Chest anatomy: upper, middle and lower chest
The chest is mainly the pectoralis major, a fan shaped muscle that runs from the collarbone and breastbone to the upper arm. Its fibres point in different directions, so the angle you press at decides which part works most. You cannot fully isolate one part, but you can bias it.
| Part | Fibres start at | Works most when you | Example exercises |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upper chest (clavicular head) | The collarbone | Press or fly upwards, about 30 to 45 degrees incline | Incline dumbbell press, low-to-high cable fly |
| Middle chest (sternal head) | The breastbone | Press or fly straight out from the chest | Bench press, push-up, machine chest press |
| Lower chest (lower sternal and abdominal fibres) | The lower breastbone and upper abs | Press or fly downwards | Dips, decline press, high-to-low cable fly |
| Pectoralis minor | Under the pec major, ribs to shoulder blade | Pull the shoulder blade forward and down | Dips, push-ups |
The front delts and triceps help on every press. If those tire before your chest, add a fly to finish the chest without them.
All chest exercises
Barbell bench pressChestGuide
Incline barbell bench pressChest and front delts
Dumbbell bench pressChest
Incline dumbbell pressChest and front deltsGuide
Machine chest pressChest
Push-upChest
Incline push-upChest
Parallel bar dipChest and triceps
Cable flyChest
Dumbbell flyChest
Close-grip push-upTriceps and chest
Half-kneeling landmine pressFront delts and chestBest chest exercises, ranked
- Barbell bench press: the most loadable chest exercise and the standard test of upper body strength. Setup and form are in the bench press guide.
- Dumbbell bench press: a longer range of motion than the barbell and each arm works on its own. The top pick among dumbbell chest exercises.
- Incline dumbbell press: the best upper chest exercise for most people. See the incline dumbbell press guide for the right bench angle.
- Dips: lean forward with elbows slightly out and they become one of the best lower chest exercises. Add weight with a belt once 12 clean reps are easy.
- Cable fly: constant tension and adjustable angles. Set the pulleys high, low or at shoulder height to hit lower, upper or middle chest.
- Push-up: the best chest exercise at home. Raise the feet for more upper chest, put the hands on a bench to make it easier.
- Machine chest press: easy to push close to failure safely, good for beginners and for high rep sets.
- Dumbbell fly: a deep stretch with light weights. Keep a soft bend in the elbows and stop at a stretch you can control.
Not sure how strong your bench is? The bench press standards compare it with lifters of your bodyweight, and the bench press calculator estimates your max from a set of reps.
Chest workout for the gym
| Exercise | Sets x reps | Rest | Part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbell bench press | 4 x 5 to 8 | 2 to 3 min | Whole chest, heavy |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 x 8 to 12 | 2 min | Upper chest |
| Dips (chest lean) | 3 x 6 to 12 | 90 s | Lower chest |
| Cable fly, pulleys at shoulder height | 3 x 12 to 15 | 60 s | Middle chest, stretch |
This is the chest part of a push day on push pull legs: add a shoulder press and two triceps exercises and the day is complete. On a full body workout, use one press per session and rotate between flat and incline.
Dumbbell chest exercises (home or gym)
Dumbbells let you press deeper than a barbell and work each side evenly. This dumbbell chest workout needs a pair of dumbbells and, ideally, an adjustable bench.
| Exercise | Sets x reps | Rest | Tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dumbbell bench press | 4 x 8 to 12 | 2 min | Lower to chest level, elbows about 45 degrees from the body |
| Incline dumbbell press | 3 x 8 to 12 | 90 s | Bench at about 30 degrees |
| Dumbbell fly | 3 x 10 to 15 | 60 s | Soft elbows, controlled stretch |
| Push-up | 2 x as many as possible | 60 s | Stop 1 to 2 reps before form breaks |
Chest exercises with dumbbells, no bench
No bench? The dumbbell floor press replaces the bench press: lie on the floor and press until your upper arms touch down gently. The floor shortens the range, so pair it with a floor fly and push-ups with the hands on two dumbbells for a deeper stretch. Feet-elevated push-ups on a sofa train the upper chest.
Upper chest exercises
- Incline dumbbell press at 30 to 45 degrees: the main upper chest builder. Steeper angles shift more work to the shoulders.
- Incline barbell bench press: heavier loads, same angle.
- Low-to-high cable fly: pulleys at the bottom, hands sweep up to eye level.
- Feet-elevated push-up: the home option, harder the higher the feet.
Lower chest exercises
- Dips: lean the torso forward and go down until the upper arms are about parallel to the floor, or less if your shoulders complain.
- Decline bench press: a slight decline is enough; it allows heavy loads with a shorter range.
- High-to-low cable fly: pulleys at the top, hands meet in front of the hips.
- Incline push-up with hands on a bench: the angle mimics a decline press. Good for beginners and lower chest work at home.
Cable chest exercises
| Exercise | Pulley height | Part of chest | Sets x reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| High-to-low cable fly | High | Lower chest | 3 x 12 to 15 |
| Cable fly | Shoulder height | Middle chest | 3 x 12 to 15 |
| Low-to-high cable fly | Low | Upper chest | 3 x 12 to 15 |
| Single arm cable press | Shoulder height | Middle chest, core | 3 x 10 to 12 per side |
Cables are best used after your presses, when the triceps and shoulders are tired but the chest still has work left.
Sets, reps and frequency for chest
| Level | Chest sessions per week | Hard sets per week | Reps |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beginner | 2 | 6 to 10 | 6 to 12 |
| Intermediate | 2 | 10 to 16 | 5 to 15 |
| Advanced | 2 to 3 | 14 to 20 | 3 to 15, heavy presses plus lighter flys |
These are typical ranges. Train presses heavy at 5 to 10 reps and flys lighter at 10 to 15. Add 2.5 kg (5 lb) to the bar or move up one dumbbell size when you reach the top of the rep range in every set. The progressive overload guide walks through it step by step.
Gripp tells you what to bench next
Gripp is coming to iPhone. Log every set and Gripp tells you what to lift next session: last time 7 reps at 80 kg (175 lb), today go for 8. It keeps an estimated 1RM for your bench and every other press on a progress chart, and rates your chest strength against people of your age and bodyweight.
Join the waitlistChest training mistakes
- Flaring the elbows to 90 degrees. Keep them about 45 to 70 degrees from the body on presses. It is kinder to the shoulders and still trains the chest.
- Bouncing the bar off the chest. Touch lightly, then press. The bounce takes work away from the muscle.
- Only flat bench. Add an incline press to train the upper chest properly.
- Too much weight on flys. Heavy flys turn into bad presses. Use a load you can stretch under with control.
- Shoulder blades loose. Pull them back and down on the bench. This gives a stable base and protects the shoulders.
- Training through shoulder pain. Reduce the range or switch to a neutral grip dumbbell press. Pain that stays is a reason to see a physiotherapist.
Balance chest work with rows and face pulls from the back exercises guide, and browse every press and fly in the exercise library.