5 Best Barbell Chest Exercises For Size and Strength

When’s the last time someone asked you the way much you squat or lat pulldown? Likely never, but you have probably been asked several times, “How much do you bench press?” Let’s face it – the barbell flat bench press is the king for chest exercises and constructing upper-body muscle mass. Monday is generally known as “International Chest Day” since the barbell bench press is essentially the most common exercise and center point of a chest workout.

While the bench press is probably the greatest chest exercises for muscle growth, other chest exercises must be used to maximise chest hypertrophy. In this text, we are going to show you the perfect chest exercises, including two sample chest workouts, to enable you take your chest workouts to the following level.

Table of Contents

• 5 Best Barbell Chest Exercises
• Bonus Chest Exercises
• Anatomy Of The Chest
• Programming Suggestions
• Sample Chest Workout Routine
• Other Chest Exercises

5 Best Barbell Chest Exercises

Below are the perfect barbell exercises it is best to include on chest day to extend muscle mass.

1. Barbell Bench Press

The flat bench press is the holy grail and must be the cornerstone of any chest workout. The bench press is a compound exercise, as it really works multiple muscles within the upper body. The usual bench press primarily targets the pectoralis major. It also works:

• Triceps brachii: Any “push” movement, like a chest press, prompts the triceps to assist extend the elbow joint. You may feel the triceps muscle activation at the highest of the press because the arms are locked. Close-grip bench presses focus directly on the triceps.
• Anterior deltoids: The front a part of the shoulder is used through the pressing motion.
• Serratus anterior: The serratus anterior is a muscle on the side of the chest that helps stabilize the shoulder blades through the bench press.

Instructions:

1. Lay down along with your back flat on the bench and feet flat on the bottom, roughly shoulder width apart. Your eyes must be directly under the bar.
2. Grab the barbell with an overhand grip, barely wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back and planted on the bench as you lift the bar off the rack. Hold the bar above your chest along with your arms fully prolonged. That is the starting position.
4. Breathe in and lower the bar in a controlled manner until it gently touches your chest or simply above. Keep your elbows at a 90-degree angle, and avoid bending your wrists. Don’t bounce the bar off your chest, which creates momentum and may cause injury.
5. Concentrate on using your chest muscles to push the bar upward to return to the starting position, locking out your arms. Exhale your breath as you are pushing up. 
6. Repeat for reps.

For those training for competitive sports or lifting heavy weights, it’s acceptable to have a slight bend in your back when lifting, but you’ll want to avoid over-arching the back.

2. Barbell Incline Bench Press

The barbell incline bench press is a variation of the usual bench designed to focus on the upper chest specifically. Incline bench presses also work the anterior deltoids, triceps brachii, and serratus anterior. The upper pecs are arguably an important to constructing a whole chest muscle and increasing chest size because they assist the chest come out more.

Instructions:

1. Adjust the bench to a 30-degree angle to maximise upper chest activation.¹
2. Lay down on the bench along with your feet flat on the bottom and a slight lower back arch. Your eyes must be directly under the barbell.
3. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, along with your hands somewhat greater than shoulder-width apart. Lift the bar off the rack, holding the burden directly above your chest with prolonged arms, but don’t lock out your elbows.
4. Slowly lower the bar down until it gently grazes your chest or simply above your chest. Ensure to not bounce the bar off your chest. Breathe in and keep your core tight as you lower the burden.
5. Together with your shoulder blades squeezed against the bench, use your upper chest muscles to push the burden upward, returning to the starting position along with your arms fully prolonged above your chest. Exhale as you lift upward.
6. Repeat for reps.

3. Decline Bench Press

The decline bench press is arguably the third most vital chest press after the flat and incline bench. The lower portion of the chest is way smaller than the center and upper chest, however it’s still vital to coach it. The decline bench press primarily targets the pectoralis major, however it focuses on the lower portion of the chest. Like the opposite chest press exercises, the decline bench press uses the triceps, anterior deltoids, and serratus anterior.

Instructions:

1. Lie on the decline bench, or adjust the bench to -15°or -30°. Be certain that your feet are safely planted under the support bars. Your eyes must be directly under the bar. Your head and upper body must be below your hips.
2. Grab the bar with an overhand grip, hands barely wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back on the bench for stability. 
3. Lift the bar off the rack, extending the burden above your lower chest along with your arms.
4. Slowly lower the bar until it reaches your lower chest or simply above. Keep your elbows at a 90-degree angle. Breathe in and keep your core tight as you lower the bar.
5. Press the barbell upward using your lower chest muscles until your arms are fully prolonged without locking your elbows.
6. Repeat for reps.

Your decline bench set must be performed after a flat or incline press since the decline is the simplest. The decline bench is simpler since it has a shorter range of motion, places more stress on the lower chest somewhat than the shoulders, and puts the body in a greater leverage position.

4. Reverse Grip Bench Press

The reverse grip bench press is equivalent to the regular bench press, except the grip is reversed right into a supinated grip, and your elbows are at a special angle. Even though it’s a minor tweak of the unique, it targets the chest in several areas. In comparison with the regular bench, the reverse grip bench has just a few key differences: 

• The reverse grip bench press targets the upper and inner chest more significantly than the normal bench.
• The regular bench mainly works the lateral head of the triceps, whereas the reverse grip emphasizes the long head of the triceps. 
• The reversed grip prompts the biceps and forearms significantly greater than the regular bench. 
• The reverse grip puts more pressure on the anterior deltoids, which could be difficult for individuals with bad shoulders.  

Instructions:

1. Lay on the bench in the conventional position, along with your eyes directly under the bar. 
2. Grab the barbell with a supinated grip so your palms face you. Your hands must be barely wider than shoulder width.
3. Keep your feet planted on the bottom. Lay flat on the bench, but a slight natural curve is advantageous. 
4. Lift the bar off the rack and hold it in front of your chest with prolonged arms.
5. Inhale as you slowly lower the bar until it grazes your chest flippantly or simply above it. Keep your elbows tucked along your body at a 45-degree angle. 
6. Press the bar upwards to return to the starting position, exhaling as you reach the highest. 
7. Repeat for reps. 

The reverse bench press is far more difficult than the regular bench press, so start with a lighter weight. It is a much less natural movement, so you’ll want to go slow and use a spotter in case you’re using heavy weights.

5. Smith Machine Floor Press:

The Smith Machine could be a terrific tool for specific exercises or for individuals who aren’t uncomfortable or experienced with the motion. One among these exercises is the Smith Machine floor press, a variation of a bench press performed lying on the ground. Doing the bench press while on the ground adds stability to the back and limits the range of motion to reduce the stress on the shoulders. It barely works the triceps greater than a daily bench since the body is restricted from generating chest momentum. 

Instructions:

1. Rack the Smith Machine and set the bar towards the underside of the rack so you’ll be able to reach it while lying on the bottom. 
2. Lay on the ground and set your body barely above a traditional bench press so your eyes are only above the bar somewhat than in line. 
3. Lift the bar upwards along the Smith Machine rails along with your arms fully prolonged. 
4. Slowly lower the bar until your elbows flippantly touch the bottom. Throughout the lift, keep your forearms perpendicular to the bottom. 
5. Press the burden upwards to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps.

The Smith Machine floor press is a terrific alternative for people getting back from an injury or someone with shoulder problems due to the shorter pressing motion. Touching the bottom makes sure you do not cheat on any reps. It also helps construct lockout strength as your body presses the burden from a locked position.

Bonus Dumbbell Exercises:

1. Dumbbell Bench Press

The dumbbell bench press is a twist on the classic exercise, simply swapping the bar for dumbbells. It’s a terrific alternative for individuals who struggle with the regular bench because of shoulder or elbow pain. Dumbbell bench presses also give users a greater range of motion because they will get a far greater stretch, whereas the barbell limits range of motion. Resulting from this, many individuals consider that the dumbbell bench press isolates the chest muscle higher, whereas barbell presses are more of a compound exercise.

Instructions:

1. Sit on a flat bench, holding one dumbbell (of equal weight) in each hand, resting on each thigh.
2. Together with your feet planted firmly on the bottom, slowly lay backward and convey the dumbbells to your shoulder blades, palms facing upward.
3. Try to maintain your back flat against the bench, but a slight natural arch is advantageous so long as it isn’t excessive.
4. Slowly press the dumbbells up using your chest muscles somewhat than the upper arms. Keep your wrists straight and exhale as you press.

5. Fully extend your arms above your chest, returning to the starting position.

• To hit the inner chest, press the dumbbells up and inward, bringing them together at the highest of the lift. Be certain that you do not bang the weights together and deal with squeezing the inner chest muscles at the highest.

Using dumbbells adds versatility that a barbell doesn’t have, like increased range of motion and changing the grip, arm angle, or lift motion. Using dumbbells helps avoid muscle imbalances. Additionally they activate stabilizer muscles that barbells don’t require.

2. Dumbbell Fly

The dumbbell chest fly is probably the greatest isolation exercises for sculpting different parts of the chest. The dumbbell chest fly may be very different from any chest presses, that are multi-joint, compound exercises. The chest fly primarily targets one muscle group (pec major) and only involves the movement of the shoulder joint. The anterior deltoids and serratus anterior stabilizer muscles are secondary muscles.

Instructions:

1. Lay on a bench with one dumbbell in each hand. Keep your shoulder blades pulled back on the bench and feet flat for stability.
2. Holding the dumbbells, extend your arms into the air with a slight elbow bend. Hold the weights using a neutral grip so your palms face one another.
3. Slowly lower the weights to your side, along with your arms barely bent, until your arms are according to your chest, or barely below if possible.
4. Concentrate on feeling the muscle fibers stretch so far as possible without hurting your shoulder joints.
5. Squeeze the chest muscles and deal with the contraction as you slowly raise the dumbbells together, returning to the starting position.
6. Repeat for reps, normally within the 10-15 range.

Be certain that you do not use heavy weights for the chest fly since it places you vulnerable to injury. Use a lighter weight and deal with feeling the chest muscle contraction somewhat than using arm and grip muscles to lift the weights.

Anatomy Of The Chest

The pectoral muscle (chest) is a muscle group within the upper body that connects the chest to the shoulder and upper arm bone. Your pectoral muscles are liable for moving your arms and any pushing movement, like opening a door. The pectoral muscle is split into two groups: the main and minor.

Pectoralis Major

The pec major is a fan-shaped muscle comprising the center and upper chest. The pectoralis major is made from three heads:

• Clavicular head: That is the upper portion of the chest, liable for flexion and adduction of the shoulder.
• Sternal head: The sternal head is the underside a part of the pectoralis major and is very important for adduction and medial rotation of the arms.
• Abdominal head (costal head): The abdominal head is the bottom a part of the lower chest, starting on the abdominal muscles. 

The first purpose of the pectoralis major is to flex, extend, stabilize, and rotate the chest muscles to the humerus. It also provides stability to the shoulder joint, the scapula (shoulder blade), and the chest.

Pectoralis Minor

The pectoralis minor is a small, triangular-shaped muscle below the pectoralis major. It starts from the third, fourth, and fifth rib and inserts into the coracoid technique of the scapula. Along with supporting the scapula, it plays a serious role in downward rotational movements and protraction of the scapula (shoulder blades).

Programming Suggestions

1. Use Different Angles

The chest has several parts, so it is important to make use of different angles to have a whole chest. One study compared the bench press at five different angles (0°, 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60°) to see how the angle affects different parts of the chest muscles (upper, middle, and lower), triceps, and anterior deltoids. An electromyograph (EMG) measures the muscles’ electrical activity levels, indicating muscle strength and contractions. The outcomes showed the best EMG levels for the upper chest at 30°, while each middle chest and lower chest at 0°, or the flat bench. Anterior deltoids (front shoulder) showed the best levels at 60°, while the triceps had similar EMG levels across all five angles.² Based on this study, it is best to set your bench at a 30° angle to maximise upper chest activation. It is best to avoid going beyond a forty five° angle to maintain the deal with the upper chest somewhat than the shoulder muscles. Use a flat bench for the center portion of the chest and decline angles to hit the lower chest.

2. Presses First

Studies have shown that doing a big muscle group first and progressing to smaller muscle groups ends in the best anabolic response.³ So, in case you are doing one other muscle group with the chest, just like the triceps, it is best to do the larger muscle group (chest) first. It is best to all the time do a compound exercise, just like the bench press, first while your muscles have essentially the most energy. This manner, you’ll have the ability to lift essentially the most weight on the more vital lifts.

3. Save Machines For Last

After your barbell exercises, isolation exercises and machine lifts must be done towards the top of the workout. The machine press must be performed along with barbell presses, not in its place. The cable machine is arguably the perfect “machine” for chest isolation since it has great versatility. You need to use a cable machine to do chest presses and cable crossovers by utilizing quite a lot of grips and angles. This is applicable to body weight exercises also, like push-ups. Many individuals wish to end a workout with a burn-out set to failure using a body weight exercise.

Sample Chest Workout Routine

We combined all of the perfect exercises to create two sample chest workout routines: a lean-muscle builder for those going for the aesthetic look and a mass-builder for those trying to add strength and size.

Lean Muscle Chest Workout

• Barbell bench press: 3 sets x 8-12 reps*
• Dumbbell incline bench press: 3 sets x 8-12 reps*
• High Cable Crossover: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets x 12-15 reps
• Push-ups: 2 sets x 15+/to failure

Heavy Mass Builder Chest Workout

• Flat bench press: 3 sets x 5-8 reps*
• Decline bench press: 3 sets x 5-8 reps*
• Barbell incline bench press: 3 sets x 5-8 reps*
• Flat bench dumbbell flyes: 3 sets x 10 reps
• Chest dips: 3 sets x 10 reps

*For every of the bench presses, rest 90-180 seconds; 60-90 seconds rest on isolation exercises.

Other Chest Exercises

Other great chest exercises include:

• Cable machine crossover/fly
• Low cable crossover for upper chest
• High cable cross for lower chest
• Pec Dec Machine
• Machine chest press
• Dumbbell floor press
• Svend press

You may also do body weight chest exercises corresponding to push-ups and chest dips.

• A daily push-up targets the center and lower pecs.
• Elevated/incline push-ups goal the lower chest muscle fibers.
• Decline push-ups goal the upper chest muscle fibers.
• The broader out you place your hands, the greater emphasis on the chest and fewer on the arms and shoulders. Try to position your hands roughly double shoulder width.
• To get the chest muscles engaged with dips, simply lean your torso barely forward during set-up versus an upright position to deal with the triceps.

Outro

On the subject of chest training, the bench press and its variations must be the staple of your routine. One of the best chest exercises for muscle growth are the barbell bench press, incline bench press, decline bench press, dumbbell bench press, and the dumbbell fly. Upper chest exercises include incline presses, incline flyes, and low cable crossovers. Decline presses, decline flyes, and high cable crossovers work the lower chest. Do not be afraid to try different angles or grip positions to focus on different parts of the chest. For more information, take a look at our article, Bench Press Grip Guide.

References

1. Rodríguez-Ridao, David, et al. “Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii through the Bench Press Exercise.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 19, 8 Oct. 2020, p. 7339, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197339.
2. Rodríguez-Ridao, David, et al. “Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii through the Bench Press Exercise.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, vol. 17, no. 19, 8 Oct. 2020, p. 7339, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17197339.
3. Sheikholeslami-Vatani, Dariush, et al. “Comparison of the Effects of Resistance Exercise Orders on Variety of Repetitions, Serum IGF-1, Testosterone and Cortisol Levels in Normal-Weight and Obese Men.” Asian Journal of Sports Medicine, vol. 7, no. 1, 1 Mar. 2016, https://doi.org/10.5812/asjsm.30503.