for a moment, then press the weight back to the start position.
‣ Complete 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions.
Remember to keep your back flat and maintain excellent control of the weight. Also, keep your neck neutral to avoid excessive strain.
It’s recommended to enlist the help of a spotter to ensure safety in this exercise.
The flat bench press is another perfect way of achieving your dream body while on that chest workouts session.
3. Incline Bench Press
Equipment required: Barbell or dumbbells, incline bench
‣ Lie on your back on the incline bench with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Grasp the barbell, with your thumb wrapped around the barbell and palms facing toward your feet. Press your arms straight toward the ceiling to lift the weight off the rack.
‣ Position the weight above your collarbone.
‣ Slowly lower the weight down to your chest, approximately in line with your mid-chest to just above your nipples.
‣ Pause, then press the weight back to the start position.
‣ Complete 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions.
As with the flat bench, remember to keep your back flat and your feet flat throughout the movement. And, again, it’s highly recommended that you do this exercise with someone spotting you.
4. Decline Bench Press
Equipment required: Barbell or dumbbells, decline bench
‣ Lie on your back on the decline bench, with your knees bent and ankles secured behind the ankle rests. Grasp the barbell, with your thumb wrapped around the barbell and palms facing toward the feet. Press your arms straight to lift the weight off the rack.
‣ Position the weight above your lower chest to the upper abdomen region.
‣ Slowly bend your elbows to lower the weight down to your chest, approximately in line with your nipples.
‣ Pause, then press the weight back to the start position.
‣ Complete 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions.
5. Pushup
Equipment required: None
‣ Begin on your hands and knees and step back into a high plank position. Your hands should be just wider than your shoulders, and your legs should be straight with your quads. Your hamstrings should be engaged and your spine neutral.
‣ Keeping your core tight, bend your elbows at a 45-degree angle to lower your chest toward the floor, maintaining a straight line from head to heel.
‣ Aim to go as low as you can without losing the support of your core or the alignment of your spine and pelvis.
‣ Press your chest away from the ground until your elbows are straight.
‣ Repeat, completing 8–12 repetitions. Do 3 sets.
Remember to keep your hips in line with your shoulders and ankles. If this is too challenging to perform on your feet, you may do this exercise on your knees.
If you wish to increase the challenge, you can do a decline pushup by placing your toes on an elevated surface such as a bench or table.
6. Cable Crossover
Equipment required: Cable machine or a resistance band
‣ Begin by standing away from a set of high pulley cable machines or a resistance band anchored overhead. Select light to moderate weight to add challenge but give you success.
‣ Grasp the hands (or the ends of the band) as you step forward with 1 foot. Keep enough tension and control on the handles to keep them in front of your chest.
‣ Contract your chest muscles and bring the handles down and forward across your body at roughly belly button level. The hands can cross to add emphasis to the serratus anterior muscles.
‣ Hold for a moment and then slowly return to the start. Then repeat.
‣ Do 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions.
repeat this technique and watch your chest workouts session take a new dimension.
7. Chest Dip
Equipment required: Dip station
‣ Stand facing the two parallel bars and grasp them, palms facing in.
‣ Straighten your elbows and press into your hands, lifting your body up so that it is in line with your hands.
‣ Then, bend your elbows and lower the chest toward your hands.
‣ Pause, then press back to the start position. Repeat.
‣ Do 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions.
8. Resistance Band Pullover
Equipment required: Resistance band
‣ Anchor the band on something solid. Then, lie on your back with your head toward the anchor point. The band should be about 1–2 feet higher than your head.
‣ Grasp the band overhead so that there is slight tension on the band. Keep your thumbs pointing to the sky and your palms facing away from each other.
‣ Keeping your core tight and elbows straight pull the band toward your hips. Slowly return to the starting position with control.
‣ Do 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions.
9. Barbell Bench Press
How to do it:
‣ Grasp the bar just outside shoulder-width and arch your back so there’s space between your lower back and the bench.
‣ Pull the bar out of the rack and lower it to your sternum, tucking your elbows about 45° to your sides.
‣ When the bar touches your body, drive your feet hard to the floor and press the bar back up.
10. Smith Machine Incline Press
How to do it:
‣ Set an adjustable bench to a 30°-45° incline, and roll it into the center of a Smith machine rack.
‣ Grasp the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip.
‣ Unrack the bar, lower it to the upper part of your chest, and press straight up.
11. Incline Dumbbell Flye
How to do it:
‣ Set an adjustable bench to a 30°-45° angle and lie back on it with a dumbbell in each hand.
‣ Turn your wrists so your palms face each other.
‣ Press the weights straight over your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows, spread your arms open as if you were going for a big bear hug.
‣ Lower your arms until you feel a stretch in your pecs, then bring the weights back together over your chest.
12. Cable Crossover
How to do it:
‣ Stand between two facing cable stations with both pulleys set midway between the top and bottom of the station.
‣ Attach a D-handle to each pulley and hold one in each hand.
‣ Keep your elbows slightly bent and step forward so there’s tension on the cables.
‣ Flex your pecs as you bring your hands together out in front of your chest. Alternate stretching and flexing after each set.
13. Chest Press Machine
How to do it:
- Load plates on both sides of a flat-press machine, and adjust the seat so that both of your feet are flat on the floor.
- Grasp the handles and press to a full lockout.
Purpose of a Chest Press Machine
The chest press machine motion is a chest-muscle-strengthening activity. It also helps with the development of the muscles in the shoulder and upper arm.
During chest press machine movement, the shoulders and arms are the most active parts of the body. As a result, it has a direct impact on muscle development in this area.
14. Dumbbell Flye
How to do it:
‣ Lie back on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
‣ Keep a slight bend in your elbows and spread your arms wide, lowering the weights until they’re even with your chest.
‣ Flex your pecs and lift the weights back to the starting position.
15. Low-Cable Crossover
How to do it:
‣ Stand between two facing cable stations and attach a D-handle to the low pulleys on each.
‣ With a handle in each hand and elbows slightly bent, raise your arms from waist height to out in front of your chest, flexing your pecs as you bring them together.
16. Low-Incline Press
How to do it:
‣ Set an adjustable bench to an incline of only 30°, or rest a flat bench on a weight plate or mat to tilt it slightly.
‣ Grasp the bar just outside shoulder-width and arch your back so there’s space between your lower back and the bench.
‣ Pull the bar out of the rack and lower it to your sternum, tucking your elbows about 45° to your sides.
‣ When the bar touches your body, drive your feet hard to the floor and press the bar back up.
17. Speed Bench Press
How to do it:
‣ Bench press as described above, but do so on a totally flat bench.
‣ Use 60% of your max.
‣ So if you think you can bench press 250lbs one time, perform your sets with 150, exploding each rep off your chest as fast as you can.
18. Landmine Press
How to do it:
‣ Wedge the end of the barbell into a corner of the room (to avoid damage to the walls, you may have to wrap a towel around it).
‣ Load the opposite end with weight and grasp it toward the end of the barbell sleeve with your right hand.
‣ Stagger your stance so your left leg is in front. Press the bar straight overhead.
With landmine press, your chest workouts session is never in vain.
19. Floor Press
How to do it:
‣ Lie on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand.
‣ Your palms should face each other and your triceps (but not your elbows) should rest on the floor.
‣ Explosively press the dumbbells up.
‣ Lower them until only your triceps touch the floor.
‣ Pause for a moment, then begin the next rep. Accumulate the weight in each set.
20. Prone Flye
How to do it:
‣ Hold a dumbbell in each hand and get into a pushup position on the floor with palms facing each other.
‣ Spread your arms apart as in a normal dumbbell flye and lower your body until you feel a stretch in your chest, then squeeze the dumbbells and bring your hands back to the pushup position.
‣ Keep your abs and glutes braced and your back flat throughout. If you’re using plate-loaded dumbbells, you may roll the weight plates on the floor during the flye.
‣ Otherwise, you can place a towel under each dumbbell to facilitate sliding. If this is too difficult, perform the exercise on your knees.
21. Pullover
How to do it:
‣ Lie on your back on the floor and hold one dumbbell overhead with both hands.
‣ Press the weight over your chest, then reach back over your head, bending your elbows only slightly.
‣ Continue until you feel a stretch in your lats, then pull the dumbbell back over your chest.
‣ Take a deep breath every time you lower the dumbbell behind you.
This is another amazing method for chest workouts.
22. Plate Pressout
How to do it:
‣ Hold a pair of lightweight plates together, smooth side out, between your palms right in front of your chest.
‣ Squeeze the plates together, focusing on your chest, and press them out in front of you until your arms are extended.
‣ Flare your lats and pull the weights back to your chest.
‣ Complete your reps and then, on the second set, press the weights downward from your chest at a 45-degree angle.
‣ On the third set, press them upward at a 45-degree angle.
23. 3-Way Flye
How to do it:
‣ Attach a suspension trainer to a sturdy overhead object and lengthen the straps to a point where you would do pushups.
‣ Grasp the handles and get into a pushup position with hands under your shoulders.
‣ Your entire body should be straight, and your core braced.
‣ Bring your arms out to your sides as if you were giving someone a bear hug.
‣ Lower your body until you feel a stretch in your chest and then bring your arms together again.
‣ That’s one rep of the flye. Perform three reps.
‣ Then, from the starting position, open your arms but keep your elbows bent so that the movie looks like a combination of a pushup and a flye.
‣ Press yourself back up.
‣ That’s one rep of the bent-arm flye.
‣ Perform three reps.
‣ From there, return to the starting position and perform pushups on the handles.
‣ All the above equals one set.
24. Pushup
How to do it:
‣ Get into a pushup position with hands under your shoulders.
‣ Your entire body should be straight, and your core braced.
‣ Lower your body, keeping your elbows tucked near your torso and your head neutral until your chest is almost touching the floor.
‣ Fire your chest and triceps and raise your body back to the pushup position.
25. One-Armed Medicine Ball Pushup
How to do it:
‣ Get into a pushup position, resting your right hand on the medicine ball and left hand on the floor.
‣ Lower your body until your chest is just above the floor, then push back up.
Unexpected Benefits of Chest Exercises
Despite all the benefits of strength training, such as weight loss, enhanced heart health, blood sugar control, and increased flexibility and mobility, most women don’t appear to be interested in completing regular chest exercises.
One of the best chest workouts for improving upper body strength is the chest press.
Pec deck, cable crossover, and dips are some more beneficial exercises. The chest press strengthens and builds muscle tissue in your pectorals, deltoids, and triceps. It also works your biceps and serratus anterior.
Other benefits of strength training include enhanced fitness levels, stronger bones, and better mental health.
You’ll gain muscle and lose fat, helping to burn more calories even while at rest. These benefits may help you look and feel better, which can increase your confidence and well-being.
Other Benefits are as Shown Below
Improved Posture: The pecs, as one of the largest muscles in the upper torso, are crucial for maintaining healthy posture. Your pecs, besides your back and shoulder muscles, aid in shoulder joint stabilization.
Better Breathing: Strengthening and lengthening your chest muscles helps to facilitate deeper breathing, besides improving your posture. Because your pecs are related to your ribs, which expand with each breath, this is the case.
Breast Support: Contrary to popular perception, practicing chest workouts will not make your breasts smaller; in fact, doing pectoral exercises will make them bigger.
This helps to offer greater lift and support by strengthening muscles around the breast tissue.
Everyday Perks: You use your pecs a lot in everyday activities, even if you don’t realize it. Lifting, gripping, squeezing, or pushing requires the use of your pecs, so having a little extra strength in that muscle group isn’t a bad idea.
Top 5 Chest Press Variations
Here are some chest press variations, each slightly different in the muscles they target. Try out a few to see which you prefer or mix a few into your workout routine.
1. Incline
You do this variation on an incline bench. This targets the upper pectorals and shoulders while putting less strain on the rotator cuffs.
Since your shoulders aren’t as strong as your chest muscles, you may need to use a lower weight load for this variation.
One con of this variation is that you’re not working the entire pectoral muscles. Plus, you’ll need to rest your shoulders the following day to avoid overuse and potential injury.
2. Cable
This variation allows you to move slowly and with control. The cable chest press strengthens your core muscles, which improves balance and stability.
You can do it one arm at a time and adjust the height of each push to target different areas of your chest. Use resistance bands if you don’t have a cable machine.
With is technique, your chest workouts session is successful.
3. Seated
The seated chest press works your biceps and latissimus dorsi muscles. The machine allows you to lift heavier loads with more control. Use proper form and adjust the seat and handles to the correct position.
Use smooth, controlled movements, and avoid bringing your elbows too far back, which will overextend your shoulders. You can do this exercise one arm at a time.
4. Standing
The standing chest press improves balance and targets your stabilizer muscles. These include the rotator cuff, erector spinae, and transverse abdominus.
This variation is ideal if you already have a firm foundation and excellent form. The only downside is that it works your chest muscles less.
5. Plate-loaded
You can do this variation while standing or lying on a bench. It isolates your inner pectorals and minimizes the potential for injury. Squeezing the weight forces you to maintain muscle engagement throughout the exercise.
Working the chest muscles can only improve your quality of life, whether your aim is a sculpted chest or a stronger upper body to assist you in hoisting kids into the air.
However, chest workouts are for those that had always wanted to build up their chest muscles.
These activities, together with a high-protein diet, may help these muscles grow in size and strength.
Warm up properly with a low-affected action like the incline push to prepare your body for larger loads and reduce the risk of injury.
Maintain consistency and vary your workload according to your preferences. Enjoy the ride as your planks become longer and your press becomes stronger.
Lastly, when embarking on chest workouts, ensure to have fruits around for refreshment.
Chest Workouts FAQs
Q1. What are Good Chest Workouts?
‣ Incline push up. Equipment required: none.
‣ Flat bench press. Equipment required: barbell or dumbbells, flat bench.
‣ Incline bench press. Equipment required: barbell or dumbbells, incline bench.
‣ Decline bench press.
‣ Pushup.
‣ Cable crossover.
‣ Chest dip.
‣ Resistance band pullover.
Q2. How Many Chest Workouts should I do?
You should perform 1-4 chest exercises per workout, with the most optimal range being 2-3 different chest exercises in a single training session. Why? For most lifters, performing any over 3-4 various movements can cause diminished returns, excessive “trash” volume, and suboptimal quality volume.
Q3. What are Some Chest Workouts?
‣ Incline push up. Equipment required: none.
‣ Flat bench press. Equipment required: barbell or dumbbells, flat bench.
‣ Incline bench press. Equipment required: barbell or dumbbells, incline bench.
‣ Decline bench press.
‣ Pushup.
‣ Cable crossover.
‣ Chest dip.
‣ Resistance band pullover.
Q4. How Many Days Rest Between Chest Workouts?
To get optimal gains in maximum strength, the body needs a complete recovery, so 48 to 72 hours. In concrete terms, if you perform a chest session, you will need to wait between 2 to 3 days before working for the same muscle group again.
Building an amazing pair of pecs doesn’t have to be a chore with so many chest exercises and regimens to choose from, ranging from bodyweight basics to twists on dumbbell classics.
Mixing up your routines will ensure that you’re hitting your chest from more angles than the simple bench press, as excellent as it is.
This will give you a bigger, stronger upper torso, making you more capable of pushing heavy objects like barbells and broken-down cars.
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