These 7 chest exercises will give you the perfect chest!

The favourite day of the week for many men: chest day. After all, which man doesn’t want a symmetrical and well-defined chest like Arnold Schwarzenegger? Chances are, you’ve already spent hours in the gym trying to build an impressive chest. Looking for inspiration to take your workout to the next level? With these 7 chest exercises, you’ll see results in no time! Chest training isn’t just for men; are you a woman? These chest exercises are highly effective for you too! Get ready to work that chest!

What are your chest muscles made of?

Before you jump into the exercises below, it's good to know exactly what your chest muscles consist of. This way, during your next training session, you’ll not only know what to do, but also why you’re making certain movements and which muscles you’re engaging. You’ll know exactly whether you’re training the upper, lower, or inner part of your chest!

Your chest contains several muscles that form your pectoral muscles. First, you have the musculus pectoralis major, also known as the large chest muscle, and then there’s the smaller chest muscle, known as the musculus pectoralis minor. You may know them better as pecs.

The large chest muscle is a superficial muscle that consists of three parts:

• Pars clavicularis
• Pars sternocostalis
• Pars abdominalis

These three parts run from the sternum and collarbone to the upper arm bone and, in different combinations, have various functions. One of the functions of the large chest muscle is to move your arm toward your body. Another function is that the muscles help when you want to lift your arm in front of your body, and lastly, this muscle also helps when you want to rotate your shoulder towards your chest.

In addition to the large chest muscle, the small chest muscle (musculus pectoralis minor) is located at the front of your chest, lying underneath the large chest muscle. Thanks to the small chest muscle, you can pull your shoulder down and forward. It also enables medial rotation, meaning it helps you rotate your shoulder blades towards your spine.

Chest exercise 1: Push-up

The first chest exercise is one everyone is familiar with: the push-up. For this exercise, you don’t really need any additional weights. Your own body weight is more than enough. You probably already know how to do it and include it regularly in your workouts, but it simply can’t be left out of this blog. Let’s go over it again:

First of all, when performing a push-up, you work both the small and large chest muscles. To begin a push-up, lie down on the ground, then move into the starting position. This involves supporting your body weight with only your toes and hands on the ground. Your hands should be shoulder-width apart and your arms fully extended. Make sure your body forms a straight line from your heels to your head.

Next, bend your arms until you are as close to the ground as possible without actually touching it. Then, extend your arms again to return to the starting position. You can repeat this movement as many times as you wish.

While doing the push-up, ensure that your body stays as straight as possible throughout the entire exercise. Only your arms should bend, not the rest of your body. You can also do push-ups using push-up stands.

Chest exercise 2: Bench Press

Now it’s time to get into the heavier stuff: the bench press. During this chest exercise, you mainly target one specific part of the large chest muscle, the pars sternocostalis, which is the middle section of the pectoral muscle.

To start with the bench press, make sure you first choose the appropriate weights to add to the barbell. Don’t overdo it! It’s better to do more repetitions with a slightly lighter weight than to overstrain yourself and end up sidelined with an injury for weeks.

Once you’ve selected the right weights, lie down on the bench. Your head should be positioned directly under the barbell, and the bench should be set flat. Plant your feet firmly on the ground, and grip the barbell with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.

Next, push the barbell off the rack where it’s been resting and lower it to just above your chest while inhaling. Hold it briefly and then push the barbell back up using your chest and triceps while exhaling. Hold briefly again before repeating the exercise.

When performing the bench press, ensure that you move the barbell straight up and down, not forward or backward. If you move it incorrectly, you risk putting unnecessary strain on the wrong joints, which could lead to injury. And, of course, injuries are something you definitely want to avoid at all costs.

Chest exercise 3: (Incline) Dumbbell Press

The next chest exercise is quite similar to the bench press. However, unlike the bench press, the dumbbell press requires extra effort from your muscles, as you not only have to push the dumbbells up and lower them in a controlled manner, but you also need to keep them balanced. It’s an additional challenge that you can surely handle with ease!

To perform the dumbbell press, grab the dumbbells and lie down on the bench. Plant your feet firmly on the ground and rest the dumbbells on your thighs for the moment. As you lie back on the bench, move the dumbbells from your legs to just above your chest.

Next, flare your elbows outward so that they form a 90-degree angle with the rest of your body. Your forearms should also be at a 90-degree angle with your upper arms. Lower the dumbbells until your elbows dip slightly below the bench and the dumbbells are positioned just above chest level. Push the dumbbells upward by straightening your arms. Be sure not to let the dumbbells touch each other and try to keep them as steady as possible.

As you lower the dumbbells back down, engage your chest muscles fully. Repeat this movement until you reach your desired number of reps.

For added variation, you can also perform this exercise as an incline dumbbell press. In this version, you perform the movement on a bench where the backrest is angled up at about 30 degrees, which shifts the focus to the upper part of your chest.

Chest exercise 4: Cable Crossover

Let's take a break from barbells and dumbbells for a moment and head over to the cable station. As you likely know, you can also train your chest muscles effectively here. This exercise targets all three parts of the pectoralis major, giving you an excellent, well-rounded chest workout.

Head to the cable station and set the appropriate weight. Grab both cables and stand in the middle so that there is equal tension on each cable. Position your legs apart, with one leg slightly in front of the other. Keep your back straight, and your palms should be facing forward.

Now, pull the cables towards you by moving your arms from the sides of your body to the front. As you do this, exhale steadily. While inhaling, move your arms back out, allowing the weights to lower again. Repeat this movement until you've completed your desired number of reps.

Chest Exercise 5: (Incline) Dumbbell Flyes

When performing dumbbell flyes, you target both the large and small chest muscles. To do this exercise, you'll need a set of dumbbells. Choose the right weight, then sit at the end of the bench with the dumbbells resting on your thighs. Make sure you're holding them with your palms facing each other, as this grip is important for the rest of the movement.

Now, lie back on the bench and extend your arms above your head. Slowly lower your arms outward and downward. Once the dumbbells are at chest level, press them back up by contracting your chest muscles.

Throughout the exercise, it’s crucial not to fully extend your arms or lock your elbows. Keep a slight bend in your arms to maintain control and execute the exercise like a pro.

Tip: If your focus is on training the upper part of the pectoral muscles, the pars clavicularis, opt to do dumbbell flyes on an incline bench. The form remains the same, but the incline shifts the emphasis slightly to target the upper chest.

Chest Exercise 6: Dips

Dips can be performed in various ways, with one version primarily targeting your triceps, but the variation we're focusing on today will engage your chest muscles.

To perform dips, go to the dip station and grab both handles firmly. Lift your legs off the ground or the footrests, so you're fully supported by your arms. Lean your chest slightly forward, about 30 degrees, to shift the focus from your triceps to your chest.

Lower yourself down until your shoulders and elbows are aligned. You probably guessed the next step: push yourself back up until your arms are fully extended. Repeat this process until you reach your desired number of reps.

Want to make the exercise more challenging? You can wear a dipping belt with added weights around your waist. The additional weight will make both pushing up and lowering yourself more difficult, adding extra intensity to the exercise.

Chest Exercise 7: Chest Press

Finally, one last exercise to train your chest muscles. This exercise is performed on the chest press machine, primarily targeting the large chest muscle. To execute the exercise correctly, it's crucial to adjust the machine to the proper settings—choose the right weight and ensure the seat is at the correct height. Since you're focusing on your chest muscles, the handles should be at about mid-chest level. Take your time to set up the machine properly; it's better to make small adjustments than to perform the exercise incorrectly.

Once the machine is set up, sit down with your back and head firmly pressed against the backrest and your feet flat on the ground. Grab the handles, making sure to keep your wrists straight throughout the movement.

Next, push the weight forward by extending your arms. As you do this, exhale deeply. When you bring the weight back by bending your arms, inhale to ensure you have enough air for the next repetition. Repeat this exercise as many times as desired.

To increase the difficulty and keep constant tension on your muscles, you can avoid letting the weight fully rest between repetitions. By not allowing the weights to touch, your muscles remain engaged throughout the entire set, working even harder to maintain the lifted position.

Boost Your Results with Supplements

Along with an effective chest training routine, the right nutrition and supplementation are essential for achieving optimal results. For chest training, we recommend the following supplements:

• Whey Protein: Helps repair and build muscle mass after intense training sessions. It's an essential supplement for muscle recovery and growth.
• Creatine: Improves your explosive strength and performance, which is key for heavy exercises like bench pressing and other compound movements.
• Multivitamin: Ensures you get all the necessary vitamins and minerals for overall health and recovery.
• Magnesium: Supports muscle function and helps prevent cramps and fatigue, crucial during intense training sessions.

These supplements are perfectly suited to an intense chest training program and will help you maximize your workout results.

In Conclusion

Have you gone through all the exercises? Then you're all set! Now you know exactly which chest exercises are effective and can give you that serious pump. Of course, you don't need to do all of these chest exercises every time you hit the gym, but you can incorporate them into your workout program to help you get closer to achieving the chest of perfection—perhaps even like Arnold Schwarzenegger! Good luck with training your chest muscles!