Doesn’t it amaze you seeing men digging on their chest workout routines for hours in the gym? Most men make pumping up their pecs a priority when it comes to working out.
They do not this for nothing. Of course, chest workout exercises help to build strength, make you gain mass, and improve your physical appearance.
Chest exercises work on the pectoral muscles. These muscles are the largest in the chest. The pectoral muscles also get the support of some other muscles like the latissimus dorsi muscles (or “lats”) on the sides of the chest and the trapezius muscle around your shoulders.
Pecs-building exercises strengthen your pectoral muscles majorly and build the upper body.
As a man, why is it essential to have firm pecs? Pecs-building exercises define your chest muscles and make them strong. Muscular pecs encourage you to stand tall to show off sculpted muscles. Strong pecs also contribute to your overall upper body strength.
When you have a muscular chest, you have an increased ability to push things – whether it’s a heavy barbell, a couch, or a stalled car. With strong pecs, you get to tell your spouse to step aside while she watches you carry the heavy stuff into the yard. So gentlemanly, isn’t it?
Your chest workout routines will train the muscles of your shoulders. And you know how important your chest and shoulders are in throwing and swinging actions.
You get to attack confidently your sports routines like tennis, baseball, and so on with strong pecs. And talking of arm wrestlings, you only get to win that with a well-built chest and shoulder.
Finally, with a sculpted chest, every man looks sexy and super attractive. Men who are hitting the pool on a hot day know the value of strong pecs. They look strong and very confident and may catch the eye of the opposite sex. Including chest workouts in your fitness routine is one sure way to up your appearance
Are you ready to hit the gym? Here are the top 10 best chest workout routines that help to build your chest strength and mass.
10 Best Chest Workout Routines For Men
1. Barbell Bench Press
First on our list of best chest workout routines is the supper effective Barbell bench press. This is an effective exercise for building muscle mass and strength in the chest.
The barbell bench press is an upper-body pressing exercise that increases size and strength in the upper body. This exercise also works out your chest, triceps, and shoulders.
With the barbell bench press, you can generate the most power with barbell lifts. It’s also an easier lift to control than pressing with heavy dumbbells. One of the good sides of this exercise is that it is relatively easy to learn. All you need to carry out this chest workout is a barbell and a bench.
How To:
- Lie faceup on a workout bench.
- Grab a barbell with an overhand grip just wider than shoulder-width apart
- Hold the barbell above your chest with your arms fully stretched. This will be your starting position.
- Bring the barbell straight down in a controlled movement.
- Tuck your elbows in near to your body, so your upper arms form a 45-degree angle to your body in the down position.
- Take a pause, and then press the bar in a straight line back up to the starting position.
Tips
- Wrap your thumbs around the bar tightly for safety.
- Do not rush. Move the bar in a controlled motion. Make it slow and intense
- Try not to bend your lower back while in action.
- Keep your hips on the bench throughout the entire movement.
2. Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
Flat Bench dumbbell press is one of the chest workout routines that increases muscular development throughout the whole chest and shoulder area. The regular practice of this exercise will give you the most balanced chest possible.
With nothing more than dumbbells and an adjustable bench, you can achieve the well-defined chest you dream of in a short while. This exercise would make an excellent alternative to the traditional barbell press.
First, the flat bench dumbbell press allows for a more in-depth stretch at the bottom than the barbell presses. This activates more fibers at the outer edges of the fan-shaped muscles.
Also, the exercise doesn’t allow a stronger-side pec to dominate. There is an overall balanced development. And the good news is that you do not necessarily need a spotter for this exercise.
It works primarily on the muscles of the chest, pectoralis, and clavicular. It also helps to work on the muscles of shoulders and triceps.
How To:
- Lie on your back on a flat workout bench.
- Place your feet on the floor with a dumbbell in each hand just outside your shoulders.
- Bend your elbows a bit beyond 90 degrees, pointed out, and just under the level of your torso.
- Intensely press the dumbbells toward the ceiling by flexing your pecs and stretching your elbows
- Pause when the inner plates of the weights are an inch or so away from each other.
- Then gradually return the dumbbells to the starting position and repeat.
3. Seated Machine Chest Press
The seated chest press machine helps you to exercise your pecs. The gym equipment is comfortable for your body. It enables you to have control over heavyweight. With this exercise, you use your shoulders and elbows primarily for movement.
This is one of the best chest workout routines that work the pecs, the triceps, the muscles in the back of your upper arm, which help you push the weight away from your body, and the deltoids, which are the muscles in your shoulder.
How To:
- Sit comfortably on the machine, placing your feet firmly on the ground.
- Hold the handles and push the bars outward to full extension but without locking out the elbows.
- Keep your head poised against the upright pad and the neck still.
- Breathe out on exertion and in on recovery.
- Rest for a few minutes between sets.
4. Incline Dumbbell Press
The incline dumbbell press is similar to the flat bench dumbbell press. The only difference is that you raise your adjustable workout bench to a degree between 30-45 degrees.
Unlike the flat dumbbell press, this incline variation puts more stress on your upper pec. While this exercise develops muscle group more, the flat bench tends to build mass over the entire pec. The inclined position also increases the exercise’s emphasis on the upper chest and shoulders.
How To:
- Set your adjustable workout bench to an inclined angle of 30-45 degrees.
- Lie faceup on the bench and hold a pair of dumbbells directly above your shoulders with your arms fully extended.
- Pull your shoulder blades together, and slightly stick out your chest.
- Lower both dumbbells to the sides of your chest.
- Pause,then, press the weights back to the starting position.
5. Decline Dumbbell Press
Here is another variation of the standard dumbbell press. To do this, the workout bench is lowered close to the ground level. The position of your arms is lower relative to your torso than in a standard bench press. This declined position targets the lower chest or pectoral muscles.
As one of the best exercises in our chest workout routines, it also works your triceps and anterior deltoid muscles. It can reduce strain on your lower back that you may feel when performing the flat bench press. It also shifts stress off the shoulders and places it more on the lower pecs.
How To:
- Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and lie down with a dumbbell in each hand on top of your thighs. The palms of your hand will be facing each other.
- Once you are lying down, move the weights in front of you at shoulder width.
- Then rotate your wrists forward so that the palms of your hands are facing away from you. This will be your starting position.
- Bring down the dumbbells slowly to your side as you breathe out.
6. Dips For Chest
Chest dips are chest workout routines for gaining mass and strength in your pecs. Dips for chest target your entire upper body, including your back, arms, and shoulders. To carry out this exercise, you’ll need access to parallel bars.
How To:
- Get yourself into the starting position by holding your body at arm’s length (arms locked) above the bars.
- While breathing in, lower yourself slowly with your torso leaning forward around 30 degrees or so
- Flare out your elbows slightly until you feel a slight stretch in the chest.
- When you notice the stretch, use your chest to bring your body back to the starting position as you breathe out.
- Repeat the movement till you’re exhausted
7. Suspended Push-Ups
Standard Push-ups exercise the pectoral muscles, triceps, and anterior deltoids. The push-up exercise can be intensified by using suspenders. This will also help put more stress on the chest muscles.
How To:
- Anchor your suspension straps securely to the top of a rack or other object.
- Clutch the handles with an overhand grip and set yourself up in a push-up position so that your body makes a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles.
- Your arms should be fully extended and your core tight to help maintain proper position.
- Maintaining a straight, rigid torso, descend slowly by allowing the elbows to flex.
- Continue until your elbows break 90 degrees, pausing before you extend to return to the starting position.
8. Pec Deck
The pec deck is a kind of fitness weight machine that is meant to exercise your chest muscles. This tool has a padded seat and backrest from which two levers protrude.
You sit in the chair and place your arms on the padded bars, drawing your elbows together like you’re flapping your wings. The machine emphasizes your pectoralis major muscle,
How To:
- Keep your feet flat on the ground, at least shoulder-width apart.
- Placing your back tightly against the seat, lift your both arms till they get to the shoulder level (which is the angle of your elbows should be between 75 and 90 degrees).
- Put your elbows on the center of the pad on the wings of the machine.
- With a smooth and slow movement, push the wings together, stopping just before they touch.
- Reverse to the starting position slowly.
9. Bent Forward Cable Crossover
The bent forward cable crossover is one of the easiest on our list of best chest workout routines. All you need to get this exercise done is a high pulley machine.
A minor difference on the standing cable crossovers, bent-forward crossovers target the lower aspect of the pectorals more and need more control and concentration due to the shifted center of gravity caused by the performance stance.
How To:
- Start this exercise either with your feet planted hip-width apart or with one in front of the other as if you are walking.
- Hold the pulley handles with your arms straight out and facing inward, making sure that your hands are on your shoulders and your elbows are bent a bit.
- Maintain a slow and controlled movement. Do not jerk when you bring your hands together and extend your arms.
- For a broader arc and more resistance, lower your arms first and then in towards each other to cross one hand over the other.
- Return your arms gradually to the starting position with control. Ensure you don’t allow your arms go back past the shoulders.
10. Dumbbell Squeeze Press
Probably the easiest in this list of containing the best chest workout routines, this move is also an excellent way to develop your inner pecs. The dumbbell squeeze press will carve more detail and further deepen the striations in your middle chest area.
How To:
- Holding two dumbbells, assume a stable position on a flat, incline or decline bench;
- Place dumbbells together at the top of the movement and slowly lower weight while keeping dumbbells connected throughout;
- Press and repeat.
Conclusion
Building chest mass and strength boils down to choosing the best chest workout routines for bodyweight and weight training. These above-listed workout tips are very effective in building that powerful looking and well-sculpted upper body. You should try them out and recommend the post to friends and relatives.
