The chest muscles are one of the body’s most important and impressive muscle groups. They are involved in many daily activities, such as pushing, pulling, lifting, and throwing. They also enhance your posture, confidence, and appearance. However, many people struggle to develop their chest muscles because they don’t train them properly or because they neglect some parts of the chest.
In this blog, we will show you how to train your chest muscles from different angles and with different exercises, targeting the upper, middle, and lower chest muscles. These are the three main parts of the pectoralis major, the larger and more visible muscle that covers most of the chest area. You can achieve a more balanced, symmetrical, and defined chest by training each part of the chest.
We will also explain the function and anatomy of each part of the chest and the best exercises, sets, reps, and tips for each one. By following the chest workouts we provide you, you can build a bigger, stronger, and more attractive chest in no time. Let’s get started!
Upper Chest Workout
The upper chest muscles are best stimulated by exercises done at a 30-45-degree incline. For example, the incline barbell and dumbbell bench press or incline dumbbell flyes and cable cross-overs are excellent upper chest workout . The upper chest muscles are responsible for lifting the arms up and across the body, so you want to mimic this motion with your upper chest workout .
Here is a sample upper chest workout that you can do once or twice a week:
- Incline Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
- Incline Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets of 12-20 reps
- Cable Cross-overs (High to Low): 3 sets of 15-25 reps
To perform an upper chest workout with the incline barbell bench press, you need to set up a bench at a 30-45-degree angle and lie down on it with your feet flat on the floor. Grab the barbell with a medium-width grip and unrack it. Lower the bar to your upper chest, keeping your elbows tucked in. Press the bar back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform an upper chest workout with the incline dumbbell bench press, you need to set up a bench at a 30-45-degree angle and lie down on it with your feet flat on the floor. Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at your sides, with your palms facing each other. Press the dumbbells up over your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Lower the dumbbells to your sides, feeling a stretch in your chest. Press the dumbbells back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform an upper chest workout with the incline dumbbell flyes, you need to set up a bench at a 30-45-degree angle and lie down on it with your feet flat on the floor. Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them over your chest, with your palms facing each other and your elbows slightly bent. Lower the dumbbells to your sides, keeping your arms in a fixed position. Bring the dumbbells back up over your chest, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform an upper chest workout by the cable cross-overs, you need to set up two cable pulleys at a high position and stand in the middle of them with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab the handles with your palms facing down and extend your arms to your sides. Bring your hands together in front of your chest, crossing one over the other. Return to the starting position, keeping your arms slightly bent. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Middle Chest Workout
The middle chest muscles are best stimulated by exercises done on a flat bench. For example, the flat barbell, dumbbell bench press, flat dumbbell flyes, and chest press machines are great middle chest exercises. The central chest muscles are responsible for pushing the arms forward and away from the body, so you want to mimic this motion with your middle chest workout .
Here is a sample middle chest workout that you can do once or twice a week:
- Flat Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
- Flat Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Flat Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
- Chest Press Machine: 3 sets of 12-20 reps
To perform a middle chest workout with the flat barbell bench press, you need to lie on a flat bench with your feet on the floor. Grab the barbell with a medium-width grip and unrack it. Lower the bar to your mid-chest, keeping your elbows tucked in. Press the bar back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform a middle chest workout with the flat dumbbell bench press, you need to lie on a flat bench with your feet on the floor. Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at your sides, with your palms facing each other. Press the dumbbells up over your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Lower the dumbbells to your sides, feeling a stretch in your chest. Press the dumbbells back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform a middle chest workout with the flat dumbbell flyes, you need to lie on a flat bench with your feet on the floor. Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them over your chest, with your palms facing each other and your elbows slightly bent. Lower the dumbbells to your sides, keeping your arms in a fixed position. Bring the dumbbells back up over your chest, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform a middle chest workout with the chest press machine, you must sit on the device with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the floor. Grab the handles with your palms facing down and push them forward, extending your arms. Return to the starting position, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Lower Chest Workout
The lower chest muscles are best stimulated by exercises done at a 30-45-degree decline. For example, the decline barbell and dumbbell bench press or decline dumbbell flyes and dips are effective lower chest exercises. The lower chest muscles are responsible for pulling the arms down, and across the body, so you want to mimic this motion with your exercises.
Here is a sample lower chest workout that you can do once or twice a week:
- Decline Barbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Decline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
- Decline Dumbbell Flyes: 3 sets of 12-20 reps
- Dips: 3 sets of as many reps as possible
To perform the decline barbell bench press, you need to set up a bench at a 30-45-degree decline and lie down on it with your feet hooked under the pads. Grab the barbell with a medium-width grip and unrack it. Lower the bar to your lower chest, keeping your elbows tucked in. Press the bar back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform the decline dumbbell bench press, you need to set up a bench at a 30-45-degree decline and lie down on it with your feet hooked under the pads. Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them at your sides, with your palms facing each other. Press the dumbbells up over your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Lower the dumbbells to your sides, feeling a stretch in your chest. Press the dumbbells back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform the decline dumbbell flies, you need to set up a bench at a 30-45-degree decline and lie down on it with your feet hooked under the pads. Grab a pair of dumbbells and hold them over your chest, with your palms facing each other and your elbows slightly bent. Lower the dumbbells to your sides, keeping your arms in a fixed position. Bring the dumbbells back up over your chest, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
You need to use a dip station or two parallel bars to perform the dips. Grab the bars with your palms facing in and lift yourself, keeping your arms straight and your body upright. Lower yourself until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, feeling a stretch in your chest. Push yourself back to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Inner Chest Workout
The inner chest muscles are best stimulated by exercises that involve squeezing the chest muscles together, such as a close-grip bench press, cable cross-overs, and pec deck machine. The inner chest muscles are responsible for bringing the arms together in front of the body, so you want to mimic this motion with your exercises.
Here is a sample inner chest workout that you can do once or twice a week:
- Close-Grip Bench Press: 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- Cable Cross-overs (Low to High): 3 sets of 15-25 reps
- Pec Deck Machine: 3 sets of 12-20 reps
To perform an inner chest workout with the close-grip bench press, you need to lie on a flat bench with your feet on the floor. Grab the barbell with a narrow grip, about shoulder-width apart, and unrack it. Lower the bar to your lower chest, keeping your elbows close to your body. Press the bar back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform an inner chest workout by the cable cross-overs, you need to set up two cable pulleys at a low position and stand in the middle of them with your feet shoulder-width apart. Grab the handles with your palms facing up and extend your arms out to your sides. Bring your hands together in front of your chest, crossing one over the other. Return to the starting position, keeping your arms slightly bent. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform an inner chest workout with the pec deck machine, you need to sit on the device with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the floor. Grab the handles with your palms facing in and bring them together in front of your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent. Return to the starting position, feeling a stretch in your chest. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading this blog and learned how to train your upper chest workout , middle chest workout , and lower chest muscles for maximum growth and strength. Following the chest exercises and workouts we have shown you, you can target each part of the chest separately and stimulate them effectively. You can also use the tips and tricks that we have shared with you to optimize your chest workouts and get the best results possible.
However, this is not the end of the chest training journey. There are still two more parts of the chest that you need to train: the inner and outer chest muscles. These are the parts of the minor pectoralis, the smaller and deeper muscle that lies underneath the major and helps with shoulder movement. By training the inner and outer chest muscles, you can add more detail, definition, and shape to your chest.
The next blog will show you how to train your inner and outer chest muscles and some chest workouts for women who want to tone and shape their chest muscles rather than build mass and strength. We will also give you some more tips and tricks for chest workouts that you can use to improve your performance and avoid injuries. Stay tuned for the next blog, and don’t miss it!
