Chest exercises

Presses, push-ups and flyes for the pecs, with the triceps and front delts working alongside. At home the push-up and its variations carry the load; in a gym you can press with dumbbells, a barbell or cables. Bench angle shifts the emphasis — an incline works the upper chest harder than a flat bench. To look after your shoulders, keep the elbows tucked to roughly forty-five degrees instead of flaring them straight out.

  • Dumbbell Bench Press (Elbows Out)

    Dumbbell Bench Press (Elbows Out) is a compound chest exercise performed with two dumbbells on a horizontal bench. The elbows travel farther out to the sides, distinguishing this version from the elbows-tucked press. The chest, triceps and front shoulders contribute to the press while each arm controls a separate weight.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Burpee (Wider Stance, Shallower Squat)

    Burpee (Wider Stance, Shallower Squat) is a full-body bodyweight exercise combining a squat, a push-up and a vertical jump. This version uses a wider foot placement and a shallower squat during the floor transition than the other confirmed variation. It combines upper- and lower-body effort with cardiovascular and coordination demands.
    Full bodyAdvanced

  • Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press

    Wide-Grip Barbell Bench Press is a horizontal press on a flat bench with wider hand spacing than a medium-grip bench press. It trains the chest, anterior deltoids, and triceps, with a distinct shoulder position and bar path associated with the wider grip.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Medium-Grip Barbell Bench Press

    Medium-Grip Barbell Bench Press is a horizontal barbell press performed with the hands around shoulder width. It provides a balanced chest-and-triceps pressing variation between close- and wide-grip bench press setups.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Incline Push-Up (Centered Hand Placement)

    Incline Push-Up (Centered Hand Placement) is an elevated bodyweight push-up with both hands positioned toward the centre of the support. This technical variation changes the pressing setup while retaining the reduced load of an incline push-up.
    ChestBeginner

  • Incline Push-Up (Wide Hand Placement)

    Incline Push-Up (Wide Hand Placement) is an elevated bodyweight push-up with the hands set wide on the support. The wider setup changes the pressing position while the incline keeps the movement less demanding than a floor push-up.
    ChestBeginner

  • Incline Bench Cable Fly

    The Incline Cable Fly is an isolation exercise targeting the upper portion of the pectoral muscles. It involves using a cable machine with an adjustable bench set to an incline position. This exercise helps in developing chest definition and strength, emphasizing the upper chest fibers.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Dumbbell Deep Push Up

    The Dumbbell Deep Push Up is an advanced variation of the traditional push-up that involves using dumbbells to increase the range of motion and engage the chest, shoulders, and triceps more intensely. This exercise enhances upper body strength, stability, and muscle definition.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Poliquin Flyes

    Poliquin flys, also known as Poliquin dumbbell flys, are a variation of the traditional dumbbell fly exercise. This movement targets the pectoral muscles with a unique angle and range of motion, emphasizing the stretch and contraction phases. It is performed on an incline bench to increase the activation of the upper chest fibers.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Reverse Hand Push-Up

    The Reverse Hand Push Up is a variation of the traditional push-up that targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders with an emphasis on wrist flexibility and forearm strength. This exercise involves performing a push-up with the fingers pointing towards the feet, requiring greater wrist mobility and providing a unique challenge to the upper body muscles.
    TricepsIntermediate

  • Dumbbell Chest Fly

    The Dumbbell Chest Fly is an isolation exercise targeting the pectoral muscles. It involves lying on a bench and extending the arms outward with a slight bend in the elbows, holding a dumbbell in each hand. This movement focuses on stretching and contracting the chest muscles, enhancing muscle definition and strength.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Weighted Push-Up

    The Weighted Push-Up is a compound upper body exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. By adding weight, this variation increases resistance, enhancing muscle strength and endurance. It requires proper form to ensure safety and effectiveness.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Cable Bench Press

    The Cable Bench Press is a variation of the traditional bench press that utilizes a cable machine to provide constant tension throughout the movement. This exercise targets the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids. It is performed on a flat bench with cables attached to a low pulley system, allowing for a controlled and smooth range of motion.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Incline Push-Up

    The incline push-up is a bodyweight exercise that targets the upper chest, shoulders, and triceps. It is performed with the hands elevated on a stable surface, such as a bench or step, which decreases the resistance compared to a standard push-up. This exercise is suitable for beginners and those looking to focus more on the upper part of the pectoral muscles.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Smith Incline Chest Press

    The Smith Incline Chest Press is a compound exercise targeting the upper portion of the pectoral muscles, utilizing the Smith machine for guided movement. This exercise allows for controlled lifting with added stability, making it suitable for both beginners and advanced lifters aiming to enhance upper chest development.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Decline Dumbbell Fly

    The Decline Dumbbell Fly is an isolation exercise targeting the pectoral muscles, particularly the lower chest. It involves lying on a decline bench and performing a fly motion with dumbbells, which helps in enhancing chest definition and strength.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Finger Push-Up

    Finger Push-Up is an advanced bodyweight push-up variation supported on the fingertips. It combines upper-body pushing work for the chest, shoulders, and triceps with substantial finger, hand, and forearm loading.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Low High Cable Chest Fly

    The Low High Cable Chest Fly is an isolation exercise targeting the pectoral muscles. It involves using a cable machine to perform a fly motion from a low to high angle, emphasizing the upper portion of the chest. This exercise helps in developing chest definition and strength.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Knee Push-Up

    Push Ups On Knees, also known as modified push-ups, are a beginner-friendly exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. This variation reduces the load on the upper body by allowing the knees to remain on the ground, making it an excellent choice for building strength and endurance in those new to push-ups or returning from injury.
    ChestBeginner

  • Dumbbell Lat Pullover

    The Dumbbell Pullover is a compound exercise that primarily targets the chest and latissimus dorsi muscles, while also engaging the triceps and core. It is performed lying on a bench with a single dumbbell held in both hands, extending the arms over the chest and lowering the weight behind the head.
    BackIntermediate

  • Bent Arm Chest Stretch

    A chest and front-shoulder stretch performed by pressing a bent arm against a fixed vertical surface and rotating the torso away to lengthen the pectoral muscles.
    ChestBeginner

  • Dumbbell Low to High Fly

    The Dumbbell Low to High Fly is an isolation exercise targeting the chest muscles, particularly the upper pectorals. It involves moving a pair of dumbbells in an arc from a low position near the hips to a high position above shoulder level, engaging the chest, shoulders, and core for stability.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Barbell Bench Press

    Barbell Bench Press is a compound horizontal pressing exercise performed with a barbell on a flat bench. It primarily develops the chest, triceps, and front shoulders.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Machine Chest Press

    The Machine Chest Press is a resistance exercise targeting the pectoral muscles, primarily the pectoralis major, with secondary activation of the triceps and anterior deltoids. It is performed using a seated machine that provides guided movement, allowing for controlled and safe execution, especially beneficial for beginners or those focusing on muscle isolation.
    ChestBeginner