Having solid, well-built chest muscles is vital if you want to be strong and healthy. You may want to play sports, carry a bunch of groceries, lift your kids in the air, or just look and feel good. Whatever it is, exercising and developing strong chest muscles is essential.
Chest muscles, also known as the pectoralis muscles, connect the front walls of the chest with the bones of the upper arm and shoulder. There are two muscles on each side of the sternum—the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor.
Exercises for Men’s Chest
There are hundreds of different types of exercises you can do to strengthen your chest muscles and build muscle mass. A study identified the nine most effective exercises for men’s chests, with three being particularly effective. The top three chest exercises are:
1. Barbell Bench Press
Step 1: Use a weight that you know you will be comfortable bench-pressing
Step 2: With your feet flat on the ground, lie back flat on the weight bench
Step 3: Place hands on the bar slightly further apart than shoulder-width
Step 4: Remove the bar from the support and slowly lower it down to your chest
Step 5: Once your elbows reach a 90-degree bend, push the bar back up
Step 6: Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions
2. Pec Deck Machine
Step 1: While sitting at a Pec Deck Machine, place your feet shoulder-width apart on the ground and your back up against the back pad
Step 2: Bring your arms to the arm pads, making sure your elbows are at 90-degree angles
Step 3: Slowly push the arm pads towards each other, hold for 5 seconds, and slowly release back to the starting position
Step 4: Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions
3. Bent-Forward Cable Crossovers
Step 1: Start in a staggered stance, with your feet shoulder-width apart
Step 2: Grip each handle. The handles should be lower than the shoulders and your elbows should be slightly bent
Step 3: Leaning forward, bring your hands together in front of you and hold for 3 seconds, then release
Step 4: Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions
And there are more exercises that, while not as effective as the top three still provide a good workout. These can also add variety to your chest exercise regimen. They are:
4. Chest Press Machine
Step 1: Sit at the chest press machine and place your feet shoulder-width apart
Step 2: Grip the handles and ensure your elbows are directly behind your hands
Step 3: Push forward slowly, hold for 3 seconds, then release back slowly
Step 4: Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions
5. Inclined Dumbbell Flys
Step 1: Adjust your weight bench so it’s at a 45-degree angle to the floor
Step 2: Place dumbbells on each side of the bench
Step 3: Sit and lean back on the bench
Step 4: Reach down and grab the dumbbells
Step 5: Lift them to your thighs and readjust your grip
Step 6: Slowly, lift them up straight above your head, then slowly bring them down on each side
Step 7: Once your arms are parallel to the ground, slowly bring them back up and touch them above your head
Step 8: Do 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions
6. Dips
Step 1: Place your hands at a comfortable position on the dip bar handles
Step 2: Lift yourself up until your arms are almost straight (you don’t want to lock your elbows straight)
Step 3: Drop slowly until your elbows are at 90-degree angles, hold for 3 seconds, then rise back up
Step 4: For extra chest muscle tension, let your elbows flare out on the dip
Step 5: Do 3 sets of 6 to 8 dips
7.Push-ups (Standard, Suspended, and Stability Ball Variations)
Step 1: Start on the floor on your knees, lean forward, and catch your fall with your hands
Step 2: Extend your legs back so you are now on your hands and tiptoes (for an easier push-up, you can stay on your knees)
Step 3: Drop slowly until your nose almost touches the ground and push back up
Step 4: Do 3 sets of 15 to 20 push-ups
Step 5: For variations, you can use gymnastics rings that hang almost to the floor, or push-up against a stability ball
Safety Considerations
Exercising is one of the best ways to feel good about yourself and lead a healthy lifestyle. It is important to remember, however, that exercise should never cause injury or inflict pain. Before beginning any exercise, assess your current level of physical fitness and be realistic with what you can and cannot do.
It is recommended that new workouts start out being done slowly and with caution. Once you are comfortable with the movements and requirements of the exercise, you can gradually build up to doing more repetitions, heavier weights, or longer time periods.
Seek professional advice if you have any doubts or questions about an exercise or a workout plan.
