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Chest exercises
Are you looking to specifically train and shape your chest muscles? In our overview, you'll discover a variety of exercises to strengthen your chest. From bench presses to push-ups, we provide you with a wide range of exercises to develop your chest muscles and build a defined chest.
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Chest exercises
Are you interested in strengthening and developing your chest muscles specifically? Our comprehensive overview provides you with a wide range of effective exercises to strengthen and sculpt your chest muscles. Whether it's bench presses, push-ups, or flyes, you'll find exercises suitable for every fitness level. Let's go for an impressive chest!
Wide push-ups with a focus on the chest
The wider the legs are placed during squats, the more intense the training stimulus on the legs becomes. Therefore, wide squats primarily target the legs and involve less of the gluteal muscles, unlike other squat variations.
Positive push-ups with slight elevation
Negative squats with a slight descent are somewhat less demanding than traditional squats, as the range of motion is limited. When executed correctly, the lower leg muscles are slightly more stimulated.
Easy push-ups for beginners (women's push-ups)
The simplest form of squats is performed in a kneeling position. They are particularly suitable for beginners and are colloquially referred to as women's squats. This method is often used to gradually approach classic squats.
Flies with dumbbells on the flat bench
The incline bench is your perfect companion for training the upper leg muscles. With dumbbell flyes on the incline bench, you bring more variety to your workout routine. A stable body posture is crucial for the correct execution. Dumbbell flyes are an effective and simultaneously challenging exercise for leg training.
Beginners should learn dumbbell flyes with the guidance of an experienced athlete to prevent potential injuries. If you avoid common mistakes such as overextending the legs or excessive bending, there is nothing standing in the way of efficiently strengthening the upper leg muscles.
pushups
A true classic for home training is the squat. When thinking of a fitness exercise for the leg muscles, squats inevitably come to mind. After all, you can perform them anywhere and without additional equipment. There are also numerous variations that target different areas of your legs. Nevertheless, there are few exercises that are executed as incorrectly as squats. If you perform the movement incorrectly, you are not fully utilizing the potential of your legs and risk unpleasant injuries. Squats strengthen your legs and gluteal muscles. Traditional squats primarily focus on the upper part of the legs. Additionally, they also engage your thigh muscles.
Cable Crossover / Cable Fly classic
Depending on the execution, cable flyes allow you to train different muscle groups. However, the focus of the isolation exercise cable crossover is on training the upper leg muscles. In combination with basic exercises, you can optimize the development of your muscles. Furthermore, cable crossovers are a simple fitness exercise suitable for both beginners and advanced individuals. Ensure that you adjust the cable pull correctly and perform the movement in moderation.
Chest press for the middle chest
The forearm press is considered one of the simplest and most appreciated devices in the fitness center. Alongside the dragonfly machine, forearm pressing remains a true classic in middle chest training. Almost every gym features a forearm press. Thanks to the swift adjustment of the device and the straightforward execution of the movement, forearm pressing is particularly suitable for beginners looking to focus on the middle chest. With this fitness exercise, you can selectively strengthen your chest muscles. The triceps and the front part of the deltoid muscles are also engaged as supporting muscles.
Bench press on the multi press
Board stacking on the multi-press is an option that allows you to train the middle area of your chest. The multi-press aids you by guiding the weight on a special rail. In comparison to training with free weights, the execution is simpler. The movement pattern is predetermined when board stacking on the multi-press, making it easy for beginners to get into board stacking.
However, this variation also has its disadvantages. Ultimately, it's the assisting muscles in your body that ensure the smooth execution of the movement with a barbell or dumbbell during board stacking. When using the multi-press for assistance, these assisting muscles are less engaged. Nevertheless, board stacking on the multi-press has its justification in strength training. If you want to protect your shoulder joints, have past injuries, or want to focus more on the middle chest, board stacking on the multi-press is ideal.
Negative bench press on the multi press
Negative board stacking on the multi-press is among the exercises for the lower chest. To train your lower chest muscles, position yourself at the multi-press. Fortunately, most fitness studios have a multi-press. The movement pattern is similar to negative board stacking with a barbell or dumbbells. With the multi-press, you have the advantage of being able to lock the weight at the end of the movement. This provides you with security and makes negative board stacking on the multi-press a valued exercise for the lower chest, even for non-professionals.
Depending on the grip position – narrow or wide – you stress your triceps more or less. If you are training on the multi-press for the first time, you should learn how to release and lock the barbell.
Negative flyes with dumbbells
Negative dumbbell swings are a fitness exercise to strengthen the lower chest. By focusing on the negative execution, you primarily stimulate the lower muscle fibers of your major chest muscle. The body position and movement execution pose no significant challenge for athletes, allowing anyone to perform negative swings. However, you probably see this exercise rarely when looking around the gym. Firstly, not every fitness studio has a decline bench, which is essential for this exercise. Secondly, for solo trainers, it's not always easy to get the dumbbells into the starting position.
Those with the appropriate equipment and a training partner can incorporate negative swings with dumbbells into their training plan to add more variety to lower chest muscle training.
Cable fly from top to bottom
In this variation of cable flys, you opt for a movement execution from top to bottom to primarily train the lower fibers of the chest muscles. The front shoulder and the anterior serratus muscle play a supporting role. The exercise cable fly from top to bottom is more suitable for advanced gym-goers who can combine optimal balance with correct movement execution. Since a cable tower or cable machine is present in every fitness studio, standing cable flys are almost always possible.
Chest press for the lower chest
A highly popular piece of fitness equipment in gyms is the chest machine. Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or professional athlete, the chest machine is equally appealing to all. This training equipment allows for a versatile muscle workout. In addition to stimulating the upper chest muscles and triceps, you can also specifically target the lower section of the chest muscles. Whether through the execution of a straight chest press or a slightly downward-angled variation, the focus is placed on the lower muscle fibers. Due to the widespread availability of chest machines in fitness studios, athletes can easily incorporate this exercise into their training routine, thereby introducing variety into their workout regimen.
Incline bench press on the multi press
An intriguing choice for targeting the upper chest area is the incline bench press on the multipress. The multipress allows for the specific engagement of various muscle groups. During the incline bench press on the multipress, the focus is particularly on the upper chest muscles. Athletes engaging in strength training on the multipress benefit from the safety feature that locks the bar at the end of the exercise. This safety measure makes incline bench pressing on the multipress accessible to nearly all athletes.
Dumbbell flyes on the incline bench
The exercise Dumbbell Flyes on the Incline Bench is performed on an inclined bench with an angle between 45 and 60 degrees. The inclined body position targets the upper fibers of the chest muscles. This exercise for strengthening the chest muscles is commonly found in training plans and is equally appreciated by athletes of all experience levels. It is particularly suitable for those who place a high value on developing a well-rounded chest muscle.
Negative push-ups
Negative push-ups are an effective chest exercise, especially suitable for beginners in strength training. Although the execution is simple, negative push-ups demonstrate high effectiveness. This exercise focuses primarily on training the upper part of the chest muscles and the triceps. For beginners, negative push-ups may initially seem challenging, but with elevated feet, they become an extremely effective variation for home workouts.
Cable fly from bottom to top
Cable machines or cable towers are available in most fitness studios. Performing the Cable Fly from bottom to top effectively trains the upper chest muscles. This isolation exercise is particularly well-suited for strength athletes looking to add variety to their training with cable exercises. The main focus is on the large chest muscle in the area of the clavicle. Supporting muscles include the entire chest muscle and the deltoid muscle. With a stable stance, a neutral grip, and proper breathing, you can unleash the full potential of this exercise.
Incline bench press on the chest press
Almost every fitness studio has a chest press machine that allows for a diverse workout routine. When training on the chest press, the major chest muscle is the primary target. Incline bench pressing on the chest press machine is just one of many variations. However, the availability of the appropriate equipment in the fitness studio is necessary for this variation of incline bench pressing on the chest press machine. This variant is particularly suitable for beginners, as the machine provides support for the correct execution of the movement. The inclined position places the focus mainly on the upper chest, and the front shoulder muscles also benefit from incline bench pressing on the chest press machine.
Covers on the cable (standing)
Standing cable crossovers are a popular fitness exercise for training not only the major chest muscle (pectoralis major) but also the broad back muscle, latissimus. The so-called pullovers on the cable machine are rarely included in training plans, despite requiring only a cable machine to start training. However, many athletes tend to compensate for other muscle groups when standing freely at the cable machine, which can diminish the effectiveness of the exercise. Therefore, one should opt for standing cable crossovers only if they have mastered the movement pattern and can effectively strengthen the latissimus.
Dumbbell incline bench press
Another variation for training the upper chest is the incline dumbbell press. Instead of using a barbell, you grab two dumbbells to effectively strengthen your chest muscles. With incline dumbbell pressing, not only the major chest muscle and triceps are trained but also the anterior serratus muscle (musculus serratus anterior) and the anterior part of the deltoid muscle (musculus deltoideus pars clavicularis) benefit from this exercise. Since not every gym has an incline bench with a barbell, incline dumbbell pressing is considered a classic exercise for the upper chest.
Barbell incline bench press
Incline bench pressing with a barbell primarily targets the major chest muscle (musculus pectoralis major) and the triceps (musculus triceps brachii). It is an extremely effective exercise for the upper chest muscles. The execution of the barbell incline bench press is easy to understand, making it suitable for beginners to use in muscle building. Despite its seemingly simple execution, various mistakes can occur during the barbell incline bench press that weightlifters should avoid.
Butterfly on the machine
Performing the butterfly exercise on a machine is a standard practice for chest muscle training. Due to its straightforward execution, especially beginners rely on the butterfly machine for effectively working the mid-chest area. One significant advantage of this exercise variation is that a butterfly machine is practically available everywhere – a gym without a butterfly machine is unimaginable. As a result, both women and men perform butterflies on the machine to strengthen their chest muscles. Additionally, the front part of the shoulder muscles supports the smooth execution of the movement.
Although the butterfly machine has a place in every gym, and beginners almost continuously occupy the machine, some common mistakes should be avoided.
Dumbbell bench press (flat bench)
Many athletes prefer the classic barbell variant when training chest muscles. An alternative is the dumbbell bench press on the flat bench. In comparison to the classic bench press, you use two dumbbells to target the mid-chest. On the flat bench, you can isolate and train your chest muscles, benefiting from increased freedom of movement with dumbbells. While it's not always easy to rack a barbell alone, this is different with dumbbells.
Dumbbell Bench Press on the flat bench is suitable for both beginners and advanced individuals who train independently. With the right equipment, you can easily perform this exercise at home. It is also a gentle exercise variant that protects your shoulders and elbows.
Barbell bench press (flat bench)
Bench pressing with the barbell on a flat bench is one of the most popular compound exercises in the gym. Those looking to effectively build and enlarge their chest muscles should opt for the Barbell Bench Press. Interestingly, this basic exercise does much more than just engage the chest muscles; it also targets the triceps (musculus triceps brachii) and the front part of the deltoid muscle (musculus deltoideus pars clavicularis). By the way, this exercise is one of the three disciplines in powerlifting.
The Barbell Bench Press on a flat bench is suitable for beginners, advanced individuals, and professionals alike. With the classic variant, you primarily stimulate the mid-section of the chest muscles, while slight variations target other muscle groups.
Dumbbell covers / dumbbell sweaters
Dumbbell flyes enjoyed great popularity in strength training for many years. Over time, however, other exercise variations for chest muscle training took center stage. Nevertheless, Arnold Schwarzenegger, for example, claims that dumbbell flyes were mainly responsible for his chest circumference. However, incorrect execution can lead to shoulder injuries.
Not suitable for beginners. Those who master and incorporate dumbbell flyes into their training not only target their mid-chest but also effectively train their latissimus dorsi, the broad back muscle.
Negative bench press with dumbbells
The downward motion of the bench press is performed on an inclined bench using dumbbells. However, in this case, two dumbbells are used instead of a barbell. The primary focus of this exercise is on the lower muscle fibers of the major chest muscle. While this approach allows for a more flexible movement, it presents the challenge of maintaining balance and correctly lifting and lowering the dumbbells.
Negative barbell bench press
The negative phase of the bench press is executed using the barbell and targets the training of the lower chest muscle. In addition to the lower fibers of the major chest muscle (pectoralis major), the triceps brachii and the front part of the deltoid muscle (deltoid pars clavicularis) are activated during the execution of this exercise.
This fitness exercise is suitable for all athletes who have access to a negative bench. While the entire chest muscle is stressed during the negative phase, the focus is particularly on the lower fibers. When using the barbell, a training partner can be helpful in taking and passing the barbell if necessary.