Chest exercises

How to train your chest

The pectoralis major is a broad, fan-shaped muscle. Its upper fibres attach to the collarbone, the larger lower part to the breastbone and ribs. Together they push your arms forward and bring them across your body, which is why presses and push-ups are the backbone of chest training. Your triceps and front delts help in every press.

Start with one heavy press, done fresh at the beginning of the session: the barbell bench press if you train in a gym, the dumbbell bench press at home or while you learn the movement. Dumbbells let each arm work on its own and give a longer range at the bottom. An incline press shifts more of the work to the upper chest, so it is a good second variation later in the week.

Push-ups train the same muscles with your body weight and work almost anywhere. A machine press is easy to learn and safe to push close to failure without a spotter; machines and free weights build muscle about equally well.

Train your chest twice a week. Muscla counts every press as a full set for the chest and half a set for the triceps, and changes the variation over the week.