'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
To build a well-defined chest that stands out, you need to work on the lower chest — the area of the muscle that sweeps from under the armpit. Neglecting this area will lead to a large but flat-looking chest.
Many bodybuilders like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Franco Columbu built their chests in such a way that they could push more weight at the gym; when you have a larger chest, you're able to push more weight because there's more muscle mass to push against.
The chest muscles are made up of two main groups—the pectoralis major and minor. To isolate the lower portion of these "pecs," you need to perform exercises at an angle that targets the sternal head and avoid overworking the clavicular head.
Six Best Bodybuilding Exercises for Your Lower Chest
1) Decline Bench Press
The decline bench press is an underrated exercise, often overlooked in favor of the flat or incline version.
The angle changes the pressing path and allows for a greater stretch of your chest muscles, making this variation more effective for working your lower chest.
It's also known to be shoulder-friendly compared to other pressing variations.
How to do it?
- Get on a decline bench, secure your feet and put the barbell in position.
- Take a wider than shoulder-width grip, put your hands under the bar and lift it off the rack.
- Bend your elbows as you lower into the bottom position, allowing the barbell to rest on your upper chest.
- Press it back up to lockout position and repeat.
2) Dip
Dips are often called the "squats of the upper body." They target all of the major muscles in your upper body and can be scaled to suit beginners and advanced lifters. In a dip, your shoulders are at risk for injury if you lean too far forward or backward.
How to do it?
- Stand in the middle of the dip bars and keep your chest up, shoulders down, and back tight.
- Squeeze the bar and press up while maintaining a forward lean to target the lower chest.
- At the top, flex your triceps and pause for a second before slowly lowering back down to complete one rep.
3) Decline Dumbbell Fly
The decline dumbbell fly is one of many variations of the fly, which targets the lower chest muscles.
Compared to the flat and incline versions, this exercise decreases strain on the anterior shoulders.
Since the triceps and shoulders are less involved, this isolation exercise further targets the lower chest muscles.
How to do it?
- Lie on a decline bench, holding dumbbells in front of your chest with a neutral grip.
- Your feet should be secured at the end of the bench.
- Press the weights to the lockout position, then lower them to just below your chest level by bending your elbows slightly.
- Squeeze your chest muscles as you bring the weights back to the starting position, and repeat.
4) High Cable Fly
This chest-stretching exercise involves a large range of motion and keeps your muscles under tension for an extended period of time to maximize muscle gain.
To change the focus from lower to upper chest muscles, bend your elbows slightly and lean forward.
How to do it?
- Stand in the middle of the cable machine with a staggered stance, and make sure the handles are set to the highest level.
- Bend your elbows slightly while keeping your spine straight and core tight, and pull both handles down and across your body.
- You can finish the movement by squeezing your chest muscles.
- Slowly reverse to the start position, keeping your elbows bent. Repeat.
5) Decline Push-Up
The classic push-up will never go out of style and by changing your position, you can make it even more effective.
Put your feet on an incline to target your lower chest more, or put your feet up on a weight bench to target both your shoulders and your chest.
How to do it?
- Place a bench, box, or step behind you. Kneel with your toes on the bench.
- Walk out into the push-up position, keeping your glutes squeezed.
- Bend your knees and lower yourself until your chest is about an inch from the floor.
- Press through your hands and lock out your elbows.
6) Dumbbell Hip Extension Floor Press
If you don’t have a decline bench, try the dumbbell hip extension floor press. This exercise will strengthen your lower chest muscles while improving hip mobility and glute strength.
Both of these exercises will help you build power in your lower body for better performance on the bench press.
How to do it?
- Lie faceup on the floor with a pair of dumbbells at your sides.
- Extend your knees and hips and press through your feet to lift your hips off the floor.
- Lock your arms straight, then slowly lower them back to the floor.
Takeaway
To build the best lower chest possible, it definitely deserves some attention. But it's not just about doing bench presses. There are a number of different exercises that can be used to help shape your chest, making it broader, more muscular, and better looking.
