Exercises to build chest muscles are beyond popular, and who can blame men for trying? Dancing pecs and glistening sweat beads across a perfectly-defined chest are tempting goals you seek. It could be because you want the attention or simply want to look like you have a million-dollar-worth body. Did you know Australian researchers confirmed how a narrower waist and broader chest are the most attractive qualities for men (13)? It’s no surprise why you want a fabulously muscular and well-defined chest. So, let’s get you to that goal in a gym or at home.
Exercises to build chest muscles include warm-ups, gym workouts, and at-home exercises, such as the following:
However, it’s more complicated than bulking those pecs with relentless workouts. Let’s first see what else you must do to build chest muscles while exercising those pecs.
Read More: Lower Pecs 101: A Complete Guide On How To Workout Lower Pecs
Exercises to build chest muscles are the primary focus for many. However, there are other aspects you must focus on more than working those pecs. You need four more secrets to build chest muscle fast.
Hypertrophy is when your muscles gain mass, and the muscle protein synthesis beats the breakdown. Polish researchers reviewed the intensity of hypertrophy in resistance training (9). They noted that serious trainers must keep exhausting muscles with higher overloads to sustain hypertrophy.
Progressive overload leads to hypertrophy, especially once you reach a plateau. So in order to sustain hypertrophy, you need to progressively build your workouts, make them more challenging, control your muscles better, and do additional reps.
Canadian researchers found that a protein-rich diet promotes hypertrophy with resistance training (12). Protein intake is directly associated with improved hypertrophy. Use resistance training while eating 1.6-2.2 protein grams per kilogram of body weight daily.
The Canadians also recommend:
The University of Minnesota suggests adding 5-6 grams of complex carbs daily per kilogram of body weight (15). Otherwise, your muscle glycogen used for fuel falls too low, resulting in your muscles not handling the intense workouts.
Some muscle-growing carbs include:
You must eat to gain muscle mass– but two more secrets unlock success!
Canadian researchers examined how technique and speed affect muscle growth (11). Slower, well-controlled reps cause more muscle protein synthesis and hypertrophy than faster reps with poorer techniques. So remember to control your speed and use proper techniques.
Australian researchers reviewed the effects of upper body warm-ups before exercise (4). Warm-ups promoted explosive power and flexibility. Never skip them if you intend to bulk your pecs. You need all four secrets with training to bulk chest muscles.
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Exercises to build chest muscles are worthwhile if you know what to target. Discover the anatomy to target all three sections.
The National Library of Medicine explains the five main chest muscle types and their functions (3):
The American Sports and Fitness Association says that better chest muscles improve posture, metabolism, and upper body strength (6). Also, it may improve performance and bone health while reducing injury risks.
First, let’s focus on gym exercises. You’ll break your chest into three parts to ensure you bulk the major sections of your upper body. After the 3-exercise warm-up, you’ll work through three upper, two lower, and two inner chest exercises for a complete chest workout.
Do the warm-ups to ensure you’re enjoying explosive power. The American Sports and Fitness Association recommends 5-10 minutes of warm-up exercises (6). Please use the warm-ups before home workouts, too.
Read More: Chest Superset Workout That Will Pump Up Your Pecs
The best exercises to build chest muscle in the upper body means that you must target the major pecs. The upper body exercises build muscle by doing just that (3). Many exercises target multiple upper body muscles but start with the major pecs.
Forbes recommends cable chest flies to target the lower and upper pecs (1). It’s an upper and lower chest workout to strengthen the muscles.
Forbes experts confirm the incline bench press works the upper chest or major pecs (1). A 30° incline creates the perfect form for this exercise.
Livestrong recommends the machine flyes exercise to work the pectoralis major and minor and serratus anterior muscles (17). So, it works all three parts of your chest to end the upper workouts and move into the lower and inner chest exercises.
Use ten-second rests between sets for this workout:
Workouts to build lower chest muscle target different muscles in your chest. Lower chest exercises target the minor pecs (3). Many workouts target multiple muscles, but this focus on minor pecs.
The cable iron cross bulks the pectoralis minor muscles to enhance abductor movements or push strength (3). It offers a more extensive range of motion than the dumbbell version.
Forbes recommends a narrow-grip chest press to target the lower pecs (1). You must keep your hands shoulder-width apart to avoid doing the wide-grip version.
Use ten-second rests between sets for this workout:
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Inner chest exercises focus on workouts that target the serratus anterior, subclavius, or deltoid muscles (3). Indeed, exercises may target more muscles but keep in mind that they must include inner work.
The Svend press works the deltoids in your chest. The Cleveland Clinic suggests that deltoids connect to the clavicle (7). Thus, deltoids are deep inside the chest and require exercise (3).
Healthline suggests that dumbbell pullovers work those deltoids in your inner chest while targeting the lats and triceps (14). Let’s customize it slightly to make them work harder.
Use ten-second rests between sets for this workout:
Exercises to build chest muscles at home differ. Let’s see how to use simple equipment or do resistance training without weights at home.
Dumbbells are excellent for home workouts. Progressive and gradually more difficult resistance movements continue building mass. Harvard suggests adding weights to increase resistance (2). You can use weights to tire your chest muscles in two sets before increasing them.
According to Live Science, the traditional bench press works the upper and lower pecs and deltoids for an all-around workout (5). Use dumbbells and start with two sets and 12 reps.
Dumbell presses are excellent but add the flye benefits. Livestrong states that machine flyers work the entire chest (17). So, add the flye movement with two sets and 10-15 reps.
WebMD recommends flexing your pecs to improve blood circulation (18). Flex those muscles while you complete two sets and 10-12 reps.
Use Harvard’s suggestion to increase resistance by progressively challenging yourself with more reps and sets (2). Start with two sets until your muscles stop tiring before adding more sets to each exercise.
Spanish researchers found that banded push-ups activated the pecs and deltoids (10). Use a simple resistance band to complete two sets and 8-10 reps.
Livestrong recommends chest or parallel dips to strengthen and build the pectoralis major muscle (16). Use equal-height supports as parallel bars at home to complete 15 reps and two sets.
Forbes suggests using scapular push-ups to work those inner chests or serratus anterior muscles (1). Modify it by going on your knees before progressively increasing the difficulty.
Spanish researchers found that suspension during press-ups increases muscle activation in the pecs and deltoids (10). Complete two sets and 8-10 reps.
Seven chest exercises at home are enough if you continue causing progressive overload and follow the four secrets to add muscle growth. Poland’s research shows how progressive overload causes hypertrophy (9). Make it more challenging with each workout to make seven exercises work.
There are four essential techniques to build chest muscle. First is progressive overload causing hypertrophy (9). Secondly, you need a protein-rich diet and enough carbs to fuel your workouts (12, 15). Thirdly, focus on technique and speed (11). Finally, a good chest muscle warm-up causes more explosive power (4).
Use exercises that target the upper chest muscles. The National Library of Medicine shows the upper chest as the pectoralis major muscles (3). It helps focus on your subclavius and serratus anterior muscles to get the right shoulder and ribcage shape.
Live Science says bench presses are incredible chest workouts to target all the right muscles (5). Meanwhile, Forbes recommends traditional and modified push-ups to bulk most chest muscles (1).
Building chest muscles at home or in the gym requires following all four techniques consistently. Whether you use the classic machines at the gym or work all the chest muscles at home for a complete workout is truly up to your preference.
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