Bench all you want, but keeping the same routine for months on end isn’t going to get you the results you want—especially when it comes to stubborn body parts like the chest. Here, we’ve compiled some potent, upper-body moves that may not be a part of your chest routine, but definitely should be.
Click through for some top chest exercises that have been proven highly effective for developing strong, muscular, well-defined pecs.
Let us know if you agree, and what other chest moves you think belong on this “must-do” list.
7 Must-do Moves for a Strong, Chiseled Chest
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Frazao Media
Wide-grip Flat Bench Press
When it comes to constructing a herculean chest, the standard flat bench press is a no-brainer. Here’s how to properly so the king of all chest exercises. Lie back on a flat bench with feet firm on the floor.Use a wide grip—about 3 inches away from shoulder width. Exhale and raise bar directly overhead. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position, hold for a second.Inhale and bring the bar down slowly toward center of chest.
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Westend61 / Getty
Incline Dumbbell Press
The bench press works great for the lower pecs, but if you want to hit the upper pecs, you’ll need to perform an incline bench press. For optimal results, follow these steps. How to Do It:Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand.Raise dumbbells and hold them at shoulder width.Once you have the dumbbells raised to shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you.Be sure to keep full control of the dumbbells at all times. Then breathe out and push the dumbbells up with your chest.Lock your arms at the top, hold for a second, and then start slowly lowering the weight.
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mihailomilovanovic / Getty
Heavy Dips
For most, dips are traditionally perceived as a triceps exercise. However, the truth is that with a minor tweak to the position of your body during the downward portion of this exercise, you can target your pectoral muscles. How to Do It:For this exercise you will need access to parallel bars.Get yourself into the starting position, hold your body at arms length above the bars.While breathing in, lower yourself slowly with your torso leaning forward around 30 degrees or so and your elbows flared out slightly until you feel a slight stretch in the chest.Once you feel the stretch, use your chest to bring your body back to the starting position as you breathe out.Make sure you squeeze the chest at the top of the movement for a second.
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Dustin Snipes / Pavel Ythjall / M+F Magazine
Cable Crossover
The cable crossover is a great chest exercise because it stretches the pecs from the start position, hitting the outer pec muscle fibers. Your pulley position is determined by the area of the chest you want to target.How To Do It:Place the pulleys on the desired position. Select the resistance to be used and hold the pulleys in each hand.Step forward in front of an imaginary straight line between both pulleys while pulling your arms together in front of you.Your torso should have a small forward bend from the waist.With a slight bend on your elbows, extend your arms to the side (straight out at both sides) in a wide arc until you feel a stretch on your chest.Then return your arms back to the starting position as you exhale.
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Steve Boyle
Incline Dumbbell Flye
Incline dumbbell flyes offer an exceptional way to add mass to the upper chest area. The path of the weights during this movement ensures a good stretch and contraction, helping build definition in the pecs. This move is particularly effective when used as a pre-exhausting exercise, early on in chest workouts. How To Do ItLie on an incline bench that is set to an incline angle of no more than 30 degrees.Holding the dumbbells in each hand extend your arms above you with a slight bend at the elbows.Now rotate the wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing you.Slowly lower the arms to the side while keeping the arms extended and rotating the wrists until the palms of the hand are facing each other.Exhale and bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position by reversing the motion and rotating the hands.
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Per Bernal
Decline Dumbbell Press
While the decline bench press is primarily used for the lower pecs, it does put significant stress on the mid and upper pecs as well. This exercise helps to round out the chest. It also gives the chest more fullness than the incline and flat bench moves. How To Do It: Position yourself on a decline bench.Once you are laying down, move the dumbbells in front of you at shoulder width.Ensure the palms of your hands are facing away from you.Bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe out and keep full control of the dumbbells at all times.Exhale and push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles.Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly.
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Jason Ellis
Heavy Pec Deck
Single-joint exercises like the pec-deck flye are usually performed after heavy multi-joint exercises in your chest routine. The advantage of this exercise is that it enables you to hammer your outer and inner chest fibers with great accuracy.How To Do It:Sit on the machine with your back flat on the pad.Take hold of the handles.Your upper arms should be positioned parallel to the floor; adjust the machine accordingly.Bring the handles together slowly as you squeeze your chest in the middle. Hold the contraction for a second.Return back to the starting position slowly as you inhale until your chest muscles are fully stretched.
When it comes to constructing a herculean chest, the standard flat bench press is a no-brainer. Here’s how to properly so the king of all chest exercises.
Lie back on a flat bench with feet firm on the floor.
Use a wide grip—about 3 inches away from shoulder width.
Exhale and raise bar directly overhead.
Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position, hold for a second.
Inhale and bring the bar down slowly toward center of chest.
Incline Dumbbell Press
The bench press works great for the lower pecs, but if you want to hit the upper pecs, you’ll need to perform an incline bench press. For optimal results, follow these steps.
How to Do It:
Lie back on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
Raise dumbbells and hold them at shoulder width.
Once you have the dumbbells raised to shoulder width, rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you.
Be sure to keep full control of the dumbbells at all times. Then breathe out and push the dumbbells up with your chest.
Lock your arms at the top, hold for a second, and then start slowly lowering the weight.
Heavy Dips
For most, dips are traditionally perceived as a triceps exercise. However, the truth is that with a minor tweak to the position of your body during the downward portion of this exercise, you can target your pectoral muscles.
How to Do It:
For this exercise you will need access to parallel bars.
Get yourself into the starting position, hold your body at arms length above the bars.
While breathing in, lower yourself slowly with your torso leaning forward around 30 degrees or so and your elbows flared out slightly until you feel a slight stretch in the chest.
Once you feel the stretch, use your chest to bring your body back to the starting position as you breathe out.
Make sure you squeeze the chest at the top of the movement for a second.
Cable Crossover
The cable crossover is a great chest exercise because it stretches the pecs from the start position, hitting the outer pec muscle fibers. Your pulley position is determined by the area of the chest you want to target.
How To Do It:
Place the pulleys on the desired position.
Select the resistance to be used and hold the pulleys in each hand.
Step forward in front of an imaginary straight line between both pulleys while pulling your arms together in front of you.
Your torso should have a small forward bend from the waist.
With a slight bend on your elbows, extend your arms to the side (straight out at both sides) in a wide arc until you feel a stretch on your chest.
Then return your arms back to the starting position as you exhale.
Incline Dumbbell Flye
Incline dumbbell flyes offer an exceptional way to add mass to the upper chest area. The path of the weights during this movement ensures a good stretch and contraction, helping build definition in the pecs. This move is particularly effective when used as a pre-exhausting exercise, early on in chest workouts.
How To Do It
Lie on an incline bench that is set to an incline angle of no more than 30 degrees.
Holding the dumbbells in each hand extend your arms above you with a slight bend at the elbows.
Now rotate the wrists so that the palms of your hands are facing you.
Slowly lower the arms to the side while keeping the arms extended and rotating the wrists until the palms of the hand are facing each other.
Exhale and bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position by reversing the motion and rotating the hands.
Decline Dumbbell Press
While the decline bench press is primarily used for the lower pecs, it does put significant stress on the mid and upper pecs as well. This exercise helps to round out the chest. It also gives the chest more fullness than the incline and flat bench moves.
How To Do It:
Position yourself on a decline bench.
Once you are laying down, move the dumbbells in front of you at shoulder width.
Ensure the palms of your hands are facing away from you.
Bring down the weights slowly to your side as you breathe out and keep full control of the dumbbells at all times.
Exhale and push the dumbbells up using your pectoral muscles.
Lock your arms in the contracted position, squeeze your chest, hold for a second and then start coming down slowly.
Heavy Pec Deck
Single-joint exercises like the pec-deck flye are usually performed after heavy multi-joint exercises in your chest routine. The advantage of this exercise is that it enables you to hammer your outer and inner chest fibers with great accuracy.
How To Do It:
Sit on the machine with your back flat on the pad.
Take hold of the handles.
Your upper arms should be positioned parallel to the floor; adjust the machine accordingly.
Bring the handles together slowly as you squeeze your chest in the middle. Hold the contraction for a second.
Return back to the starting position slowly as you inhale until your chest muscles are fully stretched.
