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.

  • Elbow Out Chest Stretch

    The Elbow Out Chest Stretch is a static stretch targeting the pectoral muscles, specifically designed to improve flexibility and range of motion in the chest and shoulders. This exercise is beneficial for individuals looking to enhance their posture and alleviate tension in the upper body.
    ChestBeginner

  • Standing Press Around

    The Standing Press Around is a dynamic shoulder exercise that targets the deltoids, trapezius, and upper chest. It involves a circular motion with a weight, engaging multiple muscle groups to improve shoulder stability and strength.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Kettlebell One Arm Floor Press

    Kettlebell One Arm Floor Press is a unilateral horizontal press performed from the floor with a kettlebell. The floor limits the bottom range and emphasizes chest, triceps, shoulder control, and anti-rotation stability.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Chest Dips

    Dips on parallel bars target the chest, triceps, and shoulders. This compound exercise emphasizes the lower part of the pectoral muscles and helps in building upper body strength and mass. Proper form is crucial to maximize effectiveness and prevent injury.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Cross Body One-Arm Strength Press

    The Cross Body One-Arm Strength Press is a unilateral exercise targeting the shoulders, chest, and triceps. It involves pressing a dumbbell across the body, engaging core stability and enhancing shoulder mobility. This exercise is beneficial for improving muscular balance and coordination.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Lean Planche

    The Lean Planche is an advanced bodyweight exercise that targets the shoulders, chest, and core. It requires significant strength and balance, as it involves holding the body parallel to the ground with only the hands touching the floor. This exercise is a progression towards the full planche, emphasizing shoulder strength and core stability.
    ChestAdvanced

  • Incline Hammer Chest Press

    The Incline Hammer Chest Press is a compound exercise targeting the upper portion of the pectoral muscles, as well as engaging the anterior deltoids and triceps. This exercise is performed on an incline bench using dumbbells, with a neutral grip to emphasize muscle activation and reduce stress on the shoulder joints.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Assisted Machine Dips

    Assisted Machine Dips target the triceps, chest, and shoulders. This exercise is performed on a dip machine with adjustable weight assistance, allowing for controlled movement and gradual strength development. It is suitable for beginners who may not yet have the strength to perform unassisted dips.
    TricepsBeginner

  • Dumbbell Bench Press (Elbows Tucked)

    Dumbbell Bench Press (Elbows Tucked) is a compound chest exercise performed with two dumbbells on a horizontal bench. The elbows travel closer to the torso, with the slight palm rotation shown in this version. The chest, triceps and front shoulders contribute to the press while each arm controls a separate weight.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Doorway Chest Stretch

    Doorway Chest Stretch is a standing flexibility exercise that uses a doorway to lengthen the chest and front-shoulder region. It is a simple upper-body mobility variation requiring only a stable door frame.
    ChestBeginner

  • Archer Push-Up

    Archer Push-Up is an advanced bodyweight pressing variation with asymmetrical loading between the arms. It develops chest, triceps, and shoulder strength while demanding trunk stability.
    ChestIntermediate

  • One-Arm High-to-Low Cable Fly

    The One-Arm High-to-Low Cable Fly is an isolation exercise targeting the pectoral muscles, specifically the lower chest. It involves pulling a cable from a high position to a low position across the body, engaging the chest, shoulders, and triceps. This exercise helps in developing muscle symmetry and improving unilateral strength.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Clap Push-Up

    The Clap Push Up is an advanced plyometric exercise that enhances upper body strength, explosiveness, and coordination. It primarily targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders, while also engaging the core for stability.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Resistance Band Push-Up

    Resistance Band Push-Up is a push-up variation with elastic resistance added across the upper body. The band increases pressing demand for the chest, shoulders, and triceps compared with bodyweight alone.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Lying Cable Fly

    The Lying Cable Fly is an isolation exercise targeting the pectoral muscles. It involves lying on a flat bench and using cables to perform a fly motion, which helps in developing the chest by focusing on the inner and outer portions of the pectorals. This exercise also engages the shoulders and triceps as secondary muscles.
    ChestIntermediate

  • World’s Greatest Stretch

    The World's Greatest Stretch is a dynamic exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, enhancing flexibility, mobility, and overall functional movement. It is particularly effective for warming up the body before a workout, focusing on the hips, hamstrings, thoracic spine, and shoulders.
    ChestBeginner

  • Decline Chest Press

    The Decline Chest Press is a compound exercise targeting the lower portion of the pectoral muscles. It involves pressing a weight away from the body while lying on a decline bench, engaging the chest, triceps, and shoulders.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Ring Dips

    Ring dips are a compound upper body exercise performed using gymnastic rings. This exercise primarily targets the triceps, chest, and shoulders, while also engaging the core for stabilization. The instability of the rings increases the difficulty, requiring greater muscle activation and control.
    TricepsIntermediate

  • Incline Dumbbell Chest Fly

    The Incline Dumbbell Fly is an isolation exercise targeting the pectoral muscles, specifically the upper chest. It involves lying on an incline bench and moving dumbbells in a wide arc to engage the chest muscles effectively. This exercise helps in developing the upper portion of the pectoralis major, enhancing chest definition and strength.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Barbell Larsen Press

    Barbell Larsen Press is a barbell bench-press variation performed without foot support on the floor. Removing leg drive places greater emphasis on upper-body pressing strength and torso stability.
    ChestIntermediate

  • One-Arm Dumbbell Incline Bench Press

    The One-arm Dumbbell Incline Bench Press is a unilateral exercise that targets primarily the pectoral muscles, specifically the upper chest, while also engaging the triceps and shoulders. Performing this exercise on an incline bench helps emphasize the upper part of the chest, providing a balanced development of the pectoral muscles.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Kneeling Back Rotation Stretch

    The Kneeling Back Rotation Stretch is a mobility exercise designed to improve thoracic spine rotation and enhance flexibility in the upper back. It is particularly beneficial for individuals looking to increase range of motion and reduce stiffness in the back, shoulders, and neck.
    ChestBeginner

  • Barbell Bench Press with Chains

    The Barbell Bench Press with Chains is a variation of the traditional bench press that incorporates chains to add variable resistance. As the barbell is lifted, more chain links are lifted off the ground, increasing the load. This exercise targets the pectoral muscles, triceps, and shoulders, and helps improve strength and power by accommodating resistance throughout the range of motion.
    ChestIntermediate

  • Dip Shrugs

    Dip Shrugs are an upper body exercise targeting the trapezius muscles and shoulders. This movement involves a shrugging motion while supporting your body weight on parallel bars, enhancing shoulder stability and strength.
    BackIntermediate