Chest exercises.
Presses, flyes and dips: the exercises that train your pecs best, how to combine them, and every guide with step-by-step form.
- As the main muscle
- 20
- As a helper muscle
- 4
Meet the muscles
The pectoralis major moves your arm forward and across your body: it does the pushing in a bench press or a push-up. It has an upper (clavicular) part and a larger middle and lower part.
You can't isolate an "inner" or "outer" chest, but incline presses put more work on the upper part, and dips or decline presses on the lower part.
Chest
Chest workout
A complete session for this muscle group in about 40 minutes. Repeat it once or twice a week and add weight when you hit every rep.
- Bench Press4 × 6-10
- Incline Dumbbell Press3 × 8-12
- Dips3 × 8-12
- Cable Fly3 × 12-15
All chest exercises
Strength18
Bench Press+5 variations
Cable Chest Press+1 variation
Cable Fly
Decline Bench Press+3 variations
Diamond Push-Ups+1 variation
Dips+4 variations
Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Fly+2 variations
Dumbbell Pullover+7 variations
Floor Press+5 variations
Front Lever+3 variations
Incline Bench Press+4 variations
Incline Dumbbell Press
Landmine Press+1 variation
Machine Chest Press
Pec Deck+1 variation
Push-Up+13 variations
Svend Press+3 variations
Power and cardio1
Mobility and stretching1
As a helper muscle4
FAQ
What is the best chest exercise?
The bench press is the most complete, but your chest grows best by combining a heavy press, an incline press and a fly.
How many sets of chest per week?
10-20 weekly sets spread over 2-3 days is a good range for muscle growth.
Can I build my chest at home?
Yes, with push-ups and their variations: decline, deficit or weighted. The key is getting close to failure and progressing.
How do I work my upper chest?
With incline presses on a 30-45 degree bench, barbell or dumbbells, and low-to-high cable flyes.
Train your chest with Nuvana.
