Many gymgoers suppose that the one train you want for a huge chest exercise is the bench press.

Whereas it’s true that the bench press is likely one of the very greatest chest trains for gaining measurement and power, it’s not sufficient by itself to develop actually spectacular pecs.

A real chest routine for mass should embody workout routines that can help you prepare your pecs with heavy weights, by way of lengthy ranges of movement, and at various angles. What’s extra, these workout routines should can help you carry progressively heavier weights over time, since that is important for muscle progress. 

From my expertise coaching 1000’s of individuals, the workout routines that work greatest as the premise of a chest day exercise routine are:

1. Barbell bench press
2. Incline barbell bench press
3. Dumbbell bench press
4. Incline dumbbell bench press
5. Shut-grip bench press
6. Dip
7. Excessive-to-low cable fly

On this article, you’ll study why these workout routines must be the muse of each good mass-building chest exercise program, uncover find out how to carry out them appropriately, perceive find out how to set up them into an efficient chest exercise, and extra. 

Chest Anatomy

To grasp what makes a good chest train and create efficient full chest exercises, you have to first perceive what the chest muscle tissue are and the way they perform.

The first chest muscle is the pectoralis main, or “pec main.” Right here’s what it seems to be like:

As you’ll be able to see, the pectoralis main has two sections or “heads:” the sternocostal head (“mid” and “decrease chest”) and clavicular head (“higher chest”). To develop full, proportional pecs, your chest exercise routines for mass should embody workout routines that emphasize each sections.

The opposite noteworthy a part of the pecs is the pectoralis minor. The “pec minor” lies beneath the pectoralis main and pulls the shoulder blade ahead and towards the center of your chest.

The identical workout routines that prepare the pec main additionally contain the pec minor, so it isn’t needed to incorporate workout routines in your chest exercise program that particularly goal the pec minor (and even for those who did, it’d be laborious to see whether or not or not your pec minor was rising). 

The 7 Greatest Chest Workouts for Mass

To construct full, proportional mass in your pecs, you must carry out workout routines that make it easy to progressively overload your chest. In different phrases, you must do workout routines that can help you deal with heavy weights safely and carry progressively heavier weights over time.

These workout routines also needs to work your pecs by way of a full vary of movement, which research present is essential for muscle progress. Moreover, they need to goal your chest from completely different angles to make sure balanced growth.

The next seven workout routines meet all these standards, and that’s why they’re good for a chest exercise designed so as to add measurement to your higher, mid, and decrease pecs.

On this part, you’ll learn to carry out every train and find out how to incorporate them into efficient chest exercises for mass, together with knowledgeable ideas and steerage on units, reps, and relaxation intervals.

1. Barbell Bench Press

Why: The barbell bench press is likely one of the single greatest chest workout routines for mass as a result of it hits the higher, mid, and decrease parts of the chest and permits you to prepare with heavy weights and progress often. That’s why all good chest day exercise routines start with the bench press. 

Methods to:

1. Lie on a flat bench and place your toes flat on the ground. 
2. Pull your shoulder blades collectively and down, and with out lifting your butt or shoulders off the bench, barely arch your again. 
3. Seize the bar with a barely wider than shoulder-width grip and unrack the barbell.
4. Decrease the barbell to your chest, retaining your elbows tucked 6-to-8 inches out of your sides.
5. Press the bar again to the beginning place.

Knowledgeable Tip: As you arrange for the bench press, think about screwing your toes into the ground by turning your toes out to the facet. This creates rigidity in your legs, which will increase the soundness and rigidity of your complete physique and ensures you don’t waste power making an attempt to keep up stability.

Units, Reps, and Relaxation : 3 units of 4-to-6 reps with 2-to-4 min relaxation

[Read More: How to Increase Your Bench Press: 12 Science-Backed Techniques]

2. Incline Barbell Bench Press

Why: The incline barbell bench press is a part of most nice chest exercises for mass as a result of nothing trains your “higher chest” extra successfully. In different phrases, it’s the greatest chest train for “filling out” your complete pecs.

Methods to:

1. Lie on a bench angled at 30-to-45 levels and plant your toes on the ground. 
2. Pull your shoulder blades collectively and down, and with out lifting your butt or shoulders off the bench, barely arch your again. 
3. Seize the bar with a barely wider than shoulder-width grip and unrack the barbell.
4. Decrease the barbell to your higher chest, retaining your elbows tucked 6-to-8 inches out of your sides.
5. Press the bar again to the beginning place.

Knowledgeable Tip: Take into consideration snapping the barbell in half along with your arms. The purpose right here is to keep up higher physique rigidity, which helps you carry heavier weights safely.

Units, Reps, and Relaxation : 3 units of 4-to-6 reps with 2-to-4 min relaxation

[Read More: Should You Incline Bench Press to Grow Your Upper Chest?]

3. Dumbbell Bench Press

Why: Most good chest exercise routines for mass embody the dumbbell bench press as a result of it trains the higher, mid, and decrease parts of the pecs and all sides of your physique independently. This makes it ideally suited for creating balanced, symmetrical measurement. It additionally trains your pecs by way of a barely longer vary of movement that barbell presses, which additional advantages mass achieve.

Methods to:

1. Whereas sitting on a flat bench, maintain a dumbbell in every hand and relaxation them in your thighs. 
2. Lie again and deliver the dumbbells up so that you’re holding them on both facet of your chest by giving them a nudge along with your thighs.
3. Press the dumbbells over your chest till your arms are straight and your elbows are locked. 
4. Decrease the dumbbells to the beginning place.

Knowledgeable Tip: Workouts that prepare all sides of your physique independently—”unilateral workout routines”—are sometimes higher for boosting athletic efficiency than bilateral workout routines (workout routines that prepare either side concurrently). Due to this fact, for those who’re in search of an efficient chest train for athletes, the dumbbell bench press is a good choice. 

Units, Reps, and Relaxation : 3 units of 4-to-6 reps with 2-to-4 min relaxation

4. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Why: The incline dumbbell bench press is likely one of the greatest chest trains for constructing your higher pecs and making a fuller, extra balanced chest

Methods to:

1. Whereas mendacity on a bench angled at 30-to-45 levels, maintain a dumbbell in every hand and relaxation them in your thighs. 
2. Lie again, hoisting the dumbbells up so that you’re holding them on both facet of your chest by giving them a nudge along with your thighs.
3. Press the dumbbells over your higher chest till your arms are straight and your elbows are locked.
4. Decrease the dumbbells to the beginning place.

Knowledgeable Tip: Set the bench to a 45-degree angle or decrease to make sure your pecs do nearly all of the work, not your shoulders.

Units, Reps, and Relaxation : 3 units of 4-to-6 reps with 2-to-4 min relaxation

5. Shut-Grip Bench Press

Why: Whereas many consider the close-grip bench press as a triceps train, it’s additionally extremely efficient for coaching your pecs (and your higher pecs particularly). Taking a slim grip and tucking your elbows tends to be gentler in your shoulders, too, which most individuals welcome after a number of heavy units of urgent. 

Methods to:

1. Lie on a flat bench and place your toes flat on the ground. 
2. Pull your shoulder blades collectively and down, and with out lifting your butt or shoulders off the bench, barely arch your again. 
3. Grip the barbell with a shoulder-width grip or barely narrower and unrack the barbell.
4. Decrease the barbell to your decrease chest, retaining your elbows tucked 2-to-4 inches out of your sides.
5. Press the bar again to the beginning place.

Knowledgeable Tip: The close-grip bench press is a good addition to a chest routine for power as a result of it strengthens your triceps—the muscle tissue that always restrict how a lot you’ll be able to bench. By constructing stronger triceps, you’ll be able to carry extra weight on the common bench press, which permits for larger progressive overload in your pecs and results in extra chest progress.

Units, Reps, and Relaxation : 3 units of 4-to-6 reps with 2-to-4 min relaxation

6. Dip

Why: The dip trains your pecs by way of a full vary of movement and whereas deeply stretched, which advantages progress. It additionally doubtless trains the decrease pecs barely higher than different chest workout routines, so it’s helpful for rounding out pec growth. 

Methods to:

1. Should you’re utilizing a dip belt, wrap the chain round your waist, add the specified quantity of weight to the chain, and fasten the carabiner.
2. Seize each handles of a dip station, then press your self up by straightening your arms and gently leaping off the bottom so your arms are straight and supporting your complete physique weight. 
3. Barely bend your knees to maintain your toes from touching the bottom, then decrease your physique by bending your elbows till your higher arms are roughly parallel to the ground.
4. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place.

Knowledgeable Tip: To emphasise the pecs, lean barely ahead whereas performing the dip. 

Units, Reps, and Relaxation : 3 units of 6-to-8 reps with 2-to-3 min relaxation

[Read More: The Ultimate Guide to Chest Dips for Building Your Chest]

7. Excessive-to-Low Cable Fly

Why: The high-to-low cable fly is a helpful train for ending a chest program for mass as a result of it permits you to prepare the pecs with the quantity (units) they should develop with out different muscle teams turning into the limiting issue. Just like the dip, it additionally might emphasize the decrease pecs, which is necessary for balanced progress.

Methods to:

1. Regulate each pulleys on a twin cable machine to shoulder peak and connect the single-handle attachments. 
2. Seize a deal with in every hand and stand centrally between the pulleys in order that the cables pull your arms out to your sides. 
3. Sustaining a slight bend in your elbows, take 1-to-2 steps ahead so your arms are just a little behind your torso along with your palms going through ahead.
4. Preserving your elbows barely bent, deliver your arms towards one another in an arc.
5. Reverse the motion and return to the beginning place. 

Knowledgeable Tip: Improve the vary of movement by permitting your arms to cross over one another in entrance of your chest. If needed, flip your wrists so your palms face down as your arms cross to stop the handles from hitting one another.

Units, Reps, and Relaxation : 3 units of 10-to-15 reps with 2-to-3 min relaxation

What Are the Advantages of Chest Coaching?

Higher Aesthetics

The pecs are one of many largest muscle teams within the higher physique, in order that they have a major influence on how your torso seems to be. Properly-developed pecs create a balanced, proportional look to your higher physique by tying collectively your shoulders, arms, and abs.

Elevated Higher Physique Power

Having sturdy pecs significantly improves your efficiency on all urgent workout routines, particularly the flat and incline bench press. 

Enhanced Athletic Efficiency

A powerful chest contributes to raised efficiency in sports activities that contain pushing, throwing, or placing, comparable to soccer, basketball, and martial arts. 

Improved Posture

Tight pec muscle tissue could cause your shoulders to spherical and your higher again to hunch. Doing chest workout routines that prepare your pecs by way of a full vary of movement and whereas deeply stretched helps loosen these muscle tissue, which might scale back tightness and allow you to keep a extra upright, assured posture.

The Greatest Chest Exercise for Mass

We’ve coated the greatest chest workout routines for mass; now, let’s set up these workout routines into an efficient chest exercise program.

The next program combines all of the greatest chest trains with the proper quantity of quantity and depth to construct huge pecs with out carrying you to a frazzle.

Not like most chest exercises packages you discover on-line, this one additionally trains your pecs from completely different angles to make sure you stimulate your higher, mid, and decrease chest and achieve proportional mass and power. 

For greatest outcomes, do the exercise as soon as weekly instead of your common chest or push exercise. 

You could possibly do that routine each chest day exercise for the remainder of your coaching profession and see incredible outcomes.

Nevertheless, sticking with the identical workout routines for too lengthy can improve your danger of repetitive pressure accidents and make your exercises really feel stale, which might sap your motivation.

That’s why I like to recommend taking a deload after 8-to-10 weeks of coaching, after which swapping a few of the workout routines within the above chest day exercise for a few of the alternate options we mentioned earlier. As an illustration:

• Substitute the barbell bench press with the dumbbell bench press
• Change the incline dumbbell bench press for the incline barbell bench press
• Swap the dip for the close-grip bench press

With these adjustments, you may have a extremely efficient full chest exercise that feels recent. And after one other 8-to-10 weeks of coaching you’ll be able to both return to the unique chest exercise program, or rejig the workout routines above to create one other new routine. 

3 Ideas for the Good Chest Exercise

1. Finish each set 1-to-3 reps shy of muscle failure.

As I clarify in my health books for males and girls, to maximise your outcomes, you have to take many of the units in your chest exercise program to inside a rep or two of failure.

Ask your self on the finish of every set, “If I needed to, what number of extra reps may I’ve gotten with good kind?” If the reply is greater than two, improve the burden or reps to make your subsequent set more difficult.

2. When you hit the highest of your rep vary for a set, transfer up in weight. 

In case your chest day exercise requires 4-to-6 reps of the bench press and also you get 6 reps for a set, add 10 kilos to your subsequent set.

Should you handle 3 or fewer reps with the brand new weight, scale back the burden by 5 kilos to make sure you keep within the 4-to-6 rep vary. 

Comply with this sample of making an attempt so as to add reps or weight to each train in each exercise.

3. Take the best dietary supplements.

These dietary supplements will allow you to optimize your efficiency and good points whereas following our chest program for mass:

• Protein powder: Protein powder, comparable to whey or casein, offers your physique with the vitamins wanted to construct muscle tissue and recuperate from exercises. 
• Creatine: Creatine boosts muscle and power achieve, improves anaerobic endurance, and reduces muscle harm and soreness out of your exercises. 
• Pre-workout: A high-quality pre-workout enhances power, temper, and focus, will increase power and endurance, and reduces fatigue.

(Should you’d like much more particular recommendation about which dietary supplements you need to take to achieve your well being and health objectives, take the Legion Complement Finder Quiz, and in lower than a minute, you’ll know precisely what dietary supplements are best for you.)