The chest flye is an old school gem of an isolation (single-joint) exercise which has been included in bodybuilding training for decades, and for good reason. It allows you to emphasize your chest while minimizing involvement of supporting muscles like the shoulders or triceps.

But perhaps you’ve grown weary of doing the same exercise over and over again. If you’re itching for change, know that exercise variety has been proven efficient to promote muscle growth. Incorporating a variation might offer a new hypertrophy stimulus, less joint strain, or simply more focus on the target body part. (1) Here are 10 chest flye options to bring your chest training to the next level.

Best Chest Flye Alternatives

• Cable Crossover
• Pec-Deck
• Incline Flye
• Decline Flye
• Pronated Flye
• Floor Flye
• Flye Press
• Front Flye
• Suspension Trainer Flye
• Slider Flye

Cable Crossover

The cable crossover uses the same movement principles and serves the same goals as the traditional dumbbell flye. The most distinct difference is the equipment. This time you’re using a cable station and a pair of handles to perform the flye, which changes the resistance curve and changes tension on your muscles.

When to Use It

Use the cable crossover in lieu of the traditional flye, typically toward the end of your chest workout to enjoy a powerful pump. Because of its resistance curve, the dumbbell flye focuses on the stretch position — there’s minimal tension at the top of the lift, but a lot of muscular stress at the bottom. This is different with cables, which allow for a powerful, high-tension contraction throughout the entire range of motion.

How to Do It

Set the cable pulleys at chest level and attach a handle to each side. Grab both handles and stand in the middle of the station. Take a few steps forward to create tension, puff your chest, and place one foot in front for balance and stability. Bring your palms together in front of you, at chest-height, while squeezing your chest muscles.

Keep your arms slightly bent and maintain the same angle during the lift. Bring your arms back into a stretch using control, before pulling hard to return to the starting position.

Pec-Deck

The quintessential machine flye. Using a bent-arm position offers the advantage of taking your grip and biceps out of the equation while avoiding elbow strain, compared to the straight-arm pec-deck machine which can increase joint strain by allowing too much arm extension.

When to Use It

Because the movement is guided on the machine’s rails, you eliminate all stability constraints and can further isolate your chest — you only have to focus on your pectoralis (chest muscle) while enjoying a constant tension similar to cables. The added benefit of avoiding arm involvement makes it an effective choice if you have elbow issues.

How to Do It

Adjust the seat pad to set your elbows just below shoulder height. Adjust the handles to allow a comfortable range of motion in the stretched position. Sit on the pec-deck machine and place your elbows on the pads with your hands grabbing any available handles.

Brace your core, sit with your back flush against the support, and arch your chest. Squeeze your chest while bringing your elbows together. Reverse direction to bring your arms back to the initial position with control.

Incline Flye

Changing the angle of the exercise is a simple way to shift muscular focus. An incline bench will allow you to target more the clavicular portion of the pectoralis major (the upper chest) as well as the anterior deltoid (front of the shoulders). (2)

When to Do It

Include the incline flye in your chest session if you want to focus more on upper chest development. A well-developed upper chest is lacking in many lifters, so improving this portion will certainly set your physique apart. As an isolation movement, keep the exercise toward the end of your training to finish off this portion of your chest.

How to Do It

Set an adjustable bench at a relatively low angle, roughly 30-degrees, for the best chest involvement. Using a higher angle, up to 45-degrees, will lead to more deltoid activation. Sit on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand and bring the weights to a locked out position over your chest.

Set your hands in a neutral grip (facing each other). Pull your shoulders back into the bench and puff your chest into a “proud” position. Lower the weights to shoulder-level while keeping your elbows slightly bent. Focus on feeling a deep stretch across your chest before bringing your arms together above your chest.

Decline Flye

The decline flye is, naturally, the opposite of the incline movement. Instead of targeting the upper chest, it focuses on the “lower chest” portion of the muscle by shifting the bench’s angle to a slight decline.

When to Do It

It’s rare, but some people can have an underdeveloped lower chest. If that’s the case, use this variation to improve your mind-muscle connection and build size in this portion of your chest. You can also use this variation if your pressing exercises are mainly done at an incline and you want to stimulate this section of your chest muscle without excessive shoulder involvement.

How to Do It

A slight decline is more efficient than a steep angle, even just 10 to 20 degrees is sufficient. A very steep angle can make it too difficult to get into the starting position safely, and it can reduce your range of motion. If your bench doesn’t offer a small increment, you can place one or two weight plates securely under one side of the bench.

Lie on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Press the weights above your chest and lock your arms, then rotate your palms to face each other. Bend your arms slightly and lower the weight to shoulder level without changing your elbow angle. Drive the weights up while contracting your chest.

Pronated Flye

Simply turning your palms can change your shoulder joint position, which can optimize the exercise mechanics and allow for a stronger chest contraction. The pronated flye can be performed on either a flat or incline bench.

When to Do It

The mechanisms of hypertrophy are complex, and while stretch-mediated hypertrophy has been proven superior, incorporating exercises focusing on the shortened-muscle position will provide a more complete muscular and neural stimulus. (3) The internal rotation will reduce biceps involvement and improve pecs contraction for its muscle length is slightly reduced. Use this variation in lieu of your regular flyes to spice things up and provide a great chest sensation.

How to Do It

Lie on either a flat or incline bench while holding a pair of dumbbells over you using a pronated (overhand or palms-down) grip. Puff your chest and slightly bend your arms.

Slowly bring the weights down to your sides until you feel a deep stretch in your chest and shoulders. Squeeze your pecs forcefully to bring the weights together at the top.

Floor Flye

With the floor flye, you don’t even need a bench (maybe just a towel or mat on the floor). It’s a great variation to accommodate achy shoulders because the limited range of motion prevents any excessive stretch in your shoulder joints.

When to Do It

A deep chest stretch can be great for promoting hypertrophy, but it can also prove stressful on the delicate shoulder joint. If your shoulders are constantly bugging you during chest exercises, take this variation for a spin. The restricted range of motion can also allow you to use relatively more weight, so it can be a great fit if you want to overload your pecs and get stronger.

How to Do It

Lie on the floor with a pair of dumbbells locked out above your chest. Perform a classic dumbbell flye — lowering the weight with your arms fixed in a slightly bent position. When your arms reach the ground, pause for a second before bringing your arms together at the top.

Use extra control when lowering the weight. You don’t want to bang your elbows in the ground, which could create impact and potentially injure your elbows. If the weights touch the ground, your arms are too straight — be sure to keep a slight bend during the entire movement.

Flye Press

This is the big boss of the flye world. It allows you to use the most weight, in part because is isn’t “strictly” a flye movement. This hybrid merges a multi-joint with a single joint exercise to emphasize the eccentric portion of the lift — meaning more weight moved, more strength build, and more muscle stimulated. (4)(5)

When to Do It

This is an “accentuated eccentric” training technique reserved for intermediate and advanced lifters. Overloading the eccentric will yield more neural and structural changes (meaning muscle and strength) as well as confidence. Use it when you want to gain those fast.

How to Do It

Lie on a bench with your shoulder blades retracted and your chest arched high. Hold a pair of dumbbells with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) above your chest. Slightly bend your arms and slowly bring them to your sides using a four to six-second count.

When your arms are at chest-level and your muscles are fully stretched, bend your arms to bring the weights closer to your shoulders and rotate your palms to face your feet. Exhale while performing a dumbbell bench press to lift the weight up. Rotate your palms to face each other and perform another flye with bent arms. Repeat the process for each repetition.

Front Flye

This advanced variation will provide a unique stimulus and new sensation by recruiting the chest through another function — retroversion (bringing the arm “down” from an overhead position). It could be considered a variation of the dumbbell pullover.

When to Do It

If you’ve mastered the traditional flye and less challenging variations, take the front flye for a ride. You’ll enjoy a completely different chest feeling and promote new hypertrophy. It’s a great way of pumping your muscle up after your heavy duty exercises.

How to Do It

Set an adjustable bench to a slight decline. Grab a pair of dumbbells with a pronated grip and lie on the bench in the decline position (be sure your head is slightly lower than your feet). With straight arms, bring the weights above your chest and squeeze the dumbbells together as hard as you can. This static tension should improve stability during the exercise while increasing muscular tension in your chest.

Lower your arms, slowly and with control, back behind over your head. Squeeze the weights together throughout the entire movement. When the weights reach head-level (if your shoulder mobility allows that range), bring them back up to the starting position without bending your arms.

Suspension Trainer Flye

With this exercise, you don’t even need dumbbells or a gym, just a suspension trainer (like a TRX) or a pair of gymnastic rings supported to a stable overhead bar. This challenging variation can be done nearly anywhere, and is a great way to target your chest when traveling abroad, training outdoors, or if you want to improve your shoulder stability. (6)

When to Do It

The suspension trainer, or rings, use your bodyweight and leverage as resistance. The natural instability of the straps requires extra stability and coordination from your entire body. Because of this added challenge, the suspension trainer flye is an effective way to work on your chest and shoulder stability. Perform it instead of more stable, more supported flyes to build shoulder strength and stability. Since this equipment is mobile, you can also include this variation in any outdoor training sessions or in a cross-training circuit as a great chest, shoulder, and core builder.

How to Do It

Fix the straps to a sturdy object and set up according to your strength level. The higher the handles are set and the more vertical your body angle, the easier the exercise will be. Grab the handles and join your hands in front of you with your arms straight and your body braced.

Bend forward to create tension in the straps, then step back while keeping your body straight until you’re in a straight-arms plank position. Bring your arms to your sides with control until they are at shoulder level. Squeeze your chest to bring your hands together.

Slider Flyes

This one requires almost no equipment, just a pair of simple furniture sliders. You can even put your hands in old (hopefully clean) socks on a wood or tile floor. This movement lets you focus on your chest muscle anywhere, almost as versatile as a push-up. The sliders’ instability is similar to a suspension trainer and can also improve your core and whole-body stability, as well. If you’re short on time, space, or money, fit these into your training plan..

When to Do It

The beauty of sliders is that they take up almost zero space, so you can bring them virtually anywhere. Do this exercise if you’re traveling or only have a short time to train, as a chest finisher after push-ups or dips, or as part of a global exercise circuit. You can also use this variation to increase shoulder stability and injury prevention, as it demands more muscle awareness and stability.

How to Do it

Grab a pair of sliders and get on the ground in the plank position, arms straight and whole-body braced. Slowly slide your arms to your sides as low as you can before bringing them back together while exhaling.

You can work on your range of motion over the course of several sessions. The lower you go, the harder it will be.

Benefits of Chest Flyes Alternatives

The main goal of the flyes is to develop your chest, and as such, you have to either vary the stimulus from time to time, or find the variation that is best suited to you, including morphology, weaknesses, or equipment constraints.

Chest Size and Strength

Flyes are all about targeting your chest with laser-like focus, and these variations can even take things further by focusing more on the upper or the lower chest portion, use heavier weight for more strength gains, or employ a different training stimulus like machine, cables, or suspension straps. If you want to leave out the other pressing muscles to better target your pectorals, then there’s a variation for you.

Shoulder Stability and Health

If you want to build a barrel chest, you need to be able to actually train your chest. The shoulder complex, which is involved in every chest exercise, is the most unstable in the body and is prone to injuries and overuse issues induced by the modern lifestyle, anatomy, or a lot of pressing exercises. Some of these flye variations are more unstable, which will improve your stability and coordination, resulting in healthier, more resilient shoulders.

Fly Your Way to a Barrel Chest

Chest flyes can be beneficial for any lifter trying to improve their chest size and strength. Whether you’re a functional fitness fan, an aesthetics enthusiast, or a health-conscious individual, there are several variations you can include in your training to reach any chest-building goal.

References

1. Baz-Valle E, Schoenfeld BJ, Torres-Unda J, Santos-Concejero J, Balsalobre-Fernández C. The effects of exercise variation in muscle thickness, maximal strength and motivation in resistance trained men. PLoS One. 2019 Dec 27;14(12):e0226989. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226989. PMID: 31881066; PMCID: PMC6934277.
2. Rodríguez-Ridao D, Antequera-Vique JA, Martín-Fuentes I, Muyor JM. Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 8;17(19):7339. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17197339. PMID: 33049982; PMCID: PMC7579505.
3. Oranchuk, D. J., Storey, A. G., Nelson, A. R., & Cronin, J. B. (2019). Isometric training and long-term adaptations: Effects of muscle length, intensity, and intent: A systematic review. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 29(4), 484–503. https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.13375
4. Higbie EJ, Cureton KJ, Warren GL 3rd, Prior BM. Effects of concentric and eccentric training on muscle strength, cross-sectional area, and neural activation. J Appl Physiol (1985). 1996 Nov;81(5):2173-81. doi: 10.1152/jappl.1996.81.5.2173. PMID: 8941543.
5. Dudley GA, Tesch PA, Miller BJ, Buchanan P. Importance of eccentric actions in performance adaptations to resistance training. Aviat Space Environ Med. 1991 Jun;62(6):543-50. PMID: 1859341.
6. Behm DG, Colado JC, Colado JC. Instability resistance training across the exercise continuum. Sports Health. 2013 Nov;5(6):500-3. doi: 10.1177/1941738113477815. Erratum in: Sports Health. 2015 Mar/Apr;7(2):184. Colado Sanchez, Juan Carlos [corrected to Colado, Juan C]. PMID: 24427423; PMCID: PMC3806173.

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This staple movement isn’t just for gymnasts or calisthenics enthusiasts. It’s a fundamental old school exercise that’s been used by bodybuilders and strength athletes for decades.

Adding dips to your workout routine will target your pecs, triceps, and shoulders for an all-around bigger, fuller, stronger upper body. Here’s how to use only your body weight to deliver a deep burn and explosive pump for your chest.

• How to Do Dips
• Dip Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of Dips
• Muscles Worked by Dips
• Who Should Do Dips
• How to Program Dips
• Dip Variations
• Dip Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do Dips

Dips can be done on dedicated dip bars, at an assisted dip station, or a sturdy and stable pair of chairs. Whichever setup you’re using, ensure it’s at a height where you can keep your legs and feet off the ground when in the bottom (stretched) position. This will allow a full range of motion for maximum benefit.

Step 1 — Get up on the Bars

Step up to the dip station and grab the bars with palms your facing inward. Keep your arms straight — depending on the setup, you may need to sightly jump into the locked out position. Bend your legs slightly so that your arms support your entire body weight.

Keep your back straight and your head looking forward. Engage your core and glutes by squeezing them both to keep your entire body tight.

Form tip: Ideally, your hands should be roughly shoulder-width distance. Some dip bars are angled to allow different grip widths. If your hands are farther apart, shoulder-joint strain can increase and tension on your chest muscles can decrease.

Step 2 — Lower into a Stretch

Slowly lower your body until your elbows are roughly at 90-degree angles, if your mobility allows. Maintain a forward-looking head position, but let your upper body angle slightly forward to increase recruitment of the chest muscles.

Your elbows will naturally angle slightly outwards. Avoid excessively flaring your elbows directly to the sides, which can increase strain on the shoulder joints.

Form tip: Use a slow tempo to ensure control, maximum muscle tension, and boost muscle growth. (1) Take up to three seconds to reach the bottom position.

Step 3 — Drive up to Full Contraction

Push your body up in a controlled, fluid motion. Stop once you’re back at the starting position with nearly straight arms. Briefly pause at the top to stabilize your body and minimize any swinging.

As your body rises, focus on feeling constant tension contracting your chest muscles. Engage the mind-muscle connection by focusing your full attention on the pecs and visualize the muscle fibers working.

Form tip: Your body’s path upwards should mirror the lowering phase. Your head and shoulders should arc slightly in front of your hands on the way down, and your upper body should return to a fully stacked position with your elbows above your wrists.

Dip Mistakes to Avoid

Dips are a classic bodyweight exercise that can add strength and size to your chest, arms, and shoulders. However, poor form can lead to suboptimal results or potential injury, including wear and tear on your rotator cuff tendons. (2) Fortunately, the most common errors are relatively easy to avoid.

Locking Your Elbows

In the top position, avoid locking your elbows ramrod straight. Maintain a slight bend in your arms to keep them under constant tension and yield optimal muscle-building results. (3) Paying attention to your arm position at lockout reinforces using a relatively slow tempo while focusing on maximum muscle recruitment.

In addition, locking your elbows puts them in a potentially hyperextended state, which may increase your risk of injury.

Avoid it: As your body approaches the top of the movement, pay attention not only to your chest muscles contracting, but your arm position. This will be difficult to do if you use sloppy, swinging repetitions, so maintain a constant, fluid motion throughout each repetition.

Dipping Too Low

The bottom, stretched position of most exercises is where the involved joints are under the greatest potential stress. Save your shoulders by paying close attention your depth when doing dips.

Going too low, beyond the point where you feel your shoulder muscles stretching, can significantly strain the joints. Remember, form is king when it comes to any exercise. Bodyweight exercises, including dips, are no different.

Avoid it: As you lower your body into the stretched position, you should feel both your chest muscles and shoulder muscles stretching. Don’t let your ego talk you into using an excessive range of motion. If you can see a mirror during the exercise, pay extra attention as your elbows approach a 90-degree bend. Stopping slightly higher is more acceptable than dropping too low.

Benefits of Dips

This basic bodyweight exercise allows you to build muscle mass and strength in your upper body, particularly your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Mastering strength training exercise with your bodyweight can also help to reduced your overall risk of injury and improve core stabilization.

Increased Muscle Mass and Strength

Doing dips stimulates your pecs, triceps, and core significantly. By stretching and creating tension on the entire chest muscle, dips are an efficient exercise for boosting muscle growth. (4) Bodyweight exercises have also been shown to be comparable to free weight exercises for building strength. (5)

Improved Joint Health

Maintaining muscular balance is essential for joint stability and overall health and performance, and bodyweight training is a highly effective solution. (6)

If you perform many pulling exercises or participate in activities that are pulling-intensive (e.g. training on rowing machines, pull-ups, many combat sports, etc.), regularly performing dips can build strong pushing muscles to help prevent muscular imbalances. A 10% increase in strength training volume has shown to substantially minimize overall injury risk. (7)

Improved Core Stabilization

Dips aren’t solely a chest exercise. You’ll engage your core by keeping your lower body stable throughout the movement. While your core isn’t directly trained during dips, it is strongly recruited to provide total-body stability and coordinated movement as you press. Improved core stability helps to promote overall strength, health, and injury prevention. (8)

Muscles Worked by Dips

Dips are a highly effective exercise for strengthening the muscles located in and around the chest. While dips primarily target the chest itself, the triceps and shoulders are also directly trained, as well as smaller stabilizers throughout the upper body.

Pectoralis Major

The pectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped muscle that’s the largest muscle of the front chest wall. The pecs have multiple functions controlling arm movement including flexion and adduction (bringing the arms toward the body’s centerline)(9)

The pec major has two heads, the clavicular (upper chest) and the sternocostal (mid and lower chest). When executing dips, the clavicular head is more significantly worked as you approach the top portion of the movement. The sternocostal head is more highly activated as you lower into the stretched position. (9)

Triceps Brachii

The triceps consist of three separate but functionally similar muscle heads — the long, medial, and lateral. These are found on the back of the upper arm. The triceps are responsible for straightening the arm at the elbow joint, extending the shoulder, and moving the arm behind the torso — all of which work in sync during dips. (10)

Dips apply tension on all three heads of the triceps. Interestingly, the medial head, in particular, is more activated when the elbow is flexed beyond 90-degrees and the body reaches a relatively significant depth. (10)

Anterior Deltoid

The anterior deltoid (front shoulder muscles) is involved when raising the arm forward, in line with your body. More particularly, it’s engaged when moving your arm from behind your body to the front and/or overhead. During dips, the anterior deltoid is activated when your upper arm moves from the 90-degree bent position into the top position with your arms straight arms by your sides.

The anterior deltoids shoulder not be the primary working muscle during dips, but they are recruited significantly, which is why lifters with pre-existing shoulder problems may not be comfortable performing the exercise.

Abdominals

The abs are worked statically to control your lower body and maintain a stable total-body position. Similar to performing pull-ups, it’s not uncommon for lifters to feel some ab tension (or even post-workout soreness) in their abs after several intense sets of dips.

While your abs aren’t contracting through a significant range of motion, they are recruited to maintain control over the hips and pelvis, and prevent any leg swinging.

Who Should Do Dips

Whether you’re pushing a lawnmower or pushing a weight overhead, having adequate upper body pressing strength is essential. Dips can help to increase muscle mass, improve functional strength, and build greater upper body mobility.

Bodybuilders and Physique Athletes

Dips are a bodyweight-only alternative to the bench press or other chest pressing exercises. It allows lifters to train the chest with high tension, high intensity, and minimum equipment. Dips can help to sculpt the chest by working the pecs at a unique angle, creating an effective stimulus for growth. (11)

Strength Athletes

Any lifter focused on moving maximum weight in a pressing movement (bench press, overhead press, clean & jerk, etc.) can benefit from adding dips to their accessory training. By building the chest, shoulders, and triceps, you can improve the potential power and strength those muscle can exert. (12) The bodyweight dip also allows an intense workout with relatively less load, which can reduce cumulative stress on the joints.

How to Program Dips

Most beginners will find the dip to be challenging because you’re required to lift the majority of their own body weight, which can be too difficult due to lack of strength. Fortunately, persistence and effort will yield improvement. Experienced lifters can also benefit from the exercise as a training staple for size and strength.

Unweighted, Moderate Volume (Sets and Reps)

When chasing optimal muscle gains, training the bodyweight dip with four to six sets of 12 to 15 reps, once or twice a week can be highly effective. Approach failure on the final reps of each set to ensure appropriate intensity. This total volume provides your chest with sufficient time under tension to trigger muscle growth.

Weighted or Unweighted, Low Repetition

Performing low volume with low repetitions, such as four to five sets of three to six reps, is a reliable method to build strength. This low volume can be achieved by suspending weight from a belt, holding a dumbbell between your feet, or from simply being unable to perform more than six repetitions with good form.

Performing unweighted, low repetition sets frequently throughout the day is one effective method for building strength and improving technique. This is known as greasing the groove and it’s a highly effective way to master any bodyweight exercise, including dips.

Dip Variations

Dips can be used by lifters and athletes of any fitness level to apply tension to the multiple heads of the chest, triceps, and delts. Begin with more manageable versions of the dips while focusing on form, then add intensity and volume as you progress.

Ring Dip

Ring dips are a more challenging variation that requires significant muscular coordination, balance, and stability. This exercise applies tension to the pecs through a long range of motion while also challenging the smaller stabilizers in the shoulders and upper back.

Ring dips are a popular exercise in CrossFit programming, as well as general gymnastic-based programs, but the increased recruitment of the upper body stabilizers can help to improve muscular coordination and overall shoulder health when programmed appropriately.

Triceps Dip

This very subtle variation uses slight adjustments to your arm and torso positions. These will decrease emphasis on the chest and increase recruitment of the triceps, making it a popular and efficient arm-building movement.

The first significant difference from the chest-focused dip is to maintain an upright torso during the descent rather than leaning forward, to reduce recruitment of the chest muscles. Even more importantly, keep your elbows near your body and aimed towards the wall behind you. (13) Don’t allow them to flare outwards.

Dip Alternatives

If a lack of shoulder mobility or pre-existing injury prevents you from executing dips, there are plenty of alternative exercises you can do to continue adding size and strength to your chest.

Push-up

Good ol’ push-ups. This classic exercise is an excellent alternative to dips that still uses your own bodyweight to apply tension to the pecs and pressing muscles.

Some experienced lifters consider push-ups to be too easy but, like dips, push-ups can be progressed with increased volume or external load to consistently challenge the muscles. The chest and shoulder muscles aren’t put through a significant stretch during push-ups, compared to dips, making them an ideal option for lifters with pre-existing joint pain.

Bench Press

The classic bench press is an excellent substitute for dips because the potential to move heavy weights can carryover to size and strength gains. Some gym veterans would rank the bench press on par with dips as fundamental chest-building exercises.

The flat barbell bench press is obviously essential for powerlifters, as one of the competitive lifts. Its potential to build upper-body strength can also carryover to other strength athletes including strongmen and strongwomen.

FAQs

Are dips bad for the shoulders?

Using proper form and avoiding the technique mistakes explained above, dips will place more stress on the pecs, triceps, and anterior deltoid muscles instead of the associated joints. This optimal muscle recruitment can significantly reduce the risk of injury.

However, if the exercise is executed with improper form or too heavy a load, dips may lead to shoulder impingement, potentially straining the rotator cuff tendons. (14) Fundamentally, the principles which apply to all exercises apply to dips — do them properly, with programming appropriate for your fitness level, and you’ll minimize potential hazards.

How should I program dips with other presses in a chest workout?

Specific programming variables will depend on a number of factors, including your experience level, training frequency, and goals. Generally speaking, performing one to three various types of presses in a single workout can be an effective way to train your chest.

Ideally, the exercises will be diverse — such as the flat barbell bench press, dips, and incline dumbbell press. Redundant training — such performing the flat barbell bench press, flat dumbbell bench press, and close-grip barbell bench press in one session— will deliver excessive fatigue and minimal results.

Time to Take a Dip

Shoulder injuries, poor shoulder mobility, and lack of “pushing strength” can interfere with daily life and hinder performance in the gym, on the platform, and on the field. However, incorporating dips into your training program can pack on muscle, increase strength, reduce injury risk, and enhance physical performance for lifters, athletes, and weekend warriors alike.

References

1. Wilk, M., Zajac, A., Tufano, J.J. The Influence of Movement Tempo During Resistance Training on Muscular Strength and Hypertrophy Responses: A Review. Sports Med 51, 1629–1650 (2021). doi: 10.1007/s40279-021-01465-2
2. Mckenzie, Alec & Crowley-McHattan, Zachary & Meir, Rudi & Whitting, John & Volschenk, Wynand. (2021). Glenohumeral Extension and the Dip: Considerations for the Strength and Conditioning Professional. Strength and Conditioning Journal. 43. 93-100. 10.1519/SSC.0000000000000579.
3. Burd NA, Andrews RJ, West DW, Little JP, Cochran AJ, Hector AJ, Cashaback JG, Gibala MJ, Potvin JR, Baker SK, Phillips SM. Muscle time under tension during resistance exercise stimulates differential muscle protein sub-fractional synthetic responses in men. J Physiol. 2012 Jan 15;590(2):351-62. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.2011.221200. Epub 2011 Nov 21. PMID: 22106173; PMCID: PMC3285070.
4. Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(24), 4897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897
5. Calatayud, J., Borreani, S., Colado, J. C., Martin, F., Tella, V., & Andersen, L. L. (2015). Bench press and push-up at comparable levels of muscle activity results in similar strength gains. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 29(1), 246–253. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000000589
6. Harrison, Jeffrey. (2010). Bodyweight Training: A Return To Basics. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 32. 52-55. 10.1519/SSC.0b013e3181d5575c.
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8. Huxel Bliven, K.C., Anderson, B.E. Core stability training for injury prevention. Sports Health. 2013 Nov;5(6):514-22. doi: 10.1177/1941738113481200.
9. National Institutes of Health: Stat Pearls. Anatomy, Thorax, Pectoralis Major Major.
10. Landin, D., Thompson, M., Jackson, M. Functions of the Triceps Brachii in Humans: A Review. J Clin Med Res. 2018 Apr;10(4):290-293. doi: 10.14740/jocmr3340w.
11. Baz-Valle, E., Schoenfeld, B. J., Torres-Unda, J., Santos-Concejero, J., & Balsalobre-Fernández, C. (2019). The effects of exercise variation in muscle thickness, maximal strength and motivation in resistance trained men. PloS one, 14(12), e0226989. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226989
12. Reggiani, C., & Schiaffino, S. (2020). Muscle hypertrophy and muscle strength: dependent or independent variables? A provocative review. European journal of translational myology, 30(3), 9311. https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2020.9311
13. Cinarli, Fahri & Kafkas, Muhammed & Soylu, Abdullah & Yılmaz, Nurkan. (2021). EFFECT OF ELBOW ANGLE ON TRICEPS BRACHII AND PECTORALIS MAJOR MUSCLE ACTIVITY DURING PARALLEL BAR DIP. 27. 57-69.
14. Escamilla, R. F., Hooks, T. R., & Wilk, K. E. (2014). Optimal management of shoulder impingement syndrome. Open access journal of sports medicine, 5, 13–24. https://doi.org/10.2147/OAJSM.S36646

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The cable crossover has been a favorite in bodybuilding circles for decades, and for good reason. This chest flye variation allows you to apply high-tension to your pecs without much involvement from other muscle groups. If you’re ready to boost your chest development, take a look at how and why you should add this time-tested exercise to your routine. 

• How to Do the Cable Crossover
• Cable Crossover Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Cable Crossover
• Muscles Worked by the Cable Crossover
• Who Should Do the Cable Crossover
• How to Program the Cable Crossover
• Cable Crossover Variations
• Cable Crossover Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Cable Crossover

This classic exercise is often performed incorrectly and then blamed for poor results or shoulder pain. Execution is of the utmost importance if you want the best results. Here’s what to do.

Step 1 — Start Between Two Pulleys

Stand in the middle of a two-pulley station with a single-handle on each side. Some stations have an adjustable pulley height, which is ideal to adapt the exercise to your body. Set each pulley around chest-height.

Grab one handle and pull it in toward your shoulder. Keep it close to your body as you grab the second handle with your free hand. Stand up tall in the middle of the station. Take a deep breath and flex your abs for stability.

Press the handles straight ahead while rotating your palms to face each other. Stop just before your elbows are locked out. This is the starting position for each rep.

Form Tip: You may feel unbalanced or unstable, especially if you start using heavier weights. Use a staggered stance, with one leg in front of you, for a more stable base of support.

Step 2 — Stretch Your Chest

Slowly lower the weight by reaching your arms out to your sides. Keep your chest up, don’t move at the hips or waist. Maintain a slight bend at your elbows throughout the entire repetition — bending and straightening your arms during the movement turns the exercise into a press.

Focus on feeling your pecs (chest muscles) stretch throughout the range of motion. Your shoulder mobility and chest flexibility will determine the end range of motion. Ideally, aim to go until your elbows are roughly in line with your shoulders or as deep as your mobility allows without losing muscular tension.

Form Tip: Do not focus on excessively driving your elbows backwards into an extreme stretch. You’ll risk joint strain and injury, and won’t be able to generate enough force for the exercise to be efficient. 

Step 3 — Bring Your Arms to Full Contraction

Flex your pecs as you bring your arms to the center. Stop just before your hands touch to keep tension on the muscle.

Your arms should be pointed straight ahead at roughly chest-height. Squeeze your chest as hard as possible in the contracted position. Return to the stretched position and repeat the process for additional repetitions.

Form Tip: Only your arms should move during the exercise. Make sure not to cheat by bending forward at the waist or rolling your shoulders forward. Those adjustments might allow you to move a heavier weight, but it’s at the expense of your shoulder joint health because your shoulders are potentially vulnerable in the stretched position.

Cable Crossover Mistakes to Avoid

Like many chest exercises, the cable crossover is prone to several ego-based mistakes. These can lead to less results and a greater chance of injuries. Let’s take a look at these potential traps.

Pressing the Weight

This can happen either by letting your ego dictate the weight used or by simply losing concentration during a set. In both cases, it drifts away from the purpose of the movement.

It’s sometimes too easy, or too tempting, to alter the lift’s mechanics so that it turns into a press rather than a flye motion. If you bend your arms too much when the weight begins to move, you will recruit your triceps and, to a lesser extent, the shoulder muscles.

This is a blunder because the aim of the exercise is to isolate the chest as much as possible and not use assistance from other muscles to move the weight.

Avoid It: Your hands should move in a wide arc, from in-line with your shoulders to nearly meeting in the middle. You shouldn’t be driving your hands forward like a bench press or standing push-up. Start the lift with your elbows slightly bent and keep your elbow angle the same during the entire lift.

Overstretching the Shoulder Joint

The cable crossover shouldn’t turn into a weighted stretch. If you lose control, the cable’s tension can pull your hands too far back and extend your shoulders backwards, where the joints are at their most vulnerable.

If you’re not mobile enough, this can put unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint. Because of the constant tension applied by the cable, going into a super-deep stretch might not be needed to properly stimulate muscle growth — it will be compensated by strong contraction.

Avoid It: Slow down the eccentric (lowering) portion and always use a manageable weight. This ensures that you’re in control and able to feel consistent muscular tension.

Losing Posture

If you use a weight that is too heavy or push well-past the point when fatigue sets in, you risk losing your posture and letting your shoulders roll forwards. This is often done instinctively so the shoulders can assist the chest.

Unfortunately, internally rotating the shoulders in that position is quite risky. It decreases the anatomical space for the many tendons and ligaments that go through the shoulder joint, which results in possible inflammation and tendonitis in the biceps, pecs, or shoulders. It’s also a threat to the fragile rotator cuff.

Moreover, it will decrease the chest stretch, which can decrease the muscle growth stimulus because a stretched muscle under load has the potential to grow more. (1)

Avoid It: Keep your shoulder blades pulled down and back for a stable shoulder position. Stand tall with your chest up and “proud.” Maintain that posture for the duration of the exercise.

Benefits of the Cable Crossover

The cable crossover is an isolation exercise that allows you to really focus on the chest. But there’s icing on the cake because of the adjustable pulley station: you can adjust the pulley’s height and the cables provide constant tension throughout the lift, unlike other exercises such as the dumbbell flye.

The cable crossover has one primary goal — muscle growth — but it is achieved through different means than a compound exercise like the bench press, and offers its own unique benefits.

Tension Through a Long Range of Motion

If you want optimal muscle-building results, you will eventually have to add variety to your training with different kinds of exercises, rep schemes, or training techniques. (2)

The cable crossover is useful because it challenges the muscle both the lengthened range — because of the deep stretch — and the peak contraction where tension is still applied at the top of the lift.

Dumbbell flye variations, for example, typically have reduced tension in the top position due to the decreased force of gravity against the weights.

Developing the Mind-Muscle Connection 

Because of the constant tension applied throughout the whole range of motion, the cable crossover is a fantastic exercise to develop the mind-muscle connection. You can really isolate and focus on the chest in the shortened and lengthened range.

Having a better mind-muscle connection is shown to yield superior muscle growth. (3) Squeezing at the top and pausing on each rep will be a powerful catalyst for building muscle and building a powerful mind-muscle connection.

Versatility

One major advantage of the cable pulley station, compared to a dumbbell or machine flye, is customization. You can use a variety of hand positions or pulling angles, and adjust the weight in small increments.

This allows you to add variation to the exercise and find the perfect setting for you to really feel your chest working. You can also adjust your stance and body position inside the station to find specific cable angles that suit your individual frame.

Muscles Worked By the Cable Crossover

The cable crossover is a single-joint (isolation) exercise that can be one of the most effective ways to directly target the chest if properly done. But the body is a complex machine, and no exercise can really “isolate” a single muscle on its own. Other muscles will always be recruited to some extent.

In this case, while the chest is certainly emphasized, nearby muscles will also be activated when performing the cable crossover.

Pectoralis Major

Commonly known as the chest, the pecs are the biggest and strongest pressing muscles in the upper body. The pecs attach to the upper arm, along the clavicle, the sternum, and the upper ribs. During the cable crossover, this muscle is mainly recruited through arm adduction (pulling the arms toward your centerline). The pecs also work to internally rotate the upper arm.

Anterior Deltoid

The shoulder muscle consists of three separate heads — the anterior (front), the lateral (side), and the posterior (rear). During the cable crossover, the anterior head assists the chest with internal rotation and adduction of the humerus (upper arm).

Biceps Brachii

This two-headed muscle is attached to the upper arm and then goes through the shoulder to the scapula (shoulder blade). It is an important muscle in the shoulder complex and helps to stabilize the shoulder joint during the cable crossover. The biceps are recruited because they are responsible for flexing (bending) your arms.

Because your arms should maintain a bend during the exercise, the biceps are working statically during the exercise. You should not actively bend or straighten your arms during the cable crossover because it will shift focus away from your pecs.

Who Should Do the Cable Crossover

Anyone who wants to emphasize their chest development can include this exercise in their routine. This staple exercise is ideal for muscle-building purposes.

Aesthetics Aficionados

If you’re interested in building an aesthetic physique, the cable crossover is a great fit. An isolation exercise is a great way of bringing up an underdeveloped chest while helping to create a symmetrical upper body.

If you need to emphasize chest development with minimum involvement of other muscles, this will be one of your go-to movements.

How to Program the Cable Crossover

Because it’s a single-joint exercise, this exercise should not be used with relatively heavy weights in order to avoid injuries and reap the most of its benefits.

Use the cable crossover as a secondary exercise after your main pressing movement, as a finisher at the end of your chest workout, or (after a thorough warm-up to prepare your shoulder joints) as the first exercise of the session to pre-exhaust your chest for an even more intense workout.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetitions

Using the standard hypertrophy scheme of three to four sets of eight to 12 repetitions will be a reliable way to build your chest. Accumulating volume in this range will be beneficial for hypertrophy. (4)

Low Weight, High Repetition

Sometimes you just want to feel the burn. Doing two to three sets of 15 to 20 repetitions can be just as beneficial for hypertrophy, and the longer time under tension might even be better for developing a great mind-muscle connection and really feeling your chest. This is the perfect scheme for a scorching finisher.

Cable Crossover Variations

The cable crossover is great because the pulley station allows you to modify your training in mere seconds. Simply changing the cable’s height will result in a slightly different range of motion and different muscular targeting.

High-to-Low Cable Crossover

For this variation, adjust the cable station so that the attachment is higher than your shoulders. The higher it will be, the more you will emphasize training the lengthened (stretched) position.

Position yourself like you were to perform the standard crossover, but instead of ending the lift with your hands in front of your chest, aim to bring your hands around your belly button or belt-line.

Low-to-High Cable Crossover

Now, we’re doing the opposite by setting the pulleys at their lowest point. Stand tall and balanced with your chest up, like any other cable crossover.

Bring your arms upwards at around face-level. This motion will recruit more the clavicular portion of the pecs (upper chest), similar to incline pressing. Since the upper chest is underdeveloped in many lifters, you should likely give this variation a go, especially if your chest session did not have any incline  or overhead training.

Cable Crossover Alternatives

If you don’t have a pulley station or just want to spice things up, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here are the best alternatives to the cable crossover.

Dumbbell Flye

The classic chest flye is free weight alternative to the crossover. Set up a bench, grab a pair of dumbbells, and perform the movement very similar to the cable crossover, but lying down on a flat bench. Because dumbbells are relatively unwieldy compared to cables, this alternative can require more shoulder joint stability, which can be useful for building joint health and injury prevention. (5)

This classic exercise is very interesting because it offers a different curve of resistance than the cable crossover. The moment arm is great in the stretched position, but nearly nonexistent in the contracted position. This alternative will focus on the lengthened range, which can be beneficial for exercise variety, muscle growth, and mobility.

Pec-Deck

The good old machine flye has the benefit of requiring no balance at all and even less coordination. Here, you can solely focus on your chest contraction because you are seated and fully supported. Simply sit in the machine and perform the flye movement. 

The guided component allows you to use one unique trick: instead of closing your hands and gripping the handle firmly, just place it in your palms with fingers open. You should be able to feel your chest contract better because the relaxed grip will negate the irradiation phenomenon — also known as Sherrington’s law, which implies that a contracted muscle will also contract the surrounding muscles. (6)

FAQs

I feel my biceps a lot during the exercise. What’s going on?

Your biceps will be tense during the exercise because your arms should be slightly bent with the muscle contracted, but if your biceps are fatiguing before your chest, that’s not normal.

The first step would be to lighten the weight and make sure you’re not actively bending your arms during the exercise. Also, try to think that your hands and forearms don’t exist. You might be activating your arms too much by squeezing the handle too hard. Solely focus on your chest contracting and drawing your elbows and upper arms close together.

My shoulders hurt when I perform this exercise. What should I do?

If it really hurts, then you should stop the exercise and probably consult a medical professional. Some degree of pain or discomfort is unfortunately bound to happen at some point during your lifting journey. It doesn’t necessarily indicate an injury, but it could.

Make sure you always use perfect form. Puff your chest out and keep your shoulder blades back to protect your rotator cuff muscles. If you start rolling your shoulders forward due to fatigue or heavy weights, then you’re opening the door to a potential problem.

Wrap-Up

The cable crossover is one of the few exercises commonly associated with bodybuilding. It’s fundamental purpose is to trigger muscle growth in the chest — and it does that job so well, it’s been a muscle-building staple for decades. If building a fuller, more muscular chest is on your to-do list, the cable crossover should end up in your bodybuilding toolbox.

References

1. Nunes JP, Schoenfeld BJ, Nakamura M, Ribeiro AS, Cunha PM, Cyrino ES. Does stretch training induce muscle hypertrophy in humans? A review of the literature. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging. 2020 May;40(3):148-156. doi: 10.1111/cpf.12622. Epub 2020 Feb 5. PMID: 31984621.
2. Krzysztofik M, Wilk M, Wojdała G, Gołaś A. Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019 Dec 4;16(24):4897. doi: 10.3390/ijerph16244897. PMID: 31817252; PMCID: PMC6950543.
3. Calatayud, Joaquin & Vinstrup, Jonas & Jakobsen, Markus & Sundstrup, Emil & Brandt, Mikkel & Jay, Kenneth & Colado, Juan C. & Andersen, Lars. (2016). Importance of mind-muscle connection during progressive resistance training. European journal of applied physiology. 116. 10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7.
4. Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, Krieger J, Grgic J, Delcastillo K, Belliard R, Alto A. Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019 Jan;51(1):94-103. doi: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764. PMID: 30153194; PMCID: PMC6303131.
5. Jaggi A, Alexander S. Rehabilitation for Shoulder Instability – Current Approaches. Open Orthop J. 2017 Aug 31;11:957-971. doi: 10.2174/1874325001711010957. PMID: 28979601; PMCID: PMC5611703.
6. Gontijo, L. B., Pereira, P. D., Neves, C. D., Santos, A. P., Machado, D., & Bastos, V. H. (2012). Evaluation of strength and irradiated movement pattern resulting from trunk motions of the proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Rehabilitation research and practice, 2012, 281937. https://doi.org/10.1155/2012/281937

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In fact, it is a more efficient version for many sports athletes. Just like the classic flat bench press, the incline bench press allows you to increase your pressing power in a functional and athletic way. You’ll also add size to your chest, shoulders, and arms.

Does using an incline really make a difference? Yes. Here are all the reasons why.

• How to Do the Incline Bench Press
• Incline Bench Press Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Incline Bench Press
• Muscles Worked by the Incline Bench Press
• Who Should Do the Incline Bench Press
• How to Program the Incline Bench Press
• Incline Bench Press Variations
• Incline Bench Press Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Incline Bench Press

The incline bench press is a fundamental exercise that can be beneficial to every lifter. As a multi-joint, free-weight exercise, proper technique is paramount in order to reap the many benefits while minimizing the risk of injury.

Step 1 — Set Up on the Bench

Lie on a bench set to an inclined angle. Most gyms are equipped with fixed incline bench press stations. You can also setup an adjustable bench in a rack, which can allow you to use different angles for diverse muscle recruitment.

Adjust the seat position so the bar is above your eyes. You should be able to reach the bar with nearly straight, not significantly bent, arms. “Pack” your shoulders by pulling them back and down, which should arch your chest slightly up. Put your feet flat on the ground and tense your legs for stability. Grab the barbell with a pronated (palm-down) grip, slightly wider than your shoulders, and squeeze the bar hard.

Form Tip: Your grip width will play a role in muscle recruitment. A wide grip (well-beyond shoulder width) will target the front shoulders and overall chest, whereas a more narrow grip (equal to shoulder-width) will hit the triceps and upper chest more significantly. (1) 

Step 2 — Unrack the Barbell

Maintain tension through your whole body. Without moving the bar, try to bend it like a horseshoe. This helps to engage your lats and increase upper-body stability. Push your feet into the ground, as if you’re trying to slide the bench backwards. Take a deep breath and hold it as you flex your core during the lift-off.

Straighten your arms to lift the bar off the support hooks. “Pull” the bar to line up above your shoulders with your arms fully extended.

Form Tip: Only your arms should move during the lift off. Keep your scapulae (shoulder blades) together and down to protect your shoulder joints. If the bar is set too low and you need to perform a long range of motion to unrack the bar, you’re more likely to lose a stable position.

Step 3 — Lower with Control

Lower the bar towards your upper chest or collarbones by bending your elbows. Maintain full body tension. Aim your elbows at an angle between your feet and shoulders. Keep your wrist upright, without tilting your hand forwards or backwards. Keep your forearms vertical and your elbows directly under the barbell.

Use a directly vertical bar path and lower the bar to touch the same spot on your chest with each repetition.

Form Tip: If you have stiff shoulders or upper body mobility issues, the full range of motion may be uncomfortable or even painful. If this is the case, work in a pain-free range of motion and stop a couple of inches before touching your chest. This should reduce stress on your rotator cuff and shoulder stabilizing muscles.

Step 4 — Drive the Weight Up Explosively

From the bottom position, press the bar up as explosively as you can without being reckless. Keep tension through your body. Exhale as you drive the bar with force. Push steadily through your feet until the rep is complete, because the leg drive will transfer to your upper-body stability and power.

The barbell should end up over your shoulders, where it began after being unracked. Your arms should be locked and perpendicular to the floor.

Form Tip: Do your best to hold your breath until the sticking point (hardest part) of the movement is completed. This is most often near the transition from lowering the weight to pressing it up. Releasing your breath too early might cause your chest to cave in, resulting in a loss of total-body tension.

Incline Bench Press Mistakes to Avoid

The incline bench press is a relatively less technical animal than its flat bench counterpart, but flawed form is still a common sight in many gyms. Here are the main mistakes to avoid in order to progress efficiently and safely.

Flaring Your Arms

The incline bench press can put a lot of strain on the shoulder joint and greatly stretch the chest. In order to diminish this risk, you have to ensure optimal form at all times.

Monitor your elbows. Do they flare out towards your shoulders when you press the weight up? If so, you’re putting a lot of stress on your joints. Moreover, this position is less optimal for force production and you won’t develop as much strength.

Avoid It: Keep your arms around a 45-degree angle to your body. The exact angle will depends on your individual anatomy and bone length. Be sure to imagine “bending the barbell in half” because it will engage your lats and help prevent the flaring.

Bringing the Bar Too Low on Your Chest

Unlike the flat barbell bench press, in which you lower the bar in a slight arc, the incline bench press is most effective when you keep the bar path straight and vertical. It means that the bar should stay over your upper chest at all times and never drift towards your stomach.

Using a lower bar path will not only be detrimental to force production, but it will also rotate the shoulders into a weak position, which increases the risk for injury and decreases muscle tension.

Avoid It: Keep a vertical bar path by always having the bar approach the same spot on your chest for each repetition. Your wrists should be positioned vertically over your elbows vertically.

Lifting Your Feet

Unfortunately, many pre-set incline bench stations have steps or pegs where you can put your feet. Don’t use them. Unless, of course, you have a specific lower back condition that prevents you from comfortably and securely placing your feet flat on the floor.

In order to press with power, you need a strong and stable base. Planting your feet on the ground and flexing your legs will produce more tension and stability throughout your entire body, which transfers into the lift.

Avoid It: Bring your feet almost under your hips and apply pressure into the floor for the duration of the lift. Push as hard as you can through your toes, as if you wanted to push the bench into the wall behind you. This leg drive will transfer stability to your upper-body, and ultimately the bar, allowing you to lift more weight.

Benefits of the Incline Bench Press

The incline bench press, being a slight variation of its flat counterpart, offers many of the same benefits. Both exercises load the upper body with relatively heavy weights while developing size and strength, but the incline brings its own set of results.

Whether it’s added to a later part of the workout or prioritized on its own, the incline press offers distinct advantages.

The Best Upper-Chest Builder

For a complete, aesthetic chest development, you need a well-developed upper chest. Any type of incline or overhead press will recruit the clavicular (upper) head more than the sternal (mid-chest) muscle, but nothing trumps this movement for specifically building upper chest size. If that body part is lagging, you should make the incline bench press your main pressing exercise.

The angle of the bench is hugely important. A steep angle will target more the anterior deltoid (front shoulder) as well as the clavicular portion of the chest muscle. For overall chest development, a moderate incline of 15-30 degrees has been shown to be highly effective. (2)

Improved Athletic Performance

In many cases, the flat bench press isn’t the best bet for athletes because you rarely, if ever, press in a directly horizontal motion during sports events. Take rugby or American football, for instance. Your arms have to press at an angle relative to your torso if you want maximum efficiency and power. Athletes can use the incline bench to improve their on-field performance, as well as diversify their pressing strength and address muscle weaknesses.

Increased Upper Body Size and Strength

The incline bench press is one of the best investments you can make to pack on muscle and strength. Because you recruit the chest, shoulders, and triceps, you can use heavier weights than many upper body pressing exercises. This delivers a superior stimulus and you’ll progress more quickly and become stronger than with many other pressing exercises.

Muscles Worked By the Incline Bench Press

The incline bench press is not a single-joint isolation movement, so it will work all the pressing muscles of the upper body. As such, it is one of the best ways to develop these essential muscles for both beginners and experienced lifters. 

The incline bench press is sometimes seen as a “hybrid” between chest exercises and shoulder exercises because the incline angle alters muscle recruitment in the pressing muscles. This can be used to your advantage when programming the exercise for your specific goals.

Pectoralis Major

The pecs are the main and the largest chest muscles. Their function is internally rotate the humerus (the upper arm bone) as well as adduct it (bringing it closer to the body). This last function is mainly responsible for the incline bench press motion. The pectoralis has two main heads, the sternal (mid and lower chest) and the clavicular (upper chest). The incline bench press develops the chest as a whole, but will put more emphasis on the clavicular head than the flat version.

Deltoids

The deltoids are the shoulder muscles, composed of three heads: the anterior head (front of the shoulders), the lateral head (middle of the shoulder), and posterior head (rear of the shoulders). Their function is to raise and rotate the arms in their corresponding directions. Because the arms are in front of the shoulders during the movement, the anterior deltoid will be hit the most. As the pressing angle gets more steep and approached upright, your mid and rear delts will contribute more to the movement. (3)

Triceps Brachii

This is the muscle sitting on the back of your upper arm, responsible for extending and straightening it from a bent position. The triceps are essential to every pressing movement and will contribute greatly to the lockout portion of the incline bench press. They are more heavily activated if you use a closer grip width and/or a steeper angle.

Back

The lats and upper back muscles are involved in supporting the incline bench press, even though they really aren’t prime movers in this movement. They do contribute to its execution. The latissimus dorsi (lats), the largest back muscle, mainly serve as a shoulder joint stabilizer and will prevent your elbows from flaring.

The upper back muscles — the trapezius, rear deltoids, and rhomboids — support shoulder and scapular (shoulder blade) stability, allowing for proper force transfer. They are taxed more significantly during high-angle incline pressing.

Who Should Do the Incline Bench Press

This exercise is a staple for upper body pressing strength and size. It will serve experienced and beginners alike because it is as efficient and effective as the flat bench press. (4) Everyone from general athletes to strongmen and strongwomen and everyone in between can benefit from putting more emphasis on the incline than flat.

Strength Athletes

Strongmen, strongwomen, and Olympic weightlifters will benefit the most from incline benching. They need tremendous shoulder strength. Because the flat version is never seen in their competitions, the incline press is an ideal complement to direct overhead pressing. Powerlifters and CrossFit athletes can also benefit from using the incline bench press to improve weaknesses, such as the mid-range of the bench press for powerlifters or carryover to overall pressing strength for CrossFitters.

This lift will greatly build overhead stability and force production, so any athlete or lifter that wants to move heavy weights overhead should consider it.

Athletes in Contact Sports or Track and Field

Strong shoulders are a staple for these athletes and the inclined angle is more sport-specific to their activities. Whether it’s throwing punches, throwing a discuss, or throwing a ball, the incline bench press a superior and more relevant alternative to build transferable pressing strength because their sports rarely involve direct overhead or direct horizontal pressing. It’s also a good way to add variety to training, prevent overuse injuries, and shape a complete athlete.

Regular Gymgoers

Most lifters learn to prioritize the bench press, but adding a little variety certainly won’t hurt the non-competitive gymgoer and it will provide a fresh training stimulus. It’s as effective for building size and strength, and it’s typically believed that having well-developed shoulders (from the added incline training) will shape your frame in a more aesthetic way. The incline bench press will prove a fantastic variation to anybody who wants a bigger, broader, physique.

How To Program the Incline Bench Press

The incline bench press is a formidable choice to improve strength and size because a variety of training schemes can be used. Low reps with heavy weight or relatively lighter weight with high volume — you decide depending on your objectives. In any case, you should perform the incline bench press when fresh in a session, as the first or second exercise of the workout, to apply the most focus and effort.

Heavy Weight, Low Repetitions

If you want to build maximum strength, this is the way to go — three to six sets of three to five repetitions. If you’re experienced, you could even use heavier weight for two or one repetitions. Keep one or two reps in the tank to ensure proper form at all times because technique is crucial in developing strength. (5) In the same spirit, use long rest periods of three to five minutes so that you can repeat the same effort and your form doesn’t degrade.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetition

If you want to build size, three to four sets of six to 12 repetitions is your best bet. You should still keep perfect form at all times, but approach, or even achieve, muscular failure on each set. Rest periods should be two to three minutes long if you want maximal results. (6) Use the lower end of the rep range with a longer rest the majority of the time. But consider shortening the rest to 60 to 90 seconds with higher reps if you want to enjoy a nasty pump.

Moderate Weight, Low Repetitions

This approach should interest athletes. Roughly six to eight sets of two to five repetitions is excellent for building explosive strength and power. This is the least efficient scheme for building muscle, but it will improve your speed, power, and technique. Use a moderate weight that you can accelerate and press it as fast as you can. You should never feel fatigued or approach muscular fatigue, so keep your rest periods between one to two minutes to keep your nervous system fresh. Resist the urge to rest less.

Incline Bench Press Variations

You want to add incline pressing to your training regimen, but the barbell hurts your shoulders? You don’t feel your chest working? You crave new exercises? Don’t worry, you’re covered with these variations that can add variety while still developing incline strength and building chest, shoulder, and arm size. 

Dumbbell Incline Bench Press

If you have upper back or shoulder mobility issues, the barbell incline bench press can sometimes force your shoulders into a compromised position. This can strain your joints and and potentially cause injuries if you suffer from shoulder impingement or a poor subacromial space (the area between where your humerus connects to the shoulder joint). If barbell pressing is painful, try the dumbbell version.

You won’t use as much total weight, but the freedom and range of motion allowed by the dumbbells ensures less stress on the shoulder joints. It can actually be an even more efficient way to target your chest muscles. (7) Plus, as a unilateral exercise (making each side of the body work on its own), it is a great way to address muscle imbalances.

Decline Push-Up

Let’s go back to the bodyweight basics. This push-up variation can be done anywhere, at any time, and does not need equipment other than something to prop your feet onto. It’s essentially a traditional push-up with your feet elevated, on a bench for example, to mimic the incline angle. Keep your body in a straight line. Support yourself on your hands and toes, and do not let your elbows flare out.

This is a harder variation of the standard push-up. As an unweighted bodyweight exercise, it will be best used for higher reps with shorter rest periods. It’s the same principle as with the bench: the higher your feet, the more challenging the exercise will be and the more you’ll recruit the shoulders.

Incline Pin Press 

The low end of the range of the incline bench press can be an issue for some lifters, since it’s the position where the muscles and joints are under the greatest stretch. If it’s painful or problematic, why not avoid it? Set pins in a rack so that the barbell is just a couple of inches over your chest to limit the range of motion. Lower the bar to gently contact the pins on each rep to ensure the same range of motion on every rep.

As a bonus, let the bar rest in a dead-stop for one to two seconds before pressing each rep back up. This will elicit tremendous muscle activation and help develop both tightness in the lift and explosive power.

Incline Bench Press Alternatives

If you train in a home gym without an adjustable bench, or if they are all taken because it’s Monday evening and everyone in the world is training their chest, don’t panic. Here are some alternatives to work the same muscle groups and provide almost-similar benefits. 

Bench Press

As expected. The bench press being (arguably) the king of upper body pressing exercises, it is a natural choice if you cannot perform the incline bench press. It offers many of the same benefits, though it works the middle part of the chest more and the shoulders less.

This is the pressing movement with which you’ll most likely use the most weight, so it is a fantastic overloading movement to increase strength and size, and can be a staple in many performance programs.

Floor Press

The original “bench press”, originally performed before flat benches were in gyms, is a very good substitution for the incline. It’s very simple: you lie on the floor and press from there, either taking the weight from pair of low-set safety pins or carefully hip thrusting the weight into the lockout position to begin. Lower the bar slowly so you don’t smash your elbows into the floor, pause for a second, and drive up hard to lockout.

Because it uses a partial range of motion compared to lying on a bench, it will emphasize your triceps and lockout strength while avoiding stress on your shoulders. As such, it is a great variation for experienced lifters who’ve developed poor shoulder joints over the years. It also has the particularity of not using the legs — just like on the incline, you cannot cheat.

Seated Shoulder Press

Do you want cannonball delts? Done. Take the incline to the extreme — completely vertical. This variation hits the shoulders way more as a whole, but still works the clavicular portion of the pectoralis. If you want a bit more chest activation, use a slightly-less-than-vertical angle, anywhere from 60-degrees to 85-degrees will do the job.

It is not a bad idea to rotate more shoulder-focused exercises in your routine because this muscle group is usually a weak link both in aesthetics and performance.

Smith-Machine Incline Bench Press

The Smith Machine is an often overlooked piece of equipment which can provide great muscle-building benefits. This is a nearly identical variation as the barbell incline bench press, but the Smith is more geared towards hypertrophy instead of strength because it cannot safely accommodate very heavy loads.

The Smith machine requires much less stability and can push yourself closer to muscular failure than with the barbell. Because you don’t have to recruit as many stabilizing muscles, it can be a good choice for beginners learning the movement pattern and basic technique.

FAQs

Can I do the incline bench press as my main chest exercise?

Indeed you can. It has been shown to be as efficient as the flat bench press for beginners. Many experienced lifters use the incline press as their go-to chest movement, including six-time Mr. Olympia Dorian Yates, who swears by it.

Unless you’re a powerlifter, who must prioritize the flat bench press for competition, you don’t “have to” do the flat bench press to build an impressive physique with strength to match.

What should I do if I feel pain in my shoulders in the incline bench press?

Any time you feel pain, you have to address the cause of the issue before anything else. If it’s not a diagnosed medical condition involving joint pain, switch to a different exercise at least for a while.

Most of the time, feeling pain during a specific exercise is either due to poor technique or overuse issues. So, work on your form (hire a qualified coach if needed) and decrease the training volume (number of sets) on this exercise until you figure it out or until it clears up.

Another culprit could be an anterior to posterior imbalance, meaning that your back and rotator cuff muscles are too weak compared to your chest and front shoulders. Adjusting your training program to include more pulling exercises, especially for the upper back, should help to address the imbalance.

Can I use both the flat and incline bench press in my routine?

Sure. But since they are quite similar, you have to be smart about programming because you don’t want any redundancy. It would be more effective to either use them in separate sessions (if you train your chest or shoulders twice a week) or use different rep schemes when performing both exercises in the same workout.

For instance, you could start the session with the flat bench press using heavy weight and low-rep sets and move on to the incline bench press with moderate weight, higher-rep sets. This diverse approach could also be done if you split the exercises between two sessions, as well, having one day focused on heavy weights and the second workout several days later using relatively lighter weights.

You’d Be Inclined to Get Results

The incline bench press is a fantastic addition to any lifter’s repertoire, and is one of the best upper-body size and strength builders. Use it to improve performance, get a broader chest, cap your shoulders, diversify your training, or work on your weaknesses. That’s a lot of bang for the buck, considering all it takes is tilting the bench and pressing away.

References

1. Barnett, Chris1; Kippers, Vaughan2; Turner, Peter1 Effects of Variations of the Bench Press Exercise on the EMG Activity of Five Shoulder Muscles, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: November 1995 – Volume 9 – Issue 4 – p 222-227
2. Rodríguez-Ridao D, Antequera-Vique JA, Martín-Fuentes I, Muyor JM. Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 8;17(19):7339. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17197339. PMID: 33049982; PMCID: PMC7579505.
3. Campos YAC, Vianna JM, Guimarães MP, Oliveira JLD, Hernández-Mosqueira C, da Silva SF, Marchetti PH. Different Shoulder Exercises Affect the Activation of Deltoid Portions in Resistance-Trained Individuals. J Hum Kinet. 2020 Oct 31;75:5-14. doi: 10.2478/hukin-2020-0033. PMID: 33312291; PMCID: PMC7706677.
4. Chaves SFN, Rocha-JÚnior VA, EncarnaÇÃo IGA, Martins-Costa HC, Freitas EDS, Coelho DB, Franco FSC, Loenneke JP, Bottaro M, Ferreira-JÚnior JB. Effects of Horizontal and Incline Bench Press on Neuromuscular Adaptations in Untrained Young Men. Int J Exerc Sci. 2020 Aug 1;13(6):859-872. PMID: 32922646; PMCID: PMC7449336.
5. Wilson, Gregory J., Bruce C. Elliott and Graham K. Kerr. “Bar Path and Force Profile Characteristics for Maximal and Submaximal Loads in the Bench Press.” International journal of sport biomechanics 5 (1989): 390-402.
6. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, Hester GM, Sellers J, Nooner JL, Schnaiter JA, Bond-Williams KE, Carter AS, Ross CL, Just BL, Henselmans M, Krieger JW. Longer Interset Rest Periods Enhance Muscle Strength and Hypertrophy in Resistance-Trained Men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016 Jul;30(7):1805-12. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001272. PMID: 26605807.
7. Farias, Déborah & Willardson, Jeffrey & Paz, Gabriel & Bezerra, Ewertton & Miranda, Humberto. (2016). Maximal Strength Performance and Muscle Activation for the Bench Press and Triceps Extension Exercises Adopting Dumbbell, Barbell, and Machine Modalities Over Multiple Sets. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research. 31. 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001651.

Featured Image: ARENA Creative / Shutterstock

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This is where isolation (single-joint) exercises can shine. The dumbbell flye is one of the most efficient exercises to really zero in on the chest. It emphasizes development of your pecs while creating less overall demand and lower general fatigue in other muscles. Here’s why you should add this bodybuilding staple to your chest workout.

• How to Do the Dumbbell Flye
• Dumbbell Flye Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Dumbbell Flye
• Muscles Worked by the Dumbbell Flye
• Who Should Do the Dumbbell Flye
• How to Program the Dumbbell Flye
• Dumbbell Flye Variations
• Dumbbell Flye Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Dumbbell Flye

The dumbbell flye’s range of motion moves the weights further away from your body’s midline, which allows gravity to deliver an even greater challenge to the muscle in the eccentric (lowering) portion of the lift.

Step 1 — Set Up On the Bench

Lie on a flat bench while bringing a pair of dumbbells to your chest with bent arms, tucking your elbows to your sides. Keep your feet flat on the floor, set slightly wider than your hips. Press the weights above your chest with your palms facing each other. Keep your head in contact with the bench.

Slightly bend your arms. Retract your shoulder blades by pinching them together and maintain this position throughout each rep.

Form Tip: Before beginning each rep, take one or two seconds to “reset” in the top position and make sure that your body is properly in place.

Step 2 — Lower the Weights into a Stretch

Because this is a flye, not a press, keep your elbows at a consistent angle throughout the movement. Slowly lower the dumbbells out to the side until your arms are parallel with the floor and your palms are facing up.

Your elbows should end up in line with your shoulders. Pause briefly in the bottom position to significantly stretch your pecs.

Form Tip: The bottom position of the flye is where most injuries occur because your joints are naturally most vulnerable due to poor leverage. It is important to remain stable by driving your feet into the ground to increase your stability. Managing your breathing can also help. Hold your breath as you lower the weight, breathe out as you bring the weight back up, and inhale before lowering the weight again.

Step 3 — Lift the Weights to Full Contraction

With your abs and upper back muscles engaged and your lower body driving into the ground, think about pulling your elbows and upper arms across your chest.

Be sure to keep your arms at a consistent angle. If they’re bending and straightening excessively, you’re using your triceps, not your chest, to move the weight.

Form Tip: As you return to the top, imagine that you are giving someone a bear hug. This motion will help to keep your arms and shoulders in a good position and it helps to fully shorten the pecs as you reach the top position.

Dumbbell Flye Mistakes to Avoid

The dumbbell flye takes some concentration to yield maximum benefits. This also means it is incredibly important to nail the technical component in order to minimize the risk of injuries occurring.

Lifting With Your Arms

One of the most common mistakes is turning the dumbbell flye into the dumbbell bench press. While the press can be an effective exercise on its own, it recruits additional muscles at the expense of chest emphasis.

Bending your arms will reduce overall tension on the chest muscle, preventing the flye from stimulating maximum muscle growth.

Avoid It: Maintain a slightly bent arm throughout the entire exercise. In the bottom position, your hands should be extended away from your shoulders, not near your shoulder in a pressing position.

Lack of Stability

Some lifters will leave their legs completely relaxed, pointed on their toes, or raised completely in the air. This de-stabilizes your body and makes you less effective at performing this exercise due to a lack of stability from the ground up.

When your body is unstable, your muscles cannot produce sufficient force or maintain muscular tension. This creates a poor stimulus for growth.

Avoid It: Your legs allow you to create a base of support for more total-body stability during each rep. This means that you will be able to create more tension on the target muscle and use slightly more weight. Stay flat-footed and drive your feet into the ground during the rep.

Lifting Too Fast or Too Heavy

This mistake is more often associated with people new to training and have not yet mastered flye technique or those who rush through reps and use careless technique.

General poor form, excessively fast reps, or heavy weights can all lead to a significant amount of strain at the shoulder and elbow joints. This can also occur when the arms are locked straight during the exercise.

Avoid it: Keeping your elbows softly bent from start to finish. If the weight is too heavy, your arms will instinctively bend too much to shift the weight. Taking a brief pause in the top position can slow down your reps and ensure your form stays on point.

Benefits of the Dumbbell Flye

The dumbbell flye is unique because it allows you to challenge the pecs significantly through the eccentric portion of each rep, making the muscle contract harder in a stretched position.

The dumbbell flye puts the chest under a significant stretch, followed by an intense contraction. That’s a winning combination for muscle growth.

Challenging The Lengthened Range

The dumbbell flye triggers muscular growth by emphasizing tension on the pecs in the stretched position. Taking two to three seconds to lower the weight will challenge the muscle in the lengthened range, which may lead to increased muscle protein synthesis. (1)

This is in contrast to exercises which are more challenging in the contracted range, such as a pec-deck machine or cable crossover.

Muscles Worked by the Dumbbell Flye

As an isolation exercise, the dumbbell flye focuses maximum tension on just one muscle — the chest. Several smaller muscles are recruited as well, but not as a primary mover.

Some lifters de-prioritize isolation exercises like the dumbbell flye and overfocus on multi-joint movements. That approach can create lagging muscle groups which are under-trained because multiple body parts are constantly working without regard to balanced development.

Chest

The pectoralis major covers the entire chest. Its two heads, the sternal (mid-chest) and the clavicular (upper chest) are both recruited during the exercise. One of the functions of the pecs is to adduct the upper arm — bringing the upper arm toward the body’s centerline — which is exactly the movement performed during the flye.

Anterior Deltoids

The front muscle of the shoulder, the anterior delt, is the muscle that assists the pecs in performing the flye motion. If you feel your delts are being worked more than your pecs, decrease the weight and focus on feeling the chest muscles contract and stretch, while your shoulder stabilizes the weights. Also focus on keeping your palms facing up. Don’t allow your hands to rotate during the movement. 

Biceps

While your delts assist your pecs, the biceps are also engaged and put under tension due to the slightly bent arm position. The biceps work to maintain elbow position and stabilize your lower arm (and the dumbbell) during the movement.

The biceps are worked statically because you should not be curling the weight during a dumbbell flye.

Who Should Do the Dumbbell Flye

The dumbbell flye is a classic muscle-building exercise. Any lifter looking to maximize their chest development should be implementing the movement into their programming. Due to the extended arm position and unfavorable leverages, the exercise is not well-suited to move heavy weights safely.

Physique Enthusiasts

This type of isolation exercise will assist in developing muscle size and symmetry of the pecs. The dumbbell flye allows the pecs to work with minimal involvement of other muscles, making it an effective way to emphasize the chest.

How to Program the Dumbbell Flye

To prioritize muscle growth, the dumbbell flye should be programmed as a secondary exercise after your main chest pressing. It can also be used as a finisher at the end of the workout to completely fatigue the muscle fibers recruited during the session.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetition

Using a standard bodybuilding approach of three to four sets in the six to 12 rep range will assist in driving up training volume for the pecs, which plays a significant role in building muscle. (2). 

Low Weight, High Repetition

Using a lighter weight for two to three sets in the 13 to 20 rep range is a great way to practice dumbbell flye technique, especially when you first incorporate it into your routine. This approach will still allow an overall increase in training volume, encouraging muscle growth.

Dumbbell Flye Variations

Below are two variations that you can swap into your workouts once you’ve mastered standard dumbbell flyes. While the exercises are still very similar in nature, the subtle differences in body positioning, range of motion, and muscle recruitment can continue to improve pec development.

Dumbbell Foam Roller Flye 

Lying on a foam roller instead of a flat bench can improve your ability to retract your shoulder blades into the foam roller itself, because the roller is more narrow than the bench, which permits the shoulder blades to move more freely.

Because the foam roller is round and may want to move beneath your body, it forces you to use more control during the exercise, which can help to keep your shoulders healthy and safe.

Incline Dumbbell Flye

Using a bench set at an inclined angle will shift the focus of the stretch to the clavicular (upper pec) head of the chest.

Although the range of motion at the shoulder joint will be slightly less than the flat bench because the arms move at a different angle, it is still important to work through the active range of motion in which you can maintain tension on the pecs. Lower the weight as far as possible without aggressively stretching the chest and shoulders, and lift to a full contraction.

Dumbbell Flye Alternatives

Some lifters may be unable to perform dumbbell flyes, either due to mobility issues, joint pain, or other individualized factors. There are several alternatives that will similarly strengthen and build your chest.

Cable Crossovers

The cable crossover, or standing cable flye, is the same single-joint movement pattern as the dumbbell flye with two major differences. First, the cable pulley system can be adjusted to varying heights and a variety of arm positions can be used. These slight differences allow “customization” of the movement to accommodate shoulder mobility issues.

Secondly, the cable machine doesn’t rely on gravity or leverage like a dumbbell flye, so it applies constant tension to the chest throughout every part of the rep. This tension also allows you to increase the range of motion by crossing your hands over each other in the contracted position, which can help you to feel the muscle working more, and understand how to fully engage your pecs on any exercise.

Pec-Deck

The “notorious” pec-deck machine is a staple in any commercial gym, but frequent misuse has built its unfair reputation as a shoulder-killer. This dumbbell flye alternative reduces the need for total-body stability due to the seated and supported position.

However, this added support does not mean you can overload the movement with heavy weights. The pec-deck is best used to finish off the chest muscles after you have already completed your primary lifts.

FAQs

What should I do if my shoulder hurts when I perform this exercise?

Stop performing the exercise immediately. If you feel pain or discomfort during a movement, do not “soldier on” and push through pain to finish your set.

Pain may not necessarily mean you have an injury, but it could be a warning sign and might actually highlight some areas of weakness which could turn into bigger issues if left unaddressed. Consulting with a medical professional is a good idea.

Can I use dumbbell flyes in every chest workout?

You could, because it’s an effective and direct chest-training exercise. However, to stimulate overall pec development and avoid stagnation, it can be more effective to rotate variations of the flye regularly. Change the movement every eight to 12 weeks or whenever you feel you cannot continue safely progressing in weight.

Flyes for Size

The bench press might be the meat and potatoes of many chest workouts, but dumbbell flyes are an essential isolation exercise when you’re after a more muscular chest. The often-overlooked isolation exercise makes it easier to crank up the pec-training volume with focused precision.

References

1. Schoenfeld, Brad MSc, CSCS The Use of Specialized Training Techniques to Maximize Muscle Hypertrophy, Strength and Conditioning Journal: August 2011 – Volume 33 – Issue 4 – p 60-65 doi: 10.1519/SSC.0b013e3182221ec2 
2. Schoenfeld, B. J., Contreras, B., Krieger, J., Grgic, J., Delcastillo, K., Belliard, R., & Alto, A. (2019). Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 51(1), 94–103. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764

Featured Image: MDV Edwards / Shutterstock

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Exercise choice can dramatically influence overall results, especially when it comes to training the chest. Between myths about “targeting” different parts of the chest, training too heavy, or over-stressing shoulder and elbow joints more than pectoral muscles, many lifters are lucky to end up with a well-designed program. However, luck has a way of evaporating when you lean on it too often. Below, we list 12 of the best chest exercises to build your chest program around.

Best Chest Exercises

• Flat Barbell Bench Press
• Guillotine Press
• Barbell Pullover
• Low Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
• Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
• Decline Dumbbell Flye
• Dip
• Sliding Push-Up
• Hand-Release Push-Up
• Cable Crossover
• Smith Machine Incline Press
• Medicine Ball Chest Pass

Flat Barbell Bench Press

If you’re reading a list of the “best chest exercises” and don’t see the classic bench press, your instinct might be to close the page and move on. This founding member of the big three powerlifts is also a time-tested bodybuilding staple.

The versatility of the bench press, which makes it well-suited to building strength as well as muscle size, makes it a key player in many chest-building workouts. Very minor technique adjustments can shift the emphasis towards size or strength, so it’s important to know how and why you’re performing the exercise to get maximum results.

How to Do the Flat Barbell Bench Press

Lie on a bench with your feet flat on the ground. Your glutes and shoulders should never leave the bench during the exercise. Maintain a slight arch in your lower back. For optimal recruitment of the pec (chest) muscles, grab the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width. A closer grip de-emphasizes the pecs and instead prioritizes the triceps. (1)

With your elbows slightly bent, pinch your shoulder blades together while staying on the bench. Straighten your arms to unrack the barbell and “pull” the weight from over your face to above your upper chest. Lower the bar to mid-chest level while aiming your elbows at an angle between your feet and shoulders. Briefly pause in the bottom position before pressing up. In the locked out position, the bar should be above your upper chest or neck.

Benefits of the Flat Barbell Bench Press

• It trains the chest through a complete range of motion, with assistance from the shoulders and triceps, making it an efficient upper body exercise.
• It’s sport-specific for competitive powerlifters and has carryover to any athletes (especially those in contact sports) who can benefit from upper body pressing power.
• You can load the barbell with a significant amount of weight relative to other chest exercises, making it suitable for very long-term progress.

Guillotine Press

The intimidating-sounding guillotine press (sometimes called a “neck press”) was popularized by bodybuilding coach Vince Gironda in the 1960s. It applies specific technique adjustments to the standard flat barbell bench press to place even more muscular stress on the pecs.

This increased muscular stress means less weight can deliver more results. In fact, the guillotine should not be performed with heavy weight, since it would lead to excessive joint strain. It can be an excellent addition to a chest-building workout, but lifters with pre-existing shoulder issues may have trouble performing the exercise properly.

How to Do the Guillotine Press

Lie on a flat bench with your feet flat on the ground. Keep your glutes and shoulders touching the bench. Flex your abs to flatten your lower back into the bench. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, nearly as wide as possible. Unrack the bar by pressing upwards, and pull the bar to a position above your neck.

As you lower the bar, keep your elbows pointed directly out to each side. This will drastically increase the stretch on the chest muscles. Keep the bar in line with your neck as you lower it as far as possible. Press upwards immediately after reaching maximum stretch.

Benefits of the Guillotine Press

• Targets the chest without the need for relatively excessive weight, reducing wear and tear on the joints.
• Emphasizes the chest while minimizing recruitment of the triceps and shoulders.

Barbell Pullover

The barbell pullover is one of the oldest exercises a lifter can do, with weightlifters in the late-1800s advocating the exercise. It’s also one of the most confusing exercises. Rarely do lifters argue over which muscles are trained by a specific exercise, because there’s almost always a clear-cut answer, but the pullover is constantly at the center of an ongoing “chest exercise or back exercise” debate.

The pullover actually works both the chest and lats (back muscle) at the same time, but many studies, along with many anecdotal reports from lifters over the decades, support the pullover as a very effective chest exercise. (2)(3) If your lats “take over” during the exercise and you cannot feel your pecs working, perform the exercise at the end of your chest workout when the pecs are pre-fatigued. (4)

How to Do the Barbell Pullover

Hold a small barbell with an overhand grip slightly closer than shoulder-width. Sit on a bench and rest the bar across your legs. As you lie flat onto the bench, “kick” the weight into a position over your face and straighten your arms. Plant your feet securely on the ground.

Keep your glutes on the bench. Lower the weight towards your head, descending nearly in line with the bench if your shoulder mobility allows. Pause very briefly in the stretched position before pulling back to the starting position. Maintain a slightly bent elbow position during each rep and do not actively bend at the elbows to lower the weight.

Benefits of the Barbell Pullover

• Targets the chest, lats, and shoulder muscles.
• Emphasizes the chest with limited triceps recruitment.
• The pullover is an effective stretch for the lats, as well as the shoulders, and can improve shoulder mobility over time.

Low Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Chest training often incorporates a variety of angles to optimally address both the “upper chest” (clavicular head of the pecs) and the “mid or lower chest” (sternocostal head of the pecs). These different parts of the chest muscle will be more thoroughly addressed in a later section.

Inclined chest exercises will target the upper pecs. However, a relatively low angle is ideal because an excessively inclined angle (more vertical than horizontal) will reduce chest activation and increase shoulder activation. (5) Dumbbells allow a deeper stretched position and/or more range of motion at lockout, compared to a barbell.

How to Do the Low Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Set an adjustable bench to a low incline — the second hole on an adjustable bench or place two bumper plates under one end of a flat bench. Grab a pair of dumbbells and sit on the bench with the weights resting on your legs. Lie back onto the bench while “kicking” the weights into a straight-arm locked out position above your chest.

Angle your hands slightly towards your feet by rotating your wrists outwards. Neither your palms nor your thumbs should be directly pointed towards each other. Maintain this hand position throughout each rep. Lower the weights under control, reaching a stretched position with the weights near your chest. Press upwards, bringing the weights close together in the top position.

Benefits of the Low Incline Dumbbell Press

• The incline angle optimizes upper chest recruitment without excessive shoulder activation.
• Exercise variety (incorporating angles and different implements) has been shown to improve training results. (6)
• Dumbbells allow more freedom for the wrist, elbow, and shoulder joint compared to a barbell, making the exercise less stressful to the joints.

Decline Dumbbell Press

Decline bench press variations are often believed to emphasize the “lower pecs” due to arm position. However, the “lower pecs” aren’t one separate muscle, they’re only part of the larger pectoral (chest) muscle.

A decline angle has been shown to activate the chest comparably to the flat bench press, while recruiting less shoulder muscle, so decline pressing is an excellent option for lifters with shoulder pain (7) Using dumbbells instead of a barbell also allows a greater range of motion which can translate to a greater muscle-building stimulus.

How to Do the Decline Dumbbell Press

Adjust a flat bench to elevate your hips above your head. Take a pair of dumbbells and sit on the bench with the weights resting on your legs. Lie back onto the bench while “pulling” the weights into a straight-arm locked out position above your chest. Be sure to hook the bench with the back of your knees to prevent your body from sliding downwards.

Angle your hands slightly towards your feet by rotating your wrists outwards. Maintain this diagonal hand position for each rep. Your elbows should maintain a slight angle between your shoulders and feet. Pause briefly in the stretched position before pressing to the starting point. On the last rep of any set, lower the weights into the stretched position and perform a “curl” by bending at the elbows to lower them to the floor before getting up from the bench.

Benefits of the Decline Dumbbell Press

• Dumbbells reduce joint strain by allowing more individualized movement of the wrists, elbows, and shoulders.
• The decline angle trains the chest with limited shoulder stress.

Decline Dumbbell Flye

The dumbbell flye is an effective isolation (single-joint) exercise to activate only the chest muscle with minimized involvement of the shoulders and triceps, compared to compound (multi-joint) bench press variations which recruit all three muscles. This makes it an excellent addition to any workout focused specifically on training the chest.

The decline position takes advantage of gravity in the locked out position for increased muscular tension. On a flat bench, the weights offer limited resistance at the top. With a decline bench, the muscles are more highly activated to support the load.

How to Do the Decline Dumbbell Flye

Set an adjustable bench to a slight decline angle. Take a pair of dumbbells and sit on the bench with the weights resting on your legs. Lie back onto the bench while “pulling” the weights into a straight-arm locked out position above your chest. Be sure to hook the bench with the back of your knees to prevent your body from sliding downwards.

Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the exercise. Begin with your palms facing each other. Lower the weights towards the ground while keeping your hands in line with your elbows. Don’t allow the weights to rotate your arms towards your head. In the bottom position, the weights should be near chest-level. Contract your chest to “pull” your hands back to the starting position.

Benefits of the Decline Dumbbell Flye

• Isolates and emphasizes the chest with limited activation of the shoulders and triceps.
• Decreased shoulder joint strain compared to pressing.

Dip

The dip, along with the pull-up, have both been called “the upper body squat” because of their potential for building size and strength. Makes you think that a program focused on squats, dips, and pull-ups would be great for adding a bunch of muscle and getting really strong, right? Yep, right.

Dips, specifically, are an excellent way to target the chest, shoulders, and triceps using only your bodyweight, making it ideal for lifters with limited equipment. It works the muscle through a long range of motion and has the potential for adding significant weight by using a weighted vest, dip belt, or dumbbell held with the legs.

How to Do the Dip

Begin at the top position on a set of dip bars with your arms locked out. To ensure optimal chest recruitment, lean your upper body forward during the movement. Keeping an upright torso will reduce chest activity and increase focus on the triceps.

Bend your arms to lower your body as far as your shoulder mobility allows. Pause briefly in the stretched position to further increase muscular stress before pressing up to lockout.

Benefits of the Dip

• The bodyweight exercise can be performed with minimal equipment.
• Assesses and builds shoulder mobility during the exercise.
• Bodyweight exercises are often seen as more “functional” than using free weights or machines, contributing to total-body performance and joint health. (8)

Sliding Push-Up

The basic push-up can be an effective introductory exercise for new lifters, but it can be difficult to progressively overload. Rather than adding weight, specific push-up variations can provide an effective training stimulus for continued size and strength.

The sliding push-up is an advanced variation which allows the pec muscles to work through an extremely long range of motion, moving the arms inwards during the exercise rather than remaining static. This inward motion has been shown to significantly increase muscle activation in the chest. (9)

How to Do the Sliding Push-Up

Take a pair of furniture sliders, or towels on a tile or wood floor, and set up in a push-up position with your hands on the sliders and nearly touching each other. Maintain a straight line from your heels to your neck.

Lower your body under control until your chest almost touches the ground while allowing your hands to “slide” outwards. In the bottom position, your arms should be well beyond shoulder-width. While pressing upwards, pull your hands together until they nearly meet in the starting position.

Benefits of the Sliding Push-Up

• Increased chest activation compared to basic push-ups.
• Allows intense training with limited equipment.
• Push-up variations train abdominal and total core stability while also targeting the chest.

Hand-Release Push-Up

The hand-release push-up was popularized by CrossFit as a way to achieve consistent, unquestionable depth during high-repetition push-ups.

The hand-release push-up manipulates the “stretch-shortening cycle,” which is a way muscles are recruited to provide force in response to being in a stretched position. (10) While the hand-release push-up does require a full range of shoulder mobility, it also recruits the chest muscles more significantly than standard push-ups.

How to Do the Hand-Release Push-Up

Begin in a standard push-up position, on your hands and toes with your hands just outside shoulder-width. Maintain a straight line from your heels to your neck. Lower your body until your chest touches the floor.

Briefly lift your hands off the ground and pull your shoulder blades together, allowing your entire upper body to rest on the ground. Immediately replace your hands just outside shoulder-width and press up to lockout.

Benefits of the Hand-Release Push-Up

• Increased chest activation compared to basic push-ups.
• Allows intense training with no equipment.
• Push-up variations train abdominal and total core stability while also targeting the chest.

Cable Crossover

The cable crossover is a time-tested chest exercise, often used by bodybuilders to “carve detail” into the chest muscles. That’s not actually a thing because “detail” is only achieved by lowering body fat to reveal muscular development.

Because the cable provides constant resistance, the muscle is worked completely through the complete range of motion, compared to dumbbell flyes which provide varying intensities due to leverage changing relative to gravity. Basic flat dumbbell flyes become less difficult as the weight moves from horizontal to perpendicular. Cable pulleys bypass that limitation.

How to Do the Cable Crossover

Stand in the center of two high cable pulleys with single-handles attached to each side. Grab the handles and begin with your arms at shoulder level and your palms facing forward. Keep a slight bend in your elbows while pulling your hands to meet at belly button-level.

Pause briefly to maximize the peak contraction before returning your hands to the starting position.

Benefits of the Cable Crossover

• Isolates and emphasizes the chest with little to no activation of the shoulders and triceps.
• The cable pulleys apply constant tension to the chest, increasing the muscle’s total time under tension and leading to increased growth.

Smith Machine Incline Press

The Smith machine has earned a relatively unfair reputation as being ineffective for muscle growth or, worse, dangerous for joint health. That mindset comes primarily from improper exercise form or loading, as well as the machine’s design which uses a fixed path and requires less joint stabilization.

The Smith machine press has been shown to activate the chest to a nearly identical degree compared to the flat barbell bench press while reducing shoulder muscle recruitment. (11) When combined with an incline angle to emphasize the upper chest, the Smith machine incline press becomes an extremely efficient chest exercise.

How to Do the Smith Machine Incline Press

Position an inclined bench under a Smith machine and ensure that the bar is in line with your collarbones. Grab the bar with a wider than shoulder-width grip. Unrack the bar and lower it until you feel a maximum stretch across the chest.

Press up immediately and smoothly. To maintain muscular tension, stop just short of lockout in the top position before beginning the next rep.

Benefits of the Smith Machine Incline Press

• Allows the upper chest to be targeted with decreased shoulder recruitment.
• The Smith machine allows lifters to bench press safely without the need of a spotter.

Medicine Ball Chest Pass

Medicine balls are often used in athletic or conditioning-based workouts, but can serve an important role for building muscle, strength, or power.

The medicine ball chest pass allows an explosive movement which has been shown to increase chest activation as well as boost strength when followed by heavier lifting. (12)(13) This makes it an efficient stimulus for building size and strength.

How to Do the Medicine Ball Chest Pass

Stand several steps away from a sturdy wall, with your feet shoulder-width apart and legs slightly bent. Hold a medicine ball in both hands, with the ball touching your chest. Quickly and forcefully throw the ball forward, not upwards, into the wall.

Carefully watch for the ball’s rebound. Pick up the ball (don’t try to catch it). Take a moment to set up the starting position before repeating. Note: To ensure explosive power, use a light medicine ball. For example, 10-15 pounds could be used by experienced lifters.

Benefits of the Medicine Ball Chest Pass

• Increases chest activation during exercises performed shortly afterwards.
• Develops explosive power which transfers to bench press strength.
• Recruits the legs, core, and upper body with an emphasis on the chest muscles.

The Chest Muscles

The chest has multiple heads, or sections, which can be emphasized by understanding their purpose and choosing specific exercises to target each separate section. Unfortunately, some lifters have misinterpreted the muscle’s design, which has made their chest workouts much more complicated than is necessary.

Pectoralis Major

The pec major is the primary chest muscle. While it’s one specific muscle, it consists of two separate heads — the clavicular head (upper chest) located in the upper quarter of the chest near the collarbone and the sternocostal head making up the entire remaining part of the chest.

There’s no anatomical evidence for a “lower chest,” “inner chest,” or other popular subdivision of the muscle. Only the upper pecs have been shown to be emphasized separately, specifically from exercises performed at an incline, due to the separate attachment point of the clavicular head.

The pecs work to bring the arms in towards the body’s centerline, seen when the arms are extended in a flye or press and brought above the chest, for example.

Pectoralis Minor

The pec minor attaches to the shoulder blade and is heavily recruited to bring the scapulae (shoulder blades) forward, particularly in the lockout position of presses. The pec minor is not visible or often directly targeted, but plays a key role in overall shoulder health.

Serratus Anterior

The serratus is a small series of muscles that sit alongside the ribs. Like the pec minor, they attach to the scapulae and help to control scapular movement. The serratus are also heavily recruited at the end portion of the locked out position.

How Often Should You Train the Chest

While chest training is popular, it shouldn’t be overemphasized relative to other body parts. Excessive chest or shoulder training may exacerbate postural problems unless balanced by comparable back training. (14)

However, for optimal muscle growth, one to three properly programmed workouts each week can be an effective approach for muscle growth. Ideally, the chest should be trained in a workout including the shoulders and triceps, the upper body, or the entire body.

Each training split would require a different approach to total volume (sets and reps), using lower volume for the chest when more body parts are trained in a single workout. For example, you may perform a total of 14 sets for the chest, followed by shoulders and triceps; or you might perform six sets for chest, preceded by back and followed by shoulders, triceps, and biceps (for a complete upper body workout) and repeat that upper body workout several days later.

How to Progress Your Chest Training

Because the chest can be effectively trained with a variety of compound exercises, it’s possible to progress steadily by adding weight to those exercises each week.

Dumbbell pressing exercises, for example, don’t necessarily accommodate adding 10 to 20 pounds per dumbbell each week. Those weights would quickly become dangerously unwieldy and strength levels don’t typically progress that fast. Increasing five to 10 pounds per dumbbell could be maintained for a longer period.

The nature of isolation exercises, being single-joint, doesn’t blend effectively with using heavier weights. To encourage joint safety and to maintain stress on the target muscle, focus on adding a rep (or several reps) on exercises like flyes or cable crossovers.

One reliable approach with chest training is to perform a compound exercise (like a press or dip) for lower reps with a heavy weight followed by moderate to higher reps with moderate weight using a mix of compound and isolation exercises.

How to Warm-Up Your Chest

All chest exercises involve the shoulder joint and, because the shoulders can suffer from significant wear and tear, a thorough warm-up is an essential first step to any chest workout. Take a light resistance band and perform this basic warm-up circuit before any chest training.

• Cat/Camel: Begin on your hands and knees with your arms straight. Look up to the ceiling while sinking the arch of your spine downwards. When you’ve reached as far as your mobility allows, reverse direction by driving into the ground through your straight arms. Look down to the ground while rounding your spine in a deep curve. That’s one full rep. Perform five reps before moving to the next exercise.
• Band Pull-Apart: Take a resistance band with a palms-down grip, holding the band at arms-length in front of your body. Keep a slight bend in your arms while pulling both hands back. Pause when the band touches your chest. Return to the starting position. Perform 10 reps before moving to the next exercise.
• Band Dislocate: Widen your grip on the resistance band to well beyond shoulder-width. Begin with the band at your waist. Keep your arms straight while raising the band above your head, reaching as far back as possible. When your shoulders have reached their full range of motion, return to the starting position. Move at a slow and controlled pace in each direction. Perform five reps before moving to the next exercise.
• Push-Up Plus: Begin in a classic push-up position, on your hands and toes with your hands just outside shoulder-width. Maintain a straight line from your heels to your neck. Lower your body until your chest nearly touches the floor. Press upwards under control. After locking out in the top position, continue pressing with straight arms and allow your shoulder blades to round forwards, before reversing the process to lower your body. Perform five reps before repeating the first exercise. Do a total of three complete circuits.

Building a Complete Chest

Chest workouts don’t need to be overly complicated with a half-dozen exercises “attacking” the muscle from every potential angle. However, efficient chest training also shouldn’t be overly minimalistic with just one exercise to train the entire pec. By sorting through the exercise options you’ve just learned, you can design a complete workout that delivers size and strength without wasting time in the gym and without beating up your body.

References

1. Saeterbakken AH, Mo DA, Scott S, Andersen V. The Effects of Bench Press Variations in Competitive Athletes on Muscle Activity and Performance. J Hum Kinet. 2017;57:61-71. Published 2017 Jun 22. doi:10.1515/hukin-2017-0047
2. Marchetti, Paulo & Uchida, Marco C.. (2011). Effects of the Pullover Exercise on the Pectoralis Major and Latissimus Dorsi Muscles as Evaluated by EMG. Journal of applied biomechanics. 27. 380-4. 10.1123/jab.27.4.380.
3. Borges, Eduardo & Mezêncio, Bruno & Pinho, João & Soncin, Rafael & Barbosa, João & Araujo, Felipe & Gianola, Fabio & Amadio, Alberto & Serrao, Julio. (2018). Resistance training acute session: pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi and triceps brachii electromyographic activity. Journal of Physical Education and Sport. 18. 10.7752/jpes.2018.02095.
4. Gentil P, Oliveira E, de Araújo Rocha Júnior V, do Carmo J, Bottaro M. Effects of exercise order on upper-body muscle activation and exercise performance. J Strength Cond Res. 2007 Nov;21(4):1082-6. doi: 10.1519/R-21216.1. PMID: 18076251.
5. Rodríguez-Ridao D, Antequera-Vique JA, Martín-Fuentes I, Muyor JM. Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 8;17(19):7339. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17197339. PMID: 33049982; PMCID: PMC7579505.
6. Baz-Valle E, Schoenfeld BJ, Torres-Unda J, Santos-Concejero J, Balsalobre-Fernández C. The effects of exercise variation in muscle thickness, maximal strength and motivation in resistance trained men. PLoS One. 2019;14(12):e0226989. Published 2019 Dec 27. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0226989
7. Lauver, Jakob & Cayot, Trent & Scheuermann, Barry. (2015). Influence of bench angle on upper extremity muscular activation during bench press exercise. European journal of sport science. 16. 1-8. 10.1080/17461391.2015.1022605.
8. Harrison, Jeffrey. (2010). Bodyweight Training: A Return To Basics. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 32. 52-55. 10.1519/SSC.0b013e3181d5575c.
9. Melani A, Gobbi G, Galli D, et al. Muscle Activation in Traditional and Experimental Barbell Bench Press Exercise: A Potential New Tool for Fitness Maintenance. Sports (Basel). 2019;7(10):224. Published 2019 Oct 17. doi:10.3390/sports7100224
10. Seiberl W, Hahn D, Power GA, Fletcher JR, Siebert T. Editorial: The Stretch-Shortening Cycle of Active Muscle and Muscle-Tendon Complex: What, Why and How It Increases Muscle Performance?. Front Physiol. 2021;12:693141. Published 2021 May 20. doi:10.3389/fphys.2021.693141
11. Schick, E. E., Coburn, J. W., Brown, L. E., Judelson, D. A., Khamoui, A. V., Tran, T. T., & Uribe, B. P. (2010). A comparison of muscle activation between a Smith machine and free weight bench press. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 24(3), 779–784. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181cc2237
12. Davies G, Riemann BL, Manske R. CURRENT CONCEPTS OF PLYOMETRIC EXERCISE. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2015;10(6):760-786.
13. Wilcox, J., Larson, R., Brochu, K. M., & Faigenbaum, A. D. (2006). Acute explosive-force movements enhance bench-press performance in athletic men. International journal of sports physiology and performance, 1(3), 261–269. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.1.3.261
14. Lynch, S. S., Thigpen, C. A., Mihalik, J. P., Prentice, W. E., & Padua, D. (2010). The effects of an exercise intervention on forward head and rounded shoulder postures in elite swimmers. British journal of sports medicine, 44(5), 376–381. https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsm.2009.066837

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Because you have the potential to put so much weight on the bar, the bench press is the greatest weapon in your exercise arsenal for gaining upper body strength and muscle mass. The heavier you can go on the weight bench, the bigger your upper body.

Here’s everything you need to know about performing the bench press to build a larger, stronger, more muscular chest.

• How to Do the Bench Press 
• Bench Press Mistakes to Avoid
• Benefits of the Bench Press
• Muscles Worked by the Bench Press
• Who Should Do the Bench Press
• How to Program the Bench Press
• Bench Press Variations 
• Bench Press Alternatives
• Frequently Asked Questions

How to Do the Bench Press

The bench press is a foundational exercise, beneficial for nearly every lifter in the gym. While some lifters over-focus on the exercise or misuse it, potentially leading to injury, it can play a key role in building muscle and strength for beginners as well as experienced lifters.

Learning proper techniques is essential for maximizing benefits and minimizing injury risk. the steps below will be your best place to start.

Step 1 — Initial Setup

Lie flat on the bench with your head beneath the bar. Put your feet up on the bench, grab the bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip, and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Place your feet on the ground with your knees bent. Shifting your heels towards the bench will allow more lower body tension and force production.

Feel a strong connection to the bench through your entire body. Maintain your shoulder blades in a retracted position. Squeeze the bar with both hands to ensure tightness.

Form Tip: Your grip width can play a role in targeting or emphasizing certain muscles during the bench press. A wider grip will target the sternal head (inner portion) of the pecs and anterior delts (front shoulder) more, while a closer grip will focus more on the triceps and clavicular (upper) chest. (1) Begin training with a shoulder-width grip to build muscle coordination and reduce joint strain. Implement some slight changes in your grip as you become more experienced.

Step 2 — Lift Off

Actively press your feet into the floor, trying to get your heels flat on the ground. This creates tension throughout your lower body. Take a deep breath and hold it while lifting the bar off the rack by straightening your arms. The bar should be lined up above your shoulders with both arms locked out.

Form Tip: Avoid “pushing” the bar upward out of the hooks as you may protract (spread) your shoulder blades, putting the shoulder joints into a weaker position.. The bar should be set at a height that keeps your arms only slightly bent before unracking. If you have longer arms, use a top rack position. If you have shorter arms, use a lower rack position.

Step 3 — Descend With Control

With the barbell beginning directly over your shoulders, break at the elbows and lower the bar towards your mid-chest. Tuck your elbows slightly towards your feet. Keep your forearms vertical, and don’t let them collapse towards your head or feet as you continue to hold your breath at the bottom. Touch the bar to the same point on your chest on every rep.

Form Tip: The barbell should move down and slightly away from your shoulder level. Don’t attempt to lower the bar in a straight line to your upper chest. Doing so increases joint strain and decreases power output. Think of performing a very slight arc.

Step 4 — Press to Lockout

Once the barbell touches your chest, pause very briefly and then aggressively drive it back to the starting position. Release your breath as you press up. The barbell should move up and back towards your head. Your shoulders, elbows, and wrists should end up in vertical alignment, or “stacked”, when the rep is complete.

Form Tip: When pressing up, keep your butt in contact with the bench. Drive into the floor with your feet. This engagement from your lower body muscles will help you to drive the weight up, which is necessary to move heavier loads.

Bench Press Mistakes to Avoid

The bench press is a common exercise in most gyms, but it’s also common to see a few recurring technique errors. Here are the most common issues to avoid in order to get better results more efficiently.

No Upper Back Tightness

Upper back tightness is crucial for a safe and effective bench press. This is why it’s important to maintain retracted scapulae (shoulder blades) throughout the entire set. Emphasize consistent upper back tightness to better serve your shoulder health and to create more stability when lifting.

By retracting the scapulae, you activate the many muscles of the upper back like the traps, rear delts, and rhomboids. These muscles work with the chest and triceps to lower the bar under control and transition smoothly and powerfully into the press.

Avoid it: Make sure you are adequately activating your scapulae by “puffing your chest up” prior to gripping the bar. This is a very distinct cue to get your chest, shoulders, and upper back into a proper position.

No Leg Drive

Many people incorrectly think that performing the bench press with their ankles crossed and their feet up in the air will provide some sort of added benefit. It doesn’t. Picking up your feet leads to a decrease in stability, which hinders your ability to lift heavier weights.

This lack of stability also increases your risk of injury because the weight is solely supported by the shoulder joints and upper back muscles, rather than being distributed throughout the entire body from head to toe.

Avoid it: To maximize your stability, set your feet closer under your hips, rather than spread farther away in front of you. You should be able to maintain steady foot pressure into the floor. This added pressure will help transfer force from the floor up and into the bar when you drive through your legs.

Driving your feet into the floor also increases overall stability, much like how a table with four legs on the ground is more stable than a table with only three legs on the ground.

Weak Wrists

Having a firm grip and strong wrists is another overlooked component of the bench press. Many lifters tend to neglect “stacking” their wrists.

Instead, they allow their hands to bend backwards and palms to face the ceiling. This knuckles-back position creates an unstable wrist position and a weaker grip.

Avoid it: It may feel awkward at first, proper positioning often does, but vertically stacking your joints under the bar will create a stronger overall position to lift from. Try to “press” your thumb back into the bar, rather than only holding the bar with four fingers. This additional focus will force you to take a very firm grip and force your wrist into a stacked, neutral position without bending backwards.

Benefits of the Bench Press

The bench press allows you to load the upper body with heavier weights than any other exercise. This strengthens multiple muscle groups while also having the highest activation of the chest itself.

Maximizing Chest Strength and Growth

EMG research has shown the bench press to be incredibly effective at maximally activating the entire chest musculature. (2)(3) This means the bench press should be a staple in any programming focused on getting stronger and building muscle.

Time Efficient

Due to the high level of muscle activation, and the multiple muscles being engaged, the bench press is a wise choice for any lifter short on training time. If you find yourself performing limited exercises per session, then you need a movement that targets several muscles at once. The bench press is one of the most efficient upper body exercises.

Muscles Worked by the Bench Press

The bench press works multiple muscle groups on the upper body. This is why it’s a foundational movement for beginners to learn, as well as a reliable exercise for experienced lifters looking to maximize strength and muscle.

Pectoralis Major

As the main “chest” muscle, the pectoralis major’s primary function is to adduct the shoulder in the transverse plane — bring the elbows in closer to one another. The pec major has two heads, the sternal (mid and lower chest) and the clavicular (upper). Both pec heads are active in the bench press.

Anterior Delts

The entire shoulder muscle is recruited during the bench press, but the anterior (front) head to the deltoid is most prominently recruited during the exercise. The anterior deltoid’s primary function is to raise your arm up toward your head, as performed during the bench press motion.

Triceps Brachii

The triceps brachii extends the elbow and takes the arm from a bent to straightened position. This is an essential movement during the bench press, specifically during the lockout portion where the triceps are most involved.

Latissimus Dorsi

One of the largest muscles of the back are the lats. They bring the shoulder joint into a neutral position. When your shoulder is in a stretched position at the bottom of the bench press and your upper arm is “behind” your back”, your lats help to bring your arms back in line with your torso to resume the press.

Upper Back

The muscles of the upper back — the trapezius, rear deltoids, and rhomboids — work together to support shoulder stability during the bench press and to allow a full range of motion at the shoulder joint, in both the bottom and top positions.

Who Should Do the Bench Press

The bench press is an exercise everyone can use. Lifters who want to get into better shape and maximize their strength potential, athletes looking for speed and power, and competitive powerlifters who need to move maximum weight should all be training the bench press.

Training for Strength

Strength is movement-specific. (4) The skill of performing a heavy bench press is built by repetition after repetition. Any strength athlete, like a competitive powerlifter, who needs to get stronger at the bench press needs to practice the bench press. Prioritizing other exercises will not deliver the best results or build the most strength in this specific movement. 

Training for Muscle

To increase muscularity, make the bench press a frequently recurring movement in your workouts. The muscle activation, number of muscles recruited, relatively long range of motion, and overall muscle-building stimulus provide a significant and unique muscular stress compared to other upper body exercises.

Training for Sport

Building power, strength, and speed throughout the entire upper body will be a benefit to any athlete in nearly any sport. The bench press is often seen in training specifically for sports with a high level of physicality such as football or rugby. Increasing the pushing power of the chest, shoulders, and arms carries over to the demands of the field.

How to Program the Bench Press

The barbell bench press can be programmed with a variety of set and rep schemes and should be performed early in a workout when your body is minimally fatigued and maximally focused to reap all of the benefits of this comprehensive movement.

Heavy Weight, Low Repetition

To maximize strength, four to six sets in the three to six rep range is a good place to start. Use a weight that leaves you with at least one rep left “in the tank” to avoid reaching muscular failure. A rest period of three to five minutes between each set will ensure you lift with maximum effort.

Moderate Weight, Moderate Repetition

To build a bigger chest, working for three to four sets in the six to 12 rep range will give you a nice bump in training volume, which is beneficial for building muscle. (5) The multiple sets and reps also allow you to develop your bench press technique without excessive fatigue from heavier weights.

Performing the bench press for higher repetitions (12 to 20, or more) is more appropriate for dumbbell or machine variations done later in the workout. This allows you to maximize the muscle-recruitment and heavier loading benefits of the standard barbell bench press when you are fresh at the start of your training.

Moderate Weight, Low Repetition

To build explosive power and speed, use a submaximal weight that can be moved at fast speeds while maintaining that speed during each rep of each set. A basic approach is to work for six to eight sets of two to five reps, using a weight that does not push you close to muscular failure. If you want to move like an athlete or train for sport, this method should be a staple.

Bench Press Variations

Whether you are just getting started on your lifting journey or have joint issues that prevent barbell training, you can still focus on effective bench press progressions and variations. These will allow you to train the muscles associated with the movement safely and progressively.

Bodyweight Push-up

Start from the ground up, figuratively and literally, with a fundamental bodyweight exercise that can be used daily. Perform full push-ups on your hands and toes, keeping a straight line throughout your entire body.

If needed, you can make the movement even easier by starting on your knees instead of your toes.  You can also perform elevated push-ups, by pacing your hands on a bench or plyo box. 

Resistance Band Push-up

A resistance band will not only increase the challenge to your chest, shoulders, and triceps but will also create a high level of upper pec activation.

The band will add resistance throughout the entire range of motion, increasing intensity as it stretches. In the top position, the band in under maximum stretch and is providing the most resistance. In the bottom position, the band is only slightly stretched and offers slight resistance. This is known as “accommodating resistance” which maximizes stress on the muscles and minimizes strain on the joints.

Weighted Push-up

Add even more resistance to the basic push-up by wearing a weighted vest, a loaded backpack, or simply balancing a weight plate on your mid- to lower back. The key with this exercise is maintaining a controlled tempo throughout each rep.

Pressing and lowering slowly will not only ensure the weight stays in place, but is also a technique to increase the overall time under tension, which makes the movement even more challenging.

Machine Chest Press

Using one of your gym’s chest press machines will challenge your muscles very similar to a bench press since you will be able to add a greater amount of load.

Make sure to use a pronated (palms down) grip so that you can best mimic the grip used in the bench press and recruit muscles in a similar way.

Bench Press Alternatives

While the bench press is a fundamental exercise with many benefits, some related exercises can deliver unique additional benefits while supporting the muscles involved in the bench press and complementing strength development.

Floor Press

The floor press is exactly as it sounds — performing the bench press on the floor without a bench. This can be a great tool that creates a partial range of motion, since you can only take your elbows to the floor. This makes it ideal for lifters who experience shoulder pain in the lowest range of motion of the bench press, when the bar touches the chest.

Focusing on the upper half of the range of motion also emphasizes triceps recruitment because the triceps are significantly recruited in that portion of the movement. This makes the floor press an effective choice for lifters needing to improve lockout strength in the full bench press.

Pin Press

The pin press is another partial range of motion movement, specifically used to assist with lockout strength in the top position. Some lifters can load up as much as 10-30% of the weight normally lifted on the full bench press.

The pin press is also an effective strength-building tool because you come to a complete dead stop without at the bottom, resting on the pins instead of supporting the weight with your muscles or joints. This avoids adding extra pressure at the bottom of the standard bench press.

Smith Machine Bench Press

The Smith machine is nearly identical to performing a barbell bench press. One of the biggest differences is that, due to the design of the machine and the limited recruitment of stabilizing muscles, the weight used in the Smith machine will not directly carryover to the weight used with a barbell.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=JIe1QeptEPc

However, the Smith machine can be a useful tool if you have any minor joint pains that may be aggravated when performing the free weight version, since the bar path is set in place, which allows a smoother transition of the movement.

FAQs

What should I do if I feel pain in my shoulders during the bench press?

First and foremost, it is important to address any joint pain with a medical professional and, at least temporarily, stop performing the bench press until you have an accurate diagnosis.

This does not mean the bench press is “bad” for you. In most cases, shoulder pain could be due to a breakdown in technique, incorrect set up, scapular instability, excessive load, or excessive volume.

Reviewing each of those parameters is essential to catching any problems before they become bigger issues. Focusing on the floor press instead of the barbell flat bench press could also be beneficial.

How many bench press variations should I perform in a workout?

Beginner lifters developing their base of strength and muscle can benefit from focusing only on the classic barbell bench press without any similar movements. It recruits a wide number of body parts and puts them under significant muscular stress. The focus and energy spent working on this big lift will pay dividends.

Experienced lifters training for muscular size may benefit from an overall program that incorporates more variety, while keeping the bench press as part of the program. Certainly, any lifter focused on increasing bench press strength should keep the exercise highly featured in their workout.

References

1. Barnett C, Kippers V, Turner P. Effects of Variations of the Bench Press Exercise on the EMG Activity of Five Shoulder Muscles. J Strength Condit Res. 1995;9(4):222–7.
2. Schick EE, Coburn JW, Brown LE, et al. A comparison of muscle activation between a Smith machine and free weight bench press. J strength Cond Res. 2010;24(3):779-784. doi:10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181cc2237.
3. Alberton CL, Lima CS, Moraes AC De. RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WORKLOAD AND NEUROMUSCULAR ACTIVITY IN THE BENCH PRESS EXERCISE. 2013;17(1):1-6.
4. Wilson GJ, Elliott BC, Kerr GK. Bar path profile characteristics for maximal and submaximal loads in the bench press. International Journal of Sport Biomechanics; 5: 390-402. 1989
5. Schoenfeld BJ, Contreras B, Krieger J, et al. Resistance Training Volume Enhances Muscle Hypertrophy but Not Strength in Trained Men. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2019;51(1):94-103. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000001764

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Whether you have limited equipment at home, access to a fully stocked commercial gym, or no equipment at all, you can find an effective chest workout to deliver the results you’re after. Take a look, choose your goal, and get training.

The Best Chest Workouts

• Best Chest Workout With Dumbbells
• Best Bodyweight Chest Workout 
• Best Chest Workout for Muscle Mass
• Best Chest Workout for Strength

Best Chest Workout With Dumbbells

Not all lifters have the opportunity to train in a commercial gym and have turned to training in a home gym with whatever equipment they can put together. Training at home can have some incomparable benefits. It’s open 24 hours a day every day of the year, the music is never grating, and the dress code is more lenient than most public gyms to the point of being entirely optional if you’re into that sort of thing.

The biggest compromise with a home gym is typically a lack of options since equipment must be prioritized to accommodate limited floor space. Home lifters should outfit their training area with the basics, and often forgo multiple benches dedicated to specific angles, oversized cable machines with a selection of pulleys, and all sorts of standalone single-purpose machines for flyes or presses.

Fortunately, as long as you have a basic bench and an adjustable dumbbell set or a few pairs of dumbbells, you can always train your chest with the right plan. And here’s the plan to follow.

The Dumbbell-Only Workout

This workout focuses on exercise variety and techniques to increase time under tension to get the most benefit from limited equipment. Perform all sets of each exercise before moving to the next exercise, and perform the workout once or twice per week depending on your overall training split.

Single-Arm Flat Dumbbell Press

• How to Do it: Lie on a flat bench as if performing a standard dumbbell bench press, with a dumbbell in only one hand. The single-arm element makes this unilateral exercise an intense core drill while also recruiting the chest significantly.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 6-8 per side
• Rest time: No rest between sides, 45 seconds rest between sets.

Neutral-Grip Incline Dumbbell Press

• How to Do it: Set the bench to an incline angle. If the bench cannot adjust, place blocks or weight plates under the feet to elevate one side several inches. Keep the hands facing each other, not facing your feet, to slightly decrease shoulder stress and increase pec recruitment.
• Sets and Reps: 4 x 10-12
• Rest time: 60 seconds between sets.

Flat Dumbbell Press With Pause

• How to Do it: Perform the classic flat dumbbell bench press, while pausing in the bottom (stretched) position of each rep for two seconds.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-10
• Rest time: 60 seconds between sets.

Best Bodyweight Chest Workout

Sometimes having no equipment to train with can be a blessing in disguise. It forces you to be creative in program design, think outside the box, and buckle down to focus on only the most effective exercises.

Bodyweight training has a bad reputation for being “lesser than” training with free weights, but if you know what you’re doing and actually push yourself with the right movements, you’ll never call bodyweight training “easy” again.

The Brutally Simple Bodyweight Workout

When you think of “bodyweight chest exercise”, you think of push-ups. You might also think of dips, but technically you need dip bars for those, so they’re not truly a bodyweight-only exercise.

This workout could not be more straightforward. Do 100 push-ups, no matter how long it takes. Three to five days later, do 100 push-ups again but get them done in less time. It’s basic density training — get the same amount of work done in less time or do more work in the same amount of time.

Because 100 is a nice round number, that’s the stationary target and you’ll focus on shaving down the time each session. Also, it’s just kinda cool to be able to say, “I knocked out 100 push-ups this morning.” Knocking out 105 push-ups sounds strange.

The most critical element here is that, no matter how fatigued you are, you cannot sacrifice form to squeeze out ugly reps. It’s 100 perfect-technique push-ups, not 36 perfect push-ups followed by 64 half-reps. Each rep should have the chest nearly touching the floor (depending on your shoulder mobility) at the bottom and arms locked out at the top.

Push-up

• How to Do it: Support your body on your toes and hands, with your hands set slightly outside shoulder-width. While keeping a straight line from your neck to your ankles during each rep, bend your elbows to lower your entire body, and press to full lockout. To reduce shoulder joint strain, aim your elbows more towards your feet than your shoulders.
• Sets and Reps: 100 reps total, broken down into as many or as few sets as necessary until completion.
• Rest time: Rest as needed. Start a timer immediately before beginning the first rep and stop the timer immediately after completing the last rep. Record the total time and aim to improve by one second or more each workout.

Best Chest Workout for Muscle Mass

A muscle-building chest workout is a bodybuilder’s bread and butter. The typical lifter will reluctantly trudge through their leg day but channel that lack of enthusiasm into chest day, and that’s A-okay as long as they get their work done in each session.

Chest Day, Best Day

This is a time-tested, bodybuilding-style approach to training. Attacking a body part with multiple exercises and different angles, taking each set right up to muscular failure with high-intensity techniques, and ideally getting a serious pump in the target muscle by the end of the session.

This particular workout can standalone for a chest-only session or it can be followed by training the shoulders and triceps as part of a “pushing muscle” day. You can also get a complete upper body workout by training back immediately before chest or interspersing the exercises as supersets.

Dip

• How to Do it: Begin at the top position on a set of dip bars. Emphasize chest recruitment and stretch by leaning your upper body forward (not staying upright) as you bend your elbows and lower as far as mobility allows. Pause briefly before pressing back up.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 8-12
• Rest time: 60 seconds between sets.

Pec-Deck With One-and-a-Half Reps

• How to Do it: On a pec-deck machine, set the seat so your hands are gripping the handles below shoulder height and in-line with your mid-chest. Perform each set using the “one and a half rep” technique by lowering the weight into a full stretch, raising the weight to full contraction, then lowering the weight halfway down, bringing it up to full contraction again, and finally lowering it fully. That’s counted as one full rep.
• Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-10
• Rest time: No rest before moving to the next exercise.

Flat Barbell Bench Press

• How to Do it: Take a beyond shoulder-width grip and lower the bar in-line with the mid-chest. If shoulder mobility allows, touch the bar to your chest briefly before pressing upwards. Be aware that the previous exercise will have pre-exhausted the chest muscles and they’re beginning this exercise already fatigued. Choose an appropriate weight and use a spotter if possible.
• Sets and Reps: 4 x 8-12
• Rest time: 90 seconds rest before returning to the previous exercise.

Smith Machine Incline Press

• How to Do it: Position a 30 or 45-degree incline bench under a Smith machine so the bar is lined up with your upper chest/collarbone area. Grip the bar slightly wider than the flat barbell bench press grip. Perform repetitions smoothly with no pause at lockout or in the stretch position, bringing the bar to at least chin-level at the bottom.
• Sets and Reps: 3 x 12-15
• Rest time: 45 seconds between sets.

Best Chest Workout For Strength

“How much ‘ya bench?” might as well be gym-speak for “Hi, how are you?” It’s asked as often and it’s answered as honestly. Everyone’s always “fine, thanks” and everyone always benches “around 300.”

Regardless of the questionable reputation as an ego lift, the bench press is a genuine assessment of upper body pressing power. Building a strong and powerful chest is, has, and will always be a priority for most dedicated lifters. Here’s a simple and effective plan to build serious pressing strength.

The Bigger Bench Plan

A chest-focused strength workout will, appropriately, be centered around the flat barbell bench press. It’s one of the classic “big three” powerlifts for a reason, because it’s one of the very few ways to move significant weight with an upper body press.

The once-a-week workout uses science-based explosive training, known as “post-activation potentiation”, to improve power output on the bench press, followed by specific accessory exercises to build strength in the chest and pressing muscles. (1)(2)(3)

Plyometric Push-up

• How to Do it: From a basic push-up position (hands and toes touching the ground, with a straight line from neck to ankles), descend under control to the bottom position and explode upwards with maximum force. The hands should leave the ground briefly. Catch yourself and pause at the top before performing the next rep.
• Sets and Reps: 5 x 5
• Rest time: 60 seconds before moving to the next exercise.

Flat Barbell Bench Press

• How to Do it: Take a beyond shoulder-width grip and lower the bar in-line with the mid-chest. If shoulder mobility allows, touch the bar to your chest briefly before pressing upwards. Pause at full lockout briefly before lowering the bar under control.
• Sets and Reps: 5 x 3
• Rest time: Three minutes before returning to the first exercise.

Floor Press

• How to Do it: Lie on the floor with a bar set in a rack at arms length above your head. Keep the legs straight throughout the set. Unrack the bar and lower under control until your elbows delicately touch the ground (do not slam the weight down). Pause with the elbows on the ground for one second before pressing to full lockout.
• Sets and Reps: 4 x 4-6
• Rest time: Three minutes between sets.

Dip

• How to Do it: Begin at the top position on a set of dip bars. Bend your elbows and lower to the bottom of the rep. The torso may be slightly upright during the movement to involve the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Pause briefly before pressing back up. Increase resistance with a weight belt, weighted vest, or by squeezing a dumbbell between your thighs above your knees.
• Sets and Reps: 4 x 6-8
• Rest time: Two minutes between sets.

The Chest Muscles

Many lifters design chest workouts with the intention of training “all parts of the chest”. That approach can certainly be effective, but it first requires knowing exactly what does, and what does not, make up “all parts of the chest.” Here’s a quick and useful lesson in functional anatomy.

Pectoralis Major

The pec major is the muscle everyone simply refers to as “the chest”. It’s the large chunk of muscle on the upper torso, above the abs and below the neck. Common bodybuilding lore says the body part is divided into the “upper chest”, “mid chest”, “lower chest”, “inner chest” and “outer chest”, while claiming each section can be targeted by specific exercises. This is wrong. Or at least, it’s a huge misinterpretation of how the body actually works.

The pec major is one muscle, just like the biceps are one muscle. However, just like the biceps include multiple heads which can be recruited differently to contribute to slightly different overall growth, the pec major contains two heads — the sternocostal and the clavicular.

The sternocostal head is responsible for the vast majority of movement and is recruited in all pressing exercises. The clavicular head is the region commonly referred to as “upper chest” and has been shown to be recruited more efficiently with exercises done at a 30 or 45-degree incline. (4) (5).

So, anatomically speaking, there’s “the upper chest” and “the rest of the chest”. The majority of exercises will work both heads, while inclined exercises prioritize the upper chest, and anyone who talks about targeting the “inner chest” or “outer-lower chest sweep” isn’t really talking about training the human body.

Pectoralis Minor

The pec minor lives underneath the pec major and attaches to the scapula (shoulder blade) to play a role in scapular movement. It’s involved in nearly every chest exercise, but is specifically called into action when the scapulae move forward, such as during a push-up or chest press exercise.

Due to its relatively small size, location, and function, it’s not likely to experience significant (or visible) muscle growth but serves an invaluable role for overall joint function and health.

Serratus Anterior

The serratus anterior is the finger-like cluster of muscles slightly below the chest, along the side of the ribs. Similar to the pec minor, they attach to the scapulae and play a role in scapular movement, stability, and health. (6) The serratus is also involved during chest pressing exercises, particularly toward the lockout position when/if the scapulae are allowed to “flex” forward (protraction).

Serratus muscle growth is minimal, but when the muscles are developed, and particularly when accompanied by low body fat, they can be a noticeable addition to an impressive physique.

A Chest Warm-Up is Essential

No matter your goal or training plan, a specific chest warm-up can help to improve overall performance and reduce the risk of injury. Pec tears, shoulder strains, and excessive elbow stress can occur when poorly planned workouts combine with inadequate warm-ups.

A thorough and effective warm-up can be time-efficient without compromising on benefits. Grab a resistance band and use this quick circuit to start any chest session.

The Complete Chest Warm-Up Circuit

• Slow Push-up Plus: Perform a basic push-up taking two seconds to lower your body and two seconds to press up. When your arms are locked at the top of each rep, continue “pressing” to reach the shoulder blades towards the ground before performing the next rep (this added range of motion is the “plus” part of a “push-up plus”). Do three repetitions before moving immediately to the next exercise.
• Push-up Plank Shoulder Tap: From the top of a push-up position, spread your feet slightly wider for support and alternate touching each shoulder with the opposite hand. Perform 10 reps total, alternating each hand, before moving immediately to the next exercise.
• Band Pull-Apart: Take a resistance band with a palms-down grip, holding the band at arms-length in front of your body. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, pull both hands back to perform a reverse flye movement with your shoulders and upper back until the band touches your chest. Return to the starting position under control. Perform 10 reps before repeating the first exercise. Do a total of four sets of the complete circuit.

Powerful, High-Performance Pecs

Whether you want to bench press a motorcycle, build a beach-worthy physique, or just get a great workout at home or on the road, you’re now armed with plenty of options to train what is arguably the most popular body part in the gym. Just be sure to follow a well-designed plan and never let your ego write checks your joints can’t cash.

References

1. Krzysztofik, M., & Wilk, M. (2020). The Effects of Plyometric Conditioning on Post-Activation Bench Press Performance. Journal of human kinetics, 74, 99–108.
2. https://doi.org/10.2478/hukin-2020-0017Ulrich G, Parstorfer M. Effects of Plyometric Versus Concentric and Eccentric Conditioning Contractions on Upper-Body Postactivation Potentiation. Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2017 Jul;12(6):736-741. doi: 10.1123/ijspp.2016-0278. Epub 2016 Oct 13. PMID: 27736266.
3. Clark, Ross A1,3; Humphries, Brendan2; Hohmann, Erik3,4; Bryant, Adam L1 The Influence of Variable Range of Motion Training on Neuromuscular Performance and Control of External Loads, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research: March 2011 – Volume 25 – Issue 3 – p 704-711 doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c6a0ff
4. Lauver JD, Cayot TE, Scheuermann BW. Influence of bench angle on upper extremity muscular activation during bench press exercise. Eur J Sport Sci. 2016;16(3):309-16. doi: 10.1080/17461391.2015.1022605. Epub 2015 Mar 23. PMID: 25799093.
5. Rodríguez-Ridao, D., Antequera-Vique, J. A., Martín-Fuentes, I., & Muyor, J. M. (2020). Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise. International journal of environmental research and public health, 17(19), 7339. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197339
6. Castelein B, Cagnie B, Parlevliet T, Cools A. Serratus anterior or pectoralis minor: Which muscle has the upper hand during protraction exercises? Man Ther. 2016 Apr;22:158-64. doi: 10.1016/j.math.2015.12.002. Epub 2015 Dec 22. PMID: 26749459.

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The post The Best Chest Workouts for Muscle Mass, Strength, and More appeared first on Breaking Muscle.