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The muscle group found in the chest region contributes to a multitude of movements and improving them with highly targetted exercises is imperative for a great posture and improved upper body strength. Moreover, a strong chest directly strengthens the back muscles.
An effective chest workout can be done either by using cables, free weights or by simply using your own body weight. Each equipment focuses on improving different regions of the chest, and one should have enough variety to tone the entire chest with greater efficiency.
Along with an extremely effective workout, have a healthy diet and supplement it with protein powder. This should put you on the right track and help you in building the chest muscles within no time.
Let us dive in deeper and better understand the five super effective chest workouts that you could add to your training program to build mass.
#1 Dumbbell Press
The dumbbell press offers a great motion that strengthens the chest with unmatched intensity. Along with toning the chest muscles, the dumbbell press targets the shoulder, arms and the triceps giving you a solid upper body exercise.
The beginner-level exercise could be performed by people of different age groups and diverse skill levels.
Instructions
Step 1: Lie on a flat bench in a supine position. Hold dumbbells in both the hands and place them near the shoulders. The palms should be facing away from the head and towards the feet, while the upper arm should be perpendicular to the torso.
Step 2: With proper control and a firm grip, raise the dumbbells towards the roof until the arms are fully extended.
Step 3: Hold for a moment and return to the starting position. Take tremendous care while lowering the dumbbells as an improper motion could damage the rotator cuff muscles in the shoulder region.
Repeat the exercise for the recommended number of times.
Important tips: Do not overload the weights as it could lead to a serious injury. Focus on higher reps over heavier loads. For better resistance, you could perform the dumbbell press on an incline-decline bench.
Next up: Push-Up
#2 Push-Up
The push-ups not only work on the pectoral muscles but also tone the muscles in the arms and shoulders for a complete upper body workout. In addition, they train the stabilizer muscles such as quads, abs, and biceps.
Also, read 8 Best Ab Exercises To Get Those Perfectly Sculpted Six Packs.
Both beginners and advanced trainers could train with the push-ups due to its simple motion.
Instructions
Step 1: Lie of the floor in a prone position and place your hands on the ground to support your torso. The arms should be straight in this position. You could go for a wide or a narrow grip while performing the push-up. A wider stance targets the chest muscles with greater intensity.
Step 2: Lower yourself slowly until the chest almost touches the ground. Have a straight torso during the entire duration of the exercise.
Step 3: Hold for a moment and return to the initial position.
Perform the exercise for the recommended number of times.
Important tip: Perform the push-ups with a weighted vest for improved customisability and variable resistance.
Next up: Cable Fly
#3 Cable Fly
The cable crossover is a great isolation exercise that targets the chest muscles with unrivalled precision. In addition, the cable fly tones the shoulder muscles and the core as the secondary target groups.
Instructions
Step 1: Stand straight in between the pulleys with a slightly bent torso. Place the pulley at an appropriate position, select an appropriate weight and pull the cable attachment towards the chest.
Step 2: Slowly, move the arms outward until you feel an extension in the chest and the shoulder region. While moving the arms, ensure that there is no unnecessary movement in any other directions.
Step 3: Hold for a moment and return to the initial position.
Perform the exercise for the recommended number of repetitions.
Important tips: Adjust the height of the pulley to target different muscle groups in the chest region. Do not work with a very high resistance, focus on improving the rep count.
Next up: Barbell Bench Press
#4 Barbell Bench Press
The barbell bench press is an ideal exercise for building muscle and adding mass. It not only targets the chest muscles but also works on improving the core and shoulder muscles, giving you a complete upper body workout.
Instructions
Step 1: Lie down on a flat bench and hold the barbell just above the chest. The palms should be facing away from the head and towards the feet. Have a firm grip with a distance approximately equal to the width of the shoulder. The upper arms should be perpendicular to the torso in the starting position.
Step 2: Take a deep breath and lift the barbell until the arms are straight and perpendicular to the floor.
Step 3: Hold for a moment and return to the initial position.
Repeat the exercise for the recommended number of times.
Important tip: Take extreme caution while lifting heavy weights. It is preferable to work with them under supervision.
Next up: Dumbbell Fly
#5 Dumbbell Fly
The dumbbell fly targets the pectoralis minor and pectoralis major muscles in the chest region along with working on the shoulders, biceps and triceps.
Also, read 6 Best Chest Exercises with Dumbbells To Build Your Chest.
Casual trainers and beginners could also train their chest muscles using the dumbbell fly, thanks to its simple yet effective motion.
Instructions
Step 1: Lie on a flat bench on your back and hold dumbbells in both the hands. Hold the dumbbells directly above your shoulders with slightly bent elbows. The palms should be facing away from the body. Hold them at a distance that is approximately equal to the width of the shoulder.
Step 2: Lower your arms to side in an arc until you feel a stretch in the chest and shoulders.
Step 3: Hold for a moment and return to the starting position.
Perform the exercise for the recommended number of repetitions.
Important tip: Do not use momentum while lowering the weights as an improper motion could damage the rotator cuff.
Agree with our list? Disagree? Tell us in the comments below!
