19 Best Chest Exercises, According to Expert PTs

There’s a cliché that gym bros spend all their time working on their chest, arms, and little else. The reason being that both your chest and arms are the most eye-catching muscles, especially so if you prefer your shirts on the slim-fit side. Hence all those skipping legs day memes.

Sadly for the bros, though, over-training any one area can lead to painful and dangerous imbalances. Overdo your chest and you’re inviting postural problems and persistent back aches. Which isn’t to say that chest workouts don’t have a place as part of a fully-rounded workout routine.

“Training your chest has so many benefits. It improves your posture as it rounds your shoulders and is great for enhancing your upper body strength,” says personal trainer Peter Maciver, founder of PMac Fitness. “By strengthening the chest, your breathing also becomes better. It’s a very noticeable muscle group and so, aesthetically, it’s such an important part of your physique.”

Don’t just park yourself on the bench press and start pumping away, though. They key is to hit all areas of the chest, inviting the large and small muscles to work as one coherent unit. Let your accessory lifts slide and your bench press PB will be dip, too.

“There are a number of very similar exercises that can be done to help build chest strength,” says David Wiener, a specialist trainer with the lifestyle coaching app Freeletics. “Comprised of some of the largest muscles in the body, the small distinctions between each movement is what will get you to achieve a well-rounded chest definition and build strength.”

From exotic push-up variations to reliable presses, there’s something here to challenge everyone. Choose three to four exercises from the list below as the basis of your new chest day workout. Three to four sets of eight to ten reps should be more than enough.

The Best Bodyweight Chest Exercises

Chest Dips

“This advanced exercise really tests your upper body strength and can be made even harder by adding weights,” says Maciver. “It’s also great for muscle mass.” Mount the dip bar holding your body up with straight arms (or, to try it at home, use two chairs positioned back-to-back). Learn forward as far as possible with your feet crossed behind you – this shifts the load to your chest, rather than your triceps. Lower your body, keeping your weight tipped forward. Pause at the bottom, then drive back up.

Push-Up

A favourite of military drill instructors, the push-up has plentiful benefits to bestow. Least of all the fact that you can do it any time, any place. (Although whether you’d want to is another story). “The push-up provides a high percentage of chest muscle activation,” says Wiener. “They primarily work the triceps and large chest muscles, but there are many more stabilising muscles involved.” Now drop and give me 20.

Incline Push-Up

This one’s an easy push-up hack that will change the focus of the movement and keep testing you. “Placing your hands on a raised surface, like a coffee table or sofa, will place the emphasis on your chest muscles,” says Wiener. Make sure that your feet are on the ground and your body is fully extended and parallel to the floor. If your knees are bent, you won’t be getting the most out of this movement.

Decline Push-Up

“Essentially the inverse of the last move, this helps build muscle in the lower part of your chest and builds definition,” says Maciver. Place your feet on a bench with hands planted on the floor. Lower your body down until your chest almost reaches the ground. Push your body back up and squeeze your chest.

Sphinx Push-Up

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Don't worry, this one sounds fancier than it actually is. In essence, you’re going to perform a normal push-up but instead of resting on your palms you’ll rope in the entire forearm. Get into the regular push-up position, then lower your elbows so they’re resting on the ground. “Your knees, hips and shoulders should all be aligned in this position,” says Wiener. Extend your elbows again so you are in a high plank position – that's one rep.

Pull-Up

Best known as a back-builder, the pull-up hammers what's round the front, too (there's a reason it's called the 'king of exercises'). “Pull ups work the pectoralis minor, which is essential for posture and breathing. It’s always a great exercise to have included in your workout routine,” says Wiener. To begin, place your hands just further than shoulder width apart on your chosen bar, with your palms facing forward. Make sure to engage your chest and core as you lift your body up – you’re aiming to touch the bar just above your nipple line. Don’t worry if this one’s difficult, it’s meant to be. Remember: one pull-up with proper form is better than four or five rushed ones.

Clap Push-Up

A word of warning; no one likes a show-off so please, please, please don’t bust this one out in the middle of a crowded gym. You’ll get just as much benefit from doing it at home, yeah? “The clap push-up is a great plyometric move that tests your explosiveness and upper body strength,” says Maciver. In a push-up position, lower your chest to the floor and then press up explosively so your hands clap together. A full set of ten should wipe you out for about a week.

Archer Push-Up

OK, now we’re getting fancy. This push-up is performed like a normal push-up, but with alternate arms outstretched at 90 degrees by your side, so that you’re constantly extending one arm, then the other, as you lift your body. “Keep your elbow at 45 degrees from the torso to target the pectoralis major, otherwise you will be working the wrong muscles,” says Wiener. Start in a regular push-up position, then extend one arm out to the side, with your hand on the floor and in line with the shoulder. Lower yourself down towards the floor before pushing back up again, then shift your weight to the other side and repeat. That's one rep.

The Best Dumbbell Chest Exercises

Chest Fly

Chest flies are great for opening up your chest which in turn reduces tightness and potential pains. “It’s one of the best exercises to build upper body strength,” says Wiener. Lie on a bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand above your head. Keeping your arms straight, lower them in line with your chest, then repeat. A flat bench will hit your lower pecs; setting it to an incline works the muscles up top. Make sure to mix them up for a balanced chest.

Dumbbell Chest Press

A classic move, and one beloved of the bros, the dumbbell chest press nevertheless bestows huge growth on your pectorals. Start by lying back on a bench, holding two dumbbells above your chest, with your palms facing towards your thighs. Lower the weights towards your shoulders and then extend your arms up again. Slow and steady is the way to avoid injury, so don’t just pump them out. “To build muscle and definition, repeat this exercise for four or five sets using the heaviest weight within your ability,” says Wiener. There's no shame in asking for a spotter.

Incline dumbbell chest press

By setting the bench to a 45-degree angle, you shift the load to your upper chest, which means you'll build a rounded set of pecs that fill our your shirt, rather than a bottom-heavy set that end up more breast-shaped. Make sure to push your lower back hard into the bench so you don't cheat the weight up by flattening the angle.

Decline dumbbell chest press

The opposite of the above, which does the opposite of the above. Lower the bench so your heads below your toes, then press the weights as before. The shift in position means your lower chest works harder, which again helps to create a full pec shape and stronger muscles.

Arnold Chest Press

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Named for Arnie himself, this workout will build an action movie hero-worthy chest. Lie down with a dumbbell in each hand, then lower the weights towards the chest while rotating your wrists. You should end the movement with your palms towards your face, before slowly returning to the top. “Place extra emphasis on the slow movement in the eccentric phase of this exercise as this is what will help you achieve a strong and powerful chest,” says Wiener.

Pull Overs

The pull over is great value for your money as it works your entire chest, your back, and your core. And, with variations, you can also target your shoulders and triceps. “Lie flat on a bench, feet planted on the floor whilst holding a dumbbell. Lower the weight overhead until your biceps reach your ears. Bring back above your chest and repeat,” says Maciver. For a good burn, try adding in a few sets of this directly after a few sets of bench press.

The Best Barbell Chest Exercises

Incline Chest Press

Like before, but different. “While more or less the same movement as the dumbbell chest press, by lifting the bench slightly you’ll target the upper part of your chest as well as your shoulders and triceps, for a great upper body all-rounder,” says Maciver. Lean back on an incline bench at 30 degrees, feet flat on the floor and upper back arched slightly. You’ll need a shoulder-width grip on the bar, which should be in line with your chest. Push up and back down. It’s that simple.

Bench Press

Alongside squats and deadlifts, the bench press is considered one of the cornerstones of functional fitness, and with good reason. “This is a real test of your upper body strength,” says Maciver. To hit your pectorals major and minor, lie flat on the bench with your eyes beneath the bar. Grab it with an overhand grip, hands slightly further than shoulder-width apart, and grip it hard – really hard. Squeeze your shoulder blades together by attempting to pull your hands apart, as if you were tearing the bar in two. Now take the weight and breathe in. As you lower the bar to the chest it shouldn’t go lower than your nipples. Exhale as you power it back up, keeping those shoulders squeezed (imagine you're pinching a squash ball between your shoulder blades). Feel the pump, then repeat. And always get someone to spot you if you’re going heavy.

Close-Grip Bench Press

Now that you’ve got the standard chest press down, it’s time to take it one step further. By changing your grip, you’ll rope in parts of the pecs that the traditional press misses, creating a stronger – and fuller – chest. To start, lie on your back on a bench, holding a barbell so your pinkies are touch. Slowly lower the weight, then push back to the top. “It is important that your shoulders are being worked, so your weight has to be directly over your chest at all times,” says Wiener. You'll be lifting less with this grip, too, so don't be a hero.

Guillotine press

Essentially, this is a bench press, but it earns its moniker because you'll bring the bar down to kiss your Adam's apple before driving it back up. You'll work your upper chest muscles harder, which will build a more rounded set of pecs. It goes without saying (hopefully) but this isn't one to try and set a PB on.

The Best Cable Machine Chest Exercises

Cable Crossover

“This is a great move for increasing strength,” says Maciver. Using the cable machine, rather than dumbbells, provides tension and resistance to really target your pecs. With the cables at shoulder height, stand with one foot behind you whilst leaning slightly forward. Pull the cables forward so your arms cross at the wrists. Control the movement as you lower the weight, and repeat.