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The formula to grow a big chest may seem simple, but it's not as easy as you think it is. Growing a chest requires patience, consistency and dedication.
The chest is comprises three regions: the upper, middle and lower regions. To build a strong, all-round developed chest, you need to hit all three regions. The upper chest connects your deltoid region and can make your upper body massive.
When building a huge chest, training the upper region is key. If you're trying to build a strong upper chest, there are some good exercises to help you do so.
How To Build A Strong Upper Chest
Here are seven best exercises to help you build a strong upper chest:
1) Incline Dumbbell Press
The Incline Dumbbell Press is an upper chest staple among lifters and bodybuilders. It offers a deep range of motion and allows you to fully contract your pectoral muscles.
It targets the clavicle pectoralis, which often remains untrained and is a rather stubborn muscle to target. For this exercise, set your bench at an incline of 15-30 degrees, and keep your shoulders locked.
With a sufficient arch, use only your pectoral muscles to push the weight while squeezing your chest as much as you can. The unilateral nature of this exercise enables you to even out muscular imbalances while maximising your range of motion.
2) Incline Barbell Press
The Incline Barbell Press offers a similar range of benefits as its dumbbell variant. However, the use of a barbell instead of dumbbells enables you to place heavier loads on your upper chest.
For an incline Barbell Press, try using a wider grip, as that will allow you to get the bar all the way to your chest, allowing you to have a very deep range of motion. The Incline Barbell Press may seem riskier due to the heavier load being imposed on the lifter. So it's advisable to have a spotter to help you.
3) Incline Standing Cable Flyes
The Incline Cable Flyes offer the best range of motion out of any chest exercise. Studies have shown that a deep range of motion is the greatest determining factor in muscular hypertrophy.
It targets the upper pectoral region and isolates this muscle. It also engages the abs by bracing them, helping to stabilise the core. Cable Flyes may seem difficult to perform and less practical, especially compared to dumbbell flyes.
However, the range of motion they offer is far superior to any other similar exercise. It's absolutely crucial to perform this exercise to build a strong and muscular upper chest.
4) Reverse-Grip Bench Press
The Reverse-Grip Bench Press is a version of the bench press that uses a supinated (palms facing towards you) grip rather than a pronated (palms facing away from you) grip.
It also requires a wider grip than usual to make sure your palms are comfortable. The Reverse-Grip bench press has a far better range of motion than a neutral grip bench press, allowing you to lift the bar right up till your chest before pushing back up.
The bar path also changes with the grip type, with a supinated grip facilitating more movement. It also emphasises superior recruitment ability of the clavicular pectoralis, especially compared to the standard flat bench press.
The reverse-grip bench press also offers a safety benefit. It isn't as risky and taxing on your shoulders as the standard flat bench press. That makes it a viable option for those with weak shoulders or people who simply don't wish to put their deltoids in a risky position.
5) Decline Push-Ups
Push-ups by themselves are a great exercise for building chest muscle and are comparable to several weightlifting exercises, contrary to popular belief.
Decline Push-Ups are slightly tougher but are a more effective, allowing you to rest your legs on a raised platform, forming a decline. Although performing a decline exercise for the upper chest may seem strange, the rules are reversed with push-ups.
Decline push-ups hit your upper chest more efficiently, while incline push-ups are more beneficial when you're trying to target your lower chest. Decline push-ups are typically harder to perform than regular push-ups, but once you get the hang of it, it's a piece of cake.
Once you've mastered the exercise, you can either incorporate it into a training routine or use it as a warm-up.
6) Dips
Dips are the greatest chest exercise that requires no weight at all. That means you can build muscle without lifting heavy weights, and instead use your own body weight to build a massive upper chest.
Dips are beneficial for your entire pectoral region but can be optimised for upper chest growth. Dips primarily focus on the pectoralis major, but if you simply lean forward and tuck your elbows in, dips can be used to fully target your clavicular pectoralis, helping build a solid upper chest.
7) Incline Dumbbell Pull-Overs
Dumbbell Pull-Over is a great exercise for building muscle in your pectoral region, as well as the latissimus dorsi.
It's a compound exercise that uses both your chest and lats as the primary body parts, making it a great full-body option. It also uses your biceps and triceps as hooks to serve as pulleys for the weight.
While it's great in targeting your entire chest, you can optimise it to hit your upper chest as optimally as possible. By performing this exercise at an incline, you can target your clavicular pectoralis more effectively.
Takeaway
Building a muscular upper chest is a time-consuming and intense process. It requires you to be fully in control of the exercises you do and work diligently to build muscle.
The weight you lift, accompanied by the food you eat and the amount of rest your body receives, all count in building a massive upper chest.
