14 Most Effective Chest Exercises To Grow Massive Pecs

Best Chest Exercises

Do you want to develop a massive and puffed chest? Here are the “14 MOST EFFECTIVE CHEST EXERCISES” for different chest regions which will help you to grow an incredible chest. You should definitely try these and witness the results! 

[NOTE:- There is no such thing called “BEST TRICEP EXERCISE” because what is best for one may not be best for another due to various reasons like injury history, flexibility, experience, etc. The only thing is that these exercises are shown in studies and EMG activities to activate the chest muscles comparatively better, provided if you are doing the exercise with proper form. 

So remember, the exercises which are not listed here do not make them bad. The only thing is that they are a bit less effective. But at the end of the day, it is your way of performing an exercise which decides its effectiveness.]

Chest Anatomy (Parts of the Chest Muscle)

The chest is basically divided into 3 regions:

• Upper Chest
• Middle Chest
• Lower Chest

Just changing your pushing direction with respect to your pecs will change which region you are going to hit. 15 Best Shoulder Exercises To Grow 3D-Shoulders

Top 14 Chest Exercises for Different Parts

(A) Best Chest Exercises For Upper Chest

1. Cable Crossover (Low-to-High) 

The best exercise which you can do to grow your upper chest is Cable crossover, you just have to change the direction in which you are pushing. Here are the steps you need to follow:

STEP-1:- Grab both the D-handle attachment of a cable machine set at a high position and take a big step away from the machine. 

STEP-2:- Stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart, slightly arched back, chest kept wide and open, depressed shoulders and supinated grip. 

STEP-3:- Now lift the weights up by bringing both your hands in front of you with a slight bend in your elbows and your arms should cross each other once your hands are in front of your chest to provide full contraction.

STEP-4:- Once your arms are parallel to the ground and criss-crossed, release the weights in a controlled manner.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload. 

(2) Minimal risk of injury.

(3) Beginner friendly exercise.

(4) Provides greater ROM (Range Of Motion). 

(5) Provides peak contraction. 

Important Point

Always keep your shoulders depressed (Scapula pressed downwards) and your chest wide and open. The Best Bicep Exercises and Bicep Workout 101

2. Dumbbell Chest Pullover

This exercise is often done for back development but just a slight change in the execution makes it one of the best chest exercises for your chest growth. Following are the steps:

STEP-1:- Grab a dumbbell with both your hands and lay over a flat bench. The feet must be in contact with the ground and knees should be bent. 

STEP-2:- Raise your arms straight and in front of your body and initiate the movement by moving the hands behind your body with a slight bend in your elbows. 

STEP-3:- Once your arms reach behind your body and become parallel to the ground, pull the weights back up again while squeezing your chest by driving/pushing the elbows inward.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload.

(2) Reduces the body’s momentum.

(3) Provides greater stretch on the pecs.

Important Point:

Always drive your elbows inward while pushing the weights. This will ensure maximum chest involvement otherwise you will target your lats. Best Back Exercises To Grow A Wider And Thicker Back

3. Incline Bench/Dumbbell Press

Incline bench press is one of the most effective chest exercises which you can do to accurately target your upper chest. Following are the steps you need to follow:

STEP-1:- Get on an incline bench set at 30°-45° and grab the barbell/dumbbells with your hands a bit wider than shoulder-width distance. 

STEP-2:- Now lower down the barbell to your chest. And push back up.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload. 

(2) The bench set-up reduces the body’s momentum. 

(3) Compound movement.

(B) Best Chest Exercises For Middle Chest

4. Bench/Dumbbell Press

Bench press is one of the best and conventional exercises and it should be incorporated in everyone’s workout routine. Here’s what you need to do:

STEP-1:- Get on a flat bench and grab the barbell/dumbbells with your hands a bit wider than shoulder-width distance. 

STEP-2:- Now lower down the barbell to your chest. And push back up.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload.

(2) Minimal body movement.

5. Seated Cable Press

This is a very less renowned yet an incredible chest exercise which you can do to reap massive chest gains. Following are the steps you need to follow:

STEP-1:- Set a straight-incline bench set-up in front of a cable machine at a quite big distance. 

STEP-2:- Grab both the D-handles with a pronated grip and sit on the bench with your back supported on the incline set-up. 

STEP-3:- Now push the weights in front of you just like you push while doing a bench press while keeping your elbows flared out a bit at roughly 60°, shoulders depressed and chest kept wide and open.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Reduced body’s momentum.

(2) Minimal risk of injury.

(3) Easy to progressively overload.

(4) Provides greater ROM (Range Of Motion).

6. Cable Crossover

This exercise will give you immense gains and literally provides your pecs a large ROM (Range Of Motion). All you need to do is:

STEP-1:- Grab both the D-handle attachment of a cable machine set at your upper back level height and take a big step away from the machine. 

STEP-2:- Stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart, slightly arched back, chest kept wide and open, depressed shoulders and supinated grip. 

STEP-3:- Now lift the weights up by pushing both your hands in front of you and your arms should cross each other once your hands are in front of your chest to provide full contraction.

STEP-4:- Once your arms are criss-crossed, release the weights in a controlled manner.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload. 

(2) Minimal risk of injury.

(3) Beginner friendly exercise.

(4) Provides greater ROM (Range Of Motion). 

(5) Provides peak contraction. 

7. Lying Cable/Cable Bench Press

This exercise is extremely effective to grow your pecs and it is much safer for the joints. Following are the steps you need to follow:

STEP-1:- Set a flat bench near a cable machine with a D-handle attachment set at a low position. 

STEP-2:- Lie down on the bench and grab both the handles with a pronated grip and ensure that your hands are placed properly with respect to your chest just like in a bench press movement. Keep your elbows at 45°-60°, shoulders depressed and arched back. 

STEP-3:- Now push the weights up and once your hands get totally straight, slowly release it.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload. 

(2) Reduced body’s momentum. 

(3) Minimal risk of injury.

(4) Beginner friendly exercise.

(5) Provides a greater stretch. 

8. Pec Deck Fly

Machines are great to train your chest muscles and one of the great machines is pec deck fly. Here’s what you need to do:

STEP-1:- Sit on a pec deck fly machine with your back resting on the incline part. 

STEP-2:- Grab both the handles of the machine and keep your shoulders depressed, chest wide and open and slight arch in your lower back. 

STEP-3:- Now lift the weights by pushing both the handles towards the centre and release them slowly once both your hands come together. 

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload. 

(2) Minimal risk of injury.

(3) Provides a greater stretch. 

(4) Reduces the body’s momentum. 

(5) Beginner friendly exercise. 

9. Weighted Push-ups

Push-ups are a great bodyweight exercise to hit your chest muscle but the weighted version of it is more impactful. Here are the steps you need to follow:

STEP-1:- Wear a weighted-vest, bag or keep a plate on your upper back and get in a push-up position. 

STEP-2:- Slowly lower down your body and push back up once your chest touches the floor. 

NOTE: (i) Push-ups: Benefits, Technique and Beginner Guide

(ii) Different Types of Push-ups for Different Muscles

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload.

(2) Less equipment required.

(3) Using a weighted vest/bag eliminates the balancing factor which is there while using a plate.

10. Explosive Push-ups

Explosive push-ups are as effective as weighted push-ups and moreover you do not need any equipment to do it. Here’s what you need to do:

STEP-1:- Get in a push-up position and lower down your body. 

STEP-2:- Once your body reaches the lowest position, push back up explosively/with immense force so that your hands go off the ground. 

Any type of explosive push-up will work here like superman push-ups, clap push-ups, etc. 

NOTE: (i) Push-ups: Benefits, Technique and Beginner Guide

(ii) Different Types of Push-ups for Different Muscles

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) No equipment required.

(2) As effective as other weighted exercises. 

(3) Activates the fast muscle twitch fibers better.

11. Cable Fly

Cable fly is a great exercise which is much superior than normal dumbbell fly. First, let’s look at how it’s done:

STEP-1:- Set a flat bench near a cable machine with a D-handle attachment set at a low position. 

STEP-2:- Lie down on the bench and grab both the handles with supinated grip and ensure that your hands have enough room to move just like in a dumbbell fly exercise.

STEP-3:- Now push the handles upward and closer to each other so that your hands come together at the top, right above your chest and slowly release the weights.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload.

(2) Minimal risk of injury.

(3) Reduced body’s momentum. 

(4) Provides a greater stretch. 

(5) Beginner friendly exercise.

(C) Best Chest Exercises For Lower Chest

12. Dips

Dips are one of the best compound exercises which you can do for your chest growth and reap massive strength and hypertrophy gains. All you need to do is:

STEP-1:- Get on a dip station/bar with the bar shoulder-width distance apart or a bit wider than that.

STEP-2:- Keep your body in a straight position and slowly lower down your body while leaning a bit forward gradually. And push yourself back again once your elbows are at 90°.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Weighted dips are an easy way to progressively overload this exercise. 

(2) No equipment required.

(3) Provides a greater stretch. 

13. Cable Crossover (High-to-Low)

Lower pecs can also be effectively hit through a slight variation in cable crossover. Here’s what you need to do:

STEP-1:- Grab both the D-handle attachment of a cable machine set at a high position and take a big step away from the machine. 

STEP-2:- Stand with your feet shoulder-width distance apart, slightly arched back, chest kept wide and open, depressed shoulders and pronated grip. 

STEP-3:- Now lift the weights up by pushing both your hands in front of you and your arms should cross each other once your hands are in front of your chest to provide full contraction.

STEP-4:- Once your arms criss-crossed, release the weights in a controlled manner.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload. 

(2) Minimal risk of injury.

(3) Beginner friendly exercise.

(4) Provides greater ROM (Range Of Motion). 

(5) Provides peak contraction. 

14. Decline Bench/Dumbbell Press

A decline variation of bench press is very much effective when it comes to hitting the lower chest. All you need to do is:

STEP-1:- Get on a decline bench and grab the barbell/dumbbells with your hands a bit wider than shoulder-width distance. 

STEP-2:- Now lower down the barbell to your chest. And push back up.

Why is it one of the best chest exercises? 

(1) Easy to progressively overload. 

(2) Reduced body’s momentum. 

Takeaway

Incorporating these “14 MOST EFFECTIVE CHEST EXERCISES” will reap massive chest gains in terms of muscle mass and strength. These exercises put high load and target different muscle fibers of the chest. Must try!