Chest exercises: The best exercises for the gym or at home

These chest exercises are the best to tone your upper body.

Whether you do yoga or Pilates, swim or like to train in the gym: many of the exercises you do in different sports already train your chest. Unfortunately, if you want to specifically train the chest area, they are usually not enough to achieve major effects. The key here is to deal with the most important chest exercises and then incorporate them regularly into your training.

Here we will tell you how to train the chest muscles most effectively, which equipment is helpful and which exercises you can do in the gym and at home.

How do I best train my chest muscles?

Are you wondering how to properly train your chest muscles? The workout isn’t rocket science, but there are a few things to keep in mind. The most important thing is that you choose a combination of different exercise techniques and exercises. The reason: This is the only way to address all parts of your chest. This combination includes variation, intensity, technique, frequency and recovery.

Variation, intensity, technique, frequency and recovery

Different angles and directions of movement (even changing up your workouts) will help you reach all parts of the pectoral muscle. Bench pressing with a barbell or dumbbell on a flat bench is an excellent basic exercise, but incline bench presses and chest flyes should also not be missed. To avoid injuries and achieve good results, every movement should be carried out in a controlled manner. Tip: It’s better to train with a lighter weight (especially for chest exercises for women) and make clean movements than to neglect your technique with heavy weights.

Which workout and how difficult? 3 to 5 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions are ideal for building muscle. The weight (for example the dumbbells) should be chosen so that the last repetitions are more challenging. This increases muscle fiber recruitment. And finally: take a break! Chest muscles also need time to recover between workouts. Two to three chest workouts per week are ideal for making progress in your training. The rest of the week should be planned.

How do I get beautiful breasts?

You can get beautiful breasts through regular training (this also includes chest exercises without equipment) with two to three workouts per week that target different parts of the chest muscles. The focus on increasing weight, varying exercises and eating a balanced, healthy diet to support muscle building are just as important for visible results.

Chest exercises in the gym: the 5 best machines

In the gym you have the opportunity to work with equipment such as the chest press, the butterfly machine and the cable machine. These devices offer controlled execution and precise loading of the chest muscles. In addition, free bench press with barbell or dumbbells in the gym is very effective for strengthening the chest. (See instructions below.)

Do you like working out in the gym? Then you’re in luck, because there are many different devices that are specifically made for training the chest muscles. They offer you support, enable controlled movement and are suitable for beginners and advanced users – such as chest exercises with cable pulls. If you have any questions about the equipment, get advice on the subject of breast exercises (perhaps specifically about breast exercises for women)! Here are a few examples of gym equipment:

Chest press

The chest press is good for training the pectoralis major muscle. It is a central part of the upper body and plays a major role in the movement and stabilization of the shoulders as well as in many everyday activities and sports. The chest press is particularly suitable for beginners as it offers stable movement guidance due to the sitting position and thus reduces the risk of injury.

Dip Machine (Assisted Diving Machine)

Dips are great for the lower chest muscles, and an assisted dip machine offers the opportunity to work with less body weight. Alternatively, experienced exercisers can perform the dips without support to increase the intensity.

Smith machine

When it comes to chest exercises in the gym, the Smith machine is a tool you should try. Here you can perform exercises such as the bench press or incline bench press with a fixed weight, which increases the focus on the chest muscles and provides stability. An ideal workout tool, especially for beginners.

Butterfly machine (pec deck)

The butterfly machine isolates the pectoral muscles, especially the inner parts, very effectively. The movement simulates a “flying” movement and enables intense muscle tension in the chest area.

Cable pull

The cable pulley offers many ways to train the chest – such as cable pulls while standing (cable flys) and crossover movements (cable crossovers). Cable chest exercises not only strengthen the chest muscles, but they also work the supporting muscles because they require more stability and coordination.

Chest exercises to do at home

The push-up, chest exercises with dumbbells, the dumbbell bench press, cable pull alternatives with resistance bands and other chest exercises without equipment are well suited for chest training at home. These exercises require little to no equipment and can still provide an effective chest workout. A simple weight bench or a stable surface can vary the training even further. (You can find instructions below.) Many exercises from yoga and Pilates also shape the chest.

Not Much Time: Which Two Exercises Are Best for Chest?

Do you have little time and want to concentrate on just a few exercises? Two very effective chest exercises are the bench press and dumbbell flyes. Bench presses provide strong overall development, while flys specifically target the inner and outer portions of the chest and provide balanced form. But always remember: variation manages to stimulate different muscle groups. And first of all, all of them together shape the breast optimally.

What is the best chest exercise?

Afraid of missing out on the best exercise? Then remember this: You shouldn’t forget the bench press with the barbell, as the workout activates the largest muscle mass in the chest muscles and is very effective for both building muscle and increasing strength. It can be performed on a flat, incline, or negative bench to target different areas of the chest. This exercise, like stretching after various sports sessions, should not be missing from any chest training session.

The 10 best chest exercises in the gym and at home

1. Cable fly

Fitness level: for all levels. You need a cable pulling machine to do this. Stand upright and hold the cable by the handles. Bring your hands together in front of your body, moving your arms in a slight arc. This exercise is perfect for strengthening the entire pectoral muscle.