Best Chest Exercises: The Top 10 Exercises to Add Into Your Chest Day Workout Routine

Why do it: The barbell bench press is ostensibly the most popular lift in the world, and for good reason. Few exercises provide as much upper body muscle activation, meaning you should see substantial increases in your chest muscle size and strength by bench pressing regularly.

How to do it:

1. Lie on a flat bench beneath a racked and loaded barbell.
2. Grip the bar with your hands slightly outside of shoulder-width.
3. Inhale deeply, brace your core, pinch your shoulder blades together, and exhale as you unrack the bar, positioning it directly over your chest muscles.
4. Inhale again as you lower the bar to your chest, lightly touching at the bottom.
5. Exhale as you push the bar back to the starting position.
6. Continue for reps then rerack before the next set. 

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Why do it: According to the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health¹, “an inclination of 30 [degrees] produces greater activation of the upper portion of the pectoralis major.” So, for well-rounded development of the pectoral muscles, you’ll want to use the flat bench press, incline bench press, and decline bench press rotationally.

How to do it:

1. Rack and load a barbell to the desired weight, then set an incline bench to between a 30-degree and 45-degree angle and sit. Grab the bar with an overhand grip.
2. Inhale, brace your core, pinch your shoulder blades, and exhale as you unrack the bar.
3. Inhale again as you lower the bar in a straight line to your chest.
4. Lightly touch your upper chest, then exhale and press the bar to its starting position.
5. Repeat for reps then rerack before the next set. 

Why do it: “A lot of chest exercises involve pressing or pushing,” says Caine Wilkes, OLY, USAW-L1. “That’s why chest flyes are so valuable. The dumbbell fly is one of few exercises that uses adduction rather than extension, meaning you’ll build muscle while improving mobility thanks to its unique movement pattern and wide range of motion.”

How to do it:

1. Lie back on a flat weight bench, holding a pair of dumbbells with your palms facing each other.
2. Press the dumbbells until your elbows are nearly fully extended.
3. Slowly lower the weights out to your sides, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
4. Continue until the weights reach shoulder level.
5. Reverse the movement, bringing the dumbbells back over your chest.
6. Reset and repeat for reps.

RELATED: Best Dumbbells

Why do it: A study in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research² found that the dumbbell bench press elicited more muscle activation in the pec major than its classic barbell counterpart. So, it’s well worth it to occasionally trade your trusty barbell for a pair of dumbbells.

How to do it:

1. Sit at the end of a flat bench with a dumbbell resting on each thigh.
2. Thrust the dumbbells into the air using your legs as you lie back on the bench. Your starting position will have you lying supine with your lower back slightly arched, your shoulder blades pinched together, and the dumbbells directly above your chest.
3. Lower the dumbbells until they’re just outside your chest.
4. Pause, then press the dumbbells back to the starting position.
5. Repeat for reps.

Why do it: We all know push-ups are the quintessential bodyweight movement, but what does exercise science say? According to the Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness³, push-ups are “comparably effective for muscle hypertrophy and strength gain” as a low-load bench press.

How to do it:

1. Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor, then step both feet back to get into a high plank position. Your body should form a straight line from head to feet.
2. Bend your elbows to lower yourself to the floor.
3. Lightly touch the floor with your chest, then push yourself back up.
4. Repeat for reps.

RELATED: What Muscles Do Push-Ups Work?

Why do it: “Cable machines provide constant tension throughout the range of motion, so you get similar hypertrophy at lower loads compared with free weights,” says Caine. “The cable crossover is particularly great at isolating the chest muscles.”

How to do it:

1. Attach a D-handle to your cable machine and set the pulley to the highest position.
2. Grab a handle with each hand, using a neutral grip, then position yourself so that you are standing dead center of the cable machine. Step forward to create tension.
3. Lean your upper body forward, maintaining a slight bend in the elbow.
4. Pull the handles down and across your body, squeezing your chest muscles at lockout.
5. Slowly guide the handles back to the starting position.
6. Reset and repeat for reps.

RELATED: Best Cable Machines for Home Gyms

Why do it: Beginners may struggle with the regular dumbbell bench press’ range of motion and inadvertently place stress on their shoulder joints. The floor press exercise eliminates this possibility since the floor is right there to stop you from lowering your arms too far, making this variation safer for hitting your chest and triceps.

How to do it:

1. Lie supine on the floor with your knees bent, feet planted, and a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Press the dumbbells over your chest until your elbows reach lockout.
3. Squeeze the contraction, then slowly lower the dumbbells until your upper arm and elbows lightly touch the floor.
4. Reset and repeat for reps.

Why do it: Chest dips are simple, but there is power in their simplicity. Using minimal equipment, this super effective bodyweight movement targets muscle groups in your chest, shoulders, and arms to greatly improve your upper-body strength.

How to do it:

1. Stand between a set of parallel bars or rings and grip the handles with a neutral grip.
2. Lean forward, then slowly bend your elbows to lower yourself down.
3. Continue until your elbows form 90-degree angles, push yourself back up.
4. Reset and repeat for reps.

RELATED: Dips Vs Pull-Ups

Why do it: “Dumbbell pullovers are one of my favorite moves for targeting the lower chest muscles,” says Caine. “They hit plenty of upper body muscles, but they also expand the rib cage, which improves mobility, flexibility, and your breathing, too.”

How to do it:

1. Lie back on a flat bench with your upper back and shoulder blades pressed into the bench.
2. Hold a single dumbbell with both hands over your head.
3. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, slowly bring your arms back and behind your head with control.
4. Push the dumbbell back up to the starting position.
5. Repeat for reps.

RELATED: Low Chest Workouts

Why do it: A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research⁴ found that push-ups performed with a narrow hand placement produce greater muscle activation in the pectoralis major and triceps brachii compared with shoulder-width or wide base push-ups.

How to do it:

1. Get into the push-up position, except place your hands closer than shoulder-width.
2. Lower yourself to the floor by bending your elbows, keeping them tucked into your body.
3. Lightly touch the floor with your chest, then push yourself back to the starting position.
4. Repeat for reps.

We know you wanna barge into that gym, rack that bar, and blast out bench reps like a savage beast, but there’s no reason you can’t be savage and smart, right?

Studies show⁵ that a proper warm-up substantially reduces your risk of injury by raising your heart rate, improving blood flow, and increasing the elasticity of your muscles, so you’ll want to lead with a great chest warm-up before getting into your working sets.

“Dynamic movements and stretches get your blood flowing, but it’s also important to warm up the shoulders and thoracic spine,” says Caine Wilkes, OLY, USAW-L1. “It seems strange to focus on the shoulders and back when it’s a chest training day, but warming up these key areas will help you generate power more efficiently.”

RELATED: Best Warm-Up Exercises