12 Best Chest Exercises for Men to Build Bigger Pecs

Have you ever stood in front of the mirror, feeling a sense of longing for a chest that exudes strength and confidence? It’s a common desire among men—to sculpt a chest that looks impressive and embodies power and vitality.

But where do you begin? How do you unleash the potential of your chest muscles to achieve that chiselled physique you’ve always dreamed of? At PTSPOT, our professional trainers have the knowledge and expertise to provide you with customised guidance according to your needs and body structure. Your dream chest is just a workout away—contact us today. 

Chest exercises are pivotal in men’s fitness routines, serving as a cornerstone for building a strong and well-rounded physique. The chest, comprising the pectoral muscles, contributes to a visually appealing upper body and plays a crucial role in functional strength and overall athleticism.

What are the best chest workouts for you? Shall we begin?

Top 12 Best Chest Exercises for Men

Bench Press

The bench press is a classic and highly effective exercise for building strength and muscle mass in the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It is a compound movement that engages multiple muscle groups simultaneously, making it a staple in many strength training routines.

Instruction:

1. Get comfortable on the flat bench, ensuring your eyes align with the barbell. Grab the bar a little wider than your shoulders for a good grip.
2. Plant your feet firmly on the ground to create a strong foundation. Arch your back slightly and keep your spine naturally curved.
3. Now, slowly lower the barbell down to your mid-chest in a smooth and controlled manner. Keep your elbows at a right angle throughout.
4. Push the barbell back up, straightening your arms fully without locking your elbows at the top.
5. Remember to breathe! Inhale as you lower the barbell, and exhale as you push it back up.

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps Secondary: Forearms, biceps, serratus anterior	Maintain proper form by keeping your wrists straight and elbows tucked in.

Also read: How to Do Bench Press: Variations and Proper Techniques

Push-Ups

Push-ups are a fundamental bodyweight exercise that strengthens the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core. They can be performed anywhere without equipment, making them a convenient and versatile exercise for building upper body strength.

Instruction:

1. Begin by getting into a plank position, placing your hands shoulder-width apart and pressing your palms firmly into the ground.
2. Slowly lower your body towards the ground by bending your arms, keeping your elbows close to your sides.
3. Pause when your chest is just above the ground or when your arms form a 90-degree angle.
4. Raise your body back up to the starting position by pushing through your hands to straighten your arms.
5. Throughout the exercise, keep your head and heels in a straight line.

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Pectoralis major, deltoids, triceps. Secondary: Core muscles	Focus on engaging your core muscles to stabilise your body throughout the movement.

Also Read:

• 22 Push-up Variations for Beginners to Pros to Build Strength and Flexibility
• 8 Effective Push-up Alternatives to Tone and Strengthen Muscles

Dumbbell Fly

Dumbbell fly are isolation exercises that primarily target the chest muscles, particularly the pectoralis major. They help enhance chest definition and strength by emphasising the stretching and contracting of the muscle fibers.

Instruction:

1. Get onto a flat bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other.
2. Lift your arms straight up over your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
3. Lower the dumbbells out to your sides in a wide arc, feeling a gentle stretch in your chest muscles.
4. Pause momentarily when your arms are parallel to the ground or slightly lower.
5. Squeeze your chest muscles as you bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position above your chest

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Pectoral muscles. Secondary: Anterior deltoids, triceps.	Maintain control throughout the movement, avoiding any jerky or swinging motions.

Cable Chest Press

The cable chest press is a variation of the traditional bench press, providing constant tension on the chest muscles throughout the movement. It helps build your chest, improve muscle endurance and coordination while also engaging the stabilising muscles.

Instruction:

1. Adjust the cable machine handles to chest height and choose a challenging but manageable weight.
2. Stand or sit facing away from the machine, and grab the handles with your palms facing down.
3. Place your feet about shoulder-width apart to create a stable base, and tighten your core muscles to support your posture.
4. Press the handles forward in a smooth and controlled motion, straightening your arms without locking your elbows.
5. Hold the position briefly at the end of the movement, feeling the contraction in your chest muscles.
6. Slowly bring the handles back to the starting position, maintaining control throughout the entire range of motion.

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Pectoralis major (chest muscles). Secondary: Anterior deltoids (front shoulder muscles), triceps.	Avoid leaning too far forward or backward, as this can reduce the effectiveness of the exercise and increase the risk of injury.

Unsure about proper form? Don’t hesitate to contact our certified trainers for personalised guidance and training plans tailored to your specific goals.

Chest Dips

Chest dips are a challenging bodyweight exercise primarily targeting the chest, shoulders, and triceps. They require upper body strength and stability, making them an excellent compound movement for building muscle mass and strength.

Instruction:

1. Grab onto parallel bars, positioning your hands a little wider than shoulder-width apart, and make sure your palms are facing inward.
2. Pull yourself up until your arms are fully extended and your body hangs above the bars. You can cross your legs behind you or let them hang straight down.
3. Lower your body by bending your elbows and leaning slightly forward, allowing your chest to move toward the ground.
4. Keep going down until your upper arms are parallel to the ground or slightly lower, feeling a stretch in your chest muscles.
5. Push back up by straightening your arms, and return to the starting position while exhaling.

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Pectoralis (lower chest muscles). Secondary: Anterior deltoids (front shoulder muscles), triceps.	Focus on controlled movement, and adjust the difficulty level by using assistance or resistance as needed.

Dumbbell Bench Press

The dumbbell bench press is a variation of the traditional bench press that helps improve unilateral strength and muscle balance. This bodyweight exercise helps improve stability and balance as each arm works independently, preventing muscle imbalances.

Instruction:

1. Start by sitting on a flat bench with two dumbbells in each hand, placing them on your thighs.
2. Now, lie back comfortably on the bench, bringing those dumbbells up to chest level with your palms facing forward.
3. Press the pair of dumbbells up, extending your arms fully but make sure not to lock your elbows at the top.
4. Feel the burn as you lower the dumbbells back down to chest level, controlling the movement and letting your chest muscles stretch.
5. Keep the momentum going by repeating this sequence for as many reps as you’ve set your sights on.

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: chest muscles, front shoulder muscles, triceps. Secondary: Upper back muscles	Ensure your back is flat against the bench throughout the exercise to maintain proper form.

Feet Elevated Push-Up

The feet elevated push-up is a challenging variation of the traditional push-up that increases the intensity and targets the upper chest and shoulders. It requires greater core stability and strength, making it an excellent exercise for building overall upper body strength.

Instruction:

1. Get into a push-up position with your hands a bit wider than shoulder-width apart, and place your feet on a sturdy surface like a bench or box.
2. Keep your body straight from your head to your heels, and tighten your core muscles to stay balanced.
3. Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the ground while keeping them close to your body.
4. Pause briefly when your chest is just above the ground or when you feel a good stretch in your chest muscles.
5. Push through your palms to straighten your arms and push yourself back up to the starting position, keeping your body in a straight line the whole time.

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Upper chest muscles, shoulders, triceps. Secondary: Rectus abdominis, obliques	Adjust the height of the surface your feet are elevated on to match your strength level and fitness goals.

Pullover

The pullover is a classic strength training exercise primarily targeting the upper body’s muscles and helps build a huge chest. It involves a single or dual-arm movement with weights and helps improve shoulder flexibility, expand the rib cage, and enhance overall upper-body strength.

Instruction:

1. Start by lying down on a flat bench, ensuring your upper back and shoulders are well-supported, and plant your feet flat on the ground.
2. Grab a dumbbell with both hands, keeping your palms facing upward, and extend your arms straight directly over your chest.
3. Begin lowering the weight behind your head with a slight bend in your elbows, taking a deep breath and feeling a gentle stretch in your chest and lats.
4. Pause briefly when the weight is just above the ground or when you sense a comfortable stretch.
5. As you bring the weight back up to the middle of your chest, exhale and focus on using your chest and back muscles to lift the weight.

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Pectoralis, latissimus dorsi, triceps. Secondary: Serratus anterior, deltoids.	Focus on the stretch during the descent and engage the targeted muscles to bring the weight back up.

Ready to feel the pump and push your limits? Our team of expert trainers is here to guide you every step of the way, ensuring you achieve faster results while minimising the risk of injury. Contact us today.

Resistance Band Full-Apart

The resistance band full-apart is a strength training exercise that primarily targets the upper back and shoulder muscles. It involves using a resistance band to perform a pulling motion, which helps improve posture, shoulder stability, upper body strength, and chest gain.

Instruction:

1. Stand up straight, keeping your feet about shoulder-width apart. Grab a resistance band with both hands, holding it before you.
2. Hold the resistance band with your palms facing down, and extend your arms straight out in front of your chest. Remember to maintain a small bend in your elbows.
3. With your arms straight, gradually pull the band apart by moving your hands outward until your arms are parallel to the ground.
4. Pause for a moment in the stretched position, focusing on squeezing your shoulder blades together to engage the upper back muscles.
5. Return to the starting position by bringing your hands together in front of your chest.

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Rear deltoids, rhomboids (upper back muscles). Secondary: Trapezius, rotator cuff muscles.	Choose a resistance band with an appropriate level of tension to challenge your muscles without compromising form.

Plate Press Out

The plate press-out is an effective exercise for building the upper portion of the chest. By actively pushing the weight plate away from your body, you engage the chest muscles in a dynamic movement, promoting muscle growth and definition.

Instruction:

1. Stand up straight, with your feet about shoulder width apart. Grasp a weight plate in front of your chest with both hands.
2. Keep your elbows slightly bent and press your palms against the back of the weight plate.
3. Now, engage your chest muscles and start pushing the weight plate straight out in front of you, extending your arms.
4. Hold that position for a second or two, feeling a good stretch in your chest.
5. Slowly bring the weight plate back towards your chest, controlling the movement the whole time.

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Pectoralis muscle, anterior deltoids, triceps. Secondary: Core muscles	Perform the exercise in a slow and controlled manner to maximise muscle activation and minimise the risk of injury.

3-Way Suspension Trainer Fly

The 3-way suspension trainer fly is a modified version of the classic dumbbell fly exercise, which is performed by using a suspension trainer like TRX. This exercise works on the chest muscles from various angles, giving a complete and balanced workout to the pectoral muscles. It helps in creating a symmetric muscle build and improving the appearance of the chest.

Instruction:

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Pectoralis chest muscles. Secondary: front shoulder muscle, triceps, core muscles.	Maintain proper alignment throughout the exercise, with your body in a straight line and your core engaged to stabilise your movements.

Plank to Pushup

The plank-to-pushup is a dynamic and best exercise that combines the plank and pushup movements, targeting the core, chest, shoulders, and arms. It involves transitioning between a plank position and a pushup position in a smooth and controlled manner.

Instruction:

1. Start by getting into a plank position, with your hands directly under your shoulders and your body forming a straight line from your head to your heels.
2. Tighten your core muscles to maintain a strong plank position.
3. Press firmly through your palms to lift one hand off the ground and place it slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
4. Then, lift your other hand and place it in the same position, transitioning into a pushup position.
5. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the ground while keeping them close to your sides.
6. Push back up through your palms to extend your arms and return to the pushup position.
7. Repeat the pushup motion for as many reps as you’d like.
8. To return to the plank position, lower one elbow at a time back to the starting position, maintaining control over the movement.

Muscle Worked	Advice
Primary: Pectoralis muscle Secondary: Upper back muscles	Focus on controlled movements during the transition between plank and pushup positions, avoiding any sudden or jerky motions.

Common Training Mistakes to Avoid

When it comes to chest exercises for men, it’s essential to avoid common mistakes that can hinder progress and increase the risk of injury. Here are some mistakes to steer clear of:

1. Skipping a proper warm-up and mobility routine can increase the risk of injury and limit your range of motion during chest exercises.
2. Using improper form and technique can compromise the effectiveness of chest exercises and increase the risk of injury.
3. While it’s important to challenge yourself with weights, solely focusing on lifting heavy without paying attention to the number of repetitions can hinder progress. 
4. Repeating the same chest exercises without introducing variation and progression can lead to a plateau in muscle growth and strength.
5. Overtraining the chest muscles without sufficient recovery time can lead to fatigue, decreased performance, and increased risk of injury.

Carving out a sculpted chest isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about building functional strength and confidence. With these best chest exercises and workouts, you can easily target every area of your chest, pushing it towards its full potential.

Remember, consistency is key! Stick to your chest workout routine, stay motivated, and train your chest with a certified trainer at PTSPOT, making your dream body into a reality. Our team of professional trainers is here to guide you every step of the way, ensuring you achieve your fitness goals safely and effectively. Contact us today and embark on your journey to a stronger, more confident you!